Questions_and_Answers.doc

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1. Is it possible to offer our services using a different pricing schedule?

Basically, you are asking for prices per minute and then adding up the totals.

We would offer the plans per usage that would better suit the requirements listed in the document. With the price of those plans we would also give you totals so that you can compare.

A1.No, it is not possible to use a different pricing schedule. All offers must follow the pricing schedule included in the solicitation package.

Q2. Is the Government owned equipment listed under Attachment 1 unlocked?

A2. We are working with our current operator to unlock the government furnished equipment so that it can be included in the contract regardless of the awardee.

Q3. After what period of time are you planning to renovate your equipment?

A3. We plan to renovate our equipment every two years. The estimated number of devices to be renovated for each period can be found under “(B) Additional Equipment”, “1. Devices without line to replace worn-out devices”.

Q4. In addition to the price, what other criteria/parameters are going to be used to make a decision? What will be the weight of each criteria?

A4. The evaluation factors are listed under Section 4, page No. 72, of the solicitation package. The Government intends to award a contract to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror who is a responsible contractor and therefore complies with all factors under Section 4.

Q5. Vendor finds it remarkable that the amount of data usage during the first year is equivalent to the amount of data usage in the second year. Vendor believes that in current market conditions data is very likely to increase during contract.

Can the US embassy concur with that?

Should the vendor take this into account while making the financial proposal?

A5.

We have provided the estimated quantities of data usage in accordance with our experience during past years. These quantities are only estimates and may change under different circumstances.

Q6. Is the US Embassy looking to give all users a data connection in the future since a lot of current mobile phones don’t have the features that provide a data connection?

Could you please provide vendor with the answer?

A6. No. The Government is not planning to give data connection to all users.

Q7. Vendor noted that the list of Mobile cell phones contains some devices that cannot be delivered anymore (Because they are phased-out).

Can the US Embassy clarify whether or not this list of devices will change during the contract?

A7. Yes. The Government plans to renovate the devices every two years. The estimated number of devices to be renovated for each period can be found under “(B) Additional Equipment”, “1. Devices without line to replace worn-out devices” Q8. Vendor request a further layout of the user base of 306 lines. Are all users making international calls or roaming calls, or is there a certain group that can be categorized as “national usage only”.

Could US Embassy provide further layout?

A8. There is a group of 9 lines restricted to national usage only. All other lines are allowed to make international calls or calls in roaming.

Q9. Naturally Vendor understands the concept of making a comparison by equaling prices of different operators in certain scenarios while using price sheets.

Nonetheless answering those questions for any Vendor are difficult, because for most questions multiple answers can be given.

The Us Embassy will most probably get the price per minute that can be met, but only in the ideal situation. No bundle is ever used for exactly 100%. It’s always more, resulting in additional costs, or less, resulting in more expensive rates per minute or data than probably is given in the price sheet.

Also a subscription cost per user is not obtained within the price sheet, but can give a vastly different outcome.

Vendor believes that by replacing the price sheet for a calculation of the Total

Cost of ownership, the US Embassy receives a much better overview of actual costs.

Vendor asks if it is possible to replace the price sheet for an enhanced calculation of the Total Cost of Ownership per year?

A9. No, it is not possible to use a different pricing schedule. All offers must follow the pricing schedule “per minute” included in the solicitation package.

Q10. It is revealed that this RFQ is issued in multiple countries.

Vendor would like to know if a global contract would benefit US Embassy?

A10. A global contract may benefit the US Embassy in Madrid but there is no global

RFQ at the moment. This RFQ is for mobile telecommunication services for

U.S. Mission Spain only.

Q11. Can the contractor provide a stock of cell phones for rent with lines to be activated when needed by visitors?

A11. Yes, the contractor may provide a stock of cell phones for Temporary

Additional Services.

Q12. Could the initial period be longer than 12 months?

A12. No. According to Section 1, II., the contract will be for a one-year period from the date of the contract award, with four one-year options to renew.

Q13. Vendor is able to provide multiple phone numbers on 1 sim card. For instance a

Spanish number and a US number for every user. All mobile phone users of the US Embassy are reachable on both numbers at the same time. Consequently calls from every US phone user (fixed line and cell phone) to a mobile user of the US Embassy would be much easier. US Embassy phone users will become locally reachable wherever they are.

Can the US Embassy concur that this is a benefit for the US Embassy?

A13. It would for sure benefit the US Embassy user’s contacts in U.S.A.

Q14. Vendor is able to provide a real 24/7 worldwide service and 24/7 real worldwide assistants for the mobile users for the US Embassy.

Can US Embassy agree on the fact that this is a big advantage for the US

Embassy?

A14. Yes. According to Section 1, “Schedule of Services, 1.15. 24 Hour Customer Service”, page 49, the contractor shall provide technical support at any time.

Q15. Vendor is able to provide US Embassy with a US contract. Billing will be done in US Dollars. Does the US Embassy see this as a benefit?

A15. According to Section 1, “Schedule of Services”, 2. Invoicing (e)”, page 50, payment shall be made in local currency.

Q16. Vendor is able to provide a service that implies that a call from a US Embassy mobile phone user that’s in the US towards a US Embassy mobile phone user in Spain, and the other way around, is free of charge.

Vendor would like to know how much this would benefit the US Embassy?

Also regarding how much this would benefit the costs on the fixed invoice?

A16. Such a plan might benefit the Embassy, however bidders must provide prices as requested in Section 1, Part III - Pricing. Only prices provided in Section 1, Part III will be used to determine the lowest price offer, as indicated in Section 4 – Evaluation Factors.

Q17. Vendor is also a local operator in the US. Consequently is able to provide local data speeds in the US. Vendor would like to know how much this would benefit the US Embassy?

A17. This would benefit the Embassy if local data speeds in the US are better than the data speeds we actually get with the agreements between Spanish and American operators.

Q18. Does the United States Embassy require any Primary Rate Interface lines (PRI) for this contract?

A18. No, we do not require PRI lines. We do have 7 SIM cards in our switchboard in order to convert calls made from landline to cell phones into calls from cell phone to cell phone.

Q19. Is it possible to know what the US Embassy is currently paying for mobile telecommunication services every month approximately?

A19. The total price of our current contract is 594,630.83 Euros including the base year and all option years.

Q20. Do we need to register in SAM again if we have already done it in the past?

A20. In the event that the company has already been registered in SAM you will only need to update your registration.

Q21. Do you use mobile phone jammers?

A21. No. We do not use mobile phone jammers.

Q22. Are you using any lines to convert fixed to mobile phone calls into mobile to mobile phone calls? Are those calls included in the estimated number of calls provided in the RFQ?

A22. Yes, we are using 7 lines to convert fixed to mobile phone calls into mobile to mobile phone calls and those calls are included in the estimated number of calls we provided in the RFQ.