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Amendment 1 Questions and Answers
General and Administrative Questions
| 1. | Incumbent Information: Can you confirm if there is a current incumbent providing these SIP services? If so, who is the incumbent and what is the award number? |
| a. | We do not currently have SIP services. The legacy TDM service (which is canceled) was provided by Verizon |
| 2. | Award Type Clarification: Is this a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation only, or are there best value considerations? |
| a. | This is a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable contract. |
| 3. | Proposal Format: Is there a page limit or required format for the technical quote and service routing diagram? Should these be submitted in PDF or another format? |
| a. | There is no page limit or preference on format. |
Technical Scope and Implementation
| 1. | Avaya Compatibility Requirements: Are there any specific certifications or compatibility test results required to demonstrate interoperability with the Government’s Avaya CM7 system? |
| a. | Nothing on the front end. If the system works upon completion, we will accept. |
| 2. | EBC/Ethernet Hand-off Details: Can you confirm whether a Government-provided Edge Boundary Controller (EBC) will be available and if so, what are its specs (e.g., model, interface requirements)? |
| a. | We do not have an EBC |
| 3. | QoS Compliance Documentation: Is there a required template or format to demonstrate our compliance with ITU standards for latency and jitter (e.g., for voice traffic QoS)? |
| a. | No template. Provide the results as you see fit. |
| 4. | Service Routing Diagrams: Should we base our diagrams off the examples in Appendix 1 (Diagram 1 and 2), or is a proprietary network diagram format acceptable? |
| a. | Proprietary is acceptable |
Security and Compliance
| 1. | Cybersecurity Requirements: Are there specific DoD cybersecurity compliance requirements (e.g., NIST SP 800-171) beyond what's listed in DFARS 252.204-7012 and 7020? |
| a. | Nothing additional |
| 2. | Contractor Facility Access: Will our technicians need Common Access Cards (CACs) or specific background checks to access Building 1040 for installation and maintenance? |
| a. | All contractors will be escorted. There is a base requirement starting 7May that Real IDs are required. |
Operational & Support Requirements
| 1. | Cutover Timeline Expectations: Is there a preferred or required cutover timeline (e.g., within X days of award)? If awarded to a new provider, is there a blackout window or required transition overlap? |
| a. | If the cutover can be scheduled for a Friday, we can accommodate any date. |
| 2. | Trouble Ticketing & Monitoring: Will the Government provide access to their Communications Focal Point (CFP) system for ticket submissions, or must we provide a standalone 24/7 helpdesk interface? |
| a. | Contractor must provide a reporting interface or phone number |
| 3. | Equipment Ownership: Should all CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) provided by the vendor remain vendor-owned and maintained, or will any ownership be transferred to the Government? |
| a. | For warranty and maintenance purposes, equipment will remain vendor-owned |
Billing & Invoicing
| 1. | Invoicing Frequency: Is monthly invoicing via WAWF required, and will a combo invoice/receiving report be sufficient? |
| a. | Monthly invoicing via DEAMS would be preferrable. |
| 2. | Tax Exemption: Can the Government provide a tax exemption certificate for telecommunications services and equipment? |
| a. | I will have to look into this, but we are not charged taxes on anything currently |
Clarifications on Appendix 1
| 1. | DID Block Utilization: Are all 1,200 listed DIDs currently active, or are they reserved/capacity DIDs? Should we port all numbers regardless of current usage? |
| a. | Port all numbers |
| 2. | PRI vs SIP Emulation: The PWS refers to “emulated SIP to TDM” circuits. Can you clarify whether the SIP service must support legacy PRI handoff (e.g., via media gateways), or is pure SIP delivery to the Avaya CM7 acceptable? |
| a. | We do not have an EBC/SBC and CM7 does not have the capability to support pure SIP. Legacy PRI handoff would be required. |
Department of the Army National Guard