Procurement of Fiber Optic Internet Lease Lines Services for the US Embassy Hanoi, Vietnam

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides answers to vendor questions regarding RFQ # 19VM3026Q0019 for Internet Leased Line Services for the U.S. Embassy Hanoi, covering the period July 2026 – June 2027.

• Load Balancing: The requested bandwidth must be available at all times. Load balancing is required if necessary to achieve this.
• IP Address Connectivity: Vendors should use IP address 180.131.255.197 instead of 180.131.255.193.
• Number of Pairs: There is no specific number of pairs required at any site. The ISP is responsible for determining the number of pairs needed at each location to meet all RFQ requirements.

These clarifications address specific technical requirements and provide an alternative IP address, which may impact network design and proposal preparation for interested bidders.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a Request for Quotations (RFQ) for Internet Leased Line Services for the U.S. Embassy Hanoi, Vietnam. The services are for the period of July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. The government is procuring VPN, Internet Services, and circuitry to connect the U.S. Embassy Hanoi and associated annex locations.

• Provision of dedicated leased channel high-speed internet access, 24/7, "always on" with unlimited usage.

• Specific bandwidth requirements for various leased line services (e.g., 100 Mbps, 24 Mbps, 50 Mbps, 150 Mbps).

• Fiber optic connectivity is preferred.

• "Always on" availability with no custom software required on the client side.

• Full contracted bandwidth availability 24X7X365.

• No bandwidth sharing with other customers; connection ratio must be 1/1.

• Specific IP addressing requirements (e.g., /28 subnet static Public IP addresses, no NAT).

• Support for all IP protocols (ICMP, UDP, TCP, IPSEC) without filters or proxies.

• Must permit customer VPN encryption devices.

• Minimum Service Level Agreement (SLA) requirements: Packet Loss <=.2%, Availability of 99.9%.

• IPv6 compliance for all Internet Protocol (IP) devices.

• Network devices must not have ZTE, Huawei, Xiaomi, or affiliated branded products.

• Backup resiliency and load balancing solution required for connections over 10 Mbps.

• Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) requirements, including a questionnaire and potentially a Secure Software Development Attestation Form.

• Contract Type: Firm Fixed-Price Purchase Order.

• Period of Performance: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 (12 months).

• Pricing: In Vietnam Dong (VND). Value Added Tax (VAT) will be priced as a separate line item.

• Quotations due by: May 20, 2026, 17:00 PM local time.

• Submission method: Email to Bui Huyen Trang (BuiTH@state.gov).

• Evaluation: The government will conduct a comparative evaluation based on technical, past performance, and price. Offers must meet minimum technical requirements and C-SCRM Go/No-Go criteria to be considered.

• Past performance will be assessed based on experience with similar services, including client references.

• Price will be evaluated for fairness and reasonableness.

• This RFQ is NOT a small business set-aside.

• Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• Offerors must be authorized to operate and do business in Vietnam.

• A site visit is scheduled for May 05-07, 2026. Registration is required by May 4, 2025.

• Questions regarding solicitation requirements are due by May 8, 2025.

• Offerors must include a Project Manager, client lists with references, proof of SAM registration, and a strategic plan for internet lease line services.

• All items bid must meet or exceed specifications listed.

• Proposals must be in local currency VND, firm fixed price, including tax, delivery fee, and any other anticipated charges.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a certification form for compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It requires contractors to certify their understanding and compliance with provisions related to "covered telecommunications equipment or services" as defined by Section 889 of the NDAA.

• Contractor Certification: Requires the contractor's name, title, and company information.
• Representation: Certifies that the contractor has completed enclosed representations and certifications related to the NDAA accurately.
• False Claims Act Warning: States that misleading or inaccurate information may violate the False Claims Act and lead to contract cancellation or termination.
• Specific Provisions Referenced: Includes text from FAR clauses 52.204-24 (Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment), 52.204-25 (Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment), and 52.204-26 (Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation).
• Definitions: Provides definitions for terms such as "covered telecommunications equipment or services," "critical technology," "backhaul," "roaming," and "substantial or essential component."
• Prohibitions: Outlines the prohibitions under Section 889(a)(1)(A) and (a)(1)(B) of the NDAA regarding the procurement and use of covered telecommunications equipment and services.
• Exceptions: Lists exceptions to the prohibition, such as services connecting to third-party facilities (backhaul, roaming) or telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic.
• Reporting Requirements: Details the contractor's obligation to report the identification or notification of covered telecommunications equipment or services used during contract performance.
• Representations: Requires offerors to represent whether they will or will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services, and whether they use such equipment or services, after conducting a reasonable inquiry.
• Disclosures: Specifies the information required if an offeror represents that they will provide or do use covered telecommunications equipment or services.

Bidders must complete and submit this form to certify their compliance with federal regulations concerning telecommunications and video surveillance equipment. Failure to provide accurate representations and disclosures may impact their eligibility for award or lead to contract termination. The document outlines specific requirements and prohibitions that may affect the products or services offered.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides instructions for completing the Department of State's Secure Software Development Attestation Form. The form is used by software producers to attest that their software is developed in accordance with Federal Government-specified secure software development practices, as outlined by NIST Guidance and OMB Memoranda M-22-18 and M-23-16.

• Authority: Cites 44 U.S.C. § 3554, E.O. 14028, and OMB Memos M-22-18/M-23-16.
• Purpose: To provide Federal assurances that software is securely developed.
• Scope: Applies to software developed after September 14, 2022, or modified after that date, including continuous delivery models. Excludes software developed by Federal agencies, freely obtained open-source software, third-party components, and publicly available software.
• Attestation Requirements: Covers secure development environments, trusted source code supply chains, software provenance, and vulnerability checking/disclosure.
• Submission: Instructions for online submission or PDF submission via email, including specific naming conventions for PDF files.
• Signatory: Requires signature by the CEO or a designee with authority to bind the corporation, or by a certified Third Party Assessor Organization (3PAO).

Software producers seeking to provide software to the Department of State (or other Federal agencies) must understand and comply with the requirements of this attestation form. It outlines the secure development practices that must be followed and attested to. Bidders should review the form and instructions to ensure their software development processes meet these standards before submission. Failure to provide the requested information may result in the agency not utilizing the software.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) Questionnaire that vendors must complete as part of their offer submission. It collects information about the vendor's practices related to identifying and managing supply chain risks.

• Section 1: Contact Information: Requires vendor company name, primary Point-of-Contact (POC) details (name, title, phone, email).
• Section 2: Vendor Risk Management Plan: Asks about the organization's practices for identifying supply chain threats, mapping suppliers to threats, and having written C-SCRM requirements in supplier contracts. References NIST SP 800-53 controls.
• Section 3: Physical and Personnel Security: Inquires about policies for employee background checks, procedures to prevent tampering of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment, and insider threat awareness training.

Vendors must provide responses in the designated "Vendor Response" column. The government may request documentation to validate these responses. Completing this questionnaire accurately is crucial for the offer submission and demonstrates the vendor's commitment to C-SCRM practices.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for the procurement of Fiber Optic Internet Lease Lines Services for the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam. The service period is from July 01, 2026, to June 30, 2027.

• Supply of Fiber Optic Internet Lease Lines Service.

• Offerors must complete and submit the following:

  • Standard Form 18 (blocks 11e & 11f for price, blocks 13-16 for offeror information).
  • Pricing as per RFQ part I.
  • Technical proposal meeting or exceeding requirements.
  • National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) certification.
  • CYBERSECURITY SUPPLY CHAIN RISK MANAGEMENT (C-SCRM) Questionnaire and C-SCRM Software Producer Attestation.
  • Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• The U.S. Government intends to award a contract/purchase order based on comparative evaluation of quotations.

• Quotes must be valid for a minimum of 120 calendar days.

• The government may hold discussions with companies in the competitive range if needed.

• Quotations must be submitted electronically to HanoiGSOProcurement@state.gov.

• Deadline for submission: May 20, 2026, at 17:00 local time. Late or incomplete quotations will not be accepted.

• Quotations must be in English.

• Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database (https://www.sam.gov) prior to submission. Failure to register may result in the proposal being considered non-responsible.

• A site visit is scheduled between May 05 - 07, 2026. Prospective offerors are invited to attend.

• Participant registration for the site visit (max 2 per offeror) is required by May 04, 2025, 12:00 PM local time, via email to VuNH@state.gov and BuiTH@state.gov.

• Questions regarding solicitation requirements must be submitted to Bui Huyen Trang at HanoiGSOProcurement@state.gov by May 08, 2025, 12:00 PM local noon time.

• General inquiries regarding the request can be emailed to Mr. Stephen Hurley at HurleySJ@state.gov.