MODIFICATION
D -- D-Satellite Communications
- Notice Date
- 3/18/2003
- Notice Type
- Modification
- Contracting Office
- DHS - Direct Reports, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Commandant (G-ACS), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second St., SW, Washington, DC, 20593-0001
- ZIP Code
- 20593-0001
- Solicitation Number
- DTCG23-03-B-TMX030
- Response Due
- 3/25/2003
- Archive Date
- 4/9/2003
- Point of Contact
- Carol Lewis, Contract Specialist, Phone 202-267-2782, Fax 202-267-4019, - Shirley Kyle, Contracting Officer, Phone (202) 267-2514, Fax (202) 267-4019,
- E-Mail Address
-
clewis@comdt.uscg.mil, skyle@comdt.uscg.mil
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: The purpose of this modification is to provide answers to questions that were raised by potential bidders under solicitation number DTCG23-03-X-TMX030. The cutoff date for questions is March 18, 2003. Question 1: The press release mentioned $11M. Is this figure annual, or an estimate for four years? Answer: It identifies the size standard that SBA establish for the industry. The SBA establishes small business size standards on an industry-by-industry basis. The size standard is specified in the solicitation, so that offerors can appropriately represent themselves as small business. Question 2: Is the STU-III COMSAT or Stratos? Answer: STRATOS. Question 3: Please verify for me the terminal equipment U.S. Coast Guard specified in the subject solicitation is meant for INMARSAT Mini-M ship earth station with auto tracking antenna suitable for maritime use. Answer: The requirement is for Maritime INMARSAT Mini-M service for terminals the Coast Guard already owns (Thrane & Thrane). STU-III, voice, fax, data. Question 4: Do you already have all of the INMARSAT M terminals and just looking for service? Answer: Yes, we already have the terminals and are looking only for service. STU-III connection must be via STRATOS. Question 5: Please send information about Bid # DTCG23-03-B-TX030, B2G # ID 163603. Answer: There is no added information I can give but only what is cited in the solicitation. Question 6: Is there an incumbent for this requirement? If so, can you tell me who the incumbent is and the corresponding contract number? Answer: The incumbent is Landsea Systems. The contract number is GS-35F-0391K/ DTCG23-03-F-TMX003 Question: What type of various telecommunications hardware is presently being used on the 80 existing INMARSAT equipped cutters? Answer: Thrane & Thrane 3064A Question 7: What number or percentage of the 80 cutters utilize primary zone coverage? Answer: About 85% of calls are from primary coverage zone. Question 8: What number or percentage of the 80 cutters utilize the extended zone coverage? Answer: ~15% Question 9: What is the average usage per month and per year on the 80 existing INMARSAT equipped cutters? Answer: Varies widely, different cutters are deployed for different numbers of days? for the past few months we have seen about 7000 minutes/month. Question 10: Where are the geographical areas for the extended zone coverage that the U.S. Coast Guard provides? Answer: Everywhere INMARSAT covers, 70N/S across the globe. Question 11: If the previous question is limited, can you please provide? latititudes (how far north and south) longitudes (how far east and west) Country Continent Answer: See previous question. Question 12: Are the satellite terminals/will the terminals be required to be commissioned under an Accounting Authority? Answer: Terminals are already commissioned under 0-1. Question 13: Will these MES units be used for distress and safety communications? (If yes, terminals are required by INMARSAT to be activated under an Accounting Authority). Answer: They can be used for distress. Question 14: What is the expected usage profile (i.e., what percentage terminal-to-landline, what percentage terminal-to-terminal, etc.)? Answer: We do not have past data to reflect the percentage of use for terminal-to-terminal or terminal-to-landline. Question 15: Will service rates from foreign Land Earth Station Operators (LESOs) be acceptable as the basis for bid evaluation and award? Answer: Service must come from LESO who can provide STU-III via Thrane and Thrane Mini-M?s. Question 16: Must all rates bid for this solicitation be based on a single LESO? Answer: Yes. Question 17: May separate rates and/or LESOs be bid for STU and non-STU calls? For different zones? Answer: We would like one rate for all calls within a specific zone. Question 18: Will offerors be required to disclose the LESO upon which bid rates are based (i.e., ?Rates are based on services provided by LESO XYZ??)? Answer: Yes. Question 19: Will the STU-III requirement require the Secure Inter-working function (SIWF) protocol? (If yes, rates must be based on service from Stratos). Answer: Yes. Question 20: Is global coverage is specified as a requirement in the solicitation. Answer: Yes, global coverage is required. Question 21: What will be the basis for billing calls using service other than the bid LESO? Answer: To provide us an option. Question 22: Please confirm that other than our price quotation and responses to FAR sections specified in the solicitation, additional information (past performance or technical capability of offeror, for example) is neither requested nor desired by your office. Answer: No additional information is required. Price and only price related factors. Question 23: Can you provide an average for the airtime used on your existing Mini-M units: Answer: Average monthly Coast Guard usage for Mini-M is around 7000 minutes/month. Question 24: Is there a monthly usage that we should project to? In other words, do we assume 100 minutes per month per Mini-M ( as an example)? Also, is the total population of Mini-Ms assumed to be 80, 100 or 180? Answer: Assume monthly usage of current Mini-M?s to be around 7000 minutes. Currently there are about 80 terminals, with that number doubling by the end of 2003. Question 25: How many Mini-M air-time minutes/month were used by the current Mini-M terminals. How many terminals produced those air-time minutes. Answer: 80 active terminals, about 30-40 terminals account for around 7000 minutes/month. Question 26: What is the current air-time price/minutes that the Coast Guard is paying? Answer: This information can not be provided. The current award was not awarded as full and open but under GSA Schedule contract. Question 27: Is there a particular format that the bid has to be in or can I just send a letter with my prices? Answer: A letter with your prices would be fine. Also include a statement whether or not you can provide billing information to reflect each terminals? monthly usage/call duration/call destination/cost per call. Question 28: We would like an extension of the bid deadline until April 15th. Is that possible? Answer: No extension will be granted. Question 29: Will the USCG consider the Iridium system as a viable option for this? Answer: No, Iridium cannot be used due to previously engineered solutions (interoperability). Question 30: Can you provide an average for the airtime used on your existing Mini-M units? Answer: Average monthly Coast Guard usage for Mini-M is around 7000 minutes/month. Question 31: Could you tell us as to the total monthly usage (in minutes) by STU versus other INMARSAT usage for the U.S. Coast Guard, 80 vessel fleet. Answer: We do not have any data to provide you with an answer of how many minutes/month are via STU-III for our Thrane and Thrane 3064?s. STU-III is highly utilized, monthly usage is about 7000 minutes Coast Guard wide.
- Record
- SN00281750-W 20030320/030319061554 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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