MPS_Q&A_Final.pdf

Q&A for Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, W912EP19R0018, Manatee Protection System Maintenance and Repairs at 6 Lock Sites

Question 1: New Requirement or Follow-on I am hoping to find out if the subject effort is a new requirement or a follow-on to an existing contract? If the latter, can I please find out the incumbent contractor's name and contract number?

Answer 1:

This is a follow-on requirement to contract W912EP18P0015. The incumbent contractor is Underwater Engineering Services, Inc.

Question 2: PWS Section 1.3 Objectives – (24 hr. Diagnostic) I understand the 24 hr. response time for DIAGNOSTICS – in order to get an immediate evaluation for a repair plan. However, PWS Section 1.6.4 – Hours of the work week is listed as Monday-Friday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

If Contractor is notified late on a Friday of a need for Diagnostics – is the contractor required to provide diagnostics on Saturday?

Vendor Comment: A great deal of Diagnostic evaluation can be done with a phone call from the contractor to the Lock Operator. A temporary fix may be available or the call can result in a need to schedule a Service Call. A protocol such as this can be evaluated post-award. The question only applies to clarifying the contractor response time and the potential expense of a weekend response.

Answer 2:

Section 1.6.4 is meant to address normal contract administration. Diagnostics and service to restore functionality are required 7 days per week. Should the Contractor be notified of a problem late on any day, provision of diagnostics would be expected the following day. Please see revised PWS, dated 26 April 2019.

Question 3: PWS Section 1.6.7.3 Suspicious Activity Reporting Training The Training is conducted by “the RA”.

The RA is not defined in the list of terms. Who is the RA?

Please Identify the RA and qualify if this is a Government employee or a contractor employee.

Answer 3:

The “RA” is the Requiring Activity. In this case the RA is the US Army Corps of Engineers, and training will be provided by a government employee. The specific person to provide the training will be determined during the phase-in period, and would likely be from the Security and Law Enforcement Branch. Please see revised PWS, dated 26 April 2019.

Question 4: PWS Section 1.9.5 Electronic Technician The PWS requires a Certified Electronic Technician. Will Government accept a Journeyman Electrician with more than five (5) years of experience with electronic instrumentation and control systems as an equivalent to the CET?

Answer 4:

Please see revised PWS, dated 26 April 2019. Provided that a majority of the professional experience within the last five (5) years is demonstrated to be related to substantially equivalent systems and components, yes.

Question 5: PWS 5.5 Task 3 - Acoustic Detection Sensor (ADS) System Programming and Hardware Maintenance Sentence 3 on the paragraph includes “changes at each lock or spillway”. Does this contract include Maintenance of the Manatee PED System on the Spillway at W.P. Franklin Lock?

Answer 5:

If the “Manatee PED System” refers to the physical barriers on the spillway, yes. This contract is meant to provide for maintenance and repair of all Manatee Protection Systems at the six (6) lock locations, including physical barriers on the lock and spillway gates.

Question 6: Solicitation CLIN 002 and CLIN 003 Both of these descriptions include the phrase “provide unforeseen….(maintenance or repairs)..as defined…”.

How do we estimate the cost of unforeseen repairs?

These items are grammatically challenging to estimate.

Answer 6:

For CLIN 0002, provide a daily unit rate for offsite work to repair/restore/configure hardware and/or update/modify programming of the ADS system. This CLIN will be incrementally funded as-needed through specific tasking.

For CLIN 0003, provide a daily unit rate for onsite work to repair/restore/install hardware and/or update/download programming and data on location. See PWS Technical Exhibit C, reference

5.6 for an annual estimate for award purposes. This CLIN will be incrementally funded as-needed through specific tasking.

Question A7: PWS, Technical Exhibit C – Minimum Activities Estimate Table The last item, Reference “PWS para. 5.6 – Perform Service Calls for Non-routine maintenance and repairs”

Should this say “routine maintenance and repairs” instead of “non-routine”?

Answer A7:

Please see revised PWS, dated 26 April 2019. Technical Exhibit C failed to specifically list routine maintenance (or service calls during normal business hours). Provide for this omission in CLIN 0001, Manatee Protection Systems Maintenance & Repair.

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform regularly scheduled cleaning, maintenance and repair, and reporting of the entire Manatee Protection System (MPS) at each lock facility as defined in the Performance Work Statement (PWS).

CLIN 0004 is related to Technical Exhibit C, Reference para. 5.6, to provide for unforeseen repairs.

Question A8: ADS Spare Cartridges I believe that the Government does not possess any spare ADS Cartridges (Sensor Cartridges).

Is this an oversight that should be addressed now or will spare sensor cartridges be included in a separate solicitation?

Answer A8:

PWS Technical Exhibit C, Reference 5.4 notes “Remove and Replace Government Furnished Sensor Array Cartridge”. The proposal should include unit costs to purchase spare parts consistent with the service levels of paragraph 5.4. A joint inventory of Government owned hardware will be conducted on an annual basis, and the Contractor may be requested to procure additional inventory in accordance with the agreed upon unit prices.

Question A9: Clarification for location of Level of Effort:

In studying the solicitation package, I can see where all of the Governments needs have been identified but the needs are spread across the documents in a fashion that makes the CLIN numbers somewhat ambiguous on where to include the efforts.

The following is my understanding:

Provide PM (Preventative Maintenance) including calibrations, Performance testing, sensor cleaning.

Provide Routine repairs to include replacement of components from spares inventory.

Provide reasonable spare parts inventory.

Submit Reports (including video documentation) of calibrations, performance tests, repairs, sensor cleanings, etc.

I think that you want all of these items included in CLIN 0001.

The second need is identified as Hardware and Programming Maintenance – CLIN 0002

This line provides OTHER THAN routine maintenance changes to Hardware and Software.

This could be in order to adapt to changes needed by Government or recommended by Contractor and approved by Government.

The Government required changes could be due to changed Operational Requirements for Manatee Protection or from Equipment Upgrades/Repairs (adding VFD or PLC Controls for example).

Contractor recommendations could be changes to make the MPS System more effective or easier to use (Automatic Receiver Channel Testing).

Any change to the Hardware or Software should result in a report submittal, an edit to the Documentation Package and may result in on-site Operator Training.

CLIN 0003 - Repairs to MPS

I think that you wish to include other than PM activities:

Diagnostics of issues– within 24 hours, Call-Out Service Calls for diagnostics or Repairs, Repairs other than routine spare parts change-out during PM, change-out of Sensors (includes diving).

And finally, any activity either PM, Hardware/Software Change or Repair that has an effect on the accuracy of the Documentation Package needs to result in an update to the Documentation Package so that it is always up to date. This effort is expected to be more involved under CLIN 0002, some costs in CLIN 0001, and possibly some costs in CLIN 0003. If you want to re-assess the definitions and call for an annual upgrade to the Documentation Package, then the costs for that activity could be placed in a CLIN of their own. This would require an amendment.

If I have correctly identified the CLIN Lines as written, then simply state yes and I will separate the Documentation Package maintenance expenses across the CLINS and show the costs in the breakdowns.

Answer A9:

Yes, that is a correct interpretation of the CLIN structure.

Question A10: PWS Section 1.6.3 – Recognized Holidays The spec is written that the contractor is to provide services on holidays when directed by the Government. In the past we provided a cost to the government for non-normal duty hour service calls for technicians only that did not include divers. Will the Government please clarify if a separate price is desired for holiday work for a dive team?

Answer 10:

No. The probability of an event occurring during a holiday that would require a diver is low.

Should the need arise it can addressed through a modification.

Question A11: PWS Section 5.7 Task 5 – Manatee Protection Screens:

1. Is the contractor to focus on the manatee screens only in the navigational locks?

2. If the contractor is to focus on manatee screens outside of the lock structures, which flood control structures, spillways, are included in Task 5 and their locations?

3. Will the government please provide drawings or details for the manatee screens for each of these flood control structures, spillways, and locks so the contractor can identify and understand the work, materials, hardware and time needed to complete Task 5?

4. Each lock, flood control, or spillway location may require a different work approach, more time, more divers, more hardware then another to complete, so can you quantify or clarify how the Government would prefer the contractor to provide the cost or breakdown of cost for item Task 5?

5. In regards to repairing of the manatee screens, will the Government provide the replacement screen material and hardware to repair missing or damaged screens if needed?

6. Is the Contractor responsible to dispose debris from the screens?

Answer 11:

Please see revised PWS, dated 26 April 2019.

The contractor is to focus on the screens at the navigation structures only. The screens are 10-gauge stainless steel 5”x5” grid panels in 4’x8’ sections. The Government has an adequate supply of additional screen material and tie-wire.