Attachment 5 - TaxiTranlsator Service W58D2M23Q0006 QA_20230622.pdf

Combined Synopsis Solicitation-W58D2M23Q0006 Questions & Answers/Clarifications as of 22 June 2023

Taxi and translator service for Livorno Housing Office, DMC, Italy

Questions (Q) and Answers (A):

1. Q: Reference Attachment 1 Pricing Worksheet - CLIN 0001AC spells only "more than 30 km road distance”. Question: is it correct to assume that it is also referred to showing services over 30KM?

A: Please clarify this question to the Government.

2. Q: Reference 5.2.2 Property Showing and Interpretation: The contractor shall accompany customers to provide an explanation of each property’s components and answer any housing-related questions the customer(s) have during the tour of the available rental unit or Government-leased quarters. The contractor shall also provide Housing related interpretation and translation services requested by the customer during the tour. At the conclusion of each appointment the contractor shall complete a Taxi and Interpreter Appointment Form, as provided throughout this PWS. Each Taxi and Interpreter Appointment form shall be signed by the contractor and the customer, and the contractor shall be responsible for turning in the completed form to the USAG Housing office at the completion of each workday. The contractor is only required to show the home and when/if there are any questions from the customer regarding internal Housing office matters, they will be told to visit the Housing office for assistance. Question: what are the correct responsibilities? This clause is contradictory and this sentence should be deleted "answer any housing-related questions the customer(s) have during the tour of the available rental unit or Government-leased quarters" A: To clarify, the contractor will answer questions related to the property they are showing. If there are questions from the customer relating to the Government Housing procedures or processes, they will be told to visit the Housing Office.

3. Q: Reference 7.6 Attachment 4: Usually, there are over 200 showings per year mainly during peak season (May through August). During low season, only approximately 30% of that amount will be required. Numbers may vary based on Government’s requirements and needs. The contractor may be expected to provide as many as (3) taxi/interpreters per day during peak season (June, July, August).

Question: Please, confirm three vehicles and three drivers/interpreters will need to be estimated for three months every year.

A: The Government is not establishing the manner in which this objective is filled, rather noting the potential volume so the contractor can plan how they will meet the objective.

4. Q: Please, confirm that in a case like “showing two properties within 30 Km” the 30 Km are referred to the overall distance for the round trip. As, if there are two properties within 30Km distance from housing but one is in Asciano and one is in South Livorno the overall round trip will most likely hit the "over 30 Km clin rate”. Thus, we assume the mileage reading at pick up and drop of the Military member will determine the correct rate to apply for each trip (as requested on the taxi and interpreter appointment form spelled at page 24 - attachment 2 - of the PWS).

A: We will make appointments and arrangements the best way we can to avoid such distance patterns. If two showings are so far away from each other, we will arrange accordingly to divide the appointments into two different dates and timeframes.

5. Q: How many properties are currently located where there will be need to pay "Parking fees and tolls" (Sec 4.4.2.2, pag.15 of PWS)?

A: There are approximately 250 homes and none of them have parking fees or tolls in the vicinities.

6. Q: Is there an incumbent for this position?

A: This is a new contract, there is not an incumbent.

7. Q: If so, can the Government share the contract number?

A: There is no previous contract for this service.

8. Q: If there is an incumbent, is there an incumbent contractor employee whom the awardee should consider for “right of first refusal” (i.e. Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts)?

A: This is a new contract, there is not an incumbent.

9. Q: Does the position provide Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) status?

A: This position does not provide SOFA status.

10. Q: Does the position provide logistical support and if so, what is included?

A: This position does not provide logistical support.

11. Q: If SOFA status is not provided, will the candidate be subject to and responsible for complying with host nation taxes?

A: Please refer to Part 4 – Price of the Submission Requirements.

12. Q: Is candidate profile i.e. resume needed for the quotation/proposal?

A: Please refer to the Submission Requirements and the Evaluation Criteria in the solicitation for information on what is required for the proposal.

13. Q: If candidate information is requested, do additional documents need to be included i.e. degrees, licenses and/or certifications?

A: Please refer to the Submission Requirements and the Evaluation Criteria in the solicitation for information on what is required for the proposal.

14. Q: PWS 1.6.4.1 states, “The Government facility office hours are 08:00 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:00 hours on days Monday through Friday except U.S. Holidays…The contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS.” Paragraph 5.2.3 further states, “Schedules: All appointments must be scheduled through the USAG Italy – DMC Housing Office. The USAG Italy – DMC Housing Office will provide the contractor a complete appointment schedule for the following workday, each afternoon by 16:30 hours.” It is difficult to ascertain if the workforce should be present during all times the office is open or only when services are in demand. If schedules are only finalized by 1630 the day prior, this does not provide the contractor with enough time to schedule paid time off, sick leave or personal appointments.

Are weekly/monthly schedules for contractor availability taken into account when the Housing Office schedules appointments?

A: Due to the housing location need, the schedule can only be confirmed as indicated in the Performance Work Statement.

15. Q: If the contractor schedules vacation or has a requirement making them unavailable for an extended period, how many workdays can pass without having a backfill?

A: None, the contractor has to have someone available at all times within all terms and conditions of the contract itself.

16. Q: Are the “Quantity” values shown for the base and option years in the Pricing Worksheet an actual government provided average of the number of times these will occur?

A: A: The values given are an average based off recent previous years and are the requested quantities by the Government. If these quantities should ever exceed this amount in the base or option years, the contract at that time will be considered for modification, to be agreed upon by the Government and contractor.

17. Q: Is pricing authorized in dollars or Euros?

A: Please refer to Part 4 – Price of the Submission Requirements.

18: Q: If quoting in Euros, what is the conversation rate the Government will use?

A: Please refer to Part 4 – Price of the Submission Requirements.

19. Q: Given the recent rapid changes in the Euro/Dollar exchange rate, when and how often will the government adjust the conversion rate?

A: Please refer to Part 4 – Price of the Submission Requirements for current exchange rate. This is updated each option year based on the current established budget rate by the Government.

20. Q: Does the Government want a management structure physically located in Europe?

A: This is not a requirement; the contractor is expected to be available and fulfill the requirements outlined in the Performance Work Statement.

21. Q: PWS paragraph 1.6.4.5 states, “Uniform: The contractor shall provide a uniform shirt with either the company name inscribed or a name plate worn, on the shirt, for each employee. Contractor employees shall wear the uniform shirt at all times while engaged in the performance of this contract.”

Does the government have a standard for the shirt or an example?

A: There is no standard format for the Uniform. It must represent as outlined in the PWS paragraph.

22. Q: Please, confirm that number of Key personnel required by this contract is N.3:

Contract Manager, Alternate Contract Manager and Quality Control Manager.

A: Reference PWS Para 1.11, the number of Key Personnel required is three (3).

23. Q: Further clarification is required reference the answers provided to questions 3 and 4:

3. Q: Reference 7.6 Attachment 4: Usually, there are over 200 showings per year mainly during peak season (May through August). During low season, only approximately 30% of that amount will be required. Numbers may vary based on Government’s requirements and needs. The contractor MAY be expected to provide as many as (3) taxi/interpreters per day during peak season (June, July, August).

Question: Please, confirm three vehicles and three drivers/interpreters will need to be estimated for three months every year.

A: The Government is not establishing the manner in which this objective is filled, rather noting the potential volume so the contractor can plan how they will meet the objective.

Traditionally families arrive during the summer months when school is out of session and travel is desirable. Again, this is to prepare the vendor for the influx of personnel and families.

Is in conflict with:

4. Q: Please, confirm that in a case like “showing two properties within 30 Km” the 30 Km are referred to the overall distance for the round trip. As, if there are two properties within 30Km distance from housing but one is in Asciano and one is in South Livorno the overall round trip will most likely hit the "over 30 Km clin rate”. Thus, we assume the mileage reading at pick up and drop of the Military member will determine the correct rate to apply for each trip (as requested on the taxi and interpreter appointment form spelled at page 24 - attachment 2 - of the PWS).

A: We will make appointments and arrangements the best way we can to avoid such distance patterns. If two showings are so far away from each other, we will arrange accordingly to divide the appointments into two different dates and timeframes.

Ref. Answer to N.3: Our interpretation is N. 3 taxi/interpreters services per day.

Ref 5.2.3 Schedules all appointments are scheduled by housing and communicated according to PWS DMC Housing Office will provide the contractor a complete appointment schedule for the following workday, each afternoon by 16:30 hours. And answer to N.4 states that "We will make appointments and arrangements the best way we can”.

Thus, the timelines indicated force bidders to have at least three drivers/interpreters to be available at peak season in order to meet the objective of PWS. Please confirm.

A: We will prevent the contractor from requiring more than one taxi/interpreter as much as we can and if the same customer requests to go to see a house in e.g.“Orzignano which is 30 minutes North” and to see another house in e.g. “Cenaia which is 30 minutes South” those two appointments will be divided into one in the morning and one in the afternoon. If we have two or more different customers requesting other appointments on the same day, this is when additional taxi/interpreters “up to three” MAY need to be available and required.