BLiSS_Responses_4-5-13.pdf

No. Cat. RFP Section#, Title, & Page Question Responses

85 ADMIN Section B.18, ECONOMIC PRICE

ADJUSTMENT (APPLICABLE TO

FUEL ACQUISITION),

subparagraph (f), page 20

Why is the Government passing on to the contractor the risk of a ceiling on the price of fuel?

Even with the ability to adjust the prices for diesel and MOGAS to the Government, this level of risk, given the volatility of the oil markets and the political instability of the countries in the region, this kind of risk is difficult for even large businesses to accept. Therefore, we further ask that subparagraph (f) be removed from the RFP.

Ceiling rates ensure the total potential cost risk exposure to the Government is established for each

Offeror's proposal. With respect to volatitly of fuel prices, the Economic Price Adjustment (EPA) clause would protect the interests of both the

Government and the Contractor. If rates go above this amount, we would issue a contract mod with a new ceiling.

96 Tech RFP F.4 pg 32 & J_EXHE_BLISS There is a conflict between F.4 Deliverables and

J_Exh E Bliss_Mrpt - Section F Deliverables is an initial vetting list within 20 days of award and

EXHE_BLISS_MRPT para F states "Requests for

Public Trust certifications shall be submitted no later than 10 calendar days after task order award and at least 90 calendar days prior to the anticipated start of the person’s contract performance start date." Please clarify if the vetting list must be submitted within 10 or 20 days?

Exhibit E will be changed in the next amendment to be consistent with F.4. Public Trust certification requests submission allows for a staggered staffing identification, tied to submission of the

Staffing Plan, i.e. 30% at Task Order Award +10, 30% at Review +20, 40% at (2nd) Review +20 .

221 Tech Pg. 7 SAQMMA-12-R-0130, Baghdad Life Support Services, Section J – Exhibit A.1, Statement of Objectives, paragraph C.3.G, Airfield Services

What is the required frequency of runway sweeping?

BDSC: Runway is swept by Iraqi authorities at

Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). However, see

Q224 for further clarification.

224 Tech Pg. 7 SAQMMA-12-R-0130, Baghdad Life Support Services, Section J – Exhibit A.1, Statement of Objectives, paragraph C.3.G, Airfield Services

If sweeping services extend to taxiways, parallels, and parking aprons, please provide the frequency of sweeping for each and the dimensions of each, including the heliport dimensions.

BDSC: Sweeping services are required from the south end of the BDSC Ramp, including flight line road, northward to the end of the North

Fingers/Ramp Area; North Taxiway Mike, from the

Hold-Line southward to the south end of the BDSC

Ramp. The Sweeper also sweeps the cargo yard to reduce FOD being introduced onto the ramp. On a

“as needed” basis the Fuel Truck parking area and the area from the Airfield Fire Department to the

Entry Control Point is swept to reduce the FOD potential. Frequency: The sweeper is on the airfield twice daily, morning and afternoon, 7-days a week, but not all of the areas are swept twice each day. The total area is roughly 299,264 square meters. EHP: The Embassy Heliport is swept twice daily or more often as needed due to weather conditions. The Tigris LZ located on the

Baghdad Embassy Compound is swept rarely and only prior to special events. EHP dimensions: The

Embassy Heliport (EHP) is approximately 60,000 square feet.

277 Tech Sect J Exh A.1 Task Order SOO;

C.3.G Airfield Services (Applicable to TOR 2, 3, and 4)

5. Cargo Loading and Unloading: How many loads are pallatized annually? How many loads require HAZMAT Certification annually?

No longer applicable, as cargo loading and unloading will not be required under BLiSS.

367 Tech EXHIBIT A.1-ATTACHMENT 12, Paragraph 4: General Standards –

Fuel Standards (multiple)

The paragraph states: “The Contractor shall ensure the fuels conform with the specifications:MIL-DTL-83133G Dated April 30, 2010 and MIL-STD-3004C dated August 10, 2011 in accordance with ATTACHMENT C.1

Specifications”

Question: Will the government consider using civilian standards?

The next amendment changes from mil specs to civilian specifications under Exh A.1 Attchment 12 paragraph 4, General Standards-Fuel Standards.

402 Cost Exhibit A.1- Attachment 1, p.12;

Exhibit F Pricing Table 2

The Food Services SOO indicates the $20 and $8 daily allowances cover the cost of food for the base year. Does this allowance cover the cost of supplies such as paper products? If the response is no, on which bid line item should the Offeror include the cost for food service consumables and supplies?

Exhibit A.1- Attachment 1, p.12; Exhibit F Pricing

Table 2 plug figure for Supplies for Year 1 has been changed to $5,200,000. This plug figure includes food service related consumables & supplies (e.g.

paper napkins, plasticware, paper plates, etc).

432 Tech Section J, Exhibit A.1, Attachment

10 BLiSS Requirements Matrix and

Section J, Exhibit A.1, Section

C.3.G Airfield Services, pgs. 7-11 and Section J, Exhibit I Cleared

Personnel, pg. 1

Please clarify the "2 Cleared Americans" referred to in Attachment 10,with the requirement detailed in Atttachment A.1, Section C.3.G paragraph 7 (Air

Operations Center) and the Cleared Personnel listing in Exhibit I.

Amendment 002 deleted the requirement for 2

Cleared Americans as referred to in the earlier

Amendment 001 Attachment 10.

467 Tech L.16.1.5.1 Key Personnel Resumes New language at L.16.1.5 Resumes, "If Offeror proposed additional key personnel as an integrated part of its proposed approach, Offeror shall describe qualification requirement and detailed resumes." We believe that this requirement gives an unfair advantage to the incumbent. Will the government consider removing the requirement for resumes for additional key personnel or limiting key personnel to those identified in the RFP. This precludes anyone other than the incumbent from proposing proven incumbent managers as part of their BLiSS team.

The next amendment will remove "If Offeror proposed additional key personnel as an integrated part of its proposed approach, Offeror shall describe qualification requirement and detailed resumes."

477 General H.3 Travel and Transportation, pg.

Solicitation states: "During turnover under the transition period ,the Contractor will not be provided quarters."

1) Does this restriction apply to BDSC?

2) Will the USG exclude local housing and transportation cost during transition form the total evaluated price?

1) There is currently no restriction to housing availability during transition at BDSC. This is limited to incoming personnel for BDSC. 2)

Yes. Transition Cost/Price will not be evaluated.

483 Tech Sect_J_EXHA1_C.3.I.3, Rapiscan, Parapraph 10 (page 23)

Referenced section addresses gamma source for the Rapiscan Gantry Guard system and goes on to define requirements for, "contractor to assign health physics personnel who meet NUREG 1556

Volume 1 for personnel performing radiation safety and training duties with gauges, to include completion of a minimum of a 40 hour Radiation

Safety Officer (RSO) course and training experience with Rapiscan systems utilizing gauge systems containing radioactive materials".

Q7.a: The SOO only describes requirements for the Rapiscan Secure 1000 personnel scanner.

Will the "Rapiscan GANTRY GUARD" system be part of the RSO security support equipment density requiring maintenance?

No, the next amendment will delete references to the Gantry Guard system.

484 Tech Exhibit A.1 TOR SOO, C.3.H

Transportation Services-

(Applicable to TOR 2, 3, and 4);

Exhibit A.1, Atch 7 GFE List

BEC- RING ROUTE: 1 each 20 PAX bus is used to operate a ring route on the IZ from 06:00 to 23:30 daily. MEADOWLANDS EXPRESS: 1 each 20

PAX bus is used to operate a LES shuttle to and from an access gate to the Embassy Compound from 0715 to 1845 daily. The GFE Listing does not show any GFE for supporting the BEC shuttle routes. 1) Will the DOS please clarify what GFE will be provided for the Ring Route and the

Meadowlands Route? 2) Are Contractor ANs and

LNs authorized to use the shuttle services at the various sites? 3)If the Contractor proposes to provide onsite shuttle services for Contractor

AmCits and LNs, what are the requirements as to type vehicle, fueling, etc.? 4) Will the DOS provide transportation shuttle assets to meet surge transportation requirements when the gate opens, and to get workers to the gate at closure?

1) DOS will provide up to 5 vans for the Ring and

Meadowlands Routes. 2) Contractor ANs and LNs are authorized to use the shuttle services. 3) There is not a requirement as to types of vehicles used, fuel on the BEC is either diesel or leaded. 4) Yes, the amount of shuttles provided will be more than adequate to meet surge requirements.

486 Tech Section J, Exhibit AI, Attachment 6, Bliss Critical Service Housing

Ambiguities are noted in the reference. CG Basrah shows beds for Airfield Services. The contractor does not perform any airfield services at Basrah.

CG Basrah refers to 2 fire stations, but the solicitations infers there is only one contractor fire station at Basrah. Will the DOS please clarify the ambiguities cited?

There will no longer be beds available for airfield critical services personnel at CG Basrah, as the requirement for the Airfield has recently been deleted. One of two fire stations will be decommissioned before BLiSS contract begins, therefore there will be only one fire station at CG

Basrah.

495 Tech 2EXH_A1_TOR_SOO_A002_Mar_

Paragraph C.3.I.3 Rapiscan;

Subparagraph 2) Referenced

Documents, Page 20

Question - Will this reference be furnished by the government?

No.

498 Admin BLISS_Consolidated_RFP_A002_B-

M

Paragraph L.16.1.12 Past

Performance, Page 138

For the requirement to provide information for each contract and subcontract of similar size and services for the past 5 years, we are seeking clarification from Department of State as to specific numbers of past performance citiations required, and the physical locations where each past performance citation should occur.

Question - Is the intent of the Department of State to have offerers submit Past Performance pages at the end of each Task Order Request?

Offerors should provide the Past Performance and

Relevant Experience for the past five years at the end of each Task Order Request, and clearly describe how and why the reference is relevant to the requirements. In instances where the reference is the same for 2 or more TORs, the Offeror may simply reference the previous submission, using section and page number, and any additional information on why it may apply to the subsequent

TOR. There are no limits on how many references may be used, but Offerors are reminded of the following: "Failure to provide current and complete information about prior contractual performance problems that may have resulted in invoice deductions taken, cure notices, show cause notices, or deficiency letters issued shall result in an unfavorable responsibility determination and the Offeror being determined ineligible for award."

509 Cost SECTION J- EXHIBIT A.1 –

ATTACHMENT 3E, RAPISCAN

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS

AND OPERATORS

This exhibit addresses both operations and maintenance of the Rapiscan equipment. In the context of RSO maintenance services and airfield services it appears the operators and maintainers are duel hatted and the equipment is operated under airfield services in task orders 2, 3 and 4, and the equipment is maintained under RSO in task order 6? Please confirm.

If this is the correct interpretation, is it appropriate to price all activities under airfield services?

The premise of the question is incorrect.

Rapiscans are only located at BDSC, so Task

Order Requests 2 (IZ) 4 (Basrah) and 6 (PMO) do not apply. Currently, we have Rapiscan as part of

Task Order Request 5 (RSO Support). The

Maintenance Technicians may be dual-hatted, in other words, also work as Operators. There is no separate pricing for Airfield Services.

513 TechnicalC.3.H Transportation Services

(Applicable to TOR 2, 3, and 4)

(multiple)

C.3.H states in part under, 1) Shuttle Bus

Services, “c) BASRAH - One shuttle and driver is required during the hot months of the year, from

May through October, to operate a continuous ring route from 07:00 to 18:00 on the Consulate grounds only." Should we assume that shuttle service is not provided/available from November 1, through April 30?

Yes, the Basrah site is considered small enough for employees and contractors to walk from November through April, yet too hot to do so during the months of May through October.

600 Gen SF-33 Block 9 Will the Government consider extending the due date for proposal submission?

No. Proposals are due as directed on April 10.

However, Block 9 is modified to read "5:00 pm EDT on 4/10/2013" (changed from EST).

601 Tech Sec_J_Exh_A.1_Task_Order_SOO s, C.3.I.1, B.11 Spares and

Consumables Management, page

The referenced section states "Initial stockage of material and spare parts unique to the ZBV will also be established. .... The Contractor's proposal shall include a catalog list of spare parts and supplies along with the unit price per item." Please clarify whether the catalog list required for the proposal is for ZBV parts only or for ALL equipment the contractor will maintain. If all equipment, should the catalog list include parts required for both PMCS and corrective maintenance?

The sentences "The Contractor’s proposal shall include a catalog list of spare parts and supplies along with unit price per item. The catalog list shall be utilized to procure any additional spare parts on an as needed basis..." will beremoved from the

SOO in the next amendment. This response supercedes response to #331

602 Admin

H.70,RECRUITMENT OF THIRD

COUNTRY NATIONALS FOR

PERFORMANCE ON

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

CONTRACTS (October 17, 2012)

"On contracts exceeding $150,000

...Contractors providing employer furnished housing are required to submit a Housing Plan."

H.70,RECRUITMENT OF THIRD

COUNTRY NATIONALS ...) Page

2)ot counted as part of the 20 page limit. However, these Plans will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis in the

CO’s determination of offerors responsibility in accordance with

FAR Subpart 9.1 (Responsible

Prospective Contractors)"

For clarification, although the M.10.1.1.1 SAMPLE

STAFFING PLAN, Page 153 , does not mention

Americans, according to H.70 2) will offerors we be required to address the housing of American

Nationals in the Housing Plan?

This response supercedes response made to question #159 dated Mar 19, 2013. If a Housing

Plan is required in accordance with H.70, Offerors will be required to address the housing for

American Nationals and Third County Nationals in its proposed Housing Plan.