SOLICITATION NOTICE
D -- CONSOLICDATED VOICE SWITCHING SYSTEMS SUPPORT (CoVSS)
- Notice Date
- 5/8/2003
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Hill AFB OO-ALC, OO-ALC/PKXD 6038 Aspen Ave (Bldg 1289), Hill AFB, UT, 84056
- ZIP Code
- 84056
- Solicitation Number
- F426200-03-R-AAAA
- Response Due
- 5/30/2003
- Archive Date
- 8/30/2003
- Point of Contact
- Robert Sleight, Contracting Officer, Phone 801-586-3462, Fax 801-586-3366,
- E-Mail Address
-
robert.sleight@hill.af.mil
- Description
- The US Air Force Telecommunications Product Group Manager requires acquisition and logistics support of US Air Force Unsecure Voice Switching Systems for an anticipated contract period of 10 years. The program must be executed with minimum risk, be responsive to operational needs, and have engineered solutions that focus on technologies that ensure cost-effective operations while satisfying unique DoD telecommunications requirements. This Request for Information (RFI) (1) announces Air Force intentions to provide centralized life-cycle logistic support (sustainment) for telecommunications Voice Switching Systems (VSS) worldwide. (2) Provides an opportunity for industry and other interested parties to make inputs to this decision process by assisting Ogden Air Logistics Center in their efforts to understand market capabilities through market research, existing contracts, and any other pertinent information for planning purposes. Although the contract will be managed by the Air Force, it is anticipated other Department of Defense (DoD) activities (e.g., Navy, Marine Corp, and the Defense Information Systems Agency) will utilize this contract. Applicable Voice Switching Systems consist primarily of the following switch families with associated peripherals and transmission media equipment: 1. Avaya Definity G3r and Definity G3si/G3i Private Branch Exchange (PBX), 2. Hitachi America, Ltd. DX/HDX/HCX5400 PBX, 3. Lucent Technologies Lucent 5ESS and AT&T 5ESS Central Office (CO), 4. Mitel Networks SX-2000 and SX-200 PBX, 5. NEC America, Inc. NEAX2400 PBX, 6. Nortel Networks Corporation SL-100/DMS-100/DMS-200 Central Office (CO) and Meridian 1 PBX, 7. Siemens Corporation HICOM 300, HICOM 350 and HICOM 372 Computerized Branch Exchange (CBX). This is not an RFP or IFB. The only purpose of this RFI is to obtain industry comments and will be used by the Government for informational purposes only. The Air Force does not intend to award a contract or contracts on the basis of this request nor will we pay for the information requested. The potential future solicitation may allow for multiple awards depending on the response received from this announcement. Contractors interested in viewing the Draft Statement of Need, and Draft Switch List should visit the CoVSS Website at http://contracting.hill.af.mil/NewContracting/Opportunities/SpaceC3I/CoVSS/covss-hp.htm. Contractor questions regarding this RFI should be submitted via electronic mail (email) to Robert Sleight at Robert.Sleight@hill.af.mil. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. Only email requests received directly from the requester are acceptable. Email response to this RFI is preferred. A. Sustainment Options. The United States Air Force (USAF) utilizes Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for logistics management of a suite of VSS and associated peripheral equipment. Current CLS services consist of repair and return of failed hardware, and provisioning, pre-positioning and maintenance of spares inventories, tiered engineering technical assistance, emergency field level support and training. 1. What does a typical logistics infrastructure consist of in the private sector? Please elaborate on any ?closed? networks that would somewhat resemble DoD systems (e.g. banking, universities, state governments, etc.). 2. There is no current acquisition and logistics support contract vehicle in place for all Air Force unsecure switches. CoVSS will encompass a myriad of switches such as NORTEL, AVAYA, LUCENT, SEIMENS, ROLM, etc. How do you propose to support a wide variety of switches? Do you recommend an integrating contractor with separate contract vehicles for each product line or a different approach? Please provide pros and cons for different scenarios. 3. Are you currently providing life cycle support for any Air Force or DoD Voice Switching Systems? If so, what and where? 4. The USAF operates VSS sites all over the world (Europe, Middle East, Pacific Rim, etc.). How would your company provide service to these extremely remote sites? Examples of such sites are Thule, Greenland, and Ascension Island. 5. What is the industry average time to respond to an emergency repair (Continental United States and Outside Continental United States)? What is your company?s experience in this area? 6. Performance specifications will be driven by ?five nines? reliability. What would be your methodology for calculating and verifying operational reliability? 7. Do you have experience with problems that occur when shipping parts to various countries? If so, what lessons have you learned that can be applied to this effort? 8. How do you propose meeting the requirements of low volume switching systems? B. Upgrades/expansions. As the USAF stays current with new technologies, we often rely on CLS contracts to support upgrades and expansions. 1. What is a reasonable response time to provide a fully engineered solution in the form of a firm fixed price proposal from the time of receipt of a Statement of Objectives? 2. What is a reasonable response time to initiate and complete a solution once a proposal is put on contract? For example, time to do a routine software upgrade and the time to perform a remove and replace of a switch. 3. How does industry provide cost estimates to assist customers? budgeting and planning needs? What level of accuracy should be expected for these types of proposals? 4. Have you installed switching systems at Air Force or other DoD sites? C. Configuration Management. Unique DoD telecommunications requirements demand a configuration management process that tracks network and switch level configuration. Configuration management also requires detailed inventories down to the ?card level.? 1. Configuration Management is an issue with any complex system. What is the industry practice for tracking configuration for telecommunications systems? What is your experience in facilitating configuration management of a wide variety and large number of VSS applications at sites worldwide? D. Government-Industry Partnering. The USAF desires to develop a healthy long-term partnership in this effort that will be mutually beneficial to all parties. 1. What are typical industry practices for partnering? 2. What is a typical contract structure and pricing arrangement for similar non-governmental contracts you are performing or have performed? 3. What types of incentives, either monetary or non-monetary, do you believe would be effective to encourage quality contract performance in the areas of systems engineering, cost, schedule, and performance? 4. Some companies envision themselves as integrators, others see themselves as the direct service providers. What is your recommendation for a large network such as those found in DoD? Why? 5. What is industry?s standard for length of contract and options in years for a contract of this type? Example: base contract of 4 years with two 2-year options, or a 2-year base with one-year options, etc. What considerations should the Government give to a long-term partnership with industry? 6. What are your lessons learned from other government or commercial contracts that are applicable to this effort? 7. Do you presently have arrangements with sub-contractors to support a contract of this size? What type of partnering with subcontractors do you envision? 8. What is the industry practice for training customers on new equipment? How does your company propose to provide training to government personnel on hardware and software? 9. What comments do you have on supporting leased equipment or equipment that is not owned by the U.S. Government (e.g., foreign governments)? E. Consulting for Technology Migration. Telecommunication technology is expected to change significantly during the course of this contract. We want to ensure that all concerned are well positioned to accommodate these changes. 1. What is the industry practice for providing network level technology roadmaps to customers? What is your experience in this area? 2. How would you propose updating new technology, as it becomes available, to existing switches and equipment covered by the CoVSS contract? 3. What specific suggestions do you have for best approach to supporting emerging technologies? F. Allied Support 1. Do you have experience managing/coordinating allied support for such efforts as facility/infrastructure remodeling (includes electrical, plumbing, etc)? Do you currently have any sub-contractors that can provide allied support? What is your experience in this area with government customers? G. Definitions: General Department of Defense definitions may be found at http://deskbook.dau.mil/jsp/default.jsp. For more information on the CoVSS Contract Project, visit: http://contracting.hill.af.mil/NewContracting/Opportunities/SpaceC3I/CoVSS/covss-hp.htm. CONTRACTORS This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB); it is only to obtain market capabilities/industry comments and is to be used for informational purposes only. The Air Force does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request, nor will the Air Force pay for the information requested. Your answers are intended to be used to help construct our acquisition strategy and may be used to structure the Government's RFP. All reponses to this RFI shall be submitted via email to Robert.Sleight@hill.af.mil no later than 30 May 03.
- Record
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