A11 Sources Sought - Final.pdf

1. General Information:

Title: Department of Defense (DoD) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Airspace Operations System and Concept Development Support Post Date: 08/9/2023 Response Date: 08/23/2023 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time Anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: 541715 “Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Science (Except Biotechnology)”

Anticipated Product Service Code: AC33 National Defense R&D Services; Defense-related activities; Experimental Development

2. Security Clearance Requirement: None

3. Sources Sought:

The Washington Headquarters Services, on behalf of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)), is performing market research to identify qualified sources with the availability, interest, and capability to provide UAS Airspace Operations Support as outlined in the attached draft PWS.

To facilitate market research, the Government is looking to identify qualified sources for the requirement described here.

The Government encourages responses from “all” interested, capable sources including small business concerns (8(a) Small Businesses, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) concerns, Service- Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB)).

* Small businesses are defined based on the size standard associated with the NAICS code.

Visit https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards to learn more about small business size standards and Federal Contracting programs. Check your size using the SBA Size Standards Tool:

https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/index.html.

The Contracting Officer will use the results of this market research to determine the appropriate solicitation method. This acquisition will comply with the provisions of the FAR and DFARS, including but not limited to FAR 19 - Small Business Programs.

This Sources Sought Notice is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Government. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any concern responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the concern’s qualifications to perform the work.

***At this time, no solicitation exists. While not responding to this Sources Sought does not, in and of itself, preclude participation in any future RFP/RFQ if one is issued, it is highly recommended that your firm respond during this market research stage, as the responses to this Sources Sought will inform the course of this acquisition.*** https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/index.html

4. Background

For decades, the DOD has pursued a long-term goal of enabling routine, efficient, safe, and secure airspace access and integration for DOD Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations conducted within both civilian and military airspace. To accomplish this goal, OUSD A&S is working across several efforts, both internally and with our federal partners to address the technical, operational, and regulatory challenges associated with normalizing DOD UAS operations in a way that is comparable to the conduct of present-day DOD crewed operations. This work includes developing and demonstrating the ability to employ airspace access and integration systems in support of UAS, Air Traffic Control (ATC), and Counter UAS (CUAS) missions. These efforts are intended to address how DOD will utilize the same or similar systems and concepts to support UAS operations in both U.S. National Airspace as well as in an expeditionary environment. To ensure DOD remains on track to meet its long-term UAS goal, the ability to conduct simulated and live UAS operations is critical to the validation of current and the informing of future concept, technology, and policy development.

5. Anticipated Contract Award Date: 09/30/2023

6. Anticipated Contract Start Date: 9/30/2023

7. Estimated Value: The acquisition has an estimated dollar value of over $1,000,000.00.

8. Procurement History for Similar Services: This is the first time that WHS-AD has solicited for this requirement. While the precise history of this requirement is unknown to WHS-AD, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration had an IDIQ for a similar requirement. This IDIQ, which has since expired had a number of NND15SA84B. The ceiling for this requirement was $5,000,000.00. The incumbent contractor was the North Dakota Department of Commerce (the State of North Dakota). Further limited information is available here:

https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/search.do?indexName=awardfull&templateName=1.5.3&s=FPDS.GOV&q=

NND15SA84B.

9. Objective/Scope:

OUSD(A&S) is seeking qualified firms to provide planning, resourcing, and execution for simulated and live UAS events to accomplish specific tasks assigned by the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD A&S). Deliverables will be identified on the Task Order level. Please see the draft PWS, included in this sources sought.

10. Overarching and Technical Areas:

• Conduct research, development, test, and evaluation events that provide data and recommendations that will be formally recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as applicable to the safe, secure, and efficient operations of UAS operating beyond visual line of sight. This is necessary to ensure the test results used to inform the development of DOD concepts and technologies will support the eventual acceptance by the FAA for use in U.S. National Airspace. Candidate firms who have worked closely with the FAA in the past would be favorable. However, at a minimum, firms should explain how they have or will establish technical and procedural credibility with the FAA. Refer to PWS Section 5.15

• Conduct and evaluate scenarios on and around a U.S. military installation to support operational testing of https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/search.do?indexName=awardfull&templateName=1.5.3&s=FPDS.GOV&q=NND15SA84B https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/search.do?indexName=awardfull&templateName=1.5.3&s=FPDS.GOV&q=NND15SA84B

UAS activities associated with active-duty units in a realistic military environment. The proximity to a military base allows for the ability to integrate live testing events with active-duty forces in their garrison locations. This allows the testing events to execute UAS mission use-cases, like supply delivery and security force augmentation, in the exact environments that this capability will eventually be employed. Refer to PWS Section 5.6

• Conduct and evaluate UAS operations in airspace where DOD Air Traffic Control (ATC) services are provided. This allows for DOD UAS operations to be conducted under the unique conditions of DOD ATC procedures and under specific DOD authorities granted through a FAA-DOD Memorandum of Understanding.

Integrating DOD UAS and ATC operations allows for the evaluation of concepts and technologies that are designed to support activities conducted in both U.S. national airspace and combat airspace environments.

Also, operating in DoD controlled airspace allows for greater flexibility which is critical to achieving certain test objectives needed to advance the DOD’s ability to operate its UAS beyond visual line of sight. These authorities do not apply in FAA controlled airspace and the FAA’s restrictions would severely limit the DOD’s ability to accomplish certain test objectives. Refer to PWS Section 5.8

• Conduct and evaluate UAS operations in airspace where DOD CUAS services are provided. This allows for the evaluation of concepts and technologies needed to safely conduct DOD UAS operations in airspace that is protected by DOD C-UAS capabilities. This also allows for the evaluation of concepts and technologies that assist C-UAS Operators in discriminating between authorized UAS activities and potential threat UAS activities. Refer to PWS Section 5.9

• Oversee projects that are centrally managed and facilitated through a program management process to oversee the planning, safety, integration, execution, data collection, and post mission analysis of each project phase. Refer to PWS Section 5.1

• Provide expertise on the development, testing, and employment of UAS airspace access and airspace integration systems as they apply to military UAS operations. Refer to PWS Section 5.14

• Collect data during each evaluation event to be used by the DOD to assess the current effectiveness and inform the future development of technologies and concepts. Also, to the maximum extent possible, collect data regarding policies, costs, requirements, standards, sustainability, maintainability, compatibility, scalability, and any other pertinent aspects associated with achieving the DOD’s long-term UAS airspace operations objective. Refer to PWS Section 5.13

• Ensure live flight events are conducted safely and in accordance with all appropriate federal, state, and local requirements. Refer to PWS Section 5.7

11. Response Instructions:

Submit capability statements electronically no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern) to the primary contact Mr. Douglas J. Boorstein, douglas.j.boorstein.civ@mail.mil, copy to Enrique C. Jograj, enrique.c.jograj2.civ@mail.mil. The email subject line must be titled “Sources Sought – DOD UAS Airspace Support”

Overall response should be limited to 5 single-sided pages.

No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered. Submissions to any person other than those listed above will not be considered.

Submissions after this date will not be considered.

12. Capability Statements:

Vendors must provide information which supports their ability to perform the work associated with the requirements described in this Sources Sought Notice to be considered capable of satisfying the Government’s requirement. Tailored capability statements should address as many of the Overarching and Technical Areas identified above to demonstrate how the firm’s capabilities and experience relates to the requirement.

Please be as specific as possible in your response. At a minimum, the company should provide complete responses to the information requested below in A. Administrative Information and B. Technical Capability.

***It is highly recommended that firms include as much of the following information as possible:

• contract type (FFP, CPFF, etc.),

• contract award amount,

• contract number,

• period of performance, and

• Government Point of Contract name and email address, if any.

A. Administrative Information:

1) Company name, address, point of contact name, telephone, and email address.

2) CAGE Code and SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

i.Please note in order to do business with the U.S. Government as a prime contractor your firm must be registered in SAM.gov by the time of award of any resultant contract.

3) Business size and socioeconomic categories as defined in FAR Part 19 (e.g., 8(a), SDB, HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) for NAICS 541611.

4) Identify if your company is on any pre-existing contract vehicles (example on a GSA Federal Supply Schedule or OASIS, etc.) which align with the work associated with this requirement, and identify the contract number. Responses may be used to determine whether a Government-wide acquisition contract (GWAC) can be used.

B. Technical Capability:

1) Provide a brief description of your firm’s ability to meet the high-level needs of the DOD UAS Airspace Operations Support. Please refer to the Overarching and Technical Areas identified above in Section 10 of this notice and refer to the draft PWS attachment.

2) What type of work has your company recently performed in support of the same or similar requirements?

A. Provide your company's recent experience, similar in scope to this requirement, and highlight relevant capabilities used to successfully perform the requirement. ***Experience within the past 5-7 years is highly preferred due to the technical nature of the requirement.

B. Identify if your company was the prime contractor or a subcontractor for these contracts.

C. For any Overarching and Technical Areas where your firm does NOT have past experience to demonstrate those capabilities, explain how you would attain those abilities.

3) Describe your company’s ability to acquire a trained workforce to support the level of effort described in the PWS?

4) Candidate firms who have worked closely with the FAA in the past are highly desired. However, at a minimum, firms should explain how they have or will establish(ed) technical and procedural credibility with the FAA.

5) Subcontracting Information: Indicate if your firm will submit a proposal if a Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued and whether the vendor desires to participate in this requirement as a prime contractor, teaming agreement, subcontractor, or joint venture. This information will assist WHS/AD in establishing a basis for developing set-asides and/or subcontracting opportunities, if necessary.

A. Identify which, if any, Overarching and Technical Areas you will utilize small business teaming partners and/or subcontractors.

B. If you intend to subcontract please include the estimated percentage for Small Business subcontracting opportunities for each Overarching and Technical Area.

C. Supplemental information (optional response, excluded from page limit):

1. Recommended NAICS codes for this effort with justification. Responses may be used to develop and/or determine which NAICS.

2. Please highlight any information missing from the PWS that would provide a better understanding of the effort desired.

3. Please highlight any information that is unduly restrictive to small business as listed in the draft PWS.

4. Please indicate how much time your firm would need to prepare a response to an RFQ.

5. Would your firm need a transition period? If yes, how long? e.g.: 15 days / 30 days.

6. Are there any Overarching and Technical Areas you see as moderate to high risks in providing the support services requested?

Place of Performance: It is the Government’s belief that given the rigorous requirements listed above (the requirements for the air space, proximity to a military installation, etc.) the only place that these services can be provided is in Grand Forks, North Dakota. If vendors disagree with this belief, they are invited, to describe, with specificity, any other locations, and how those locations will meet the Government’s requirements.

Performance Work Statement (PWS) A draft copy of the performance work statement is provided for reference and information purposes. Firms responding to this notice must address the Overarching and Technical Areas listed above in Section 10 of this Notice.

***The WHS review team responsible for assessing responses received from this sources sought notice may find it necessary to obtain additional information/further clarification from firms responding to this notice.

Respondents are advised the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received, or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.***