Questions_and_Answers_set_4.docx

The Government has received the following questions for Solicitation RFQ-HUDOIG-15-0003:

Under 2. Scope of the solicitation it reads, “The scope of this RFI is to identify a vendor (Offeror) that can design, deploy and maintain a secure, fast and reliable WAN telecommunications infrastructure for HUDOIG at the best value.” For clarity, would the government kindly revise the solicitation to read RFQ?

Response: Yes the Government will amend the solicitation to read RFQ.

Under Section 2.0 SCOPE, the SOW states “The Customer Edge (CE) routers are not within the scope of this PWS.” Please confirm that Offeror is not required to provide any CPE maintenance support or pricing.

Response: Confirmed. The Offeror is not required to provide any CPE maintenance support or pricing.

Please confirm if Agency requires Managed WAN Services (NMS monitoring) of the Agency CE routers.

Response: If the Offeror means “Managed Network Services – MNS” then, no HUDOIG does not require MNS on the CE routers.

If Agency does not required Managed WAN (NMS), will the Agency allow SNMP read access to Agency CE routers for meeting the Performance Reporting requirements under Section 7 WAN Administration?

Response: Yes, SNMPv3 access will be allowed to the Performance reporting section of the MIB.

Under Section 5.1-6 WAN Requirements, SOW states that Offeror shall conduct pre-installation site surveys and stage new and upgraded equipment to smoothly install and transition components into the network. Can the Agency clarify that this does not apply to Agency CE routers.

Response: This does not apply to HUD OIG CE equipment.

Can Agency confirm the WAN speeds to be priced for the following locations:

Response: HUDOIG will update its RFQ to require 100Mbps Ethernet for Disaster Recovery Facility – 335 Inverness Dr South, Engelwood.

Under 6.3-8 the Offeror is required to archive and index network audit logs. Can Agency confirm the lifetime of the archive retention?

Response: Minimally 6 months. Offeror should provide the option for HUDOIG to extract these logs for long term archival.

I have a question on Section 6 (Security). Is the “winning” Offeror required to have a certain level of certification with FISMA and NIST? As a new entrant to the Federal space after serving as a subcontractor for many years, is this a requirement that will eliminate us from consideration?

Response: HUDOIG expects the Offeror to be compliant with federal regulations. Per section 6, there is no certification requirement.

In section 5.1.1-3, we respectfully request that this requirement be modified to read: …no later than 60 days after receipt of order. FAR stipulates that no contract action such as circuit provisioning can occur without a corresponding service order.

Response: HUD OIG concurs. The requirement will be revised to “no later than 60 days after receipt of order.”

In section 6, Please provide additional information related to the security requirements in this section. Please identify systems that must be FISMA compliant and to what level. Please provide Enterprise Architecture Framework documentation that is germane to this RFQ e.g, The Technical Reference Model and Standards Profile.

Response: HUDOIG operates under FIPS 199 Categorization Moderate Level.

In section 6.1-1, We do not expect to have the need to access HUDOIG computer systems. Please clarify the requirement as to what 'access to OIG circuits' means.

Response: HUDOIG will remove “with access to OIG data circuits” from the RFQ.

In section 10-2, We respectfully request that this modification be modified to read: "Within 60 days after receipt of order, the Offerer shall deliver initial WAN circuts that meet or exceed the Service Level Requirements. FAR stipulates that no contract action such as circuit provisioning can occur without a corresponding service order.

Response: HUD OIG concurs. The requirement will be revised to “no later than 60 days after receipt of order.”

In section 5.1-2, HUDOIG requirement is to deploy a WAN that connects all HUDOIG Offices to the CSF and DRF. Does each HUDOIG remote site require dual connectivity to each data center location in Colorado and DC?

Response: HUDOIG will eliminate this requirement.

In section 5.1.5-3, In regards to the maximum number of paths per prefix, please clarify if this requirement is for sites with dual EBGP connectivity to the same destination and require "EBGP multipath" implementation between the PE-CE?

Response: Depending on the proposed solution, HUDOIG may need to exchange BGP routes between the CE and PE. Offeror shall provide the number of routes that can be accepted per PE router via BGP.

In section 5.1.10-1, In regards to the replication circuit that should be used for user traffic in the event that one of the primary data center WAN circuit fails, please provide specific technical requirements for this dedicated circuit between Colorado and Washington D.C in terms of Availability, Latency, Round trip, bandwidth.

Response: See Appendix B of the PWS (Datacenter Synchronous Dedicated Link 1Gbps)

Which contract vehicle would you like this procurement to be awarded under?

Response: HUD-OIG is procuring this under FAR 12/15.

If you want to award against the GSA Networx contracts, would you like to award under the Enterprise contract or the Universal contract?

Response: See answer to 16.

Will this be a multi or single award contract?

Response: Single Award

What is the anticipated award date?

Response: Target award date is April or May 2015

Will HUD OIG consider submissions that take advantage of cost benefits associated with utilizing the existing HUD Enterprise WAN to support connectivity for HUD OIG by providing logical network separation at Layers 2 and 3 via VLANS, VRFs, and security appliances with multi-context support?

Response: No.

Section 2 Scope: This section states that the Offeror Provider Edge (PE) routers, switches, and software are within the scope of this PWS. The Customer Edge (CE) routers are not within the scope of this PWS. Does HUD OIG want the offeror to manage the CE or will HUD OIG provide and manage CPE?

Response: HUD OIG will manage CPE.

Section 5.1.4-1 Diversity Requirements: For diversity at the data center and HQ do you require that the bandwidth be the same for the primary and backup circuit?

Response: No

Section 5.1.4-2: If you do move forward with purchasing diversity for the Field office and Regional sites do you require that the bandwidth of the primary and backup circuit be the same?

Response: No

Section 5.1.10 Datacenter Replication: What is the requested bandwidth for the replication circuit between the datacenters?

Response: See Appendix B of the PWS: Datacenter Synchronous Dedicated Link 1Gbps.

Appendix B: Under Network Performance SLR you show a Performance Target for Aggregate Latency as 70ms. How is this computed? Is it site to site or roundtrip?

Response: Site to site.

Appendix B: Under Network Performance SLR you show a Performance Target for Latency Per Circuit as 20ms. How is this computed?

Response: Between the site location and the nearest HUDOIG data center.

Section 4, HUD OIG Locations, states: Additionally, HUD OIG requests that all sites have an alternate, cost effective handoff proposed. Can HUD elaborate on this requirement? Are we talking of dual access for each site? Does it need to be diverse?

Response: HUD OIG will consider options provided by the Offeror.

Section 5.1-3, WAN Requirements, states: The Offeror shall provide network bandwidth and system capacity for the WAN based on infrastructure and system requirements. Can HUD provide the data to do this analysis, i.e., determine bandwidth requirements at each site?

Response: Refer to Appendix B: HQ Circuit, Regional Office Circuit, Field Office Circuits.

Section 5.1.4, Diversity, Does this diversity qualify as alternate access mentioned in section 4?

Response: Yes

Section 5.1.10-1, Datacenter Replication, states: This replication circuit shall also be used for user traffic in the event one of the primary datacenter WAN circuits fails. Does this mean operational access or would also include people involved in delivery of the circuit before it is put in operation?

Response: HUD OIG does not understand this question.

6.0 Security: Can HUD provide the specific security requirement that the provider should adhere to?

Response: HUDOIG expects the Offeror to be compliant with federal regulations. Per section 6, there is no certification requirement.

6.1 Personnel Security Requirements: Does the requirement for U.S. citizenship and a public trust security clearance apply to personnel with operational access or does this also include people involved in delivery of the circuit before it is put in operation?

Response: It only applies to personnel with operational access.

6.2, Systems and Information Security: Regarding the requirement to archive and index network audit logs, how long should the logs be kept?

Response: Minimally 6 months. Offeror should provide the option for HUDOIG to extract these logs for long term archival.

7-8, WAN Administration: Please elaborate on the reports and statistics needed for near/real time monitoring – the type of reports, their frequency, etc.

Response: Bandwidth utilization, errors, packet drops per QoS queue, Availability, latency and jitter. Reports should be provided on the weekly basis and as needed.

Company requests a two week extension from the current proposal due date of March 20 based on the delay of HUDs response to the vendor questions. The HUD response to Company’s questions may significantly impact the nature of our response. Company may revise this request based on HUD’s responses and any questions that may arise out of those responses.

Response: HUD OIG is amending the RFQ for the proposal due date to be April 3, 2015 5:00pm ET.