210611 - Question to Industry for MCHH Draft RFP.docx

QUESTIONS TO INDUSTRY FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF THE Multi-Channel Handheld (MCHH) NOTE TO OFFERORS: Please intersperse your responses taking as much room as required for each question.

1. What is the highest rate of production per month for the MCHH that your company could support?

2. What work, if any, has your company done with the U.S. Army on waveform implementation? Please describe those efforts and how they have been incorporated into your company’s potential MCHH solution?

3. What measures do you plan to take on product improvements to meet evolving Marine Corps requirements? Evolving requirements may include but not be limited to: new waveforms, battery life, increases to range, and greater immersion capabilities. How would you incorporate these measures into your proposal?

4. The Marine Corps’ maintenance and sustainment strategy requires a solution that will provide training and support to facilitate in-house maintenance by Marines and civilian employees and potentially Government contract employees. The Marine Corps desires a solution with minimal obsolescence concerns in terms of firmware/software; components; and ancillary equipment; and, also adequate rights in any technical data in order to properly train our Marines to get the job done. Would your company be willing to support these goals and, if so, how? Please indicate whether your company sees any issues with supporting these strategies and what any recommended alternative approaches you might recommend.

5. Flexibility is often required when fielding equipment to the user. Contingencies arise that result in Marine Corps units’ inability to take receipt of shipped assets. In such cases, the Marine Corps may require temporary short-term storage of accepted products. How much storage capacity can you sustain for Government Accepted products awaiting shipment to destination and how long can you reasonably store it without impacting production?

6. Do you anticipate requesting any Government Furnished Equipment/Government Furnished Information to support the performance of the production contract?

7. Does your proposed ANWf solution support SECRET voice and data communications? If this capability is being processed, what is the expected date of NSA certification?

8. Are you planning to support WREN-NB waveform on the radio? If so, can you provide an estimated timeline for porting WREN-NB?

9. What is your projected timeline for obtaining NSA Type I certification for each of the MANET waveforms you plan to propose?

10. The Government is seeking the implementation of a technology insertion program (TIP) to help in the enhancement, advancement and sustainment of the MCHH. Does your radio support implementation updates for future waveforms? For example, SINCGARS FH2/FH3 and SATURN? If so, what is your strategy to effectively implement and manage the TIP?

11. The Government intends to order and receive 100 MCHH (CLIN 0001) immediately following contract award to complete any required testing of the system. The Government intends to order a significantly greater quantity of MCHH for the purpose of obligating funding towards the contract but plans to delay deliveries of remaining systems until testing has been conducted and accepted. Any delays to the completion of required testing may result in operational capability gaps and have an impact on mission accomplishment. How soon after contract award could you deliver 100 MCHH radios?