SAQMMA10R0005QA2 - 05.27.10.docx

SAQMMA10R005AQ2 – 05.27.10

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

Is this a duplicate requirement? Is the offeror’s Task Order past performance to be provided in both Volume 4 and Volumes 2 or 3, or is Volume 4 to be limited to the base contract and Task Order-specific past performance provided in Volumes 2 and 3? We ask because the 20-page limit for Volume 4 will not accommodate the maximum 25 contract citations (5 for the base contract and 5 for each of the 4 Task Orders).

ANSWER: Past performance information related to the basic contract and each task order shall be provided in Volume 3 only. The page limitation for Volume 3 will be eliminated.

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

ANSWER: In accordance with Section H.7, all permits, licenses and appointments must be obtained by the planned commencement of Task Order performance. See forthcoming Amendment 01. Note that Task Orders may have more restrictive requirements.

ANSWER: Actual or potential organizational conflicts of interest shall be reported to the Contracting Officer.

SECTION J - LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

Will Chevrolet Tahoe’s be an acceptable vehicle for this requirement?

ANSWER: No, the Contractor shall provide Suburban or equivalent GMC ¾ ton chassis equivalent SUVs.

Comment: Paragraph E.8.4 Armored Vehicle Driving Familiarization & Vehicle Dynamics reads “… requires 3 fully armored Suburban’s.”

Is the contractor required by the Government to have 3, 5 or 8 total Fully Armored Suburban’s at its disposal for use during WPS training events?

ANSWER: The contractor shall provide 3 FAV SUVs at a minimum. See in the forthcoming amendment Exhibit E, Section E.8.4.2.

Does the WPS contract require on-site EMS support throughout the training course – each day; or does the contract require on-site EMS support only for higher risk training events (driving, firearms, etc)?

ANSWER: Yes, the Contractor shall provide on-site EMS for each day of training.

Question: Are other brand-name M-4s suitable or is Colt the only brand-name authorized for training use on the WPS contract?

ANSWER: DOS will accept any brand M4-A1 that is functionally and dimensionally identical to the U.S. government issue COLT M4-A1. The contractor will provide 14.5” and 10.5” barrels (plus spares) for each M4-A1.

Which model ACOG?

ANSWER: ACOG requirements are identified in Exhibit J.

Which model EOTech?

ANSWER: EOTECH requirements are identified in Exhibit J.

Will contractor provided M-4s with 16 inch barrels be approved for training on the WPS contract?

ANSWER: No, DOS will accept any brand M4-A1 that is functionally and dimensionally identical to the U.S. government issue COLT M4-A1. The contractor will provide 14.5” and 10.5” barrels (plus spares) for each M4-A1.

Which make/model of Night Vision Goggle is approved / authorized for WPS training?

ANSWER: DOS will accept any Generation III PVS-14 weapon mountable units.

Is the training requirement for live air (helicopter support); or is use of mock helicopters authorized for use during WPS training?

ANSWER: Contractors shall provide a mock or live training platform of the same dimensions of a 8-10 (excluding crew) passenger medium lift helicopter.

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, & OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS OR RESPONDENTS

ANSWER: This provision (K.2.2) clause implements 22 U.S.C. 4864 and the information provided is used to determine an offeror’s eligibility for the U.S. Person preference for local guard services. Section M.4 describes how the U.S. Person preference will be applied to local guard task order evaluations.

It is unclear what the statement “(See Section L)” refers to in each question. Please clarify.

ANSWER: Section L.12 instructs offerors as to where in their proposal (Volume 5) the information requested by K.2.2 is to be included in their proposals. Section M.4 describes how the U.S. Person preference will be applied.

SECTION L

The Task Order solicitations request offerors provide a Task Order Management Plan (TOMP) for each task order. On the last pages of each Task Order Solicitation, instructions say “Each item listed must be addressed in the same order as provided in the enclosure (Statement of work for each task order) as part of their management plan.” Does the Government want the offeror to use the respective Task Order SOW as the guiding outline for submissions, or the TOMP as the guiding outline for the response to Task Order solicitations. Additionally, the Government has requested a TOMP for the LPMO (Attachments 1 and 2) with a page limit of 10 pages.

Please clarify the format the Government desires for each Task Order submission.

ANSWER: Offeror shall use the elements listed in the Task Order Management Plan (TOMP) as guidance in preparing its response. See TOMP Exhibit A and revised Attachments in the forthcoming amendment.

(1) Is the Total Compensation Plan included in the page limits for Volume 1?

(2) Where in Volume 1 (i.e., in what section) is the Total Compensation Plan to be provided?

ANSWER: The offeror will describe their approach to the compensation plan in narrative format in volume 1. The offeror may provide figures and details in the Business / Socioeconomic volume, which does not contain page limits. See amended Section L 12.1.1, Personnel Staffing, paragraph (b).

We assume this applies to Volume 4 as well. Please confirm this assumption.

ANSWER: DOS will revise this inconsistency (volume numbering error) in the forthcoming amendment. The cost / price proposal will of course contain financial data including cost or price information.

(1) Please confirm that the Resume format is included as Exhibit G to the RFP, and not as Exhibit I.

(2) The Resume format in Exhibit G is three pages in length, and could extend to additional pages to account for all relevant work history and required certificates. Are offeror’s required to use the Exhibit G format for all resumes? If so, can offerors manipulate the file formatting to achieve a two-page length, including using a smaller font?

ANSWER: (1) The questioner is correct; L.11.1(a) should reference Exhibit G.

(2) Offerors are required to use the Exhibit G format for all resumes. Times New Roman size 12 type shall be used.

Resumes shall be included as an attachment to Volume 2 proposals and shall not be considered in the page limitations. See Section L in the forthcoming amendment.

(1) While it is clear from the Task Order SOWs (see Attachments 2, 4, 9 and 13) the Key Personnel resumes that are to be submitted with each Task Order proposal, does the Government require any resumes to be submitted with the offeror’s Base Contract Technical Proposal (Volume 1)? If so, how many resumes for each of the eight Key positions identified in Exhibit C are offerors required to submit with Volume 1?

(2) If resumes are required with Volume 1, would it be acceptable to the Government if they were included as an appendix to Volume 1 and not counted in the page limit for this volume?

(3) With regard to the resumes required for the Task Order proposals, would it be acceptable to the Government if they were included as appendices to Volumes 2 and 3 as appropriate and not counted in the page limits for those volumes?

ANSWER:

(1) No resumes are required to be submitted with the base contract proposal as all Key Personnel are identified at the Task Order level.

(2) No resumes are required to be submitted with the base contract proposal. Resumes are not considered in the page limitations.

(3) Resumes shall be included as an attachment to Volume 2 proposals and shall not be considered in the page limitations. See Section L in the forthcoming amendment.

(1) Does “written” refer to those elements of each volume defined by the detailed volume instructions, and not including title page, table of contents, etc., as well as any additional information included as appendices (such as Key Personnel resumes)?

(2) As volume 6 is not page limited, but volume 4 is, should not the above cited statement in section L.11 read, “Contractors shall use both sides of each page (i.e.: a 50 page proposal shall include 25 physical pieces of paper). The written part of all volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 shall not exceed 120 pages.” Also, the cumulative page count for these four volumes is 255, which would require 128 pieces of paper to print (double-sided), which exceeds the 120-page limit specified. Please clarify these requirements.

ANSWER: Title pages, tables of contents and tabs will not be included in the page count. Section L.12 will be revised to combine all task order proposals into Volume 2. The volumes will be renumbered to conform to Section L.12.1 numbering. Page limitations will be adjusted accordingly and the past performance volume page limitation will be increased to 80 pages and incorporates experience.

Are Volumes 2 and 3, the Task Order proposal volumes, to be printed single-sided or double sided?

ANSWER: DOS will amend the appropriate Attachments to remove the single page requirement.

We assume that proposal volumes are to be named and numbered as shown in section L.12.1, using the instructions as provided in sections L.12.1.3 through L.12.1.6 by volume name. Please confirm this assumption.

ANSWER: The volume numbers in Section L.12 will be renumbered to conform to Section L.12.1 numbering.

We assume that this refers to the Pricing Tables included in Volume 5. Please confirm this assumption.

ANSWER: Section 12.1.1 includes the requirement for an offeror to describe its compensation plan in Volume 1. This description should include wages, fringe benefits and other incentives that will ensure appropriate recruiting and retention of qualified personnel. The requirement to provide overhead and fee information in the compensation plan will be deleted.

We assume that this should refer to Exhibit I. Please confirm this assumption.

ANSWER: DOS will provide a list of available Government furnished resources with each Task Order, as applicable. See forthcoming amendment Section L.12.1.

It is unclear as to the exact requirements in section C.4.3.8 that pertain to the logistics management plan. Please clarify.

ANSWER: The Logistics Management Plan should describe how the Offeror will meet the logistical support requirements. See Section C.4.3.10 Logistics Support, in the forthcoming amendment. TOMP requirements will be separated from the Logistics Support requirements in the forthcoming amendment. See section C.4.3.11, Task Order Management Plans in the forthcoming amendment.

Please confirm if items f. and g. that are inserted in the RFP under “OTHER PERFORMANCE RELATED INFORMATION” should be addressed as part of the section on “RISK MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION.”

ANSWER: The questioner is correct. DOS will clarify this area in the forthcoming amendment.

Why the disparity in page limits? Could the Government identify specifically any differences it expects in the Task Order proposals for the LPMO versus the Jerusalem, BESF and KESF tasks that would explain this disparity?

ANSWER: The Government believes that the LPMO, which is a CONUS based management task order, can be adequately described in ten pages, whereas the operational task order efforts will be much more complex and include many more components that will need to be addressed.

Is the “dollar value” also to be provided on an annual basis, or can just the total contract dollar value be provided as a single quantity?

ANSWER: Offerors may specify the contract value by contract year or the total of all years.

How is an offeror that is a Joint Venture required to respond to these requirements?

ANSWER: Joint Ventures shall provide the required information for each member of the joint venture.

ANSWER: The DOS provided a virtual site visit at the pre-proposal conference on April 27-28, 2010. DOS will not host site visits at the Task Order locations.

ANSWER: A business concern includes its affiliates. Therefore, the acquisition of supplies or services from an affiliate would not be considered subcontracting. See FAR Subparts 2.101, 19.001 and 19.101.

ANSWER: DOS will clarify this area in the forthcoming amendment. Offerors shall use both sides of the page, except for large spreadsheets and pricing tables.

ANSWER: The solicitation will be amended to require that the LPMO technical proposal be included with the operational task order proposals in Volume 2. Past performance information related to the task order proposals (and the basic contract) shall be included in Volume 3.

ANSWER: The Government believes that the LPMO can be adequately described in ten pages, whereas the operational task order efforts will be much more complex and include many more components that will need to be addressed.

Here it states that Contractors shall use both sides of each page, however in Attachment 1 in the Task Order Management Plan (last bullet) it states that Proposals shall be submitted…single sided. Please clarify if the entire proposal is to be printed 2 sided or if only the TOMPs are to be single sided.

ANSWER: DOS will clarify this area in the forthcoming amendment. Offerors shall use both sides of the page, except for large spreadsheets and pricing tables.

Resumes are limited to no more than 2 pages per individual and can be submitted separately from any volume.

In exhibit G Resume Format of the solicitation, a 4 page resume template is depicted. The template is 4 pages in length, and this is before any personal candidate information is populated in the various data fields. Additionally under the title Experience Validation it appears that this section of the resume can be longer than the one page template, as it states: Copy and paste additional tables as needed.

Please clarify the maximum page length permitted for each key person resume, i.e. does the Government desire the 2 page format or the 4 page format?

ANSWER: Resumes shall be included as an attachment to Volume 2 proposals and shall not be considered in the page limitations. See Section L in the forthcoming amendment.

Resumes for Key Personnel shall be submitted in the format provided in Exhibit G.

SECTION M

(1) Could the Government please confirm that the Mandatory Minimum Experience requirements must be explicitly addressed in the offeror’s proposal, and in which proposal volume they are to be addressed?

(2) With respect to item (b), “Personal protective, static guard, and emergency response security contracts must have a total value of at least 15 million dollars each”, it is unclear how many contracts must be identified that meet this annual dollar threshold. Can individual contracts include just one service type, two service types (e.g., static guards and emergency response teams), or must they cover all three service types listed? Please clarify.

ANSWER: (1) Offerors shall address mandatory minimum experience requirements in Volume 3, Experience and Past Performance.

(2) Offerors shall have performed personal protective and static security guard contracts with a total annual value of at least $15 million for each type of service. This could be two contracts for each of the types of service valued at $15 million each, or a single contract providing both types of service with each type of service valued at $15 million annually. Section M.1.4 will be revised by amendment to clarify these experience requirements.

To what extent will an offeror’s Task Order proposals be considered in the evaluation of their base contract proposal?

ANSWER: During the base contract evaluation, DOS will survey the offeror’s Task Order proposals received concurrently with the base contract proposal without conducting evaluations. The survey of the Task Order proposals does not constitute an evaluation as the evaluators will only perform a brief review to verify the capabilities claimed by the offeror’s base contract proposal. DOS will conduct evaluations of Task Order proposals during the Task Order evaluation process after the award of the base contract. DOS will revise the solicitation to reflect this clarification.

ATTACHMENT 2 - SOW -LPMO

ANSWER: Attachment 2 correctly identifies the security clearance levels required.

Is the AFSO a Management Labor Category, and part of the LPMO? If so, it needs to be added to Pricing Table 10 and a Labor category description provided in Exhibit C. If not, this position needs to be deleted in Pricing Table 6. In either instance, the DPMFS needs to be added to Table 6.

ANSWER: The AFSO labor category will be removed from the LPMO pricing table by amendment. The DPMFS will be added.

We assume that the reference to ATTACHMENT 3 should be to Pricing Table 10. Please confirm this assumption.

ANSWER: The pricing table for Jerusalem is Pricing Table 10. DOS will resolve this inconsistency in the forthcoming amendment.

ATTACHMENT 4 - Task Order 02 SOW Jerusalem

ANSWER: Yes.

ANSWER: The only facilities that DOS will provide are limited operational office space (i.e., TOC) and storage area for all SPE for the Jerusalem Task Order.

ATTACHMENT 13 - Task Order 04 SOW – KESF

The Department of State in releasing the RFP for WPS has limited the competition by requiring the prime contractor to firms who employ armed security guards. The government is missing out on teams that are built around strong management Prime Contractors who can subcontract the armed security requirement. A firm that subcontracts out this work can still have a strong command and control structure have well-built supervision capabilities, management processes, and business systems and the desire to bring the right solution and partnership to the Department of State.

Many of the problems of the incumbent contractors have been in lack of oversight and accountability and inadequate business systems. There may be a lack of management and training. Putting in a layer of management who consistently monitors the performance of their employees as well as subcontractor performance, actively engages subcontractors in cost-control activities and initiatives and holds subcontractors accountable with transparency to the government is much more effective solution. With a strong management firm has the lead, the government receives the benefit of oversight and audit. A subcontractor who is not performing can be removed from the contract and replaced with another subcontractor without disruption of work while an independent investigation ensues. A prime contractor who owns the security guards may be less motivated to act swiftly and may act to protect and cover mistakes of its employees to avoid reputational risk.

The issue in the past has not been if the contractor has ownership of the security force but if the contractor has control over the security force. We believe that control comes from a strong Prime with processes and procedures, checks and balances in place, strong management and leadership ability and a zero tolerance for bad behavior or cost overruns or abuses.

Will the Government reconsider lifting this requirement for the Prime contractor to employ in a direct hire relationship with all armed and unarmed guard personnel and all other armed personnel?

ANSWER: The Contractor shall establish an employer – employee relationship with all armed P (Protective Security) and G (Guard) personnel. This requirement does not apply to armed or unarmed S (Support) personnel. DOS requires this employer – employee relationship to ensure effective supervision and discipline. See C.4.1.11 in the forthcoming amendment.

ATTACHMENT 15 – Task Order O4 Inventory KESF

Please clarify if the CAP cellphones are required to be NOKIA make/model specific, being tri or quad band capable, or just dual band GSM for in-country use only?

ANSWER: CAP cellphones are for in-country use only. No specific make or model is required.

ANSWER: DOS expects to provide an inventory list for Jerusalem in the forthcoming amendment. The other inventory lists reflect the most accurate information available to DOS at this time.

EXHIBIT A – General Information

ANSWER: These positions require a cell phone, but no weapons.

EXHIBIT C - PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES & QUALIFICATIONS

There appears to be a position (ALA) for an Assistant Camp Manager in the KESF TO SOW and no corresponding position description in Exhibit C. Please clarify the qualifications required for the Assistant Camp Manager Position (ALA in the CLIN structure).

ANSWER: ALA is not a labor category under this contract. ALA will be removed by amendment from task order Exhibit A.

EXHIBIT F

Please Clarify that the only Weapons qualifications are based off Exhibit E (E.13.3)

ANSWER: DOS no longer requires training for the M2. 50 caliber or MK 19 weapons under the WPS program. This requirement will be removed by amendment.

EXHIBIT I – STANDARD EQUIPMENT

The GFE listed in attachments have radios that are a mix of Motorola digital/non-digital, MDC 1200/non MDC 1200 capable, and trunking/non-trunking models. Please clarify if the Contractor Acquired Property (CAP) radios specific to Motorola P25, must be Type 1 FPS DES encryption, MDC signaling, and trunking capable.

ANSWER: DOS will provide technical specifications for radios at the time the request for purchase is required.

The GFE shows the Embassy plans to use 5 frequencies for various operations. The Motorola Quantar repeater has the capability of 1 use frequency (trunked operation), or up to 16 frequencies (conventional operation). Please clarify if the GFE contains trunked or conventional Quantar repeater.

ANSWER: DOS will provide technical specifications for radios at the time the request for purchase is required.

Exhibit I lists standard equipment required for WPS in general – both contractor furnished and government furnished. For specific task order pricing purposes, there are several questions that required clarification relative to Exhibit I:

1.) The initial list of equipment on pages 1 and 2 – is not listed as specific to any particular group of employees (PSS, Support, etc). Is this the required list for all employees? Please provide quantity clarification for this initial list that must be priced in Task Orders 2, 3 & 4

2.) Sections 1.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 13.0 & 14.0 of Exhibit I, list specific contractor acquired property items for various groups of WPS employees and/or facilitates. Each of these paragraphs also indicates “Equipment/Supplies identified below are currently provided by the incumbents as Contractor Acquired Property (CAP) that is Government-Owned Equipment. Upon task order award, this equipment will be turned over to the Contractor and shall be utilized in fulfilling any of the needs identified below. This GFE must be considered in determining what additional equipment needs to be procured. Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining adequate replacement equipment in stock (OCONUS) and shall ensure those sufficient supplies/equipment are available for the duration of the task order”. For task order pricing purposes, please clarify the excepted volume of property that will be turned over to the contractor, so that there is clear guidance as to the quantity of these items that must be priced for the task orders.

3.) For Task Orders 002 and 003, Pricing Tables 7 and 8, there is an ODC line for CFE that appears to require pricing action. For Task order 004, this line in Pricing Table 9, is listed as “n/a”. Please provide clarification of pricing requirements for CFE for these three task orders.

ANSWER: (1) An identifying title will be added to the first table in forthcoming amendment. Quantity is based on staffing identified at the task order level.

(2) Inventory has been provided. Quantities will be based on the staffing at the task order level. See Attachments 6, 11 and 15 for inventory.

(3) Clarification will be provided in the amended pricing tables.

PRICING TABLES

The Labor category under CLIN X022, Facility Manager, does not have a corresponding description in Exhibit C. Please clarify if DS will provide the detailed personnel qualification data for the Facility Manager position?

ANSWER: DOS will remove this labor category from the contract in the forthcoming amendment.

In the Excel Pricing Template for the Jerusalem task Order, all of the cells for ODC pricing for all years for CLINs X070 through X089 are noted as “n/a” with the footnote indicating “not applicable”. In the Jerusalem Task Order RFP Pricing instructions, there are instructions for pricing these line items and other task order references indicate all of these line items will be required. Please clarify if DS is requesting pricing on these ODC line items or not?

ANSWER: “FFUP” and “# Stu” are applicable to training CLINs only. Clarification will be provided in the amended pricing proposal.

Several Questions related to Pricing Tables 7, 8 and 9 in the RFP pricing model:

· In Both Table 7 & 8, The Embassy Guard Force Section, Totals Column for each year. There appears to be a formula error in the way the model calculates totals. The totals formula multiplies “Hourly Rate” X “# Positions” X “# of Hours” – which creates a logic flaw in that the “# of hours” would appear to already account for the number of positions and thus derives a number that double counts the number of hours. Please clarify the intent of the totals formula and verify the current formula in the model is an error. Please also verify that the “# Hours” total does in fact already account for the “# Positions”.

· In Both Table 7 & 8, in the Embassy Guard Force Section, there are positions listed as “Senior Guard” and “EDD/Canine Handler” which the template, asks for an hourly rate. Both Senior Guard and EDD/Canine handler are listed in Table 3 as Day Rate Positions. Please clarify if these positions should be proposed as either day rates or hourly rates. If they are to be priced as hourly rates, there is not a corresponding hourly rate maximum in Pricing Table 4.

· In Both Tables 7 & 8, there is a position “Senior Guard”. In both cases the CLIN reference is blank in the pricing table. Pricing Table 3 has 2 Senior Guard CLIN references; CLIN X069 PSS Senior Guard and CLIN X077 non PSS Senior Guard. Please clarify which Senior Guard CLIN is required for both the BESF and the KESF pricing.

· In Pricing Table 9, Jerusalem, nearly all of the CLIN references do not match the Table 3 Maximum Day rates. In most, but not all cases, the correct CLINS can be traced back to Table 3. Please clarify correct CLIN references for all of the Jerusalem Task Order. Further, PSS Operations Chief, listed in Table 9 as CLIN X006, is not in Table 3 at all. CLIN X006 is listed as “Reserved” in Table 3.

ANSWER: DOS will address these inconsistencies in the forthcoming amendment.

Pricing Instruction #20 states “20) An offeror shall not propose overseas allowances (e.g., Post Differential Pay and/or Danger Pay) unless the offeror’s payment of these elements is part of the offeror’s established compensation plan or policy, or part of their employer/employee agreements”.

If the contractor’s established compensation policy includes Post Differential and/or Danger Pay, please clarify the anticipated future impact of changes in the State Department overseas allowances. A potential future reduction in the allowance published by the Department of State anytime during the 5 year task order may or may not reflect the true market driven wage requirements to attract and retain high quality WPS staff for 100% of the positions 100% of the time. Further, employer/employee agreements will have set time frames and set allowances that will not align with the timing of any future changes to the published allowance values.

ANSWER: The offeror and contractor shall not include any overseas allowances in the proposed not-to-exceed or fixed fully-loaded daily or hourly labor rates. Any overseas allowances’ costs must be proposed and billed as an Other Direct Cost (ODC) at the task order level. Additionally, the following will be listed under Section B in a forthcoming amendment:

If paying overseas allowances (e.g., Danger Pay and Post Hardship Differential Pay) is part of the Contractor’s established compensation plan or policy or employer/employee agreement, and if such payment is otherwise consistent with FAR Part 31, the Contractor may be paid for or recover such costs, but only if such payment/recovery is:

1) at percentages that do not exceed the percentages (effective at the time of performance) listed in the Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) (if the Contractor applies percentages to calculate its overseas allowances);

2) at dollar amounts that do not exceed the dollar amounts paid to eligible United States Government civilians after multiplying the DSSR percentages (effective at the time of performance) by the eligible individual’s basic compensation (if the Contractor pays overseas allowances based on a fixed dollar amount);

3) based on the number of actual hours worked rather than based on compensation (if the Contractor’s established compensation plan or policy or employer/employee agreement is based on the number of actual hours worked); and

4) for Contractor employees whose country of citizenship is not in the country of performance.

GENERAL

Additionally, the equipment list shows serial #’s or contract #’s but does not describe the make and model of the equipment. In order to have an accurate accounting of existing equipment vs. what is needed, more detail is required. For example, referencing contract # S-AQMPD-07-C0054:

1.) What types of devices are these?

ANSWER: DOS provided the most recent and accurate list of GFE available at this time. DOS expects to provide GFE lists for Jerusalem with the forthcoming amendment.

ANSWER: A company submitting any personnel for a Moderate Risk Public Trust (MRPT) certification, who have not been issued a Social Security Number, shall utilize the Standard Form 85P and Standard Form 85PS in hard copy form. The Standard Form 85P and Standard Form 85PS shall be typed.

ANSWER: TCNs should complete the Standard Form 85P and Standard Form 85PS as thoroughly as possible. We acknowledge that the forms were originally intended to be completed by US citizens, but third country nationals (TCNs) shall complete the forms as best as they can. If a question is not applicable then the entry shall be N/A. TCNs should include any number issued by their country (similar to the US’s Social Security Number) on both their forms and the fingerprint cards.

ANSWER: Relief Guards are considered in the Government’s estimates of personnel that will be required to perform this contract and will be directly chargeable. See forthcoming amendment.

ANSWER: The Government will conduct polygraph examinations.

ANSWER: Polygraph examinations are not required for TCNs.

In fact, in the case of Xe, armed security was performed by independent contractors drawn from a database of Special Forces. These individuals were not employees but hired contractors performing the work.

One of the problems encountered with a prime having “employees” providing the work is the bias of management when an incident occurs. A company’s management along with their public image is sheltered at all costs, causing a perception of protectionism of the “employee” accused of wrong doing and delaying remedial action.

It is in the State Department’s best interest to have a prime who subcontracts out the shooters rather than owns them. In this case the prime can remove the subcontractor and have an immediate unbiased investigation of an incident while providing another vetted subcontractor to step in and provide uninterrupted coverage. Putting in strict processes and procedures and having direct accountability to the prime provides the command and control necessary in an operational environment. Another benefit to DoS is the double screening that can occur with a subcontractor handling the shooters. The subcontractor will do the initial screening and send candidates who pass the screening to the prime. The prime will provide a secondary screening before forwarding candidates to Diplomatic Security. The quality of the candidates submitted to the State Department will reduce the amount of time and expense the State Department will have to expend to find the right personnel.

Having a prime who subcontracts out armed security does not mean that the State Department will not have a primary point of contact. The prime will still provide the program manager who has direct control and responsibility over the program and has the ability to hire and fire personnel regardless if the individual is on the prime’s team or on the sub’s team. The key to controlling armed security providers is not by owning them but by managing and having a rigorous screening, training and oversight for them. Historically the prime has owned the shooters and the headlines of the newspapers and magazine clearly indicates that ownership does not keep bad judgment from occurring. Having a management firm as the prime and putting in clear, consistent processes and procedures with command and control from the top will provide a better solution for the State Department.

A huge number of firms benefit from changing the approach and letting management firms prime the WPS effort, increasing competition and allowing for the government to benefit from industry’s participation on a greater scale. Not allowing primes to subcontract out the shooters greatly diminishes the competition and only allows the same old players to participate.

Does the prime have to employ all the PSS and “shooters” resource personnel?

Would DOS consider different management approach?

ANSWER: The Contractor shall establish an employer – employee relationship with all armed P (Protective Security) and G (Guard) personnel. This requirement does not apply to armed or unarmed S (Support) personnel. DOS requires this employer –employee relationship to ensure effective supervision and discipline.

ANSWER: DOS will provide more precise requirements for biometric timekeeping systems in the forthcoming amendment.

ANSWER: Offerors are required to submit an acceptable small business plan as a solicitation requirement. DOS would consider failure to do so as a deficiency, which could result in rejection for award if not adequately addressed.

ANSWER: The Contractor shall establish an employer – employee relationship with as armed P (Protective Security) and G (Guard) personnel. This requirement does not apply to armed or unarmed S (Support) personnel. DOS requires this employer –employee relationship to ensure effective supervision and discipline.

ANSWER: The vendor is not responsible to obtain information on different countries’ security requirements. The context of the comment was made to simply advise vendors that each and every country has different infrastructures in place and that, in some countries with less-established infrastructures (police departments…), it may take longer to conduct requisite checks.

ANSWER: - Contractor personnel shall be available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.