USDA STRATUS Sources Sought Questions and Responses.pdf

Question # Pool Question Answer

1 1

1. Pool 1: Hyperscale Cloud Service Providers (CSP) – Is it the Government’s intent to only procure cloud infrastructure licenses through this pool and that all cloud System Integration (SI) services support would be procured through Pool 2?

Yes

2 2

2. Pool 2: Integration and Development – Is it the Government’s intent to procure System Integration (SI) services through this pool to implement solutions using the licenses procured in both Pool 1 (CSP) and Pool 3 (SaaS)?

Yes

3 3

3. Pool 3: SaaS Providers/Resellers – Is it the Government’s intent to only procure SaaS Licenses through this pool and that all SaaS System Integration (SI) services support would be procured through Pool 2?

Yes

4 2

Will you be able to share some basic information about this opportunity:

Total Contract value of STRATUS Pool 1, 2, and 3 Anticipated date of RFP release Anticipated start date of contract Period of Performance Number of awards How many unrestricted versus small business awards will you make?

The anticipated RFP release date is summer 2023 and the anticipated start date is first quarter 2024.

The USDA is still determining the period of performance, number of awards and number of set asides.

5 2

In regard to USDA STRATUS Program Pre-Solicitation Notice (ID 12314423R0011), in the Pool 2 Evaluation approach in item #1 it states that “Offerors submit brief capability statements, consisting of prior experience information and abstracts of their approach to addressing a problem statement. There are anticipated to be 3 problem statement focus areas (application development, application sustainment, managed service) with a problem statement for each.”

Can you confirm if this is part of the requested information for this Notice? If so, is there a specific problem statement that needs to be addressed?

No. Responses to the problem statements are not part of the requested information for this notice.

The problem statements are a part of the down select approach that USDA is considering as part of the solicitation process. The information requested in the response to this notice is this:

"Interested parties are requested to respond to the following, regarding Pool 2 as described above:

1. What is your company information: company name, address, UEI, point of contact, website, business size by 5 year average revenue and headcount, and any other socioeconomic designations.

2. What demonstration would you recommend as most helpful for USDA to select contractors for this requirement?

3. What contracting best practices (e.g. pricing structures, contract types, performance metrics, incentives, etc.) do you recommend for this requirement?

4. Describe your corporate experience in providing cloud-related Integration and Development, including identifying relevant contracts where you have been a prime contractor, including;

1. Name of Agency

2. Contract Name and number

3. Contract value

4. Period of performance

5. Description of services provided"

6 3

We would like to request a two (2) week extension to the subject RFI due date of May 4, 2023? This will allow time to confer with our partners and vendors to provide a comprehensive response. Thank you for your consideration.

The USDA is not extending sources sought due date. The due date remains 5/4/2023.

7 2

What do you think the reason would be for putting out a BOA vs. a BPA? I've honestly never seen a BOA be released so I’m just really curious.

Do you have any insight that you could provide me with into what they're looking for from vendors?

The USDA determined a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) best aligned with our requirements.

The Presolicitation Notice and the Sources Sought notices discuss the overall program as well as what information is requested.

Would you be able to tell me if there is an incumbent? If so, contract information?

The STRATUS program is a new requirement. There is not a current incumbent.

Can you confirm if the project is considered as new requirement or is there an incumbent contract? If there are incumbent vendor(s), would you be able to provide the contract details (such as: Vendor Name, Contract Number, Award and end dates, total contract value)?

The STRATUS program is a new requirement. There is not a current incumbent.

1 What is the estimated value available for this effort?

The USDA is finalizing the government estimate. We are not releasing the estimated value at this time.

USDA STRATUS Cloud: Sources Sought Questions with Government Response

11 1 When would be a good time for us to schedule a conversation/overview?

The USDA is not scheduling vendor meetings/exchanges at this time.

Some respondents may be invited to one-on-one information exchanges with USDA. Not all respondents, and possibly no respondents, will be invited to one-on-one information exchanges with

USDA.

12 1 I wondered if the attachments were removed from this RFI on Sam.gov?

There are no attachments associated with this pre-solicitation notice.

13 1 I would like to be included on future notices as this request moves forward? What information would you need from us to add us to your list of companies to reach out to?

The USDA will post all notifications via SAM.gov. Offerors are encouraged to continue to monitor SAM.gov for all future notices.

14 2 I am wondering if you have any additional information you can share on when the RFQ will be released?

The anticipated RFP release date is summer 2023 and the anticipated start date is first quarter 2024.

15 2

We are putting together a bid for Pool 2 and I was curious if you had any more information on the types of workloads or work that has been done in the past for DISC/USDA through the DOI/CGI contract that we could reference?

The USDA is not releasing any additional information at this time. The solicitation will include additional information about Pool 2 requirements.

16 2

Would you be able to tell me if each pool needs its own response document? Or, if you are responding to multiple Pools, can you submit one document?

Offerors should submit responses to each pool they are interested in competing. Each pool submittal shall be it's own response.

17 3 Is pool 3 just of SaaS reseller activities to buy licenses? Or is your intent to buy system integration services on Pool #3 as well as licenses?

Yes.