Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) with USSOCOM
Background & Overview:
United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (SOF AT&L) is conducting market research to understand the current market capabilities of entities that are performing, or are eligible to perform, as Partnership Intermediaries under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 3715.
This Sources Sought posting is a Request for Information (RFI), and is for informational and planning purposes only. This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP), and a formal solicitation is not available. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue an RFP, contract, or order. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI. Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. Responses to the RFI will not be returned.
Discussion:
USSOCOM uses the PIA authority to increase the likelihood of success in the conduct of cooperative or joint activities with USSOCOM and small business firms, institutions of higher education, or educational institutions to stimulate and promote technology development, and to the outbound and inbound transfer of technology between SOF AT&L and academia, industry, and Federal laboratories.
USSOCOM is interested in receiving information from all responsible sources who meet the definition of "partnership intermediary" as that term is defined in 15 U.S.C. 3715(c):
...an agency of a State or local government, or a nonprofit entity owned in whole or in part by, chartered by, funded in whole or in part by, or operated in whole or in part by or on behalf of a State or local government, that assists, counsels, advises, evaluates, or otherwise cooperates with small business firms, institutions of higher education as defined in section 1141(a) 1 of title 20, or educational institutions within the meaning of section 2194 of title 10, that need or can make demonstrably productive use of technology-related assistance from a Federal laboratory, including State programs receiving funds under cooperative agreements entered into under section 5121(b) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988...
Submission Request:
Entities that may qualify as PIA partners can submit a White Paper (WP) to inform the USSOCOM requiring activity on the entities' capabilities.
Requested information is detailed below:
1.0 Specify how your entity qualifies as a PIA Partner in accordance with the statute 15 U.S.C 3715(c).
1.1 Provide a brief description of each PIA your entity has had in the past 5 years. Include the following:
-PIA identification number
-Period of Performance
-Government Partner
-Location Where Primary Services Performed
-Cumulative dollar value of each Agreement
-Brief summary of types of services provided
2.0 Format: White Papers shall meet the following requirements:
-Electronic format
-Font: Times New Roman, 12 Point
-Microsoft Office 2013 or compatible format and/or PDF format
-Naming convention: Organization Name_WhitePaperTitle_MMDDYYYY with no more than 50 characters and no special characters
-Page Limit: White Papers shall not exceed five (5) pages. The cover page is not counted in this page limit. All pages other than the cover page shall be numbered.
3.0 White Paper Submission: Submissions are requested NLT the submission deadline to this announcement. Email your White Paper submissions to the following organizational e-mail address:
SOF_AT&L_AA@socom.mil; Ronald.reed1@socom.mil; and kelli.m.bryan.civ@socom.mil
4.0 Correspondence - General: All questions and correspondence shall be directed to the SOF AT&L Acquisition Agility organizational e-mail address:
SOF_AT&L_AA@socom.mil; Ronald.reed1@socom.mil; and kelli.m.bryan.civ@socom.mil
5.0 Disclaimers/Notifications: USSOCOM may request clarification of White Paper submissions when deemed necessary. Information Papers submitted for review purposes under this RFI will not be returned.
Notification is hereby provided that Covered Government Support Contractors as defined in Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) 252.227-7013, 7014, 7015, and 7025, will act as advisors to the Government to review and provide support during market research analysis. When appropriate, Covered Government Support Contract advisors may also have access to White Papers and may be utilized to objectively analyze White Papers and provide comments and recommendations to the Government stakeholders.
All Covered Government Support Contract advisors shall comply with procurement integrity laws.
The Government shall take into consideration requirements for avoiding conflicts of interest and ensure advisors comply with safeguarding submission data. Submission of a White Paper constitutes approval to release the submitted information to Covered Government Support Contract advisors waives any requirement for separate non-disclosure agreements.
Place of Contract Performance:
Physical presence in the Tampa Florida area is not required at the time of submission; however, during performance of any subsequent partnership (via PIA with USSOCOM), major footprint in the Tampa FL Metropolitan Area will be required.
USSOCOM-PIA-2021 United States Special Operations Command
10/7/20, 2:00 PM Mobile Camouflage System for Multiple Platforms
NSRDEC BOTAA_17-01 REQUEST FOR PROJECT PROPOSAL
Area of Interest: Expeditionary Maneuver and Support
Prototype: Mobile Camouflage System for Multiple Platforms
Objective: This Request for Project Proposal (RPP) is issued to request preproposals (white papers) in accordance with Section III, B, 1, of the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) Broad Other Transaction Authority Announcement BOTAA 17-01 competitive announcement, and is being issued for planning purposes only. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to award an agreement, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. The Program Manager Force Sustainment Systems (PM FSS) is seeking information on the capabilities and willingness of private entities (academic, non-profit and commercial) to design and produce a Mobile Camouflage System for Multiple Platforms.
Background: US Military forces operate in all environments and terrains throughout the world. Each theater produces unique challenges for protecting troops and vehicles from adversarial detection. Ground Combat Vehicles, as key battlefield enablers, require additional signature management capability to ensure survivability and effectiveness. Beyond paint, the current methods of protecting combat vehicles on the move, or in hasty halt positions, include affixing either organic material, like freshly-cut branches, or scraps of Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Net System (ULCANS) netting to the top and sides of the vehicles’ exterior. Neither of these methods provide the durable signature suppression that is required for ensured soldier survivability. These methods provide only limited (if any) visual signature suppression, and represent even less suppression performance throughout the EM spectrum. Multi-spectral sensors are common place in today’s battlefield, and represent a real threat to unprotected assets.
The newly produced ULCANS Increment I netting has begun to be fielded and provides a vast capability increase in protecting vehicles in stationary positions. ULCANS Increment I provides signature suppression throughout the entire spectrum to include NIR, SWIR, MWIR, LWIR and radar protection. The system provides effective multi-spectral concealment performance in stationary situations, but there is a current capability gap for vehicles and equipment that are on the move, or in a hasty halt position. It will be used in conjunction with an MCS solution to provide the best concealment throughout a vast array of operational situations.
Mobile Camouflage is required for combat vehicles in active engagement scenarios – both offensive and defensive. Static and Mobile Camouflage work together as complimentary protection systems and provide decisive and superior protection for vehicles in battle positions and stationary environments.
Requirements: For camouflage performance, the US Army needs to mitigate (or conceal assets to prevent detection from) as wide an array of the electromagnetic spectrum as possible, across all operational terrains and environments. This would include multispectral sensors that can detect in any combination of the following bands: ultraviolet, visual, near-infrared, shortwave- (200-2500nm), midwave, and longwave infrared (3-12µm), along with radar between 1 and 100 GHz. Thermal signature suppression is required, with an increased focus on high heat and high friction areas of interest such as exhaust, hubs, engine heat, and wheels. Priority is placed on a reduction of platform identification by disrupting the vehicle's shape and profile, and increasing its ability to blend with background vegetation.
An effective Mobile Camouflage Solution is required to enable combat vehicle protection and survivability against current peer and near-peer threats. This capability is required to enhance platform & crew survivability by improving multispectral concealment in any geographical theater, without hindering operational capabilities. MCS solutions will provide operational units with layered protection and concealment against long-range precision fires, drones, ground, aerial, and satellite threats. Once installed, MCS solutions shall require limited soldier interaction to be effective
Anticipated deliverables for the MCS prototype development are listed below.
Developmental test data and reports.
Regular IPR meetings to discuss designs, pricing, schedule, and other topics relevant to the development.
Final build report to document analysis of alternatives (AoA) and final configuration of delivered prototype.
Development will be broken into multiple phases:
Phase 1 would provide one or more component level sized panel samples that could be affixed to the selected vehicle platform. This sample may be requested to camouflage a certain area of interest on the vehicle. (duration: 6 months)
Phase 2 would be focused on the production of a full-scale vehicle platform prototype that would be utilized in field testing to determine effectiveness at the system level. (duration: 6 months)
Note: The government retains the option to award one, many, or any of the phases mentioned above, to any number of qualified vendors.
Performance Objectives: Preproposals should be limited to three pages, and include a description of the relevant technology including supporting data, the scope of the proposed effort including a high-level Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), and a description of the proposer’s research, development, manufacturing, past performance, or other special qualifications. The preproposal should indicate the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) level of the proposed prototype per the TRL level definitions found in Attachment 0001 of the BOTAA. The preproposal must also include an anticipated cost for the efforts described in the preproposal. Preproposals shall be submitted to the following email address: usarmy.natick.futures-cmd.mbx.ota-futures-command@mail.mil.
Brochures or other descriptions of general organizational or individual capabilities will not be accepted as a preproposal. All preproposals will be assigned an identification number and an email will acknowledge receipt of a preproposal. Usually, the Project Manager of the submitting organization should receive a decision letter or email regarding the preproposal within 60-90 days of submission.
Administration: The Government will retain comments and information received in response to this RPP. Proprietary information should be identified as Company Proprietary. Do not use Government security classification markings. All written responses must be received by COB on 8 Aug 2020, 1600 hrs.
Responses should be sent by e-mail to: usarmy.natick.futures-cmd.mbx.ota-futures-command@mail.mil and Richard.w.totten2.civ@mail.mil with Subject Line of Responding Organization and RPP Title. Material that is advertisement only in nature is not desired. Respondents may review the NSRDEC BOTAA at beta.sam.gov using keyword “BOTAA” for additional areas of interest and/or preproposal submission instructions and representative POCs.
W911QY-20-S-0020 Department of the Army Materiel Command Army Contracting Command Aberdeen Proving Ground
7/27/20, 5:51 PM