ARTS-V3 VADR Mini RFI 20250115.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION / SOURCES SOUGHT

through a high-powered AESA to fulfill the need for Long Range Advanced Threat Training System NAICS: 334511 – Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing.

1. NOTICE: This is not a solicitation but rather a Request for Information (RFI) and Sources Sought Notice. The United States Air Force solicits responses to this RFI, as defined in FAR 15.201(e), to obtain technical information, price, delivery, and other market information or capabilities for planning purposes for the Advanced Radar Threat System-Variant 3 (ARTS-V3) Variable Aperture Digital Radar (VADR) Mini program, henceforth in this document will be referred to as VADR Mini. This is neither a request for proposal nor an invitation for bid therefore, responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. There will be no reimbursement for the information provided. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary and no information will be returned. Any information obtained will be considered market research and may be used as a general concept; however, any specific information will be treated as proprietary information, if so marked.

a. The purpose of this RFI is to conduct market research to determine if responsible sources exist, seek input from industry, identify potential acquisition strategies, and to assist in determining if this effort can be competitive. In responding to this RFI, those interested in this effort should be a prime contractor or choose to partner with another vendor.

2. PROGRAM BACKGROUND:

a. The ARTS-V3 Program Office is currently in development of a VADR X- and a C-Band Production Representative Articles (PRA) with Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems.

b. The VADR is a closed-loop, ruggedized, Surface to Air Missile (SAM) threat system which will simulate various adversary threat systems with accurate waveforms and beam patterns, electronic protection (EP), and operate within an Integrated Air Defense System (IADS).

c. The Office is interested in developing a smaller threat simulator which will have most capabilities of a full-size VADR to help provide threat density in training ranges.

d. The Program Office expects the VADR Mini vendor to provide a movable, ruggedized radar pedestal with vendor-provided associated equipment (radar backend hardware, chiller, interconnects, etc.) all collocated on a suitable trailer or movable platform. The VADR Mini operators will not be located with the Mini, but in a Range Operations Center.

e. The Vendor will integrate their pedestal equipment with Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE). The GFE consists of:

i. 32 transmit/receive subarrays configuration in the X-, C-, or S-Bands. Frequency Bands of interest will be determined by Air Combat Command (ACC).

1. X-Band subarrays are approximately 12.1”X19.5”X1.1”, 14lbs, and consume 440W.

2. C-Band subarrays are approximately 12.5”X19.3”X2.8”, 15.5lbs, and consume 506W.

3. S-Band subarray Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) to be determined.

ii. Common radar backend (CBE) software (including mission processor)

iii. Software Development Kit (SDK)

iv. VADR Application (VAPP)

v. Interconnect Document (ICD) between the CBE and the VAPP

vi. Interconnect Document (ICD) between the CBE and the radar frontend

vii. Threat behavior software

f. The VAPP is a C2 and User Interface application. All the above GFE are in development as part of the larger VADR PRA effort but will be made available to the VADR Mini vendor when accepted by the Government.

g. VADR Mini Technical Description:The ARTS-V3 Program Office is also interested in the ability to rotate the VADR Mini aperture 360 degrees continuously. The VADR Mini vendor will be required to develop supporting hardware and software. This rotational capability option will be contingent upon the final production price per unit. If submitting price estimates as part of the RFI response, the vendor should show pricing for both configurations.

3. The purpose for this RFI is to have prime vendors identify for the program office to make acquisition decisions for the VADR Mini. We also seek cost estimates that will inform funding allocations and be used to estimate impacts of statutory and regulatory requirements on acquisition schedules. Finally, we seek industry feedback on acquisition strategies under consideration by the program office.

4. The ARTS-V3 Program Office has developed a Government Reference Architecture (GRA) sysML model which will contain the technical requirements for the VADR Mini X-, C-, or S- Band efforts. The Vendor will develop their own System Architecture Model (SAM) in sysML that traces to all GRA requirements. The SAM will contain at minimum: derived requirements, internal and external interfaces, behavior, and architecture for all hardware, software and firmware. The Government has personnel available to assist with the SAM development.

5. PROGRAM CHANGES DETAILS:

a. United States Air Force Air Combat Command (USAF/ACC) estimates the need for 10 to 50 VADR Mini X-, C-, or S-Band systems to support U.S. Air Force and Navy test/training needs, depending upon available funding. Foreign Military Sales and other United States Department of Defense (DoD) needs for VADR Mini systems could increase or decrease the final production quantity. Follow-on requirements for additional frequency band versions of ARTS-V3 and sustainment needs will be determined at a later date.

b. USAF/ACC’s requirement is to have the Production Representative Article (PRA) completed and delivered no later than December 2027. As a result, the program office anticipates releasing a Request for Proposal (RFP) as early as August 2025 for an estimated VADR Mini PRA development contract award approximately May 2026.

c. The Government is considering using a Middle Tier Acquisition, Rapid Prototyping approach for the VADR Mini contract. As such this has a requirement of production beginning within 6 months of contract award and complete fielding within 5 years of the development of an approved requirement.

d. Note that actual cost per production unit will impact the total number of systems ordered. DoD interest in acquiring VADR Mini systems beyond USAF/ACC is contingent on system cost and capabilities. This effort is meant to be a low-cost system using established T/R Tiles, software, and user interface. This information is not a commitment by the USAF to purchase a certain quantity of production units.

6. INDUSTRY RESPONSE: All information submitted shall be Unclassified. Information submitted containing restricted data distribution should have the cover page and each page containing restricted data distribution needs to be clearly marked. Information submitted will be retained at AFLCMC/WNRC and will not be returned. The Government requests the information be submitted in electronic format to Kristina Lenderman, kristina.lenderman@us.af.mil, and Tyler Newey, tyler.newey@us.af.mil, no later than 10 March 2025; early submissions are welcome.

a. The Government requests interested parties provide the following information:

i. Company Name, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code and size status.

ii. Name, phone number, and email address for a point of contact(s).

iii. Is your interest in this effort as a prime contractor or as a partner with another contractor?

iv. Inform the government if you are interested in either or both of the below options:

1. Option 1: Be responsible for the overall radar performance of the VADR Mini system utilizing the GFE/GFI.

2. Option 2: Be responsible only for building the hardware necessary to operate the VADR Mini system including hardware cueing (array positioning, power on/off, etc) provided by the GFE/GFI. The overall radar operations would be the responsibility of the government.

v. Do you agree with the proposed NAICS 334511 code? If not, what NAICS code would you prefer?

vi. Will your company be able to provide a response to an RFP as early as December 2025? If yes, is a 45-day response time sufficient from the posting date of RFP?

vii. What is your rough order of magnitude estimate for schedule and cost to utilize Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) to develop a VADR Mini PRA? What is your rough order of magnitude estimated cost per production unit?

viii. If your rough order of magnitude estimated cost per production unit exceeds $10 million USD, what key characterizes of the system should the program office consider changing to enable your design to cost under $10 million per production unit?

ix. When analyzing the risk associated with developing a VADR Mini PRA, would your company compete if the contract were fixed price? To what degree would the Government save on built in risk cost factors if the contract were a Fixed-Fee structure? Please provide suggestions on possible CLIN structures and pricing arrangements.

x. The next series of questions are intended to solicit feedback about the Government acquisition strategy to award a contract for a VADR Mini PRA.

1. Engineering and Development Questions:

a. Do you have an existing Active Electronic Scanned Array (AESA) pedestal design? Have you integrated a 3rd party aperture into your company’s pedestal?

b. Do you have an existing rotating pedestal design?

c. How long would it take your company to develop your designs for the VADR Mini radar system with your pedestal and platform?

d. Could your company complete Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) by August 2027 with a contract awarded approximately May 2026?

2. VADR Mini System Production is anticipated to follow EMD and be part of a firm fixed price contract, with IDIQ task orders.

a. Do you have cost estimates models to project how quantities ordered will affect pricing?

3. Overall feedback:

b. Is there a different approach that would align more optimally for your design effort?

c. By what date would a competitive decision need to be made by the Government for the development of a VADR Mini system (X-, C- or S-Band) in order for your company to have the system ready for delivery by August 2027?

d. How soon could your company have a defined VADR Mini design to include the aforementioned GFE?

i. Are there commercial products that could support meeting the system requirements with modification? If so, describe the level of modification in general terms, i.e. low, moderate or extensive.

7. Points of contact for this notice:

Kristina Lenderman Contracting Officer 801-775-4427 kristina.lenderman@us.af.mil

Tyler Newey Contracting Specialist 801-586-5097 tyler.newey@us.af.mil, Elizabeth Suggs Program Manager 801-674-4934 Elizabeth.suggs@us.af.mil

8. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The Government will not be obligated to pursue any particular acquisition alternative as a result of this notice. Responses to the notice will not be returned. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued. All responses are encouraged to keep in mind that this information is only intended to provide industry feedback. All responses are encouraged to be as direct and to the point as possible. For example,

a. Could your company prove the integration and design of your pedestal with a partial delivery of GFE DTRLs? Answer: Yes, the signal processor is scalable.

All responses are limited to one cover page and five (5) pages, size 12 Times New Roman font, one-inch margins on all sides. Responses longer than one cover page and five content pages will only be read through the first five content pages.