SWHARC16R0004_-_Q As_-_15_Mar_2016.pdf

SWHARC16R0004 – Q&As – 15 March 2016

SWHARC16R0004 – SETEC IT AND COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT – INL MEXICO

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – 15 MARCH 2016

NOTE: Responses provided below are informational only and do not change the terms of the solicitation. All solicitation changes will be accomplished by the Contracting Officer through the issuance of a solicitation amendment utilizing Standard Form 30.

Solicitation Section / Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

1. General General General Is this a new requirement?

This is a new requirement.

2. General General General Would it be possible you can help us to meet the program manager/or designate or technical POC who might be able to provide some more details of the requirements?

All communications concerning this solicitation will be handled through the Contracting Officer. Refer to the “Communications Concerning the Solicitation” section on page 25 of the solicitation.

3. General General General Do you need any Facility Clearance (FCL) to bid for this project?

No

4. General General General Will there be an industry day on this?

No. Refer to “Pre-Proposal Conference” section on page 25 of the solicitation.

5. General Patch Cords Patch Cords are not listed; do we need to add them to the line items? We estimate to be in need of a minimum of 5,000 patch cords for the project.

Please provide specifications on patch cords.

The contractor must provide “patch cords”. Patch cords must be “CAT6”.

6. General Shipping Where will INL take the delivery of the equipment?

a. Is it in Mexico City and then ship to different locations?

b. Can we drop ship directly to different sites and INL will take delivery in each State?

The equipment will be delivered to a contractor provided location in Mexico City at which time an inventory will be scheduled and performed by the Government of Mexico (GOM) / INL / Contractor.

The contractor will then ship to the different sites as required and be responsible for all equipment until the installation is complete.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

7. General Deployment Does the new deployment need to be done in parallel with the existing Network?

Yes.

8. General Network Do we need to do a cut over from the existing network?

9. General Existing environment Do we need backup and copy or transfer any data from existing Servers and PCs?

No, this is new equipment that gets installed, configured, and implemented.

10. General Existing environment Is there an existing PBX system in all these locations, if so are they VOIP?

It depends on the geographic location and operation receiving this equipment. In some cases it will be a new facility and others there will be a renovation and / or technological relocation.

11. General Installation Are there any requirements to install custom application software on these servers?

12. General Monitoring Do all these locations need infrastructure monitoring remotely?

13. General General Is it possible to get “TECHNICAL SCOPE OF WORK” document for each Local Area Network – LAN?

14. General Can all the hardware/software product be procured for all sites at the beginning of the project as part of a Master Agreement with the professional services broken out into parts into separate Schedules? This way the winning integrator can ship all the hardware/software product to the end location for inventory check, invoicing, and all the manufacturers can be paid. As the sites are deployed, the professional services company can be paid in portions via a Schedule.

The Government will not pay for material on hand separately. Partial payments may be made once the equipment has been successfully installed at a courthouse and the COR/GTM has inspected and accepted the site.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

15. General Contractor responsibility for Facilities support

Is the contractor responsible for required facilities improvements / upgrades? (Power / Air conditioning / facility work – Power access for terminals, printers, servers, UPS devices, conduit installation for data and power lines etc. )

No. The selected contractor will only be responsible to identify/document these items during the pre-site inspections.

16. SWHARC16R0004 General Bonding Will a United States Surety company cover this work or will we need an international agreement of insurance?

This solicitation does not include a bonding requirement.

17. SWHARC16R0004 General Corporation Do we need to have a corporation in Mexico prior to bidding, or can we establish a corporation after award in order to recover the

VAT?

The Government will only reimburse the contractor for IVA / VAT if the tax is required to be applied based on local law and if the contractor provides the documentation required per solicitation section 1.14 (VAT Reclamation).

You may consult a tax attorney or accountant to determine if IVA / VAT will apply based on the specific circumstances of your company.

18. SWHARC16R0004 SF1449 Due Date, March 15. 2016

0900 AM

Based on the new requirements, will the Government consider granting an extension?

Offer due date will be extended until 02:00 pm local (Miami, FL) time on March 28, 2016.

19. SWHARC16R0004,

Instructions to Offers

24 15th March, 2016 Is it possible to extend the deadline by two weeks? See response to question number 18.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

20. SWHARC16R0004,

SF 1449

Page 1 and Box number 10

The Acquisition is Hubzone set-aside.

Based on the Hubzone set-aside requirement and the FAR, the Hubzone has to perform at least 51% of the work. How will the government ensure contractors comply with this requirement based on the requirement of equipment, warranty and on-site personnel for the requirement?

Will a HUBZONE meet the 51% requirement with only providing the Hardware/Software? (this is the highest value section of the proposal) or do they need to perform 51% of the entire project, including the installation, support services, management, etc.

Refer to FAR clause 52.219-3 (Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole Source Award).

This solicitation has been coded under a services NAICS code (541519).

21. SWHARC16R0004,

Section 1.4

Page 5.1 Warranty Discrepancy - Is the warranty for all items 3 years? The antivirus software says 2 years

The warranty for all merchandise, including anti-virus should be for 3 years. Refer to Appendix A and amended Appendix A.3.

22. SWHARC16R0004,

Section 1.4

5.1 Warranty Warranty – who is responsible, consultants or OEMs?

The selected contractor (prime) will be solely responsible to ensure all contract requirements are met.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

23. SWHARC16R0004,

Section 2.2.3 Tab B

Para 7

Warranty/ Support Do we need a Network Operations Center (NOC–24 x 7) support in Mexico for 3 years?

As per the RFQ requirements – “The offer need to clearly describes the processes and systems that will be utilized to ensure timely receipt, tracking, response, resolution, and closeout of warranty tickets”

Since we are looking at 7 separate OEM vendors at the least, the above is possible only when a 24 x 7 – Network Operations Center is setup in Mexico City to screen all Level 1 calls and keep track of every INCIDENT.

Not necessarily. The offer needs to “clearly describe the processes and systems that will be utilized to ensure timely receipt, tracking, response, resolution, and closeout of warranty tickets.”

24. SWHARC16R0004 Page 8, Section 1.12, second line

… Failure of the Contractor to fulfill any such commitment shall render the Contractor liable for liquidated or other damages due the Government under the terms of this contract.

Liquidated damages is not defined in the Solicitation. Request removal of this sentence.

Sentence will be revised to remove reference to liquidated damages.

25. SWHARC16R0004 1.4 (a) VAT Reclamation Is the contractor responsible to pay VAT and get reimbursed by the Embassy?

Mexican VAT will only be reimbursed under this contract to the extent its application is required based on local law and the Contractor provides all required documentation for the US Embassy to recoup VAT payments.

26. SWHARC16R0004 1.4(a), 2nd paragraph

VAT Reclamation Who will notify the contractor if the government of Mexico revises any requirements?

The Contracting Officer will notify the contractor.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

27. SWHARC16R0004 1.4 (b) VAT Reclamation Does every invoice need to be the original? Or can be a printed PDF? Where do they need to be delivered?

The invoice copies should be sent as a .pdf to the US Government contact email. All originals shall be saved by the contractor.

28. SWHARC16R0004 4.2 Price If the Contractor has to pay VAT, will Line Item 002 be included in the proposal price?

VAT has been included as a separate item on Appendix B (Price Schedule) and if a contractor includes VAT in its proposal said tax will be included in the contract as a separate reimbursable item. However, Mexican VAT will only be reimbursed under this contract to the extent its application is required based on local law and the Contractor provides all required documentation for the US Embassy to recoup VAT payments.

29. SWHARC16R0004 P. 32, 2.2.3.

VOLUME III –

TECHNICAL

(b) Tab B - In-Country Warranty

i. Provide a complete description of the offered warranty for hardware, software, and equipment.

Provide proof that all delivered hardware, software, and equipment are covered by an in-country warranty.

What is considered proof that all delivered HW, SW and Equipment are Covered by an in-country warranty?

Warranties of origin and/or support in Mexico must explicitly state that coverage is valid for merchandise, software, and services delivered in/to Mexico as a final destination.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

30. SWHARC16R0004,

Section 4

5. Eligibility for Award and page

5. Eligibility for Award In order to be eligible for award an offeror must, in addition to meeting all other requirements identified in this solicitation, be determined to be responsible in accordance with the standards described in FAR 9.104-1 and must submit acceptable Recruitment and Housing Plans (if said plans are required per the terms of this solicitation).

Due to the larger place of performance for the revised SETEC Solicitation, the price for this opportunity is greater than $150,000; therefore, the Recruitment and Housing Plans will need to be submitted. Does the Recruitment and Housing Plans have to submitted with the proposal?

If not, what is the timeframe this must be sent to the COR after award?

If applicable, the plans must be submitted with the offer. Refer to Section 3, 2.2. Specific Instructions,

2.2.1. Volume I – Business, Tab D (Pgs. 28-29).

31. SWHARC16R0004 Starting on Page 38, Section 5

Throughout Section 5, there are some fill-in-the-blanks and then there are not (see specifically page 41 (c)(1) …is, is not a small business concern.

Is circling the answer acceptable, or should we add a blank line and make a check mark?

Solicitation will be amended to include required check boxes under 52.212-3. Also, FAR 52.212-3 may be completed online through the System for Award Management (SAM).

32. Appendix A General Scope definition Are all the sites existing structures or are new builds being constructed?

Combination of the two.

33. Appendix A General Scope Will the contractor be providing all cabling, connectors, and miscellaneous items required for equipment installation? If already wired and prepared we assume the contractor only needs to place, configure and test the equipment?

Contractor must provide connectivity to installation infrastructure.

34. Appendix A General Scope Does the Government have a preferred site deployment order?

No.

35. Appendix A General Scope Is there a target close out date for the project?

360 days after contract award for equipment installation and training (not counting warranty period). Refer to Appendix A, Section 7.

Attachment Number

Page Number and

36. Appendix A General Server installation Will all site servers and switches be co-located?

37. Appendix A General Will furniture for workstations / printers / etc. be provided at each installation site?

Yes. The GOM will provide all furniture.

38. Appendix A Scope What are the internal, VOIP phone system, to local PSTN physical / electrical interfaces?

There is a not a consistent pattern of connectivity across every site. The contractor should be prepared for a variety of technology and hardware at various geographic locations.

39. Appendix A 4. SCOPE page 1 Provide end-user and system administrator training

Please clarify if the training requirements is to provide “knowledge transfer” onsite sessions to the technical staff in each location or if the requirement is to provide official training directly from the OEM´s (which may not be possible to be provided at the courthouses as normally these types of training are conducted at official training centers).

Refer to Appendix A, Section “10.3. Training” for more specifics on the level and scope of training to be provided.

40. Appendix A Page 1, Section 5 Section 5 lists an Appendix A.2 We do not have access to Appendix A.2, please provide. Appendix A.2 was posted to FedBizOpps with the solicitation.

41. Appendix A Page 2 to 6 Paragraph 3

8. Place of Performance

Table of Distribution of Equipment.

Please confirm if the equipment will be delivered in just one courthouse per state? Also, please provide the name of the city in each state to support the proposed logistics and travel cost estimates.

For proposal preparation purposes, please consider the capital of each state as the proposed site.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

42. Appendix A Page 2 8. Place of Performance

DIAGRAM

Please clarify if the requested network solution will allow the four different GoM agencies working inside the courthouse to be part of the same network sharing data/voice resources or if the contractor should configure four stand-alone networks, one for each agency. If the required solution is to configure stand-alone networks, bear in mind that if a telephone user needs to talk to another agency inside the same courthouse, the call will go out to the PSTN network and then come back to the courthouse.

Also, according to the requirements there are only 80 telephony kits requested. Will the GoM install and configure the remaining 20 kits?

There is a combination of scenarios that are present.

Some sites will have a single network with a common operator. Other sites will have multiple operators (agencies) using a segmented network for each respective agency.

80 kits is the correct number of telephony kits.

Telephony kits are not installed at every site that is mentioned for the other types of kits.

43. Appendix A Page 2 Scope Is conduit required for all wiring and electrical upgrades?

This will be provided by the GOM.

44. Appendix A Page 2 Scope Will drawings be made available for each installation site? (For planning and markup in support of contractor deliverables)

Drawings are not available prior to contract award.

This information is held by each of the entities and / or substantive operators and will be made available upon execution of the pre-installation site visit at each site.

45. Appendix A Page 3 Place Of performance Are the individual site LANs interconnected? The internal LANs of each site and individual site LANs to a country wide network?.

This will be dependent upon the policies of each state and will be provided upon execution of the pre-installation site visit at each site, but there is no need to provide interconnectivity to a country wide network.

46. Appendix A Page 3 Place of performance Each site has four different venues, do these LANs interconnect?

Is there a communication mechanism between the four site user groups?

This will be dependent upon the policies of each state and will be provided upon execution of the pre-installation site visit at each site, but there is no need to provide interconnectivity to a country wide network.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

47. Appendix A Page 3 Place of performance Will all high speed network services, external to the installation facilities be in place, tested and operating? Who will be the point of contact for high speed network communications facilities?

What are the physical / electrical interfaces?

All items listed will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit where the contractor will define what needs to be in place prior to implementation.

48. Appendix A Page 3 Place of performance Are there any restrictions on when site work can be performed?

(Normal business hours / after-hours / weekends etc.)

Each site must be consulted individually for hours of access and job coordination. The individual states will provide access as needed.

49. Appendix A Pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

7. Period of Performance & Delivery Date

8. Place of Performance

Does DoS SETEC have a priority regarding which locations will be rolled out first; and/or do they have a construction completion milestone date for each site to determine priority from?

50. Appendix A Page 6 Paragraph 1

8. Place of Performance

Table of Distribution of Equipment. Column Kit 1 (Desktop Computing).

Is there a mismatch on the number of kits requested? If we count state by state the number of kits is 101 and the total requested is

100. Please clarify.

The number of kits required is 100. Appendix will be revised.

51. Appendix A Page 6 Paragraph 1

8. Place of Performance

Table of Distribution of Equipment. Column Kit 2 (Database and Processing)

Is there a mismatch on the number of kits requested? If we count state by state the number of kits is 99 and the total requested is

100. Please clarify.

The number of kits required is 100. Appendix will be revised.

52. Appendix A Page 6 Paragraph 1

8. Place of Performance

1 Locations are subject to change based on site availability.

Is there a preference on the sequence for deliveries by state or should the contractor propose a schedule for site completion based on logistics, site readiness or costs parameters?

The contractor should propose a tentative schedule for site completion and submit the proposed schedule in the Project Management Plan. Refer to Appendix A, Section 10.1.1.

53. Appendix A Page 6, Section 8, footnote one

Footnote 1 says locations are subject to change based on site availability

Will the Contractor be able to solicit a request for equitable adjustment if the new site is greater than 50 miles from the original site or has additional location characteristics that impact pricing?

Changes to contract locations must be negotiated between the selected contractor and the Government.

A contract modification must be issued.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

54. Appendix A Page 9 10.1.1 Quality Control Plan

Quality Control Plan: This plan shall identify the criteria for gauging project activity and deliverable quality. This plan shall be coordinated with GOM and INL GTM for stakeholder expectations. This plan shall include quality metrics, quality checklists, process improvement plan, and a quality baseline. Plan must adhere to the requirements of section 12.1 of this PWS.

Please confirm this paragraph should reference section 11.1 of this PWS, not section 12.1 of the PWS.

Correct. Appendix A will be revised accordingly.

55. Appendix A 10.2. Provision, Delivery, Inventory, Installation, Integration and Testing of Hardware, Software and Associated Equipment.

Does not mention - • Implementation o What is the required rollout timeframe between sites?

Example: “From the time first site is in production, within 6 months, the last site should be on the same system”

The required period of performance is stated on Appendix A, Section 7.

56. Appendix A 11/ 10.2.2 Performance work statement Can you provide the electrical load calculations, panel schedule? Will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit.

57. Appendix A 11/ 10.2.2 Performance work statement Can you provide floor plans for the locations where the new equipment is being installed?

Will be addressed at each location during the pre-

58. Appendix A 11/ 10.2.2 Performance work statement Is the cooling capacity adequate for the new server? Yes. Will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

59. Appendix A 11/ 10.2.2 Performance work statement Is there any existing equipment that we need to work around of move?

Possibly. Will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit.

60. Appendix A Page 11 The Contractor shall coordinate all deliveries and installation services with GTM and SETEC at least 15 calendar days prior to commencing work onsite. No equipment shall be delivered and no labor shall be dispatched until written confirmation has been obtained from the GTM that the location is ready for work to commence.

If the GTM fails to provide the required written confirmation, and items are not completed as scheduled/on time due to delays from the GTM, will the Contractor be able to adjust its project plan (time and funds) due to changed circumstances and, if needed, receive a contract modification?

Not necessarily. If a particular location is not available, then work will most likely begin at another location identified in the contract.

Keep in mind that the contractor has to accomplish a pre-installation site inspection at each courthouse location to ensure the location is ready for equipment delivery and installation. Coordination with the GOM is the Contractors responsibility.

61. Appendix A Page 11

10.2. Provision, Delivery, Inventory, Installation, Integration and Testing of Hardware, Software, and Associated Equipment.

Should the contractor include the necessary network cabling and accessories for the proposed solution?

Will the GOM provide the necessary electrical cabling, data center HVAC and grounding and telephony trunk?

Is it the GoM’s responsibility to make sure there enough power output (amps/watts) in the technical equipment room(s) to support all the servers, routers, switches and telephony appliances listed in the Appendix 3?

• The contractor must provide all patch cables and media needed to connect assets acquired in this solicitation to infrastructure assets (i.e.

cables from the desktop to the wall port, cables needed to interconnect assets acquired on this solicitation).

• Yes

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

62. Appendix A Appendix A and Section 10.3 (page 11)

The contractor shall provide training for GOM personnel after operational status of equipment and software has been achieved. Training shall take place upon completion of each site and will be limited to 10 GOM employees per location. The training classes shall be conducted in Spanish and all training materials shall be provided in Spanish, when available from the equipment manufacturer. The training shall cover system operation, administration, and Maintenance

• How should the pricing for training and materials be included in the price schedule for each site?

• Does the Government except this to be a fixed price for all site locations?

• Or does the Government was a price breakdown based on the locations and limited number of GOM?

Fixed price per location. Training and all materials must be accounted for in the price for each site under Appendix B, Line Item 001.

Attachment Number

Page Number and

63. Appendix A

Page 11 10.4 Warranty

The contractor shall provide local onsite warranty and maintenance.

According to OEM warranty policies, the contractor should use local authorized partners (in this case Mexico) in order to provide warranty and support. Please confirm if the Department of State will verify if the selected prime contractor will team with local authorized partners to comply with the onsite warranty requirements?

Will the contractor be responsible for updates and security patches throughout the warranty period? If so, will the contractor have the ability to perform this action remotely?

Could you specify warranty and support coverage, what days/time is required the support? (For instance: 7 days/24 hrs or 5 days/8 hours)

• We are not familiar with the warranty policies of all OEMs. Some OEMs might require the use of a local partner, others might not. The Government will verify that all equipment is purchased through authorized channels and that warranty is provided in country. Depending on the OEM this might or might not require the use of a local partner.

• Yes and yes. Refer to Appendix A, Section 10.4

• See amended Appendix A for support during normal business hours

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

64. Appendix A Page 11, Paragraph 2

10.2.2. The Contractor shall

conduct a pre-installation site inspection at each courthouse location to ensure the location is ready for equipment delivery and installation. The Contractor shall Provide a report detailing the condition of each courthouse. If the location is not prepared for equipment delivery and installation, the contractor shall provide a list of items that must be rectified by SETEC prior to delivery and installation.

Please confirm that SETEC will provide, the complete physical infrastructure like civil works, space, electrical supply, precision air conditioner, physical grounding, structured cabling, data and telephone links, and connection cabling between equipment and panels (patch cords), etc.

SETEC will provide all physical infrastructure such as civil works, space, electrical supply, precision air conditioner, physical grounding, structured cabling, data and telephone links.

The contractor must provide all patch cables and media needed to connect assets acquired in this solicitation to infrastructure assets (i.e. cables from the desktop to the wall port, cables needed to interconnect assets acquired on this solicitation).

65. Appendix A Page 12, Section 10.2.2

The Contractor shall perform a pre-installation site inspection…..

Are there any requirements besides an Identification credential to enter into any of the Mexican Government sites?

No

66. Appendix A Page 12, Section 10.2.2

The Contractor shall perform a pre-installation site inspection…..If the location is not prepared for equipment delivery and installation, the contractor shall provide a list of items that must be rectified by SETEC prior to delivery and installation

If additional items are needed, what is the timeframe that the Mexican Government has to rectify all issues? If the items are not completed on time, will the Contractor be able to adjust its project plan (time and funds) due to changed circumstances and receive a contract modification?

Timeframes will be agreed upon by the GOM/INL/Contractor. A contract modification might or might not be required.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

67. Appendix A Page 12, Section 10.2.3

INL and SETEC personnel must be present during the inventory.

If an installation is planned and approved and either INL or SETEC personnel suddenly become unavailable, how will this be handled? Will Contractor travel be paid if no refund is available?

Will the schedule be adjusted?

Any changes to the contract will be negotiated between the Government and the selected contractor.

68. Appendix A Page 12, Section 10.2.5

Final Inspection and acceptance by the DOS shall take place at the courthouse locations identified in Section 8 of this PWS.

Will this inspection take place immediately after the installation and integration? If no, will the Contractor have to be present?

Final inspection will take place immediately after the completion of all sites at each geographic location.

For example, if there are 4 sites slated for installations in the geographic location of Jalisco, then the inspections for the 4 sites should be coordinated so that an inspector can accommodate all 4 inspections on the same trip to the geographic site over the course of not more than 2 days.

69. Appendix A Page 12, Section 10.3

The contractor shall provide training for GOM personnel after operational status of equipment and software has been achieved. Training shall take place upon completion of each site and will be limited to 10 GOM employees per location.

• Are there requirements pertaining to when the training should occur?

• Training is limited to 10 persons per location. In locations where four types and more than 40 pieces of equipment are installed, will this be “train-the-trainer” training?

• Will the contractor be held responsible for end-user issues that may occur among users that do not receive contractor training?

• Training shall take place upon completion of each site and will be limited to 10 GOM employees per location.

• This will be technical training for 10 technical personnel

• The warranty shall supply phone support, onsite component replacement and/or problem resolution.

70. Appendix A Page 13, Section

10.4 (last line of Minimum Standards for Warranty table)

All response times are during normal local business hours…..

Please confirm normal local business hours. Some Mexican Government offices work 9 am to 9 pm, others have varied hours.

They vary from state to state, but response times should be during normal business hours which in general are from 09:00 to21:00 local time.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

71. Appendix A.1 All Model Court House Where is Location of server room? What is the cubicle lay-out?

Do we have enough cooling capacity for the extra servers? Do we have enough electrical power for the extra equipment? Are the IT and electrical outlets in for the new equipment?

This information is particular to each geographic site and is not readily available. Will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit.

72. Appendix A.2 All High Level Network Diagram Are all the telecommunications runs for fiber optic cable and copper main runs and branches install?

SETEC is responsible for all infrastructure media runs. Will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit.

73. Appendix A.2 Page 2 High Level Network Diagram The high level diagram details products names and models of a specific OEM. Please advise if the proposal should include exactly these models of if the contractor can propose other brands and models meetings the requirements.

The Contractor should meet or exceed the minimum requirements in Appendix A.3. A particular brand name or product is not required.

74. Appendix A.2 Page 2 High Level Network Diagram In this Diagram we have determined that there is an element that looks like a “Core Switch” (Nexus 9372) and seems that everything would be interconnected through this element, but is not included in the List of Equipment of Appendix A.3, can the contractor assume that the GoM will provide this switch for each Courthouse?.

There are elements in this diagram that do not necessarily match the description of the equipment detailed in Appendix 3.

No. The 24 port switch is part of “kit 2”.

Any component acquired and implemented must comply with the technical specifications established regardless of brand. The diagram is for illustration purposes only. Please refer to Appendix A.3 for minimum technical specifications.

75. Appendix A.2 2 General Does the diagram apply to all sites? The same architecture and connections etc.?

The diagram is not literal. It is a broad example only.

Each installation site is distinct and there will be variances.

76. Appendix A.2 2 Different brands The diagram identifies specific equipment / brands, for example Cisco & Nexus. Are equivalent alternatives acceptable?

Yes

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

77. Appendix A.2 2 Scope Will connection of the local LAN to the Internet or a WAN be required? What are the electrical and mechanical interfaces?

Will be addressed at each location during the pre-

78. Appendix A.2 2 Scope What supporting wiring and cabling work will be required? Will the contractor be responsible for installing CAT 5 wiring, interconnection wiring and conduit at each of the 32 sites? Or will all data and signaling cable be installed and ready to support equipment installation?

No infrastructure wiring is required. The contractor will only have to install and configure the equipment to be delivered. This will include superficial cable runs (patch cables) from the equipment to a wall panel or junction port.

79. Appendix A.2 2 Scope Will all required electrical facilities support, wiring, conduit, required electrical outlets, distribution panels etc. be installed by the Government before equipment installation?

Does this contract require any electrical facilities work?

• No

80. Appendix A.2 2 Networking Diagram In Appendix A.2´s diagram shows Cisco IP Voice and fax equipment while Appendix A.3 specifies Avaya. Which is the required equipment?

The diagram is for illustration purposes only. To be considered for award, an offeror must meet or exceed the minimum technical specifications described in Appendix A.3. There is not specific requirement for a particular brand or model.

81. Appendix A.3 All List of equipment Are we provided new whips for the new equipment? Are they CAT5 or Cat6? What size for the whips 6’, 8’? Do we need interconnections from fiber to Copper?

The contractor is responsible for all “patch cabling” and interconnections from fiber to copper.

82. Appendix A.3 Power requirements Power Requirements – Do all the computer rooms have enough power to deploy the backbone equipment?

The GOM will be responsible for all installation power requirements.

83. Appendix A.3 All All Should network cables be included? The contractor is required to supply all cabling needed for interconnectivity to the installation backbone. All infrastructure cabling will be the responsibility of the GOM.

Attachment Number

Page Number and Paragraph Solicitation Requirement Question Government’s Response

84. Appendix A.3 Switch modules would need to be accessed from the rear to avoid wiring changes during maintenance sessions.

Confirm if rear access is only for cables and sources.

Access needs to be available to any part of the switch that allows for free and clear access to the device so as not to jeopardize loss of service. If the data cables are in the rear of the device, then easy access should be made available to the rear of the device, both visually and manually.

85. Appendix A.3 Physical Secure Storage Is secure storage available at each installation location in support of the installation materials and equipment?

How much secure storage space is available?

• Sufficient to secure the equipment

86. Appendix A.3 4,5,6,7 Based on the diagram published in the document

APPENDIX A.2 SETEC HIGH

LEVEL NETWORK

DIAGRAM, equipment is indicated Nexus 9372, ASA 5515, Catalyst 3650, CME Cisco 2901, IP Phone 7821, UCS C220 y UCS C240, however on the published description on the equipment listing there is no mention of the characteristics that correspond to the published diagram.

Can the RFP provide a description of the general characteristics for those published in the diagram APPENDIX A.2 SETEC

HIGH-LEVEL NETWORK DIAGRAM?

The diagram is for illustration purposes only. To be considered for award, an offeror must meet or exceed the minimum technical specifications described in Appendix A.3. There is not specific requirement for a particular brand or model.

87. Appendix A.3 Pages 1, Page 3 Desktop PC, Kit 1 Does DoS SETEC require a Spanish keyboard and mouse with every desktop?

Does SETEC require a wired or wireless keyboard and mouse?

Yes. A Spanish keyboard and mouse is required for each desktop system.

The keyboard and mouse must be wired.

88. Appendix A.3 Pages 1, 3 Kit 1 – Printers and Scanners Does the customer require 3 year Warranty On-Site Part and Labor on the Printers and Scanners?

Yes. Warranty is to cover all equipment purchased.

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89. Appendix A.3 Pg 3/7 Kit 4 – Communications specified 10 VOIP Telephones for total 80 kits.

On the same document at the very bottom Pg7, VOIP Telephones section specifies both a color and black/white IP phone and qty 20 phones. Can you clarify the requirement for type, quantity, and color or black/white screen IP Phones?

Is 10/100/1000 IP Phones a requirement or is 10/100 enough?

Refer to Appendix A.3 for complete specifications.

IP phones must meet the technical characteristics mentioned in the relevant Appendix, without preference for any specific brand or model and always being compatible with the solution provided.

The required technical feature for speed is 10/100/1000

90. Appendix A.3 4 Pdf Cpu How many USB ports are required? 4 USB ports are required.

91. Appendix A.3 4 Pdf Cpu What format of CPU is required, SFF or tower?

Either format is acceptable.

92. Appendix A.3 4 Pdf Cpu Please confirm the version of Office

Office 2013

93. Appendix A.3 4 Pdf Cpu Will migration of information / data to the new computers / servers be required?

No data migration is required.

94. Appendix A.3 Page 4, Desktop PC line

Desktop PC Minimum Specifications

Is there a requirement for a Spanish keyboard? Is there a requirement for a mouse?

Refer to response to question number 87.

95. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Monitor Can we substitute a 21 inch monitor? The 21.5 inches requirement significantly limits our options.

Yes. 21” is acceptable as long as all monitors are consistent in size. There shall be no mixed sizes of monitors.

96. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Monitor Can a larger monitor be substituted assuming better performance? The monitor can be either 21”or 21.5”. Monitors larger than 21.5” will not be accepted.

97. Appendix A.3 4 UPS 3KVa What equipment is connected to the UPS of 3KVA? Application server, database server, NAS, accessories rack, and 2 switches.

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98. Appendix A.3 UPS 3KVa/ Page 4 Minimum Specifications

Rack mountable UPS with 3000Va output and 60Hz frequency.

Please confirm the autonomy time required for the UPS. Minimum time required for autonomy is 10 minutes.

99. Appendix A.3 4 Pdf Printer Is there a memory requirement? How much memory? There is no minimum memory requirement as long as it meets the PPM specs.

100. Appendix A.3 4 Pdf Printer Does the printer require a hard disk? Please specify capacity.

101. Appendix A.3 4 PDU PDU – RFQ calls for 100 racks and 100 PDUs. We recommended two PDUs per rack one serving as back-up.

One PDU per rack is acceptable.

102. Appendix A.3 PDU/ Page 4 Minimum Specifications

Rack mountable PDU with 12 outlets

Please provide the electrical connectors specifications available in the courthouses, for example: nema 5-15. This will allow us to identify the type of connector needed for the PDU.

This information is particular to each geographic site and is not readily available. Will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit.

103. Appendix A.3 4 Rack Can the RFP specify the location of the racks (data center, telecommunications rooms or common areas)?

Enclosed equipment room. Will be addressed at each location during the pre-installation site visit.

104. Appendix A.3 Page 4 Rack Is an 18.5” LCD acceptable?

Yes. 18.5” is acceptable for the “rack”

105. Appendix A.3 Page 4 Rack Is an Analog or IP KVM Console Switch required?

IP KVM Console Switch is required.

106. Appendix A.3 Page 4 Rack Please confirm that only a single PDU per rack is needed.

One PDU per rack is required.

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107. Appendix A.3 4 Applications server and Database Server - The card requested in the Applications Server and Database Server: Ethernet adaptor 331i is exclusive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

It’s requested to describe the card as of 4 ports 1GE without restricting the model to a specific manufacturer.

Is it possible to propose a component(s) of the same required characteristics, regardless of the manufacturer?

108. Appendix A.3 Page 4 LIST OF EQUIPMENT

Application and database server

Please clarify if the data base server and application server must be equipped with 10GE or 1GE ports, this is because there is a difference between the technical specifications of these servers in appendix A.3 compared with the diagram in Appendix A.2.

The diagram on Appendix A2 is for illustration purposes only. The correct specification is 10GE as shown in Appendix A3.

109. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Servers How many rack (U's) are required?

42 u.

110. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Servers Does each server require a DVD?

Yes. A DVD drive is required.

111. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Servers How many PCI connection ports are required on each server?

A minimum of 4 PCI ports are required.

112. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Servers Should we considered 10GbE ports, how many?

The requirement is for 1GB controller with 4 ports.

113. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Servers Should FC ports be considered? How many? What capacity?( 4Gb, 8Gb or 16Gb).

Yes. 2 at 4GB

114. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Servers Do servers require redundant power supplies?

115. Appendix A.3 4 PDF Servers The service system software - Windows 2012 standard or Datacenter?

Windows 2012 standard

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116. Appendix A.3 Page 4 Application Server and Database Server

Are redundant power supplies required? Yes

117. Appendix A.3 Page 4 Application Server and

Is a graphical remote console/out-of-band management access required?

No

118. Appendix A.3 Page 4 Application Server and

Is an optical drive needed in each server? Yes. A DVD drive is required.

119. Appendix A.3 4 Communication Will workstations be ‘hardwired’ to the LAN or connected via Wi Fi (Wireless)?

Hardwired

120. Appendix A.3 5 Storage System. The card requested in the Storage System Ethernet adaptor 331i is exclusive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Is it possible to propose a component of the same required characteristics (4 ports 1GB), regardless of the manufacturer?

The component must meet or exceed the minimum technical specifications described in Appendix A.3 .

A specific manufacturer is not required.

121. Appendix A.3 5 Storage System. In the Storage System the requirement Smart Array 3G is specified, this is exclusive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Is it possible to propose component of the same required characteristics (protection mechanisms RAID of 3GB), regardless of the manufacturer?

The component must meet or exceed the minimum technical specifications described in Appendix A.3.

A specific manufacturer is not required.

122. Appendix A.3 5 Storage System. In the Storage System the following requirement is specified, 2 SSD back discs of 120GB.

Can the SSD discs from another manufacturer be proposed?

Yes. A specific manufacturer is not required.

123. Appendix A.3 5 Pdf Storage Is there a requirement to support dual controllers in Active / Active mode?

124. Appendix A.3 5 Pdf Storage Are the specifications for each controller or the integrated system?

Integrated system

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125. Appendix A.3 5 Pdf Storage 32TB of useable storage?

32TB of raw storage.

126. Appendix A.3 5 Pdf Storage Is a technically superior raid approach acceptable?

127. Appendix A.3 5 Pdf Storage The 24-port switch is in addition to this 48 port switch?

128. Appendix A.3 5 Pdf Storage - Capacity: High density storage, 16 GB of memory

Is this a shared memory or for each controller? This is the RAM memory of the server.

129. Appendix A.3 5 Pdf Storage - Processor: at least six‐core processors to 1.9 GHz processing unit

What information will be stored?

Data files and multimedia files.

130. Appendix A.3 Page 5 Storage System Please confirm that a quantity 1, 1.9 GHz 6-core processor is required.

This is the minimum requirement.

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131. Appendix A.3 Page 5 Storage System Please confirm that the following specs that appear in the storage system section are actually related to the networking switch requirements:

• Ports: 24 usable universal ports. It includes all assets GBICs to 16 Gbit / sec or 10 Gb/s.

• Core Switch: unblocked

• Redundancy: 2 fans and 2 redundant power supplies minimum.

• Administration: Management console. Access port 10/100

Ethernet and/or Serial.

• Software and Training

‐ Includes manufacturer software and should be required for the definition, management, and monitoring

‐ Software should be capable of the following activities: Configure IP addresses, names and SNMP configuration of each switch; Upgrading the firmware switch non-disruptively; Perform maintenance of accounts and passwords for administrative users;

storage report.

‐ Must have original technical and user manuals."

This corresponds to technical characteristics of the storage system, and is completely different from the switch network shown individually without preference for any specific brand or model and always being compatible with the solution provided.

Refer to Appendix A.3

132. Appendix A.3 Page 5 Storage System Please clarify the following requirement, “Virtual LUN scheme that allows movement of volumes within the array without disrupting the application mechanism for dynamic movement of data from disk drives FC to ATA drives by hardware or software.”

Refer to minimum technical requirements in Appendix A.3

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133. Appendix A.3 Pg 5/6 44 10/100/1000.• 4 port 10GE LRM type

All of these ports must support

802.1AE

Network switch (48) has same requirements as Network switch (24): “44 10/100/1000.• 4 port 10GE LRM type” is the port requirements which may be an error.

From APPENDIX A.2 Network Diagram: Looks like the core switch should be 48 port 10G switch and the access Catalyst 3650 switches are the 1G access switches.

Can you clarify the minimum port count and type/speed of the ports for each switch with updated requirements?

For example, total # of 1G ports to devices like printers, scanners, PC’s, IP Phones and total # of 10G port for servers, storage system, trunk ports between access/core tiers.

Is 802.1AE a requirement for Network switch (48) and Network switch (24)?

Is dual power supplies a requirement for Network switch (48) and Network switch (24)?

Is minimal 4 port 10GE uplink ports and LRM fiber optic type a requirement for Network switch (48) and Network switch (24)? LRM is not a common optic type.

On the Switch Port Module section (pg 5) it specifies Gig E dual port uplink module and not 10G uplinks. However, the network diagram shows 10G

See revised Appendix A.3 for minimum specifications. Appendix A.2 is provided for illustration purposes only.

134. Appendix A.3 5 and 6 Cisco switches Cisco 48 port and 24 port switches do not have their uplink module slots specifications.

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135. Appendix A.3 Pages 5 & 6 Network Switch (48 Ports) Network Switch (24 Ports)

Please confirm, if the contractor should propose a 48 port network switch and a 24 port network switch with the technical specifications described in Appendix A.3.

It looks like this description matches the requirements of “Core switches” that might exceed the requirements for networking for this project. Also, apparently there is a mismatch in the technical description of the 24 port network switch as 44 10/100/1000, 4 port 10GE LRM type.

• Confirmed

• See revised Appendix A.3 for minimum

136. Appendix A.3 6 Firewall

Confirm if the performance of 1.5Mbps is only for the detection and intrusion service or is this the required performance for all the equipment?

137. Appendix A.3 6 Equipment Discrepancy - For the firewalls what are the actual requirements for the performance? It mentions 1.5Gbps performance with IPS, if this is a throughput requirement then the ASA 5585 is the only model that can meet it.

The 5515 is capable of 250Mbps with IPS, or a maximum throughput of 1.2Gbps.

It is possible that 5515 will be discontinued (end of life) soon, which means that Cisco has said it will be replaced with 5516 but they have not officially announced the dates.

See revised Appendix A.3 for minimum

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138. Appendix A.3 Pg6 Firewall has requirement of 1.5 Gbps performance

What is that the minimal performance requirement for all 3 features turned on: Intrusion Prevention, Web content filtering and malware protection?

The ASA 5515 firewall specified on the network diagram supports max 1.2 Gbps with no advanced services turned on.

Also ASA 5515 doesn’t support dual power supplies which is called out as a requirement.

The WAN interface is a E1 so the requirement for 1.5 Gbps seems above the requirements

Appendix A.2 is provided for illustration purposes only.

139. Appendix A.3 7 Router. Interfaces requested E3, 10/100/1000 are of the Mbps order, they request that the router be of 400Kbps.

We believe that the performance of the router should be to 400Mbps instead of 400Kbps, is this correct?

140. Appendix A.3 7 Router. They channel interfaces requested are E3/T1/ISDN. Is this a characteristic of the router or an interface would need to be implemented?

141. Appendix A.3 7 VoIP Control Unit and VOIP Telephones

Can the RFP provide the number of telephones…