C-130J MILSATCOM RFI-SSS.pdf

Contractor Kit Installation (CKI) of the Combined C-130J MILSATCOM ARC-210 Gen 6 plus MUOS Modification to the United States Air Force

(USAF) Fleet

Request for Information/Sources Sought Synopsis (RFI/SSS)

1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION:

This is an RFI/SSS only in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997). Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

The Government is conducting market research to identify, as potential sources and subcontracting opportunities, firms that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to competently and competitively respond to all requirements to conduct the retrofit installation of an ARC-210 Gen 6 radio suite on 165 total USAF C-130J Aircraft.

Firms responding to this announcement should indicate whether they are an other than small business, small business, small disadvantaged business (SDB), woman-owned small business (WOSB), economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB), 8(a)-certified business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), veteran-owned small business (VOSB), or Historically Underutilized Business Zone small business (HUBZone).

The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI/SSS or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection FAR 31.205-18, Bid and Proposal costs, of the FAR. Companies responding to this RFI/SSS are advised that participation does not ensure involvement in future solicitations or contract awards. The Government shall not reimburse any company or individual for any expenses associated with preparation or participation in this RFI/SSS. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI/SSS.

2. PURPOSE:

The anticipated, upcoming contract will require successful offerors to conduct and support the following:

Multiple Contractor Field Teams (CFTs) to conduct the retrofit installation at dispersed

C-130J United States Air Force (USAF) Squadrons of an ARC-210 Gen 6 radio suite comprised of the RT-2036C radio, C-12561B RCU, HPA 7642 High Power Amplifier, MX-12366 Low Noise Amplifier/Triplexer, S65-8282-843 dual band antenna, and associated wire harness and cabling and preloaded ARC-210 OFP software. This effort will include the removal of the existing ARC-210 Gen 3, 4, 5 suites, RCU, and wiring harness and cabling. The inventory, documentation, and packaging of the removed components for induction into the supply system in accordance with all required DLA and COMSEC accounting turn in procedures.

The CFTs will be provided installation kits that include all required components to conduct this installation including the Principal End Items (PEI) listed above, and all necessary drawings, consumables, and installation instructions. Spare PEI components will be provided as required to support any materials found to be defective during the installation process from a centrally-managed pool made accessible to the unit during the retrofit installations.

The CFTs will ensure and submit for approval that all assigned personnel of each team are technically proficient in the maintenance of C-130J aircraft and currently have achieved the applicable 2AXXX 5 level and or 7 level minimum requirements or their equivalency basic aircraft maintenance certification from either the Department of Defense or an accredited institution. They must meet all security and background requirements to attain USAF base access, flightline and squadron building access, to include the ability to obtain passports as required for OCONUS travel. All personnel must meet all mandated security requirements and understand and comply with all required policy and procedures to conduct all tasks necessary regarding the access, handling, inventory, documentation, and packaging of Controlled Cryptographic Items (CCI).

Potential respondents must be technically capable of providing cost, scheduled, and task related documentation as well as recurring status documentation as required by the USAFSG in accordance with the performance of these actions and activities. The ability to perform all required operational and functional tests, checks, and to ensure that the modifications are completed and fully operational with the assistance of USAF personnel as required. USAF personnel will be required to perform all associated and specific COMSEC and Mission planning tasks in the preparation, ARC-210 RT-2036 provisioning and conduct of uploading COMSEC with the AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loader (SKL), CAPRE suite, or other required component.

Planning should consider that the total time required for a CFT to accomplish these tasks is tentatively estimated at 200 hours per aircraft. Planning should consider the requirement of 165 total USAF C-130J aircraft receiving this retrofit modification action across all USAF Active Component, USAF Reserve Component, and Air National Guard Component squadrons with approximately twelve aircraft per squadron. These retrofit actions will occur both at CONUS and OCONUS locations. The scheduling, priority, and duration of the retrofit actions will be centrally-managed by the USAFG in conjunction with the aircraft manufacturer and ARC-210 Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Collins Aerospace.

It is anticipated that this effort for the CKI of the Combined C-130J MILSATCOM ARC- 210 Gen 6 Modification shall commence on or about 1st Quarter FY27. The Government anticipates the contract period of performance to be 3 years.

3. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Company Response

Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this market research.

The results of this market research will allow the Government to make a determination as to whether this effort will be a sole source, full and open, or small business set-side acquisition. It is advised that you provide a sufficient response to all capability questions to allow the Government to appropriately assess your capabilities.

However, consideration will be made if your company is capable of performing only specific portions of the consolidated requirement. If your company’s response is for only portions of the effort please submit a response that includes the areas your company is capable of performing and how your effort could be integrated into the overall requirement.

3.2 Business Information

In response to this RFI/SSS, please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

Company/Institute Name:

Address:

Point of Contact:

Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code:

Phone Number:

E-mail Address:

Company Web Page URL:

Size of business pursuant to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: 336413, Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing. Size standard: 1,250 employees. NAICS code for this requirement, if applicable to this requirement, if applicable to the company’s capabilities, should be included in the company’s NAICS code listing in SAM. Based on this NAICS Code, state your company business size. If you are a Small Business (SB, WOSB, EDWOSB, SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, VOSB, SDVOSB), please explain whether your company would be capable of meeting the requirements of FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting.

Small Business (Yes / No)

Woman Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

Small Disadvantaged Business (Yes / No)

Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

8(a) Certified (Yes / No)

HUBZone Certified (Yes / No)

Veteran Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (Yes / No)

Large Business (Yes / No)

System for Award Management (SAM) Registered (Yes / No)

(Must be registered in SAM database for a DoD contract award)

3.3 Capability Survey Questions

1. Describe your company’s past experience on previous projects (no more than five examples) similar in complexity to this requirement. Include contract numbers, a brief description of the work performed, period of performance, agency/organization supported, and individual points of contact (Contracting Officer or Program Manager). Include your company’s responsibility/role as a prime and or subcontractor on each of these projects.

2. Describe your company’s capabilities and experience with aircraft modifications, installations, and aircraft support requirements utilizing Time Compliance Technical Orders (TCTOs).

3. Does your company have the capability to provide Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) or 2AXXX 5 level and/or 7 level certified maintenance technicians from the Department of Defense or an accredited institution?

4. Describe your company’s capabilities and experience with delivering programmatic, technical, and financial Contract Data Requirements Lists (CDRLs) consistent with Data Item Description (DID).

5. Describe your company’s capabilities for handling controlled cryptographic items (CCI) and data.

6. Describe your company’s processes for budgetary planning and management of contracted work.

7. Describe your financial capacity to successfully perform this contract. Describe your capacity to support contracts ranging from $15 to $20 million per year.

8. Describe your company’s experience in performing installation of communications, avionics, displays, mounts and wiring/routing on fixed wing aircraft. Please identify the fixed wing aircraft that your company has performed these installs on including series and variants.

9. Describe your company’s experience with standard kit installation cycles on large aircraft.

10. Does your company have experience working with the C-130J Original Equipment

Manufacturer (OEM) or any C-130J supplier? If yes, please describe your company’s experience working with the OEM or suppliers.

3.4 General Information

In response to this RFI/SSS, please provide the following general information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners.

Describe briefly the capabilities of your company and the nature of the goods and/or services you provide. Include a description of your staff composition and management structure.

Describe the major risks you foresee in executing an effort of this scope. What steps would you likely take to mitigate the risks?

What data will you require of the Government to assemble a proposal for this effort?

Describe the small business percentage of utilization for the consolidated requirement to include the rationale supporting the recommended percentage.

Describe any other relevant topics, concerns, and information that will help the Government in forming an acquisition strategy.

Are there any commercial business practices unique to your industry? If so, please describe.

4. ADMINISTRATION

THIS SYNOPSIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) OR

AN INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT

BY THE GOVERNMENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS NOTICE.

Interested sources are required to respond within 30 days of this posting with a statement of capabilities and the requested information.

Respondents should indicate which portions of their responses are proprietary and mark accordingly, and all proprietary information must be clearly marked on the outside container and on the materials inside. The Government will handle all information properly marked as proprietary information. The Government is not liable for, or suffer any consequential damages, for any proprietary information not properly identified.

Formal responses should be e-mailed to Kortney Coalt at kortney.coalt@us.af.mil and Jacob

Britt at jacob.britt@us.af.mil. It is requested that responses be submitted by close of business 07 July 2023. Technical questions regarding this RFI/SSS should be directed to Lt. Mitchell Bawell Program Manager, AFLCMC/WLN, at mitchell.bawell.1@us.af.mil and Mr. Loren Reich, Program Manager, AFLCMC/WLN, at loren.reich.2.ctr@us.af.mil.

Direct and concise responses are preferred. Responses should clearly demonstrate an ability to meet the stated requirements. Recent relevant experience in all areas should be provided.

Teaming and/or subcontracting arrangements should be clearly delineated and previous experience in teaming must be provided. Marketing material is considered an insufficient response to this RFI/SSS. Please limit responses to no more than ten (10) single-sided, 8.5”x11” pages. A point of contact that can speak for the responding company should be identified to support further Government inquiries as well as explanations that might be needed with regard to the information provided. The acquisition strategy has not yet been determined.

Market research results will assist the Air Force in determining whether this requirement will be a full and open, a small business set aside, or a sole source acquisition.