USWTR Inc II III PSC Questions Final.pdf

Question # SOW/Spec Reference RFP Reference Pre Solicitation Question Response 1 SOW pgs 14, 17, 18, 19 Will technical specifications delivered with the proposal be in MBSE (Cameo Systems

Modeler) database format?

No, the Government will not deliver the database format, rather specifications are identified in Section 5.0 of the Statement of Work and in the Technical Library and shall be delivered in Adobe Acrobat format.

2 SOW pgs 34,35,53,62 Are the implied functions of PMRF buildings 410 and 105 reversed from the known current functions of each building? For example:

a. On page 34, 1st full paragraph, did the government intend that the third sentence should end: “…data processing equipment in building 105” and the 4th sentence should end: “…power equipment in building 410”?

b. On page 35 did the government intend:

That the 2nd sentence should end: “…from the vault to building 410”?

That the 3rd sentence should end: “…offshore junction box to building 410”?

That the 4th sentence should end: “…trunk cable in the basement of building 410”?

c. On page 53 did the government intend that in the 2nd full paragraph that the last sentence should end: “…the HDD pipe cable vault and B-410?”

d. On page 62, 2nd paragraph, did the government intend that the last sentence should end: “… the HDD pipe cable vault and B-410”?

The Government has corrected the reference to building 410 and 105. The SOW has been revised to correct the building numbers.

3 SOW Tasks 4.5 & 4.34 For Tasks 4.5 and 4.34:

a. Is the contractor required to build and any JBox components to be used in the design verification testing so that the test system includes all in water hardware?

No, the Government has revised the SOW to clarify a junction box is not required.

4 Various References In several places the SOW requires the contractor to deliver “Universal Quick Joints”.

Questions:

a. Does the Government intend this to mean the Universal Quick Joint (UQJ) as defined by the Universal Joint Consortium (UJC)? (https://ujconsortium.com)?

deployment vessel, also acceptable?

a. Yes, The Government added applicable document #3.3.11 in Table 1 of the SOW.

b. Yes, the Government added applicable document #3.3.11 in Table 1 of the SOW.

c. The RFP requires a UQJ.

5 Draft RFP Section F Deliveries or Performance

Draft RFP Section F Deliveries or Performance CLIN 0207 time of Delivery ends 31 December 2023. This end of Period of Performance is before the Option Exercise date of 2024 JAN 01.

Question:

Should the CLIN 0207 exercise date or the Time of delivery be changed so that beginning of the POP is prior to the end of POP?

The Government has corrected the exercise dates to 2023 JAN 01 for CLINs 0206 and 0207.

6 Draft RFP Section F Deliveries or Performance

Draft RFP Section F Deliveries or Performance CLIN 0406 time of Delivery ends 31 December 2025. This end of Period of Performance is before the Option Exercise date of 2026 JAN 01.

Question:

Should the CLIN 0406 exercise date or the Time of delivery be changed so that beginning of the POP is prior to the end of POP?

The Government has corrected the exercise dates to 2024 JAN 01 for CLINs 0405 and 0406.

7 Draft RFP Section L Paragraph 2.8 table G-1

7. Draft RFP Section L Paragraph 2.8 table G-1 provides suggested page count of 50 pages for VOL 2 Technical and 25 Pages for Vol 3 Corporate Experience.

Question:

If proposals are received with volumes that exceed the suggested page count, will the government evaluate all of the proposal including the pages beyond the suggested limit? In other words, is the suggested page count a max limit or is it a rough guide?

The suggested page counts is just a suggestion; there is no maximum pages limit.

8 Draft RFP Section L Paragraph 2.1

Draft RFP Section L Paragraph 2.1 page 110 of 129, last sentence states “the Offeror shall identify the current MRL and provide the supporting rationale for the assessment and the approach to achieve the target MRL no later than Production Readiness Review (PDR).”

Question:

Did the government intend “Production Readiness Review (PRR)”?

No, the Government did not intend PRR;

the Section L reference is correct. The contractor shall demonstrate an MRL ≥ 8 at PDR. A PRR is performed shortly after each production CLIN option exercise.

9 Draft RFP Section F Delivery Schedule and L-5-Vol4-CP-1.

The Draft RFP Section F and the POP in the Excel Attachment L-5-Vol4-CP-1 have different dates in several CLINs. Which document takes precedence?

The Government has updated Section F of the RFP and Attachment L-5 to ensure consistency in the dates.

10 Draft RFP Section F Delivery Schedule CLIN 0002

During industry Day it was stated Data CLIN 0002 was supposed to cover the full period of performance of the program, but there are several CLINs with POPs ending in 2032. Should the DATA CLIN 0002 be moved to the 2032 end date?

The Government will update the delivery date for CLIN 0002 to 2032 to match the intent to have this CLIN cover the full performance period of the program.

11 Section 4.13 (Task N), 4.15 (Task Q), 4.17 (Task S), 4.39 (Task QQ), 4.41 (Task SS),

4.50 (Task BBB)

These paragraphs address burnin for each system. For example SOW 4.50 (Task BBB) indicates "The continuous burn-in shall be no less than 15 days at a 99% duty cycle.

Burn-in and FAT shall include the complete SOAR IWS. The contractor shall include acoustic and electronic spares procured under CLINs for Provisioned Item (spares) Order (not to exceed value) as part of the IWS burn-in and FAT." Is the intent that these spares shall be integrated with the IWS as part of the IWS burnin, or that the spares have the same burnin of 15days at 99% duty cycle? If the intent was spares are integrated with IWS burnin then there may be the need to conduct multiple 15 day burnins for the IWS in support of changing spares into the IWS and SES to repeat the cycle.

The SOW states spares will be burnin for 15 days at a 99% duty cycle.

POP Start POP End 0001 Baseline Technical Review - Contract Year 1 06/01/21 12/31/21 06/30/21 12/31/21 0002 Baseline Data 06/01/21 06/28/31 06/30/21 06/28/31 0102 1 BARSTUR Internode Cable 06/30/22 12/31/23 01/01/22 12/31/23 0103 1 AUTEC Cable 06/30/22 12/31/23 01/01/22 12/31/23 0104 1 BSURE Cable 06/30/22 12/31/23 01/01/22 12/31/23 0206 2 BSURE Provisioned Items 01/01/24 05/30/26 01/01/23 05/30/26 0306 3 Technical Review - Contract Year 4 01/01/24 12/31/25 01/01/24 12/31/24 0405 4 San Clemente Island Production Cable 01/01/26 12/31/26 01/01/25 12/31/26 0803 8 TB 1 year tech. suppt. 05/30/29 05/29/31 05/30/29 05/29/30 0806 8 Technical Review - Contract Year 9 01/01/29 12/31/29 01/01/29 01/01/30 0905 9 Technical Review - Contract Year 10 01/01/30 12/31/31 01/01/30 12/30/31

CLIN

Option

Year

CURRENT DESCRIPTION

PRERFP From Gov Excel (L-5-Vol4-CP-1)

12 SOW Section 4.5 (Task E),

4.34 (Task KK)

These sections are related to verification and state "The contractor shall disassemble nodes, remove node electronics, and insert into an electronic equipment rack after testing." Is the intent to deliver node electronics integrated into an electronic equipment rack mounted as test equipment? Is this activity part of the OSS deliverable? Are there additional rack mounting requirements?

Yes, Task E of the SOW requires the delivery of node electronics integrated into an electronic equipment rack mounted as test equipment. The item is delivered as part of CLIN 0101 and CLIN 0403.

The SOW has been updated to show where the deliverables occur.

13 SOW Section 4.18 (Task T),

4.23 (Task Y), 4.28 (Task DD), 4.44 (Task VV), 4.52 (Task DDD)

The section indicates "The contractor shall charter one (1) US Flag or foreign flag vessel capable of laying cable. The contractor shall hire all vessels less than a length overall of 30 meters to support the cable laying vessel." Is there an implied limitation that no support vessels shall be over 30 meters? If we need to use a larger vessel for support is there a different requirement?

The SOW was changed to "The contractor shall hire all vessels, boats, and watercraft to support the cable installation."

14 SOW Section 4.18 (Task T),

4.23 (Task Y), 4.28 (Task DD), 4.44 (Task VV), 4.52 (Task DDD)

The Tacking on time references "Internode Cable Segment" related to "time lost" in paragraph 4.18. The section indicates "Tacking to the End of Charter Period. Any time lost by the vessel during the term of this Charter (including during any option period) due to weather, internode cable segment, breakdown of machinery, interference by authority, collision, stranding, fire or other accidents or damage to the Vessel; or repairs, inspections, overhaul and alterations, preventing the work of the Vessel, shall be added to the charter period at Governments sole option, declarable at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the termination of the charter period." Is there additional wording missing associated with the internode cable segment?

The "internode cable segment" has been deleted from the SOW.

15 SOW Section 4.18 (Task T),

4.23 (Task Y), 4.28 (Task DD), 4.44 (Task VV), 4.52 (Task DDD)

The language in this section is not consistent with industry standard charter agreements. Our concern is additional risk cost created by the language in the given paragraph. Will the government consider allowing use of standard BIMCO terms for ship charters?

The Government will not allow use of standard BIMCO terms for ship charters due to National security.

16 SOW Section 4.18 (Task T),

4.23 (Task Y), 4.28 (Task DD), 4.44 (Task VV), 4.52 (Task DDD)

The weather clause states "An excusable weather delay is define as conditions that exceed Beaufort number four. Beaufort number four is defined as: 1. wind speed 11- 16 knots, 2. wave height 3 feet (maximum 5 feet), and 3. Sea surface of Small waves, becoming longer. Fairly frequent white horses (white caps). Wind raises dust and loose paper on deck. Smoke rises at about 50 deg. No noticeable sound in the rigging.

Slack halyards curve and sway. Heavy flag flaps limply. All three of these conditions must be exceeded to qualify for an excusable weather delay" This defines the weather state but does not include the "discretion of the vessel master or captain".

Will the government consider allowing use of standard terms for ship and boat charters? Will the government add language such that it is clear the vessel captain has ultimate discretion on safety related weather activities?

The Government will not add any additional language to weather paragraphs in the SOW.

17 RFP Sect L, pg. 108 Page 108, Part B, Volume 1, Subsection (f) of the Draft RFP states that “All exceptions and deviations that the Offeror takes from the provisions and clauses of the solicitation and its applicable documents shall be included in this section.” This section of the Draft RFP further details how the exception should be presented and the formal statement that should accompany the exceptions. However, the language of this section indicates that ANY “exception or deviation” will effectively “render[s] the Offeror’s proposal unawardable”.

Please provide direction on how the Offeror may address valid concerns over the RFP language without rendering itself “unawardable”. Offeror’s concerns can have dramatic affects on pricing, period of performance, delivery, etc. which may be resolved with language acceptable to the Government, but the language of page 108 renders these topics unapproachable without risk of forfeiture.

Section L.B.1.f defines exception and deviation as follows: "An exception occurs if/when an Offeror states it will not comply with a solicitation requirement, usually involving contract terms and conditions. A deviation is where an Offeror states it will not comply with a solicitation requirement but proposes an alternative to meet the intent of the requirement, usually involving a PWS requirement. An exception or deviation is a deficiency. A deficiency renders the Offeror’s proposal unawardable." If an Offeror has a concern or concerns regarding solicitation requirements, the Offeror is expected to ask a solicitation question.

18 L Part A.2.8 The RFP states " The Offeror shall complete Table T-1 (Technical CRM), provided in Attachment (L-3) and submit it as the first page of Volume 2 (Technical) and as a separate electronic file."

Q. Will the government exclude the cross reference matrix (Table T-1 Technical Cross Reference Matrix), from page count and include it in front matter?

Refer to the response to Question 7 above.

19 Not Provided Will the government authorize inclusion of an executive summary in Technical Volume 2, exclude it from page count and include it in front matter?

The Government refers the Offerors to the instructions in Section L for constructing its proposals.

20 Not Provided Does the government desire an acronym list? If so, will the government include this in front matter and exclude it from page count?

Offeror’s obligation is submit its proposal that is meets the requirements of the RFP with clarity, brevity, and logical organization.

21 Not Provided Will the government count fold out pages (11 X 17) as one page? Yes, where needed an 11x17 page is counted as one page. Refer to the response to Question 7 above relative to page counts.

22 L Part A.2.8 The RFP states: "The title and table of contents pages, as well as tables, such as tables provided in response to RFP requirements and from the Section L attachments, are not included in the suggested page count."

Q. Does the government intend that Title Page and Table of Contents be include in the front of each volume. If so will they be excluded from page count?

Q. Does this mean all tables used in the proposal are excluded from page count?

Q. Does this mean that the following tables: Table CA-1 Workshare Summary, Table CA-2 Offeror Business Systems Status, Table CA-3, Summary of Contract References, Table T-1 Technical Cross Reference Matrix, Table CE-1 Applicable Contracts For CE Elements, Table CE-2 Evaluation Area Summary, are all excluded from page count?

Refer to the response to Question 7 above.

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