D--Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for Telephone Maintenance Services at Lafayette River Annex(LRA), Norfolk, VA

The following questions have been received in response to this Combined Synopsis/Solicitation. Reponses have been compiled below: Question 4. “Exception Justification to the “authorized Avaya Business Partner… The idea that an authorized partner from Avaya is the only vendor that is “qualified? with certified technical expertise is incorrect. An Avaya business partner is a “reseller? of the Avaya maintenance package. Therefore, no matter what Avaya Business Partner bids on the contract the maintenance will be delivered from Avaya directly, thus, eliminating the idea of a competitive bid because Avaya will be awarded the business by default. The idea that an authorized partner from Avaya is the only vendor that is “qualified? with certified technical expertise is incorrect. Non-Avaya Business Partners…compete and win maintenance on end user owned Avaya systems every day. Many other Federal agencies have already acknowledged that 3rd Party Maintenance is the only true competition with the Avaya world. Market research should have indicated that.? Answer 4. Please see revisions to the Statement of Work that address your concern. Question 5. “In Amendment 2, response to question #2, the Government states that there is no requirement for Avaya Software Assurance (SA) with upgrade protection in the foreseeable future. Response to question #3 further states that the Government not provide the Avaya Sold To Number (STN) to bidding vendors. However, the SOW states: Maintenance service to be provided shall require the contractor to be an authorized Avaya Business Partner, provide Avaya Maintenance (OEM support), and have extensive understanding of the Avaya CM, and CMM application software, not limited to the capability to troubleshoot the server platform. An authorized Avaya Business Partner cannot provide the requested maintenance service without the Avaya Sole To Number to either include Avaya Support Advantage or to confirm that an Avaya Support Advantage contract is in place and does not expire within the period of performance. Please provide the Avaya Sold To Number.? Answer 5. The “sold to? number is Avaya’s means to identify a known user. It’s associated to customers in their SAP database, so whoever should get this contract would need to communicate it with Avaya on our behalf, and we would provide it. Question 6. “What will happen to the contract once Avaya CM6 goes end of manufacturer support in July? Will Avaya or Avaya business partner force a system upgrade? If the verbiage of the RFP gets modified to include non-Avaya business partners that CM6 system could be independently maintained and supported for as long as the customer needs. Answer 6. Our current load is CM6.3.8 and there’s no end date for support listed on Avaya’s website. This has been updated in the Statement of Work. There is no change in the due date of quotes as a result of this amendment.