D -- BROADBAND MICROWAVE NETWORK

Notice Date

March 15, 2001

Contracting Office

General Services Administration, Information Technology Services, Fast Program (7TF), 819 Taylor St., Rm. 11A30, Fort Worth, TX 76102-6105

ZIP Code

76102-6105

Solicitation Number

7TF-01-0004a

Response Due

March 23, 2001

Point of Contact

Robert D. Goudy, 817-978-4074

E-Mail Address

Robert.Goudy@gsa.gov (Robert.Goudy@gsa.gov)

Description

Modification 02 provides for a listing of vendor questions and GSA's response to them. The information will provide equal access to all vendors. No further vendor questions will be accepted after 4:00 PM, March 16, 2001. ANSWERS TO VENDORS QUESTIONS SOLICITATION 7TF-01-0004A Vendor 1 1. Utilization of 3DS3 radios will require M1-3 multiplexing equipment where it is required to break the signal down to the DS1 level. Please clarify whether multiplexing equipment is acceptable on remote mountain top communications sites where the signal must be broken down to a DS1 level for retransmission on point-to-point spread spectrum radio links. The RFP states that "mountain top communications sites pose substantial problems" to multiplexing equipment with respect to "environmental, power and signal level changes." We assume that all communications equipment will be enclosed in environmentally controlled shelters of some sort and all DC power equipment will be properly regulated. Also, the radio equipment and the multiplexing equipment are robust and will be optimized to specified levels. Therefore, we do not feel that the multiplexing equipment is any more susceptible to or will be exposed to harsh environmental changes or signal and power level fluctuations than the radio equipment.Answer: GSA anticipates that there will be no need to have DS1 levels at Albuquerque West, La Mosca Peak, Huerfano Mountain, Mount Powell or continental Divide. The government desires to keep the quantity of electronic equipment at the mountaintops to a minimum.From which sites does the government anticipate future multiplexing requirements that are not obvious in the design requirements? For example, might there be future multiplexing requirements from Huerfano to possibly drop a DS1 to a spread spectrum link? This is important to know, as it will have an impact on equipment costs.Answer: The government anticipates that the DS1 Levels will be split out at the last high point immediately preceding the green squares with the exception of path 8. For path 8 assume the DS1 levels will be split out at Pine Hill.The system layout diagram indicates 2 3DS3 signals and 1 DS3 signal emanating from La Mosca Peak. As there are only 2 3DS3 circuits feeding into La Mosca Peak, it is not possible to pick off 7 1DS3 circuits. May we assume that the spur to Shiprock Hospital is 3DS3 and the spur to Gibson Hill is a maximum of 2DS3 with respect to the signal origin at 500 Gold?Answer: Yes. What are the multiplexing / interface requirements at the terminal sites?Answer: For bid purposes assume one DS3 to be dispensed to the DS1 levels with the remaining DS3's for future growth. See the above answer to your question 2. The RFP states that "vendors are to bid component parts and associated installation to include testing and turn up in such a manner that each path of the 3 phases as well as future requirements can be priced out and ordered individually." We are concerned that this will tend to inflate the price per path, as mobilization costs must be considered. For example, two field technicians may be mobilized to install five hops of microwave. The cost to transport them on location will be the same whether they are to install five hops or one hop. Therefore, dividing one mobilization over five hops will make the price per hop lower than one mobilization per hop. We suggest that a method of quoting this would be to provide you with the actual price for installation, turn-up, and testing excluding mobilization costs. Mobilization costs would be billed at actual travel expenses plus an administrative fee. Per Diem will be based on government rates. Is this acceptable?Answer: Follow the bidding guidelines. Estimate your costs to the best of your ability and include it in the installation charges. Travel per diem is intended for use in the on going maintenance phase not initial installation and turn up. The RFP states that the bidder should "bid maintenance on a time and material basis. Associated travel for maintenance is not to exceed government per diem rates." Should estimated travel expenses be included in the time and material basis? Or should the maintenance bid include time and material only plus travel expenses?Answer: Time and material only plus travel not to exceed government rates. Should vendors feel they could travel at lesser rates they may indicate by what percentage.Vendor 21. Can we provide a quote with parts only and provide the labor after we cando a site survey.Answer: No, The RFP is very clear and provides adequate detailed information for vendors to provide satisfactory proposals. If you're firm wishes to perform a site survey prior to submitting your proposal that would be a cost that your firm would have to bare. We cannot allow changes you are requesting. 2. Can we take exceptions in different aspects of the RFQAnswer: GSA has provided a definitive requirement and has made suggestion and/or simple recommendations to support vendors in preparing their proposals. We cannot authorize exceptions to the Government's requirement. Vendors may take exceptions, if they wish, however, your proposal will be evaluated based on the requirements in the RFP. If you take exception to the Government requirement, please identify the exception very clearly in your proposal.Vendor 3 1. The following Statement is made: "For evaluation purposes vendors are to bid a licensed microwave backbone distribution system that will satisfy the Network layout shown below and in the attached figure." Question: Does that mean that the system described will be used to pick a potential vendor, but not necessarily be the architecture deployed?Answer: Yes2. Tower Systems: The government states that at least one tower may have to be built. Question: Does this mean that contract modifications will be issued to build more or less towers after award? Answer: Yes. Task Order will be issued against the original contract.3. Maintenance: The government states that "associated travel for maintenance is not to exceed government per diem rates." Will the government identify what those rates are today and what the escalation rate over the next few years is expected to be?Answer: No, to list them all would be an extensive undertaking and GSA will not attempt to predict future rates. The government believes the rates are fair and reasonable. For example the lodging rate in Albuquerque at this time is $65.00 per day and the meals and miscellaneous expense rate for Albuquerque is $38.00 per day. For most of rural New Mexico and rural continental US the rates are $55 per day lodging and an M&E of $30 per day. Use of a privately owned vehicle is 34.5 cents per mile. For the rates that may be required, you may visit the GSA web site: www.gsa.gov and visit the link for Travel and per Diem rates. The Government rates change periodically but this should be your guide.4. Licensing: The government states "Use licensed microwave frequencies to assure GSA that over a long period of time the communications network will not experience interruptions from other microwave system operators." Question: Will the government provide for the use of government frequencies for this network since it is procured by GSA? Answer: No. GSA expects the vendor to act as an agent for GSA, and work through the FCC in acquiring necessary frequencies and licenses and to provide technicians that are properly licensed to work on licensed microwave systems. Secondly, the government states that vendors will be required to handle all required licenses on behalf of the government and will be expected to help in identifying and acquiring tower use. Question: What licenses beyond the frequency usage would this entail? How does the government expect the vendor to quote the research and acquisition of tower space verses the building of new towers? Will this be on a cost plus basis? Answer: As pertaining to licenses see the above response. The government expects that for future research for tower use the vendor will use the hourly rates offered in Schedule E of their proposal. We would expect the contractor to prepare a cost estimate and submit to the Contracting Officer. 5. Protection: Is the desire of the government to have "protected" (redundancy) systems (hardware)? Answer: No, but vendors should address reliability factors such as mean time between failures and expected down time.6. Question: The government states that space diversity should be used for links of forty miles or more. Actually, to reach 5 9's paths of 20 miles or more should have space diversity. Is the government aware of equipment that meets the link availability numbers without protection? Is the government aware of equipment that meets the availability numbers with space diversity only for links of forty miles or more? Will the government share such equipment information with the vendors? Answer: No, GSA is not professing to be the microwave expert but it does expect the vendors who design and install such systems to be knowledgeable and address path reliability in their proposals.7.xxxxx believes the governments position regarding OC-3 (155 Mbs) SONET type radios and associated equipment is confusing. Today's multiplexing equipment is no more or no less sensitive to environmental, power and signal level changes than any other electronic equipment operating in a similar environment. Secondly, the reference to STS-1 (the raw data transfer rate equivalent to a DS-3) but used in reference to optical carriers further adds confusion. Question: Can the government be more specific with regard to exactly what equipment suite they desire? Answer: No, the vendors must make their own choices as to what equipment to offer.8. Remote Monitoring: The government states that it desires radio equipment that operates in a SONET mode, yet has previously stated that it did not desire 153 MB radios and that the multiplexers were to sensitive to environmental. Please clarify the Governments position regarding the use of SONET radios.Answer: The government desires to minimize the amount of Muxing equipment used on the mountaintops. The government also expects to load bandwidth on the microwave carrier from the Albuquerque end in DS3 increments.9. Question: Can and will the government identify the approximate time frames the phases two and three will be implemented? ANSWER: No, there are too many variables at this point to do so.10. Question: Will the government consider partial payment in lieu of full payment at time of acceptance? The government has defined acceptance as 30 day without a major failure? What constitutes a major failure? Answer: No. A major failure is the actual loss of transmission of voice and or data traffic due to a failure in the vendor provided equipment or inadequate design. 11. Award Criteria. The government states that ...."award a contract resulting from solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous, representing the best value to the government price and other factors considered." Question: What "other factors" does the government intend to use in the selection process?Answer: The government feels that the technical award criteria as presented in the solicitation is adequate. The Contracting officer will use whatever evaluation tools are available in order to make a fair and reasonable determination as to the technical, past performance, other criteria listed in the RFP, and price consideration to determine the Best Value for the Government.12. Question: Is it the intent of the government to solicit bids for all three phases but only award phase 1? What will constitute award for phase 2 and 3?Answer: Yes, and possibly only a portion of phase 1. Phases two and three will be issued to the vendor as tasks under the original award.Vendor 4 Is this a budgetary research or an actual project? The reason for the question is that there are two things that don't fit. And I can appreciate looking for additional info first.First path 9 to the Shiprock leg will not work. I have tried to plug in several manufactures equipment into this path and cannot get the reliability #. This is an extremely long haul. If it went from Mount Taylor down to the desert basin maybe. But I know this area. It goes skipping across the basin. It would require a clear space of approximately 2200 feet at this distance. This is due to the K factor (curve of the earth). You need a repeater in this link.Additionally the reference to no OC3 may have been valid a couple of years ago, but in the last two years, I know of one long term manufacture that has a VERY hearty Multiplexer that you can strip off bandwidth with plug and play modules. This manufacture moves allot of equipment to DOD groups. The additional antenna for separate DS3's and space diversity creates a monster with wind loading on the towers.Do we have an opportunity to ddress your technical support group with some Q & A?I don't mean to be a pain in the rear, but I'm sure you want a reliable network. Answer: GSA does not place requirements in the CBD without being definitive about the purpose. RFP does not state this is a budgetary or research project.Path question: The RFP is clear that the paths are for proposal purposes. As to the path 9 not being feasible we have historical information as to its use and the path is reliable.OC3 Radio/DS3 Antenna questions: TheGovernment requirement is clear. We do not expect to make technical requirement changes. If you are going to submit a proposal, please refer to the Government's requirement stated under Bidding Guidelines; Broad Guidelines; Design Criteria; and the technical elements defined in the RFP.Vendor 51. Have there been amendments to the RFP?Answer: No.2. The request incorporates provisions and clauses. Can you assist me with how or where to find them?Answer: Refer to web site: http://www.arnet.gov/far and seek the paragraph number.3. Has there been an extension on the due date of this RFP?Answer: Yes. We have extended the final submission of proposals to March 16, 2001. See CBD.4. What are the requirements for response time on the 24/7 alarm system?Answer: Two hours to acknowledge record and begin action on a major alarm. Time to be on-site is alarm time plus 12-hours weather permitting. Time for repair -- alarm time plus 24-hours. Describe how you will accomplish alarm and repair coverage in your proposal.Vendor 6 1. Can we provide a quote with parts only and provide the labor after we can do a site surveyAnswer: No, The RFP is very clear and provides adequate detailed information for vendors to provide satisfactory proposals. If your firm wishes to perform a site survey prior to submitting your proposal that would be a cost that your firm would have to bare. We cannot allow such changes you are requesting. 2. Can we take exceptions in different aspects of the RFQ? Answer: GSA has provided a definitive requirement and has made suggestion and/or simple recommendations to support vendors in preparing their proposals. We cannot authorize exceptions to the Government's requirement. Vendors may take exceptions, if they wish, however, your proposal will be evaluated based on the requirements in the RFP. If you take exception to the Government requirement, please identify he exception very clearly in your proposal.Vendor 7.1. Why was this rocurement not set-aside as "Buy Indian"? The two principal potentialusers of this network are BIA and IHS, both of which have Congressionalmandates to buy Indian. With the PL638 transfer, IHS is now beginning to conveyits operations to the Navajo tribe, another reason to make every attempt toBuy Indian.Answer: Neither the Buy Indian Act nor the provisions of PL-93-638 require that this procurement be set-aside for Native American firms. The provisions of the Buy Indian Act are not applicable to procurement conducted by GSA. GSA has actively encouraged the maximum participation of Native American small business firms in this procurement.2. Is this procurement Firm, Fixed pricing? In our experience, this manner of pricingworks well enough for projects that are ightly defined by already existing de-signs,field investigations, soil sampling, etc. This pricing model works poorly inthe "design-build" approach, pparently being used here. We will not participatein a design-build, with this much-unknown criteria on a firm, fixed price.Answer: This procurement is firm fixed price. Vendors will have to make and provide their own self-determination as to the cost of doing business under this procurement. We will not change the methodology outlined in the Statement of Work.3. If so, how should a proposer price work in the indefinite future? Answer: See above responses to item 2 regarding vendor price determination.4. Would it be acceptable if we priced labor with an explicit escalation schedule foreach year of the four year term of this project? In this fashion, we could accuratelycalculate the labor rate for each period, when and if another phase is authorized.Answer: See above responses to item 2 regarding vendor price determination.5. In similar fashion to labor, could hardware pricing be based upon a discountamount off manufacturer's list? If so, this could provide a means to express thefixed pricing in terms that would shelter vendors from the phasing uncertainties ofthe schedule.Answer: See answer in item 2 addressing how vendors will price their product and services.6. Does it require us to guarantee prices for up to four years?Answer: The time period of 1-4 years is not a definitive time period but a guide potential for the requirement. Phase one may be issued after award and implemented as stated in the implementation schedule. Technical and pricing of products and services will be vendor responsibility. GSA will evaluate proposals on the basis outlined in the Statement of Work.7. Will GSA amend this procurement to allow for Partial Payments, for equipment?delivered and installed? It is unreasonable to ask a small business to acquire severalmillion dollars of new equipment on "net 30" terms, install it, then let it runfor 30 days and then invoice you and wait another 30 to 60 days for payment. Analternative is to allow partial payments for hardware either installed, or deliveredto a secure government facility, so that the hardware is in the full care, custodyand control of the government. At that point, that hardware would be billable.Answer : Cannot change this provision. The contractor is held responsible for his design and must prove that the product or service will function as designed. The Government's policy is when a contractor designs a product or service it is required to run effectively for a 30-day period without failure.Vendor 8I assume that multiple DS-3s are required in the same radio chassis, or in a stacked chassis configuration? Answer: Yes.And OC-3 Mbps is completely out of the question.Answer: No, however, you will be required to provide a definitive support statement for your position in your design plan. It is the Government's intent to keep electronic equipment at a minimum at the mountaintops. Vendor 9Licensed microwave radios are required, but no frequencies were mentioned. Is a specific frequency band required?Answer: For bid purposes assume the 6GHZ / 11GHZ frequencies for the backbone distribution system.Who is responsible for the interference analysis, prior coordination notification, case resolution and FCC application preparation and filing?Answer: The vendor will have this responsibility and act as an agent of GSA.How much transmission line is required at each site?Answer: Vendors will have to assume what they consider to be an average tower height and price the transmission line in preferably metric units so that additional or less line

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010319/DSOL008.HTM (W-074 SN50G316)