Special_Notes_and_Instructions_to_Quoters.pdf

SPECIAL NOTES AND INSTRUCTIONS TO QUOTERS

1. Small Business Set-Aside

This acquisition is a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS code 517112

— Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (Small Business Size Standard: 1,500 employees). Only conforming quotes submitted by qualified Small Business concerns will be accepted and evaluated by the Government. Any quote submitted by an entity that is not an eligible Small Business concern under this NAICS code will be rejected without evaluation.

2. Site Visit (Optional / Strongly Encouraged)

An organized site visit will be conducted on Monday, 2 November 2026 at 10:00 AM CST at: AFLCMC/GBH; 1960 1st Street West, Building 977, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4453

RSVP & Base Access: All interested contractors wishing to attend must contact Contract Specialist Syedah Gordon at syedah.gordon@us.af.mil and Contracting Officer Sarah Dietel at sarah.dietel@us.af.mil no later than Wednesday, 28 October 2026 at 3:00 PM CST. Attendees must fill out Section IV “Guest Information” of attachment 4 and submit the base access request form with their RSVP to ensure base vetting is completed prior to the visit.

3. Submission of Questions

All questions, clarifications, or inquiries regarding this Request for Quotation (RFQ) shall be submitted in writing via email to Contract Specialist Syedah Gordon at syedah.gordon@us.af.mil with a copy to Contracting Officer Sarah Dietel at sarah.dietel@us.af.mil no later than Tuesday, 3 November 2026 at 11:00 AM CST.

Questions submitted after this deadline may not be answered. All questions and official Government responses will be published as an amendment to the RFQ for all prospective quoters.

4. Quote Preparation and Submission Instructions

Quotes must be submitted electronically via email to Contract Specialist Syedah Gordon (syedah.gordon@us.af.mil) and Contracting Officer Sarah Dietel (sarah.dietel@us.af.mil) no later than Friday, 6 November 2026 at 3:00 PM CST.

Each submission shall consist of two separate volumes/attachments:

1. Volume I – Technical Quote: Demonstrating technical capability and compliance with the Statement of Work (SOW) and specifications without pricing information.

2. Volume II – Price Quote: Providing complete pricing across all CLINs (CLIN 0001 through CLIN 4001).

Late Submissions: Any quote, modification, revision, or withdrawal received after the exact date and time specified above will be processed in accordance with FAR 52.212- 1(c). Quoters are responsible for submitting quotes to reach the designated Government inboxes by the specified deadline.

5. Basis for Award

The Government will award a single Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the vendor responsible whose conforming quote represents the Best Value using Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) selection procedures.

To be eligible for award, the quote must:

3. Be determined Technically Acceptable;

4. Propose a Total Evaluated Price (TEP) that is determined fair, reasonable, and balanced; and

5. Be submitted by a vendor determined responsible in accordance with FAR Part 9.

Award Without Discussions: The Government intends to evaluate quotes and make award without discussions or interchanges with quoters. Therefore, each initial quote should contain the quoter’s best terms from a technical and price standpoint. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct interchanges or seek clarifications if determined by the Contracting Officer to be in the Government's best interest.

Notice to Offeror(s)/Supplier(s): Funds are not presently available for this effort. No award will be made under this solicitation until funds are available. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation, either before or after the closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any costs.

6. Evaluation Process (Sequential Approach)

To expedite the evaluation and award process, the Government will utilize a sequential evaluation approach:

a. Step 1: Price Ranking & Total Evaluated Price (TEP) All quotes received will be ranked by Total Evaluated Price (TEP), from lowest to highest. The TEP will be calculated as follows:

The sum of all Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs), including the one-time installation CLIN (CLIN 0002) and all monthly recurring service CLINs across the Base Year and all Option Years (CLINs 0001–4001).

Evaluation of Option to Extend Services (FAR 52.217-8): In accordance with FAR 52.217-8, the Government will evaluate the option to extend services by calculating fifty percent (50%) of the total proposed Option Year 4 monthly service price, plus an added 2.5% escalation factor. This calculated amount will be added to the sum of all CLINs to establish the Total Evaluated Price (TEP). Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

b. Step 2: Technical Evaluation of the Lowest-Priced Quote The Government will evaluate only the lowest-priced quote for Technical Acceptability. Technical Acceptability will be rated on an Acceptable / Unacceptable basis across the following criteria:

Compliance with Statement of Work (SOW): The quote must clearly demonstrate the capability to provide the required dedicated commercial 500 Mbps symmetrical circuit, complete the physical first-floor cabling/WAP extension (Wings C & D), integrate the mandatory DoD Captive Portal / Splash Page, and satisfy the operational activation timelines (operational NLT 10 business days after award for existing areas;

NLT 30 calendar days after award for the first-floor extension).

Equipment & Standards: The quote must conform to the technical specifications outlined in SOW Section 3.1 (e.g., 802.11ac dual-band access points or higher, WPA- 2 security or better, and compliance with applicable ANSI/TIA and BICSI installation standards).

c. Step 3: Award Selection / Sequential Continuation

If the lowest-priced quote is evaluated as Technically Acceptable and the proposed price is determined fair, reasonable, and balanced, the evaluation process will conclude, and that vendor will be selected for award. The Government will not evaluate any remaining higher-priced quotes.

If the lowest-priced quote is deemed Technically Unacceptable, the Government will evaluate the technical acceptability of the next lowest-priced quote. This sequential process will repeat until a technically acceptable quote is identified.

7. Best Value, Price Reasonableness, & Balanced Pricing Determination

The Government will conduct a price analysis on the lowest-priced technically acceptable quote to determine if proposed prices are fair, reasonable, and balanced across all CLINs.

Price Analysis Techniques: Price reasonableness will be evaluated in accordance with RFO 12.204 and RFO 15.404-1, utilizing techniques such as comparison of proposed prices received, historical contract pricing, current commercial market rates, comparison to the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), or other proposal analysis methods.

Unbalanced Pricing: Proposed pricing will be analyzed to determine if it is materially unbalanced between the one-time installation CLIN (CLIN 0002) and recurring monthly service CLINs (CLINs 0001–4001). Quotes determined to be materially unbalanced may be rejected if the Contracting Officer determines the lack of balance creates unacceptable financial or operational risk to the Government.

Information Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing Data: If adequate price competition is not established or price reasonableness cannot be determined from initial submissions, the Government reserves the right to request information other than certified cost or pricing data to the extent necessary to verify price reasonableness.

Continuation Rights: If the lowest-priced quote cannot be determined technically acceptable or if its price cannot be determined fair and reasonable, the Government reserves the right to evaluate subsequent lowest-priced submissions until a technically acceptable quote with fair and reasonable pricing is established.

8. System for Award Management (SAM) Registration

In accordance with FAR 52.204-7, quoters must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov prior to submission of quotes and at the time of contract award. Quoters must have completed their Online Representations and Certifications in SAM for NAICS code 517112. An active Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) are required. Quoters whose SAM registration is inactive or expired at the time of evaluation will be deemed ineligible for award.

9. Work Site Maintenance & Cleanliness

Work areas shall be maintained in a neat, clean, and safe condition at all times. All trash, debris, excess cabling, packing materials, and garbage generated by the contractor shall be removed from Building 977 and properly disposed of at the end of each workday at the contractor's expense. Upon completion of work, all work areas and floor surfaces shall be broom-cleaned and free of construction debris prior to final Government inspection and acceptance.