Answers to SSN Questons from CTRs W9124J-27-R-ENTR MEDCOM OTSG IT Support 7 July 26.xlsx
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- ENTERPRISE IT SUPPORT
- Solicitation number
- W9124J-27-R-ENTR
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers document providing responses to inquiries submitted during the presolicitation phase for the Enterprise IT Support contract (W9124J-27-R-ENTR) issued by the Department of the Army Materiel Command Mission and Installation Contracting Command Fort Sam Houston. The Q&A file addresses clarifications sought by prospective contractors regarding the planned solicitation for IT support services to the United States Army Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) and Headquarters Medical Command (MEDCOM) and their Direct Reporting Units. The document was released on July 26 and contains contractor responses to specific questions that had been submitted during the sources sought phase.
The Q&A responses clarify requirements, scope, and evaluation criteria for the non-personal services contract covering network support, database management, cloud operations, and IT security compliance services supporting both Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside Continental United States (OCONUS) operations. This presolicitation activity serves to refine contractor understanding of the government's IM/IT infrastructure support needs prior to formal solicitation release, enabling potential bidders to better prepare their proposals and identify key compliance and technical requirements necessary for competition on this Army medical IT support vehicle.
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Sheet1
| QUESTIONS | RESPONSES | |
| 1 | Are the organizational certifications listed in Section 1.5.8 required at time of proposal submission, or can the contractor provide a plan to obtain them within a specified timeframe after award? | Pursuant to PWS Section 1.5.6 (Security Requirements), Contractor personnel (to include subcontractors) performing work awarded under this PWS shall have at minimum, a secret clearance, at time of the proposal submission, and must maintain the level of security required for the life of the contract" |
| 2 | Are there incumbent personnel the Government recommends offerors consider for retention or transition support? | Yes. To ensure continuity of operations and minimize startup risks, the Government strongly encourages offerors to evaluate the existing workforce for potential retention or transition support. |
| 3 | Can the Government clarify the scope and frequency of surge support requirements, including historical data on past surge activations, typical duration, and advance notice periods beyond the stated 60 days? | The scope would provide additional support for current authorized services. Frequency of surge support requirements cannot be determined. Currently surge has been enabled 1X in the past 2 OPT Years. Duration can be for 1 week up to six months dependent on tasks. Advance notice is usually 90+ days. |
| 4 | Can the Government clarify the telework policy referenced in Section 1.5.5? What percentage of work can be performed remotely versus on-site, and are there specific roles that require full-time on-site presence? | This contract utilizes situational telework rather than routine telework or remote work. Work under this contract is intended to be performed on-site as the default standard, with telework authorized only on an occasional, episodic, or case-by-case basis. |
| 5 | Can the Government clarify whether CMMI Level III is a mandatory requirement, a preferred qualification, or applicable only to specific portions of the contract? | CMMI Level 3 is mandatory |
| 6 | Can the Government clarify whether the Project Management Plan is required for all task orders or only when specifically requested, as indicated by "if required" in the deliverables schedule? | Under Federal standard task-order and IDIQ procedures (e.g., FAR Subpart 16.5), a "Project Management Plan" is typically required only when specifically requested. The "if required" designation in a deliverables schedule means it is conditional. You only need to submit it when explicitly requested. |
| 7 | Can the Government confirm whether interim Secret clearances are acceptable for non-SIPRNET duties during the onboarding period? | Interim Secret clearances not acceptable |
| 8 | Can the Government provide the annual ticket volume data, broken down by support category and location, to support accurate resource planning and pricing? | Annual ticket volume is approximately 12,048 for combined locations. We feel this is not necessary. The government has stated the number of techs and the assigned locations. |
| 9 | Can the Government provide the specific ticketing system platform that is currently in use or will be required for managing service tickets, and will the contractor have administrative access to configure workflows and reporting? | Yes. The current ticketing system platform in use and required for managing service tickets is ServiceNow's Customer Service Management (CSM) Professional platform. |
| 10 | For the 14-day phase-in, what transition support and access coordination will the Government provide? | The Government facilitates shall provide liaisons to provide IT/facility access, initial in processing, account permission, and current statuses of ongoing projects and requirements. and coordinating the transfer of baseline records to ensure a smooth continuity of operations |
| 11 | For the pricing information requested, is the Government seeking general market/pricing guidance only, or a more detailed high-level cost estimate? | We are not seeking pricing at this time, only capability statements as stated in the SSN |
| 12 | Must all proposed personnel have active SECRET clearances at proposal submission, or is a cleared staffing plan acceptable by contract start? | Yes, all proposed personnel must possess active SECRET clearances at the time of proposal submission. A staffing plan detailing how personnel will be cleared by the contract start date is not acceptable. |
| 13 | Regarding the "no more than three unresolved local issues per month" performance standard, how is an "unresolved local issue" defined, and what is the timeframe for resolution before an issue is considered unresolved? | An "unresolved local issue" is defined as a Tier I or II internal AOR that is not resolved. Timeframe for resolution before an issue is considered unresolved is 72 hours |
| 14 | Regarding the 95% ticket solvency performance standard, how is solvency defined? Does this mean 95% of tickets resolved within a specific timeframe, or 95% customer satisfaction with resolution? | When the issue submitted no longer exists or the solution is a satisfactory option. 95% of tickets resolved within a specific timeframe. |
| 15 | What are the specific NIPRNET and SIPRNET environments the contractor will support, and are there any specialized systems or classified networks beyond standard Secret level that require additional clearances? | army.mil/Army Unified Directory Services (AUDS) domains, no requirement above a Secret Level Clearance |
| 16 | What is the anticipated timeline for release of the solicitation and award? | Projected award is March 2027. |
| 17 | What is the current baseline staffing model at each location, and are there specific skill sets or certifications beyond DoD 8570? | The baseline staffing model consists of a total of 10 personnel, evenly distributed as follows: |
Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA): Five (5) personnel
National Capital Region (NCR) / Falls Church: Five (5) personnel
Regarding specific skill sets and certifications beyond DoD 8570/DoD 8140 requirements: All personnel must meet the baseline and specialty qualifications outlined in PWS Section 1.5.11 (Key Personnel).
Pursuant to Section 1.5.11, there is a specific, non-negotiable combination of technical certifications, formal education, and years of specialized experience required for each designated labor category and position. Contractors must review the specific matrix within Section 1.5.11 to ensure all proposed personnel align with these mandated standards.
| 18 | What is the current hardware and software inventory the contractor will be responsible for supporting, including quantities of workstations, servers, network devices, and telecommunications equipment at each location? | Standard baseline configuration, to include (but not limited to) MS products (i.e., Project, Teams), SAS, Tableau, Zoom Pro, App Xtender, Adobe products, Visio |
| 19 | What is the current Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan methodology, including surveillance frequency and acceptable quality levels that will be used to evaluate contractor performance? | this is not neededat this time |
| 20 | When will the Government provide the government-furnished property/equipment list to help offerors accurately price their proposals and plan transition activities? | All equipment required will be provided by the government. |
| 21 | Will the Government provide a transition period with overlap from the incumbent contractor, or should offerors plan for full performance beginning on Day 1? | Yes. Pursuant to PWS Section 1.5.17 (Phase-In / Phase-Out Period), the Government will provide a 14-day transition period with direct overlap. Offerors should not plan for full performance on Day 1, but rather a structured ramp-up during this window. |
| 22 | Will the Government provide access to current ticketing system data during the phase-in period to support baseline metrics and transition planning? | No. |
| 23 | Can the Government clarify whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Large Language Models (LLMs) will be used during the source selection and evaluation process? | The Government conducts source selection and evaluation processes in strict accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and established agency evaluation criteria to ensure a fair, unbiased, and comprehensive review of all proposals. |
While the use of secure, approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Large Language Models (LLMs) is always a possibility within today's technological and administrative environment to assist with administrative formatting or data synthesis, it is not guaranteed or mandated for this specific source selection. In all scenarios, the ultimate evaluation, qualitative assessment, and source selection decisions remain solely the responsibility of designated Government evaluation officials.
| 24 | Can the Government provide the current contract # for the work being performed in Virginia today? | this is a new requirement | |
| 25 | Can the Government provide the current staffing and labor categories for the work being performed in Virginia today? | this is a new requirement | |
| 26 | Can the Government provide the name of the contractor performing the same or similar services being performed in Virginia today? | this is a new requirement | |
| 27 | Can the Government provide the current contract value for the same or similar services currently being performed in Virginia today? | $489,625.05 (for POP 01APR26-12OCT26) approximaely | |
| 28 | Can the Government confirm if the scope of services performed in Virginia and Texas are identical or if there are any unique differences bidders should be aware of when staffing? | The work will be identical. The only differences currently-NCR operates in the DHA computing environment (project plan in phases to covert to AUDS), JBSA operates in the AUDS computing environment | |
| 29 | Are the National Capital Region and Falls Church the same location or two different facilities? If they are different, how many personnel sit at each site? | These are the same locations. | |
| 30 | When the Government says other locations could include (but are not limited to) Ft. Detrick and Aberdeen Proving Ground, what is meant by that? Is support provided remotely by the Virginia team, do Virginia resources travel to Maryland for on-site support, or would surge staff be added to the contract to support these additional locations? | Thes offsite locations will be supported remotely via BOMGAR and other technological tools. | |
| 31 | Given that this is a DoD contract requiring a Secret facility clearance, cleared personnel, and NIPR/SIPR access, can the Government confirm CMMC Level 2 certification will be required for the resulting contract? | CMMC Level 2 certification is not required. Only a Secret clearance is required. | |
| 32 | A help desk contract should not require Level III but in a DoD cleared environment it should also not require Level I. The DoD standard for this type of work should be Level II for all positions which would also reflect the requirements of the current incumbent contracts. Can the Government clarify the IAT certification level for all personnel should be Level II? | The PM is required to be Level III, other labor categories are required to be Level II (exception is Telecommunications Engineering Specialist) | |
| 33 | ISO 10004 is a highly specialized non-auditable framework that is not intended for certification. Rather, it is incorporated into ISO 9001 which keeps Customer Satisfaction at its center. Can the Government confirm ISO 9001 certification satisfies this requirement? | ISO 9001 certification satisfies this requirement. | |
| 34 | The Government states the Contractor shall possess ITIL process for ITSM. Can the Government confirm the intent behind this requirement is to require ISO 20000-1 certification which is the industry recognized ITIL based standard for ITSM services? | Removed this as a requirement | |
| 35 | SDI and HDI certifications are for commercial call centers and are not well aligned, common, or standardized in DoD or other Government environments and will unnecessarily restrict competition throughout industry. Would the Government consider removing this requirement altogether, replacing it with a more appropriate industry certification that accomplishes the same objective in the federal contracting space like ISO 20000-1 or CMMI for Services Level 3, or allowing any of those options (SDI/HDI, ISO 20000-1 or CMMI) to meet the requirement? | PWS will be modified to reflect CMMI Level III | |
| 36 | The Government outlines a standard of "No more than three dissatisfied customer complaints per month" for user network access and equipment issuance. Could the Government clarify the mechanism by which "dissatisfied" is logged and validated, and whether the Contractor has an opportunity to remediate complaints before they count against the monthly limit? | The mechanism is a digitally signed email to which shall be thoroughly investigated by the COR and discussed with the Contractor. Complaints that cannot be resolved will be annotated on the MSR in PIEE. Yes, the Contractor has an opportunity to remediate complaints before they count against the monthly limit. | |
| 37 | The Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) is consistently stated as "95 percent from deviation" for various metrics. Could the Government clarify how "deviation" is mathematically defined and measured against the performance standards? | Deviation is defined as the number of non-conformances (pastdue) per hundred tickets found in the sample. | I am assuming this is based on services tickets. Not sure where in the PWS this focused on |
| 38 | The Government outlines a 14-day phase-in period where the Contractor must have personnel onboard to minimize productivity decreases. Given the requirement for fully cleared personnel (Secret clearance) and complex certifications at the start, will the Government allow for an extended phase-in period (e.g., 30 days) to ensure all onboarding and clearance cross-overs are complete before assuming full mission responsibility? | The 14-day timeline is critical to maintaining uninterrupted service delivery and avoiding gaps in support. Offerors are expected to manage risk proactively by proposing personnel who are already fully cleared and certified at the time of proposal submission. | |
| 39 | The PWS notes it will request support 60 days in advance when possible. Can the Government clarify how surge pricing should be presented in the proposal, whether it should be priced using the same labor rates as the base effort or if separate surge rates should be proposed? | Surge pricing presented in the proposal utilizes the same labor rates as the base effort. | |
| 40 | Is NAICS 541513 the final code for this requirement, or will the Government consider an alternative code based on industry feedback? | Yes | |
| 41 | Will this requirement be set aside for a specific small business socioeconomic category (e.g., SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB)? | TBD | |
| 42 | What is the estimated total contract value or ceiling to support commercial pricing benchmarks? | $489,625.05 (for POP 01APR26-12OCT26) approximaely | |
| 43 | Is OCONUS support a priced requirement offerors should plan for, or is it a contingency only? | Not this should not be a factor. OCONUS support is provided via web-based tools and shall be priced under the primary local | |
| 44 | Which certifications listed in PWS 1.5.8 are required at contract award, and which may be satisfied within a defined period after award? | Contractors must be fully certified and compliant upon commencement of work (i.e., at contract award or when they begin performing on the contract). |
the government is purchasing fully qualified labor, standard practice dictates that all cybersecurity baseline certifications (such as Security+ for IAT Level II) must be held at the time of contract award/performance start.
| 45 | Will the Government provide a transition knowledge package or access to incumbent documentation during the 14-day phase-in period? | The government will not provide a knowledge package. Recommend coordinating continuity with incumbent. |
| 46 | Incumbent Contractor: Is there an incumbent contractor currently performing these services? If so, will there be an opportunity for the awardee to coordinate with the incumbent for knowledge transfer during the 14-day phase-in period? | this is a new requirement |
| 47 | Ticketing System / ITSM Platform: The PWS references a government-provided ticketing system. Please confirm the specific ITSM platform in use (e.g., ServiceNow, Remedy, JIRA Service Management) so that offerors may identify certified personnel and minimize ramp-up time. | The current ticketing system platform in use and required for managing service tickets is ServiceNow's Customer Service Management (CSM) Professional platform. |
| 48 | Bomgar Licensing: The PWS references Bomgar for remote support. Will government-furnished Bomgar licenses be provided to contractor personnel, or is the contractor expected to provide its own licensing? | The Government will provide Government-Furnished Equipment/Software (GFE/GFS) licenses for Bomgar to contractor personnel requiring them for current operational support. The contractor is not expected to purchase or provide its own licensing for this tool. |
However, please note that as the organization continues its strategic migration of the user population to the Army network environment, Bomgar will not be a tool utilized on the Army network. Transitioning off Bomgar to Army-approved remote support tools will occur in alignment with migration timelines.
| 49 | SIPRNET Access Requirements: Can the Government confirm whether all 10 FTEs are required to have SIPRNET access, or only specific positions? This clarification will allow offerors to accurately scope cleared personnel pipelines. | Under the requirements of this contract, all 10 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) are required to have SIPRNET access. Offerors should scope their cleared personnel pipelines accordingly, as this requirement applies to the entire team, not just specific positions. |
| 50 | FTE Distribution Across Locations: Can the Government clarify the approximate FTE distribution expected between NCR (Falls Church, VA) and JBSA (San Antonio, TX)? Additionally, are any remote work provisions available for Tier 1 support functions? | The expected distribution of personnel is 5 FTEs at the NCR (Falls Church, VA) location and 5 FTEs at the JBSA (San Antonio, TX) location. |
Additionally, there are no routine remote work provisions available for Tier 1 support or any other functions. All duty locations under this contract are strictly in-office. While routine remote work is not authorized, situational telework will be granted strictly on a case-by-case basis.
| 51 | Asset Management System: What government-provided asset management system is currently in use (e.g., DPAS, SAMS, ServiceNow CMDB)? This information will inform accurate staffing and transition planning. | Yes, the government currently utilized a database within SharePoint Online |
| 52 | Confirm whether SECRET-cleared personnel must be named at proposal submission or available by contract start/onboarding. | Yes, personnel must be named by contract start/onborading. |
| 53 | Clarify required certifications by labor category, including DoD 8570/IAT levels and any ITIL, HDI, SDI, or role-specific requirements. | Pursuant to Section 1.5.11, there is a specific, non-negotiable combination of technical certifications, formal education, and years of specialized experience required for each designated labor category and position. Contractors must review the specific matrix within Section 1.5.11 to ensure all proposed personnel align with these mandated standards. Also see Q: 35 |
| 54 | Confirm the expected staffing split and primary work locations, including Falls Church, VA and JBSA/San Antonio, TX. | The expected distribution of personnel is 5 FTEs at the NCR (Falls Church, VA) location and 5 FTEs at the JBSA (San Antonio, TX) location. |
| 55 | Provide estimated workload data, including ticket volume, user population, service desk tools, asset-management tools, and current performance metrics, if available. | Please refer to Q8 |
| 56 | Clarify the scope of NIPRNET/SIPRNET support, access timelines, and coordination | Operational support under this contract for both NIPRNET and SIPRNET is strictly limited to local desktop support (troubleshooting, end-user device setup, and peripheral configuration). The contractor is responsible for facilitating and coordinating access requests, while core network infrastructure, security boundaries, and final access provisioning remain the responsibility of the respective government entities (NEC, DHA, DISA, and other Army organizations). |
| 57 | Provide additional detail on the 14-day phase-in, including transition materials, system access coordination, and readiness expectations. | Please refer to Q8 |
| 58 | Clarify how surge support, travel, training, and ODCs should be priced and approved. | Surge pricing presented in the proposal utilizes the same labor rates as the base effort. For pricing, refer to PWS 1.5.15. |
| 59 | To help offerors right-size staffing and the surge capability in Technical Exhibit 3, can the Government provide the current IT service desk workload, including average and peak monthly volumes for incident tickets, service requests, and inquiries, if available? | Refer to Q21 and Q38 |
| 60 | To help offerors scope the support and asset management effort, can the Government share the approximate size of the supported IT environment, including counts of desktops, laptops, servers, network devices, printers, and mobile devices across NIPRNET and SIPRNET? | Due to constant organizational change, all numbers are approxmate: desktops: 20 laptops: 1200; servers: 0; network devices (imbeded in device totals); printers:75; and mobile devices: 100 |
| 61 | Beyond sustaining current operations, what outcomes or improvements does the Government most want this requirement to deliver? Understanding those priorities will help offerors shape an approach that targets them. | Customer-Centric & Digital Experiences: Increased Customer Satisfaction, Increased Operational Efficiency, and increased Digital Interations |
| 62 | Would the Government consider contractor-proposed, AI-enabled capabilities that improve operational efficiency, service delivery, reporting, or knowledge management as value-added enhancements, provided all applicable cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection requirements are met? | At this time, AI capabilities are outside the scope of the current contract requirements. All artificial intelligence capabilities, systems, and tools utilized within this program are coordinated, authorized, and implemented directly by the Army to ensure alignment with service-wide strategic objectives, strict architecture standards, and critical security protocols. |
Consequently, the Government will not consider contractor-proposed AI enhancements under this specific effort. Contractors should focus performance and proposals strictly on the defined requirements within the current Performance Work Statement (PWS) 63 PWS Section 1.5.8 states that "the Contractor shall possess" Service Desk Institute (SDI) Certification and Help Desk Institute (HDI) Support Center Certification. Please clarify whether these requirements refer to:
(a) Organizational/facility-level certification, meaning the contractor's service desk operation has been formally audited and certified by SDI and HDI against their respective global standards; or
(b) Individual professional certifications held by key personnel, such as the SDI Service Desk Analyst (SDA), SDI Service Desk Manager (SDM), HDI Support Center Analyst (HDI-SCA), or HDI Support Center Manager (HDI-SCM).
| This distinction is material to the competitive landscape. Organizational-level SDI and HDI Support Center Certification (SCC) require multi-day on-site audits, custom pricing, and preparation timelines of several months to over a year. Individual certifications, by contrast, can be obtained within weeks. Clarification will ensure offerors accurately represent their qualifications and enable broader competition. | See Q: 35 and Q: 53 | |
| 64 | If the requirement is for organizational-level SDI and/or HDI Support Center Certification, would the Government consider demonstrated operational equivalency — such as existing ISO 9001, ISO 27001, CMMI Level III, and mature ITIL-based service management processes — as satisfying the intent of this requirement, provided the offeror commits to pursuing SDI and/or HDI organizational certification within a defined period after contract award? |
| If so, what post-award timeframe would the Government consider acceptable for achieving full certification? | See Q: 35 and Q: 53 Acceptable for achieving full certification 6 months | |
| 65 | PWS Section 1.5.6 states that contractor personnel shall have, at minimum, a Secret clearance "at time of proposal submission." Given that a solicitation has not yet been issued, please confirm: |
(a) Whether this cleared-workforce requirement will apply at the time of proposal submission in response to a future RFP, or at contract award/start date; and
(b) Whether the Government will accept personnel with active Secret clearances in process (i.e., investigations submitted and pending adjudication) at the time of proposal submission, provided clearances are adjudicated prior to contract start.
| This requirement, if interpreted strictly, may significantly limit competition, particularly among small businesses that cannot maintain a standing bench of fully cleared, unassigned personnel. | This is a sources sought only. The only thing required at this time is a capabilities statement. Workforce should have clearances at the time of bid submittal. All personnel must have an active Secret clearance. | |
| 66 | PWS Section 1.5.17 specifies a 14-day phase-in period. Given that DISS Visit Access Request (VAR) submissions are required seven days prior to onboarding (PWS Section 1.6.4), and that NIPRNET/SIPRNET access provisioning involves MEDCOM G2 security processing, please confirm: |
(a) Whether the 14-day phase-in period begins at contract award or at a later mutually agreed start date that accounts for security processing timelines; and
| (b) Whether the Government would consider extending the phase-in period to 30 days to allow for orderly transition without degradation of service, particularly given the dual-site (NCR and JBSA) nature of the requirement. | 14-day phase-in period begins after Contractor is fully onboarded to organization. Please refer to Q: 21 and Q: 38 | |
| 67 | PWS Section 1.5.8 states that the Contractor shall possess ISO 10004 (Quality Management – Customer Satisfaction). We respectfully note that ISO 10004 is published by the International Organization for Standardization as guidance only and is not a certifiable standard. Unlike ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, no accredited third-party certification body issues formal ISO 10004 registration or certification, and as such it is not possible for a contractor to "possess" ISO 10004 certification in the same manner as other listed standards. |
We therefore request that the Government clarify:
(a) Whether the intent of this requirement is for the contractor to demonstrate that its quality management practices are consistent with ISO 10004 guidance (e.g., through its existing ISO 9001 framework, QCP, and customer satisfaction monitoring processes already required elsewhere in the PWS); or
| (b) Whether the Government intends to remove or revise this requirement in the final solicitation given that formal third-party certification against ISO 10004 does not exist. | See Q: 35 and Q: 53 | ||
| 68 | The PWS references both NIPRNET and SIPRNET support. Will all 10 FTEs require routine SIPRNET access, or only specific labor categories? Additionally, are the government-furnished workstations at both Falls Church and JBSA currently SIPR-enabled, and are all classified network connections (Cross Domain Solutions, secure VoIP, etc.) already in place and operational? | All 10 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) require routine access to SIPRNET. This requirement applies across all labor categories to ensure uninterrupted mission support and fulfillment of the PWS requirements. |
Regarding site infrastructure, SIPR capabilities are currently leveraged at all supported sites. Government-furnished workstations at both Falls Church and JBSA are SIPR-enabled, and the necessary classified network connections are already in place and operational.
| 69 | PWS Section 5.2 references ticketing systems and tools such as Bomgar for remote support. What is the current government-provided ITSM/ticketing platform (e.g., ServiceNow, Remedy, HEAT)? Will the contractor have full administrative access to manage, report on, and extract metrics from this system, or only end-user-level access? Will the contractor be responsible for maintaining or configuring the ticketing platform itself? | See Q9 and Q47 |
| 70 | PWS Section 5.1 requires contractor support for Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS) and the Army Portfolio Management Solution (APMS). What is the current Authorization to Operate (ATO) status of the systems supported under this contract? Will the contractor be required to perform any Risk Management Framework (RMF) steps, prepare Security Assessment Reports, or support Continuous Monitoring activities — and if so, are those activities reflected in the labor estimates in Technical Exhibit 3? | This is a requirement only for the duration of the organization operation on the DHA infrastructure. Current support requirement is to monitor and provide updated vunerabilities via IAVA reporting |
| 71 | The PWS repeatedly references support to "other Army organizations and/or authorized users (as required) outside and within the Continental United States (OCONUS/CONUS)." What is the realistic likelihood of OCONUS tasking during the contract period? If OCONUS support is required, will the government fund separate travel, per diem, and any applicable OCONUS security or Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) requirements outside of the firm-fixed-price structure, or is the contractor expected to absorb these costs? | Refer to Q43 |
| 72 | PWS Section 5.2 states the contractor must provide network access to new users within 96 hours of security approval. However, account creation in DoD environments typically requires Government-approved Privileged Access Agreements, SAAR-N forms (DD 2875), and Network Enterprise Center coordination. Will the contractor hold Privileged User status and have direct provisioning authority in Active Directory and Defense Enterprise Provisioning Online (DEPO), or will account actions require government approval as an intermediate step — and how does that government approval timeline factor into the 96-hour SLA? | The contractor shall hold Privileged User status and have direct provisioning authority in Active Directory and Defense Enterprise Provisioning Online (DEPO) and/or Master Army Provisioning System (MAPS) |
| 73 | Technical Exhibit 3 includes a surge capability table that mirrors the base workforce exactly (10 FTEs / 19,200 hours). Will surge be priced as a separate CLIN on the contract at award, or will it be handled via modifications? What is the government's realistic surge frequency expectation (e.g., once per year, multiple times)? And does the 60-day advance notice requirement have any exceptions for emergency surges driven by a DoD health emergency or operational event — given MEDCOM's role in supporting deployed medical forces? | All excuted surge requirements will be excuted via a contract modification. Surge expectation cannot be predetermined as it is based on OPTEMPO. The intent of the contact for any surge requrements is to provide the Contractor with ample time to ensure they can obtain the necessary skill sets to meet tasks |
| 74 | The PWS identifies ten (10) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Key Personnel positions across four (4) labor categories (2x Computer and Information Systems Manager SME, 4x Network and Computer Systems Administrator Journeyman, 2x Telecommunications Engineering Specialist Journeyman, and 2x Computer User Support Specialist Journeyman), all of which appear to require commitment and/or designation at the time of proposal submission per PWS Section 1.5.11. |
Requiring offerors to have all ten (10) Key Personnel identified and committed at the time of proposal submission creates a significant barrier to competition, particularly for small businesses.
| We respectfully request the Government revise the requirement and reduce the number of Key Personnel required to be named at proposal submission to only the most critical leadership positions (e.g., the 2x Computer and Information Systems Manager, SME positions) and allow the remaining positions to be identified within the Phase-In Period. | All ten FTE positions defined in PWS Section 1.5.11 are critical to the immediate transition and continuous execution of the mission. To minimize operational risk and ensure seamless support upon contract start, all proposed personnel must be named, meet all specified qualifications (education, experience, and certifications), and have signed letters of intent submitted at the time of proposal. | ||
| 75 | The PWS references integration with the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and Army NECs. As MEDCOM continues its organizational evolution under DHA oversight, will this contractor interface with DHA's Program Executive Office DHMS (the MHS GENESIS EHR program), DHA J6, or other DHA IT governance bodies? If so, are those coordination requirements, including attendance at DHA IT boards or working groups, captured in the hours estimated in Technical Exhibit 3, or would they constitute additional tasking? | We are not continuning under DHA, we are moving to Army DOMAIN. The interaction with DHA will be very mimited and continually reduce to none as we proceed towards being 100% in DOWIN-A environment | |
| 76 | PWS Section 5.2 requires the contractor to obtain and maintain Trusted Agent (TA) certification for CAC/token issuance and management. Which labor categories are expected to hold TA status? Is the government's RAPIDS workstation and PKI infrastructure already in place at both Falls Church and JBSA locations, and will the contractor be authorized to perform TA duties for both OTSG and MEDCOM personnel — or only specific sub-populations? | All the labor categories are expected to obtain and maintain Trusted Agent (TA) certification and the infrastructure in s place. TAs fuction as the facillitator not the creator of accounts or the issuer of token and will fufil role for all locations. | |
| 77 | The PWS requires all personnel to hold a Secret clearance at the time of proposal submission. For a new requirement with no incumbent, this creates a significant competitive barrier — especially for small businesses. Will the government accept personnel with a current Secret eligibility (investigation completed but not formally adjudicated) at proposal submission, with full adjudication confirmed prior to contract start? Additionally, what is the government's acceptable timeline for key personnel substitution post-award if a cleared candidate becomes unavailable before the period of performance begins? | No, the government will not accept personnel with a current Secret eligibility. The government's acceptable timeline for key personnel substitution post-award is 30 days. | |
| 78 | Pease confirm the government will accept relevant experience of sister subsidiaries, as attributable prime experience, per DFARS 215.305(a)(2)(C). | tbd | |
| 79 | Questions 8, bullet 1 states: The PWS requires personnel to possess a SECRET clearance at the time of proposal submission. | ||
| Please clarify the intent of the Government for providing personnel who possess a SECRET clearance at the time of submission. Recommend modifying to require personnel to possess a SECRET clearance on the contract start date. | Security Requirements: Contractor personnel (to include subcontractors) performing work awarded under this PWS shall have at minimum, a secret clearance, at time of the proposal submission, and must maintain the level of security required for the life of the contract. The security requirements are in accordance with the DD Form 254, Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specification. In accordance with the FAR Subpart 504.471, the “contracting officer must prepare DD Form 254. |
80 The PWS states, "The following personnel are considered key personnel by the Government," then lists all labor categories and provides the expected number of personnel for each. There is no section that contains non-key personnel.
Is it the Government's intent that ALL personnel performing on this contract will be identified as "Key Personnel"?
It is unrealistic that all personnel will be considered "Key." Recommend clarifying which personnel will actually be considered Key Personnel. All labor categories are considered Key Personnel as they maintain the organizations Day-to-Day IT services and continuous operations.
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