B-52 AEHF Integration RFI.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

Request for Information (RFI)

The Government is conducting market research and identifying, as potential sources, companies that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the requirements of a contract supporting the United States Air Force, at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. The requirements are currently encompassed within the following document:

This is not a request for proposals and no contract will be awarded as a result of this RFI.

Companies responding to this request are advised that participation does not ensure opportunities for participation in future solicitations or contract awards. The Government will not reimburse any company or individual for any expenses associated with preparation or participation in this request for information.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. This RFI is issued as part of market research. This is not a Request for Whitepaper (RFWP) or a Request for Project Proposal (RFPP) or a promise to issue a RFWP or RFPP and/or to award an agreement for a prototype project as a result of this RFI. The Government will not pay respondents for information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFWP or RFPP, if any are issued.

DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of the B-52 AEHF Integration program is to replace the AFSATCOM AN/ASC-19 Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) capability due to Military Strategic and Tactical Relay (MILSTAR) Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite end of life. To provide this capability, the Force Element Terminal (FET) system will be integrated onto the B-52H Weapon System to provide an updated Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) capability.

Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) will utilize the command-and-control communications. AEHF closes the performance gap left by the de-commissioning of MILSTAR satellites. The overall requirements for this program come from an AFGSC Capability Development Document (CDD) for B-52 Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) dated 18 March 2004.

Scope of Effort:

Contractor to define, design, and develop the systems and subsystems necessary to integrate and install the AEHF FET provided as GFE. This includes effort for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program. EMD phase (Milestone B to Milestone C is described in Department of Defense Directive (DoDD) 5000.01 and Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5000.02.

The objective of the EMD phase is to finalize the Critical Item (CI) designs, build and procure the CIs, modify one (1) test aircraft, complete CI, Subsystem and System level testing, complete system verification and validation, and prepare for fleet modification.

REQUIREMENTS:

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

The AEHF system shall be utilized by all current operational B-52 units. The hardware baseline of the AEHF system shall be CONECT-equipped aircraft. The following subparagraphs list the operational requirements of the AEHF system on the B-52.

1. Deployment:

The AEHF system is listed on the B-52 Mission Essential Systems List (MESL). Thus, the AEHF system shall be deployed with the B-52 aircraft on all missions. Required support equipment can be forward deployed.

2. Mission Planning:

There are no specific mission planning requirements for the B-52 AEHF Integration program. The AEHF system shall not affect current mission planning requirements.

3. Aerial Refueling:

Requires safety interlock interfaces for weight on wheels and refueling. The B-52 shall be able to maintain its current aerial refueling capabilities.

4. System Reach:

There is no system reach specific requirements for the AEHF system. The AEHF system shall not decrease the current B-52 combat radius.

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS:

5. Program Protection:

The B-52 AEHF Integration design shall be developed in accordance with the B-52 Program Protection Plan (PPP), FAB-T PPP, and applicable annexes.

The B-52 AEHF Integration hardware shall be free of counterfeit components and malicious functions. (SAE AS5553-Counterfeit Electronic Parts: Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition)

Foreign (Non-US) components with persistent memory elements shall not be used in any critical components of the AEHF system.

6. Cybersecurity:

The AEHF system shall meet the cyber security certification requirements of DODI 8500.01 and CNSSI 1253.

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

7. Nuclear Safety:

The B-52 AEHF Integration design shall maintain the nuclear certification of the aircraft in accordance with AFI 91-107, AFMAN 91-118 and AFMAN 91-119. Any interface with critical nuclear functions shall be analyzed to maintain the existing level of nuclear safety and surety.

8. Airworthiness:

The B-52 AEHF Integration design shall comply with airworthiness certification requirements in accordance with AFI 62-601 and the B-52 Tailored Airworthiness Certification Criteria (TACC) using MIL-HDBK-516C.

9. Authority to Connect (ATC) The B-52 AEHF Integration design shall comply with DoDI 8510.0, “Risk Management Framework for DoD Systems.”

RFI RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS:

Request vendors provide potential B-52 AEHF Integration solution which vendors believe fit the above criteria. Marketing material is considered an insufficient response.

Please provide formal UNCLASSIED responses to the tasks listed below. Address your capabilities to accomplish the below tasks and provide highlights of successful experience on similar government or commercial contracts. Failure to provide documentation may result in the U.S. Government being unable to adequately assess capabilities.

1. Describe your company’s capabilities and experience involving military fixed wing aircraft. If your company has experience with the B-52, describe that as well.

2. Describe your company’s capabilities and experience with fixed wing Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD), include but not limited to:

a. Engineering capacity

b. Manpower

3. Describe your company’s capabilities and experience with aircraft federated systems and interfacing with the 1553 Bus.

4. Describe your company’s capability to facilitate the modification of the B-52, include but not limited to:

a. Facility space

b. Runway

c. Resources

5. Describe your capability to develop and conduct testing of the recommended solution.

6. Describe your company’s experience in developing or updating Technical Data Packages

(TDPs). Include information regarding your company’s policy in providing TDPs to the Government and the data rights allotted.

7. Describe your company's process for tracking program risks and mitigation steps utilized on past contracts that reduced risks to an acceptable level.

8. Describe your company’s experience and approach to preparing and supporting the documentation required for Critical Design Review (CDR)

9. Provide any additional information you consider relevant to providing a design solution and integration install.

10. Describe you company’s ability to reverse engineer existing aircraft structure, hardware, interfaces, etc. in the absence of technical data, if required and if given access to a B-52.

Please include a cover page with the following information (not included in the page count):

1. Company/Institute Name:

2. Address:

3. CAGE Code/DUNS:

4. Point of Contact:

5. Phone Number:

6. E-mail Address:

7. State if you intend to submit as the Project Level Performer (PLP) or as a subcontractor

(identify the PLP with whom you will be a subcontractor).

8. A statement as to whether your company is domestically owned or foreign owned or foreign controlled (if foreign, please indicate the country of ownership). Also, identify if you plan to propose the use of any foreign owned or foreign controlled subcontractors/vendor; and, if so, identify the country of ownership.

9. What additional information would you need if this requirement turned into a RFWP or

RFPP?

Please provide your response electronically on no more than fifteen (15) single-sided, single-spaced pages using 12-point, Times New Roman font, and minimum one-inch margins, in Microsoft® Word or compatible format. All responses shall be unclassified and reviewed to ensure consideration of operational sensitivities.

RFI Responses are due to USG no later than 8 Mar 2023 no later than 6:00 pm, EST, in accordance with the following procedures:

• Only electronic submissions to the USG.

Primary Point of Contact:

Edward Miller

Contracting Officer Edward.miller.15@us.af.mil

Secondary Point of Contact:

Ashley Cooney Program Manager Ashley.cooney@us.af.mil Phone: (405) 830-8807

• Members are responsible to confirm receipt by contacting USG POCs.

• USG is not responsible for undelivered documents.

• Questions can be directed to the above POC’s.

• All electronic submissions and/or questions must include the above Project Number and

Project Title in the subject line.

• If additional information is needed, reach out directly to the mentioned points of contact.

mailto:Edward.miller.15@us.af.mil mailto:Ashley.cooney@us.af.mil