APX-124 Upgrade SSS.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS:

F-16 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Transponder Upgrade

NOTICE TYPE:

Sources Sought

SOURCES SOUGHT NUMBER:

TBD

1. NOTICE: This is not a solicitation but rather a Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) to determine potential sources for information and planning purposes only.

1.1. The purpose of this Sources Sought is to conduct market research to determine if responsible sources exist, and to assist in determining if this effort can be competitive and/or a total Small Business Set-Aside. The proposed North American Industry

Classification Systems (NAICS) code is 336413, which has a corresponding size standard of 1,250 employees. The Government will use this information to determine the best acquisition strategy for this procurement. The Government is interested in all small businesses to include 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, HUB-Zone, and Woman-

Owned small business concerns. The Government requests that interested parties respond to this notice and identify your small business status in relation to the aforementioned NAICS code, if applicable. Additionally, please provide any anticipated teaming arrangements, along with a description of similar offerings to the Government and to commercial customers within the past three years. Any responses involving teaming arrangements should delineate between the work that will be accomplished by the prime contractor and the work that will be accomplished by the teaming partners.

2. PROGRAM DETAILS

2.1. The U.S. Government is requesting information in an effort to identify vendors with the expertise, capabilities, and experience to successfully develop and produce a

Cryptographic Modernization (CM) 2 compliant transponder replacement for an

AN/APX-124 IFF asset with external cryptographic capability on the USAF F-16 Block

40/42 C/D model aircraft. Participating vendors shall meet the following requirements:

a. United States IFF manufacturer that has past experience with aircraft transponder capabilities

b. The facility location requirement is within the Continental U.S. (CONUS). The prime contractor also must be based out of the CONUS. No foreign-owned entities can be considered.

c. The manufacturer’s production facilities have sufficient maturity to support a minimum of 6 test replacements from Fiscal Year (FY) 28 – FY31 and a maximum of

200 production IFF transponder upgrades or replacements from FY31 – FY33. The projected production quantities are in a range of 120 upgrades per year. The U.S.

Government requires variable pricing for an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity

Contract.

d. The manufacturer must meet US DoD security protection requirements.

e. The contractor must have a solution that meets the following minimum requirements:

i. An IFF Transponder system which includes modes 3A, C, S, and 5 capability to meet Air Force requirements.

ii. Size of the transponder will be constrained to the current F-16 footprint. Must meet latest AIMS Mark XII A/B requirements.

iii. Requirement for KIV 77A or KIV 78A, or CM2 compliant CCI DoD standard removable cryptologic Mode 5 applique.

iv. At implementation will meet all F-16 airworthiness criteria.

v. Be fully operable in an environment with ambient air temperature ≥ 200°F

(93.3°C) for a minimum of 2 hours.

vi. Have a Technology Readiness Level of 6 or higher that is ready for integration and final development starting in FY26.

vii. Capable of completing development and entering production by FY27.

viii. Meets U.S. Government Cyber-Security (Information Assurance) requirements.

ix. Qualified for use throughout the complete F-16 operational environment.

x. Supports USAF two-level maintenance concept and accomplishes Built-in-Test performance of 95%. Describe capability to support Intermediate level screening and any required support equipment.

xi. Provide your proposed solution for software development environment that will allow U.S. Government software sustainment facility to develop and maintain the

IFF Operational Flight Program.

xii. Provide schedule delivery estimates for U.S. Government software development tools, compiler, licenses, proprietary software, and any unique development environment requirements. Contractors are encouraged to provide budgetary estimates for software tools and licenses.

xiii. Provide a proposed delivery schedule for Test assets, Low-Rate Initial Production

(LRIP), and Production hardware. Contractors are encouraged to provide budgetary estimates for Test and Production unit costs.

xiv. Provide strategy and schedule estimate for depot support (Contractor Logistics

Support, contractor depot, or organic depot). Contractors are encouraged to provide budgetary estimates for organic depot standup.

xv. Provide a list of documentation, Government Furnished Equipment, and

Government Furnished Information the contractor requires from the U.S.

Government, as well as the dates by which they are needed. Demonstrate how your company will acquire IFF design source data, ICD information, specifications, and drawings, if required.

f. The IFF transponder must require marking with Unique Identification (UID).

g. Quality Assurance Plan

i. The Contractor shall have a Quality Assurance Plan that complies with SAE

AS9100 and AS9102. This program, as a minimum, shall include inspection, validation, evaluation, corrective-action, and procedures necessary to effect quality of all products provided under this contract.

ii. The program shall allow inspection by the Government and shall be applicable to all subcontractors and members of the contractor's team, as appropriate.

iii. Quality Assurance shall demonstrate that the government’s designs are adhered to, and that material used conforms to the approved designs/drawings provided by the government.

h. Delivery Requirements

i. For each IFF requirement, the government may request a Rough Order of

Magnitude (ROM) from the contractor at no cost to establish costing and budget requirements to procure the Transponder and Integration support.

ii. A Delivery Order (DO) will be issued to the contractor to delineate the

Governments requirements and standards.

iii. Delivery Requirements will be specified on each solicitation and delivery order placed against this contract.

iv. A Status Report shall be provided documenting the effort towards achieving the contract objectives and subsequent Delivery Order (D.O.) objectives.

i. Parts

i. Parts ordered via this contract will be in units of 1 to 500 each and will be determined by each delivery order.

3. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS ONLY

3.1. This SSS is issued solely for information and planning purposes only – it does not constitute a Request For Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This

SSS does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. This is a sources-sought only, which, as part of market research, is being issued in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart

15.201(e).

3.2. The Air Force is not, at this time, seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this SSS. All costs associated with responding to this SSS will be solely at the interested parties’ expense.

3.3. This is a request for information seeking sources capable of meeting the requirements listed above. When responding please include:

a. Company Name and Cage code.

b. A POC's email address and phone number.

c. Experience with regards to the manufacturing and upgrading IFF transponders. Also, describe how you would address the requirements in Section 3 of this Sources Sought

Synopsis.

d. Experience in meeting strict delivery schedules.

e. Suggested NAICS Code.

f. Business Size Classification for NAICS and qualifications if any and any sub-category.

g. Type of Small Business Classification (ex. Small Business, 8(a), Service-Disabled

Veteran Owned, HUB-Zone, and Women-Owned, etc.) per NAICS Code 336413.

Interested parties are requested to provide an electronic response and any attachments through e-mail to Kirsten Rivera, Eric Dumpert, and cc Christopher Espinoza and Caryn Cantrell, no later than 30 calendar days after the publication of this notice. On the e-mail subject line include “F-

16 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Transponder SSS Response – Company Name.” No mail, telephone or FAX responses will be accepted.

Place of Performance:

Contractor Facilities

United States

Primary Point of Contact:

Kirsten Rivera

Contracting Officer kirsten.rivera@us.af.mil

Phone: 801-586-5695

Secondary Point of Contact:

Eric A. Dumpert

Contracting Officer eric.dumpert.1@us.af.mil

Phone: 801-777-5964 mailto:kirsten.rivera@us.af.mil mailto:eric.dumpert.1@us.af.mil

Program Manager:

Christopher Espinoza

Christopher.espinoza.5@us.af.mil

Phone: 801-777-0655

Deputy Program Manager:

Caryn Cantrell caryn.cantrell.1@us.af.mil

Phone: 801-777-7525 mailto:caryn.cantrell.1@us.af.mil