RFI for P6 Combat Training System (P6CTS)
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION for P6 Combat Training System (P6CTS)
This is a Request for Information (RFI) notice only. This RFI is for informational planning purposes and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government for any actual procurement of materials, machinery, or services. This notice does not constitute a solicitation or a promise of a solicitation in the future. The Air Force is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. The Government encourages all responsible businesses, including small businesses to respond to this RFI; however, the Government is not liable for any costs incurred by any respondent to prepare and/or submit its response to this RFI. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely at the responding party's expense. Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response. The Government will not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for release of any proprietary information not properly marked or clearly identified. Proprietary information received in response to this RFI will be safeguarded and handled in accordance with applicable Government regulations. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The Government will not be obligated to pursue any particular alternative because of this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued. Specific responses to the approaches will not disqualify or have an impact on participation and evaluation on future solicitations, if issued. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website for additional information pertaining to P6CTS.
General and Background Information:
This RFI supports market research being conducted by the Range Systems Branch (AFLCMC/EBYC) of the Armament Directorate at Eglin AFB, FL for a replacement to the P5 Combat Training System (P5CTS) - tentatively referred to as the P6 Combat Training System (P6CTS). The current training system is a system of systems that has enabled Combat Air Forces live training since 2005. The system is facing increasing obsolescence and end of life challenges, which necessitate a fully fielded replacement no later than 2030. Additionally, the P5CTS faces increasing performance obsolescence given ever-increasing cybersecurity and training demands that P5CTS is not currently designed to satisfy.
P6CTS Top Level Requirements:
USAF future air combat training will require a capable, affordable, and sustainable CTS. As a minimum, solutions must:
1. Support interoperability between and among 4th and 5th generation aircraft, heavy
platforms, and helicopters
2. Support interoperability between USAF and USN air combat training systems
3. Employ an open architecture and common data standards
4. Incorporate a growth path to Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training
5. Incorporate the ability to process, segregate, and disseminate highly classified data
6. Be suitable for employment in operational training environments, both CONUS and
OCONUS (USAFE, PACAF, and AFCENT)
Supplemental Documents
Appendix 1 to this RFI provides additional detail regarding the top level requirements. No additional documentation or reference library is anticipated to be made available at this time.
Submission Details:
Respondents should ensure responses address:
A. A description of your company's past experience on previous projects similar in complexity to these requirements. Include contract numbers, a brief description of the work performed, period of performance, agency/organization supported, and individual point of contact (Contracting Officer or Program Manager)
B. A brief overview of the proposed solution
C. A technical description of the proposed solution to include a software and hardware approach. It should also address the current status of any ongoing development, test/demonstration, and manufacturing, use of existing technologies/designs that may accelerate development, fielding and sustainment of the P6CTS
o Include an assessment of the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs) of any critical technologies needed for your solution
o Specifically address the "minimum" requirements enumerated above, and expanded upon in the technical Appendix
o An estimate of non-recurring effort to complete any remaining development to fully test the system capabilities in an operational environment, and to fully qualify and certify (NSA, UCDSMO , FCC, flight worthiness, etc.) your solution
D. A schedule which outlines development, production, and fielding efforts
o Lead-time required prior to commencing production
o Anticipated lot count and production rate, including production and delivery lead-times, to facilitate fielding of 1000 external subsystems, 1800 internal subsystems, ground equipment for a minimum of 55 main locations, with multiple associated remote downlink sites (ranging from 2-12 per main location)
o Sufficient spares to support formal supply chain for the full production quantities, hot/standby spares at 10 locations, and forward supply point at two locations (USAFE and PACAF)
E. Identify business practices or approaches to encourage rapid acquisition, faster adoption of technology, and bring creative and non-traditional approaches into the solution space
o Specifically speak to the potential suitability of the solution to Middle Tier of Acquisition (Section 804 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016) rapid fielding and rapid prototyping
Responses
The Classification Code is 59 - Electrical and electronic equipment components.
The NAICS Code assigned to this RFI is 334511 -- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing.
Interested parties are requested to submit a white paper not to exceed 30 pages (single-sided, single-spaced pages, 12-point font, and ¾ inch margins, in Microsoft® Word or compatible format). The white papers will be formatted as follows:
• Section A: Title, Name of Company, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if
different from mailing address), CAGE code, DUNS number, phone number, both
unclassified and SIPRNet e-mail of designated point of contact, and Background/Brief
history highlighting past relevant experience on similar systems;
• Section B: Company's Approach/Solution;
• Section C: System Description focusing on key attributes and technical maturity;
• Section D: Proposed Schedule.
In addition to the white paper, you may provide up to 5 (five) PowerPoint or similar graphical charts to further explain your concepts and a single-sided operational view that provides a high level graphical and textual description of your system design and/or operational concept.
All respondents are requested to indicate in Section A, if they are a US company, large business, small business, or small disadvantaged business IAW section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, as amended (15 U.S.C. 637(a)), or women-owned small business as describe by NAICS code 334511. Please address what portion (type / percentage) of work would be subcontracted, including portions intended for socio-economic concerns of interest to the Government.
Respondents are further requested to indicate in Section A their status as a Foreign-owned/Foreign-controlled firm and any contemplated use of foreign national employees on this effort. Those desiring to do business with the Air Force must be registered in the Government's System for Award Management System (SAM) located at https://www.sam.gov.
White papers which meet the desired characteristics of the P6CTS (mentioned above) and include the Submission Details (also mentioned above) are due no later than 6 Sep 2019, 4:00 PM Central Daylight Time. Unclassified responses shall be submitted via secure e-mail only to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Vincent Pitts (PCO) at 850-883-3241, vincent.pitts@us.af.mil. Interested companies MUST have an active SECRET facility clearance and storage to participate. No industry day is scheduled or anticipated at present. The Range Systems Branch has attempted to make this RFI clear and actionable; however, if questions regarding submission persist, please contact Mr. Vincent Pitts (PCO) at 850-883-3241. Unclassified responses are encouraged to the maximum extent practicable; however, if brief, classified, support is viewed as critical, please contact the Government for a SIPRNET address. Format instructions apply to any SIPRNET responses, and such submissions will be included in the page limitation.
Proprietary information, if any, MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED on the outside container and on the materials inside. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for release of any proprietary information not properly identified. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All information received in response to this RFI that is properly marked as "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly.
Respondents are advised that technical and cost/price data submitted to the Government in response to this RFI may be released to Government contracted advisors for review and analysis. Should there be an objection to this envisioned disclosure of white paper information, please contact the PCO immediately in writing with the basis of the objection. If you do not contact the PCO, you understand technical and cost/price data submitted to the Government in response to this RFI may be released to Government contracted advisors and consent to the release of any proprietary, confidential, or privileged commercial or financial data provided in response to this RFI for Government contracted review and analysis.
The following company is anticipated to access RFI responses and any sensitive material contained there-in:
Odyssey Consulting Group
201 Edge Water Dr., Ste 270
Wakefield, MA 01880
Point of Contact (POC): Scott Stupinski (Contract Manager)
Governing support contracts include DFARS clause 252.227-7025, Limitations on the Use or Disclosure of Government-Furnished Information Marked with Restricted Legends. Accordingly, said contractors are considered Covered Government support contractors and will only access information for the sole purpose of furnishing independent and impartial advice or technical assistance to the Government. Similarly, the support contractor will take all reasonable steps to protect the sensitive data from unauthorized release or disclosure. Should a respondent choose to enter into a specific NDA arrangement with the covered support contractor, please contact the aforementioned company POC. The responsibilities rest with the respective contractors and the Government is not responsible for obtaining copies of executed NDAs. The Government office is not set-up to partition access to responses and any response submitted will the Government will assume the respondent is authorizing release to the Covered Government support contractors.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY to understand potential industry solutions. The U.S. Government has made no final solicitation decision regarding eventual procurement or by what means such a solicitation, if any, would be handled (FAR based procurement or other transactions). The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding upon the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur costs for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become U.S. Government property and will not be returned.
Vincent K. Pitts, Procuring Contracting Officer, Phone 850.883.3241, Email vincent.pitts@us.af.mil
