The Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Contracting Squadron is seeking sources capable of providing telephone services to eight geographically separated installations. This RFI is for planning purposes only. This information will be used in conducting market research to identify potential sources and commercial products, obtain prices, and to locate businesses experienced in BOS services that express interest in performing these requirements. This RFI shall not be construed as a formal solicitation or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Any information provided to the Government is strictly voluntary and at no cost to the Government. A formal solicitation will be announced separately. The tentative solicitation issue date is December 2006; however this date is subject to change. The Government will award one contract or multiple contracts. A firm-fixed price type contract is contemplated. A source selection will be conducted per Air Force Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (AFFARS) 5315 and Mandatory Procedures (MP) 5315.3 at HQ AETC, Randolph AFB, TX. Contacts to Government personnel by potential offerors regarding this project are not allowed. The contracting officer, Ms Barbara L. Untiedt, will post all information regarding this solicitation as soon as it becomes available. Comments and information on the following are requested: (1) Company name, address, point of contact, their telephone number and e-mail address; (2) Approximate annual gross revenue; (3) Any small business status (8(a), HUBZone, veteran-owned, women-owned, etc.); (4) Indicate if your role in the performance of the consolidated requirement would be (a) Prime Contractor; (b) Subcontractor; or (c) Other, please describe; (5) If you indicated your role as - Prime Contractor on Question 4, indicate the functions for which you plan to use subcontractors; (6) If you indicated your role as - Prime Contractor on Question 4, please provide brief information you feel would indicate your capability to mobilize, manage, and finance a large service contract such as this (7) If you indicated your roll will be a - Subcontractor on Question 4, please indicate which functional areas you intend to cover; (8) Indicate if your company primarily does business in the commercial or Government sector; (9) Please describe any commercial-sector contracts you have performed for similar combined services [if applicable, (10) Indicate which NAICS code(s) your company usually performs under for government contracts and (11) Will the vendor be able to do one contract or multiple contracts and (12) please provide suggestions to maximize the effectiveness of the anticipated solicitation and resulting contract in providing quality services to all eight bases in HQ AETC. The planned NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code is 517110 and the FSC (Facilities Support Services) code is 5805, with the applicable small business size standard of 1,500 employees in annual gross receipts. Requirement: (Note: The description herein is a summary of the required services and is not intended to be all-inclusive). Overview: This is a performance based service specification to provide for monthly Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services in support of the Base Telecommunications System (BTS) and infrastructure (and Switchboard Operations if required). The BTS consists of the base switching system, the fiber optic or copper distribution systems on premise and all associated equipment currently or that may be added during the term of any resultant contract. The service level provides for and requires the Contractor to furnish commercial grade operation and maintenance support services that recur on a monthly basis. These basic monthly services (BMS) are standard support services necessary to operate and maintain the base communications switching and distribution systems IAW the original equipment manufacturer's recommended schedule and established commercial grade specifications, standards and best practices as set forth in SOW. During the performance of this contract, the Contractor may be required to provide for and support base mission changes, major or minor BTS infrastructure modifications, and other support requirements necessary for the BTS to meet mission requirements. Support requirements may originate from technology changes, hardware and software systems upgrade, reconfigurations, new or additional equipment, local area network installations and upgrade, dial central office reconfigurations to include routing and diversity requirements and any other environmental changes that could impact or alter the base BTS requirements. This contract may also be used to install telecommunications wiring in dormitories, military family housing, visiting airmen's and officer's quarters, temporary lodging facilities, other communications systems and devices, etc. The primary objective of this acquisition is to provide for monthly Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services in support of the Base Telecommunications System (BTS) and infrastructure (and Switchboard Operations if required). The BTS consists of the base switching system, the fiber optic or copper distribution systems on premise and all associated equipment or that may be added during the term of any resultant contract. The scope of the current contracts includes O&M of the government-owned telephone switch, customer premise equipment, inside & outside cable plant, wiring in dorms/housing, and any communications equipment identified as being a part of a base's communications mission (i.e., land mobile radios, telephone operators, etc.). O&M contracts give the base communications squadrons the latitude to expand its communications requirements/support over the life of the contract (typically a five-year period). Telephone O&M services in AETC are currently provided on a one base-one contract basis. The Government seeks to consolidate Telephone O&M services to eight AETC facilities that meet or exceed the required service level through one command-wide Telephone O&M service contract. System Requirements: 1) The vendor must be able to provide Telephone services to eight geographically separated CONUS Air Force facilities. 2) The Government seeks to consolidate telephone O&M services to reduce the recurring service charges and infrastructure maintenance costs to the Government through use of innovative cost arrangements. System Compatibility: Interested vendors should respond via e-mail their capability statement/information to listed point of contacts. The capabilities statement/information should include as a minimum a detailed description of your service (including requirements/system compatibility, software and hardware maintenance/modification/ upgrade requirements), catalog, brochure, business size (i.e., small business, large business, small disadvantaged business, etc.), and prices (including maintenance costs). Small Business (SB) Set-Aside Determination: The Government reserves the right to decide whether or not a SB set-aside is appropriate for this acquisition based on responses to this notice. In order for the Government to make a SB set-aside determination, it is emphasized that SB concerns provide sufficient written information to indicate their capability to successfully perform and manage all the requirements of this magnitude. In the solicitation, the extent to which prime contractors provide for the significant use of small and small disadvantaged business subcontractors will be a consideration in the evaluation of proposals.
