D -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION -- TELECOMM EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

Notice Date

April 27, 2001

Contracting Office

General Services Administration, Federal Technology Service (FTS), Solutions Develop Center (9TEC), 1301 Clay Street, Suite 500N, Oakland, CA, 94612

ZIP Code

94612

Solicitation Number

Reference-Number-RFI-01-PAM-01

Response Due

May 22, 2001

Point of Contact

Paul Martin, Contract Specialist, Phone (510) 637-3884, Fax (510) 637-3883, Email paul.martin@gsa.gov -- Mimi Bruce, Contracting Officer, Phone (510) 637-3890, Fax (510) 637-3869, Email mimi.bruce@gsa.gov

E-Mail Address

Paul Martin (paul.martin@gsa.gov)

Description

This Request for Information (RFI) RFI-01-PAM-01 issued by the General Services Administration, Federal Technology Service is to solicit information from potential sources of industry on the solicitation approach that will aid the General Services Administration, Federal Technology Service in formulating a best value approach to meet the following Connections requirement. Information obtained as a result of this posting may be used in the development of the Statement of Work for the solicitation. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a request for proposal (RFP) or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or otherwise pay for the information solicited. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of submission of responses to this RFI and the Government's use of such information. Respondents of this RFI may be requested to provide additional information/details based on their initial submittals. GSA is formulating requirements for the development of a Statement of Work to acquire comprehensive range of telecommunications infrastructure equipment and services for federal customers within federally owned or leased buildings or campuses. The requirement provides for telecommunications equipment and services to include a variety of customer premise equipment, cable and wiring, analytical services, implementation, integration, and installation services, operations, equipment purchasing and/or leasing, and equipment maintenance. It would also include emerging technologies for the purpose of facilitating the convergence of voice, data, video and transmission elements into a single integrated telecommunications system within the Federal workspace. Conceptually, the requirement's three goals are to: (1) Provide telecommunications infrastructure equipment and services offering flexibility and customized packaging. (2) Obtain competitively priced equipment and services by leveraging a balance of both large and small industry partners. (3) Leveraging pricing advantages and service strengths consistent with industry partner capabilities and locations to maximize business opportunities. The following questions are posed. 1) "How does industry recommend that the Government identify localities, i.e., city, regional, national, global, etc?"; 2) "Does industry have specific suggestions for how the Government should handle pricing for such a broad scope of solutions?"; 3) "Does industry have suggestions on how the Government should best structure the fair opportunity ordering process?"; 4) "Does industry have specific suggestions on how the Government may best identify product or service categories that adequately define what is being acquired while providing flexibility for innovative solutions?"; 5) "Does industry have suggestions on how to handle OCONUS and overseas requirement?"; 6) "How does industry recommend pricing OCONUS and overseas requirement?"; 7) "Does industry have or know specific limitations for OCONUS and overseas contracting?"; 8) "Does industry suggest or have knowledge of other labor acts that should be incorporated into the requirement?"; 9) "Does industry have any suggestions to facilitate the Government's responsibility to ensure Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) accessibility standards (36 CFR Part 1194) compliance?"; 10) "How would industry see/recommend handling project and delivery schedules/timelines so customer expectations can be achieved and managed (especially in projects where there are more than one vendor and each has a timing effect on when the next can move to their phase and /or completion of project)?". GSA intends to award locality-based Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity, Firm-Fixed-Priced Contracts for telecommunications equipment and/or services. GSA wants to provide maximum choices for Government agencies, based on locality-specific pricing. We are seeking different platforms, manufacturers' equipment, and service and maintenance options for any/all localities within the Continental United States, Outside the Continental United States, and overseas. The anticipated term of this requirement is a base period of three years with one two-year option period, for a maximum of five years. The anticipated maximum amount for each contract will be the total estimated value of the Connections requirement. However, since the total amount for all contracts will not exceed the total estimated value of the Connections requirement, as more orders are issued under one contract, the value of orders which can be issued under the other contracts decreases by an equal amount. The Government anticipates and encourages significant participation of socio-economic groups from: 1) Small Disadvantaged Business, 2) Section 8(a) certified business concerns, 3) Woman-owned business concerns, 4) Hub-zone certified business concerns and 5) Veteran-owned small business concerns and service-disabled veteran-owned small business. GSA will utilize to the fullest extent possible E-Commerce capabilities for ordering, price analysis, and purchase justification. GSA expects that ordering and billing will be accomplished via direct interface with the contractors using either commercially available systems developed by the contractors or any system currently in use by the client agency and mutually agreed upon between the contractor and client. GSA is looking for feedback on the best way to handle collection fees and any other government related billing/invoicing issues and any sample formats (of ordering/ billing/ invoices) of how this was achieved for other governmental agencies. The below defines the general categories of telecommunications equipment and services GSA seeks to acquire under the Connections acquisition. As it relates to equipment, this requirement should provide for upgrading the information technology infrastructure worldwide, and offers flexible, state-of-the-art, and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) installations and upgrades for switching systems, infrastructure and networking. It should support the federal customers switched communications system with hardware, software, and related services. It should provide end-to-end solutions for seamlessly integrating voice and data traffic into a single communications system at any location worldwide. As an alternate solution to purchasing, GSA is looking for feedback on available commercial lease and lease with option to purchase provisions. Equipment: (1) Terminal Equipment (Desktop ((Switched Circuit or IP Based)), IP enabled, Wireless); (2) Switching/Messaging Systems/Call Centers (PBX, ACD, KSU, EKTS); (3) Power Supplies and HVAC Equipment; (4) Video Conferencing (Offerors are requested to address VTC offerings, design engineering relative to these systems, and installation and support services); (5) Data Comm / Broadband Equipment (Routers, Hubs, Concentrators, Servers, Switches, Mutiplexers, Digital Loop Carriers; (6) Voice Mail & IVR Systems. An offeror may propose one or multiple manufacturers' equipment for all of the following groups of equipment and services in one or multiple localities: PBX and maintenance of PBX, Key systems and maintenance of key systems, Instruments, and Cabling. An offeror is not required to propose the same options for all locations. GSA is looking for offerors that can address all geographic areas- global and national localities, as well as those offerors that can address only certain localities. GSA intends to award only to offerors who are current authorized distributors, or equivalent, for the equipment they are proposing necessary to support the maintenance requirements. Unless an exception at FAR 39.204 applies, all telecommunications equipment and service solutions acquired must meet the applicable accessibility standards at 36 CFR 1194. Additional information regarding this accessibility requirement may be found at http://www.section508.gov. Distribution Systems (Copper, Coax, Fiber): Inside Plant (Riser & Horizontal), Outside Plant, Distribution Frames, X-Connects, Termination Equipment, Optical Interface/Termination Equipment Microwave/Trunked Radio Systems: Offerors are requested to address microwave and trunked radio hardware offerings, design engineering relative to these systems, and installation and support services. Converged Systems: Voice Over IP, IP Telephony, Unified Messaging, Computer Telephony Integration. As it relates to services, this requirement should provide for turnkey solutions for modernizing switched systems including engineering, integration, site preparation, and installation through system cutover, training, logistics support services, deinstallation and removal of old existing equipment and systems, needs assessments, technical support of systems installed, consulting and follow-on support, monitoring, and warranty. Analysis: Market and Trend Analysis, Requirement Analysis, Integration/Migration Assessment, Design Plans and Engineering Plans, Transition Plans, Migration Planning and Analysis. Installation, Implementation, Integration: Equipment Installation and deinstallation, Initial System Programming and Configuration, System Test and Cutover, Site Preparation / equipment design and construction, Distribution Systems, Equipment Room Build-out, Customer Training. Operations Support: Customer Care/Help Desk Support, Moves-Adds-Changes Management (MACS), Order Processing/Fulfillment, Inventory Management, Training, System Configuration Maintenance Support: (1) Prevention (Traffic Studies, QA/PM Inspections, system performance and trend analysis, security and fraud prevention); (2) Detection (Remote diagnostics, monitor systems alarms, fraud detection); (3) Restoration (Trouble reporting, analysis, escalation procedures, emergency restoration, recovery, repair); (4) Upgrades (Equipment / System Upgrades); (5) Inventory Management. Government Agencies eligible to order services under this requirement include Federal government, authorized Federal Contractors, Agency sponsored universities and laboratories and state, local and tribal governments, when authorized by law or regulation. The Government prefers that no proprietary or confidential business data be submitted in response to this RFI. However, responses to this RFI that indicate that the information therein is proprietary or represents confidential business information will be received and held in confidence for U.S. Government use only. However, GSA's intent is to develop a solicitation from the aggregate of the information provided from industry as a whole. Additionally, pre-proposal conferences may be held, pending the level of interest. Details concerning pre-proposal conferences will be emailed to those requesting to be included on the mailing list. Questions/concerns regarding this RFI and requests to be included on the mailing list shall be sent, in writing, via e-mail to the Contracting Officer at paul.martin@gsa.gov. Responses to this RFI are to be submitted and addressed to Mr. Paul Martin, at the above referenced email address, no later than May 22, 2001. Responses should include the name and telephone number of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss responses with government representatives. All correspondence concerning this RFI should refer to GSA RFI No.

Web Link

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010501/DSOL010.HTM (D-117 SN50K525)