E2 SV Letter to Industry (FA8810-RFI-24-0003) - 20230401.pdf

UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE

space systems command

Resilient Missile Warning, Tracking, and Defense Acquisition Delta

April 1, 2024

Space Systems Command (SSC) Resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking (MW/MT) Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Epoch 2 RFI—Epoch 2 SVs

Description SSC requests industry feedback on a Resilient MW/MT MEO layer Epoch 2 architecture that will support future Missile Warning, Tracking and Defense (MWTD) capabilities. The Government is seeking industry feedback to inform the MEO Epoch 2 acquisition strategy and technical approach. The MEO MW/MT architecture will be incrementally developed in capability-based deliveries called Epochs. Each Epoch is expected to include at least one competitive award and allows for insertion of new technology, innovative solutions, and progressive or updated warfighter requirements to ultimately meet future capability needs. This RFI requests industry feedback and approaches to support delivering a MEO MW/MT Epoch 2 capability in the future:

• Epoch 2 Space Vehicles (E2 SVs): delivery, integration, and operations

Specific Government queries may be found at the end of this document.

Note: The Epoch 2: MEO Epochs Ground Operations and Integration RFI request is published separately.

Contract Type The Government is considering a Fixed-Price stand-alone OTA approach for this requirement.

No inputs are requested on contract type beyond those mentioned below.

Small Business Consideration The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this effort is 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). The small business size standard is 1000 employees.

Participation from small and small disadvantaged businesses is encouraged. SSC's Small Business points of contact can be reached at smallbus@us.af.mil or by phone at (310)-653-1108.

Small Business Opportunities The Government would like to encourage small business participation in the performance of this effort and request insight into how your company would incentivize Small Business participation.

A. Provide an assessment of potential subcontracting opportunities.

B. Do you have any recommendations to increase small business participation under this effort?

C. Is there a more appropriate NAICS code to advertise this effort to maximize competition in industry?

Instructions to Responders Responders are encouraged to respond to the above elements as if they were a prime contractor on the effort. Subcontractors are encouraged to align with a prime for responses. The Government does not intend to hold one on ones with subcontractors individually; they may join and attend with a prime(s).

Supporting RFI content is contained in Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Secret-level documents. To receive the full CUI RFI and additional supporting documentation, please send an email to the primary and secondary Government POCs with the subject line “MEO Epoch 2 Space RFI Request (FA8810-RFI-24-0003) – (company name)”.

Include your organization’s pertinent information below:

• Submitter's Name and Parent Company

• Mailing Address/Facility: Street address, city, state, and nine-digit zip code

• Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code

• Unique Entity Identification (UEI)

• Point of Contact (POC)

• POC Telephone number and email address

• Prime or Sub Role o If Prime, identify how your firm will meet requirements set forth in 10 U.S.C. §4022 (A, B, or C) o If sub, identify what capacity your firm will support and potential prime partnership (if known)

CUI information can/will only be sent to company POCs listed in the SAM.Gov database.

To receive the classified information, please include in the response a SIPR, JWICS or comparable email address where these documents can be sent. Requesting organizations must possess a facility clearance of at least SECRET, which will be verified prior to data release. The Government is also willing to physically distribute content to requesting organizations (or divisions/sectors of organizations) without electronic classified means of communication once properly cleared by our security team and proper arrangements are made with our POCs below.

The Government intends to have all draft documents uploaded to bidder’s libraries by 1200 PDT 2 April 2024.

Format For Response SSC will endeavor to respond to all requests in the order that they are received. All email responses to this RFI must include the subject line “MEO Epoch 2 Space RFI Request (FA8810- RFI-24-0003) – (company name)”. All CUI and/or classified responses to this RFI should be provided as instructed in the CUI RFI. Contact the POCs identified below for more information.

Primary RFI POC: Lt Rachel Jung – rachel.jung@spaceforce.mil

Secondary POCs: Dr. Dave Heinrich – david.heinrich.1.ctr@spaceforce.mil & Heather

Tackett heather.tackett@spaceforce.mil

Primary Contracting POC: Ms. Alina Grecu – alina.grecu@spaceforce.mil

Alternate Contracting POC: Capt Alexander Siangpipop – alexander.siangpipop.1@spaceforce.mil

The Government appreciates a succinct response (<4 pages); however, there is not a strict page count. The responses are intended to guide the discussions the Government intends to hold with industry. The Government intends to hold one-on-one meetings with all Prime contractors and to have detailed discussions on all elements of the Draft documentation.

Separately, the Government requests feedback on the Government Reference Architecture (set for delivery in mid-April) as questions or comments arise. There is not a limit to the number of comments for submittal. The Government intends to review submitted comments, adjudicate them, and publish the adjudicated comments back out to industry along with an updated model in bidder’s library. The Government prefers comments on the architecture, CONOPS, or requirements. Respondents are encouraged to submit comments using screen capture tools and text to enable efficient adjudication. Respondents should contact the POCs above for the best method to transmit CUI model comments. The Government intends to adjudicate comments and update the model approximately biweekly (every other week) all the way up to the formal RPP releases. Offerors are encouraged to continue to reference the bidder’s library for updates and submit comments as they arise.

Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary. Please provide your response on company letterhead to the Points of Contact (POC) identified in this RFI. SSC requests all responses to this RFI be provided as instructed no later than 10 May 2024, 1700 PDT.

Projected Timeline

Technical Release (SV) – 1 April 2024 E2 Gov Ref Architecture MBSE Model – Week of 15 April Draft RPP Release (SV) – Week of 15 April Mini-Industry Day, Gov Brief (SV) – week of 22 April Draft RPP Responses due (SV) – 10 May One on Ones in person (SV) – week of 20 May Final RPP Release – week of 8 July

Please monitor SAM.Gov for further updates.

DISCLAIMERS AND NOTES

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for (Prototype) Proposal (RPP/RFP) or a promise to issue an RPP/RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Government is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals.

Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any 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 RPP/RFP, if any is issued. The Government will acknowledge receipt of all submissions but is under no obligation to provide feedback or integrate respondents’ contributions.

All information in response to this RFI marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with applicable regulations.

SSC has entered into contracts with the Aerospace Corporation, the MITRE Corporation, LinQuest, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Tecolote Research, American Systems Corporation, InSPIRE, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Axient Corporation, Space EA Systems, Stellar Solutions, ExoAnalytics, Booz Allen Hamilton, The Tech7 Company, Gemini Technologies LLC, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Odyssey Systems, New Bridge Partners, Sandia National Labs, Space Dynamic Lab, and Software Engineering Services. These companies support the Government’s Space Force Program Office by performing technical reviews, systems engineering and integration analyses, cost estimation, and other advisory services.

Respondents are hereby notified that all responses will be provided to our support contractors for their services to the U.S. Space Force. If the respondent disagrees with the release of its RFI response to any of the aforementioned firms and their subcontractors, the respondent must clearly state this restriction in the cover letter accompanying the RFI response.

Foreign firms are advised that they will not be allowed to participate in this acquisition at the prime contractor level; however, provided they are eligible to do business with the US Government they may be eligible to participate at the subcontractor level. The research and test data produced under a resultant contract may contain Military Critical Technology List (MCTL) information whose export is restricted by Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S. Sec 2751, et seq.) or the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (Title 50, U.S.C., App. 2401, et seq.).

Request certification and registration from the Defense Logistics Services Center (DLSC), Federal Center, 74 North Washington, Battle Creek, MI 49016-3412 as soon as possible.

Space Systems Command (SSC) Resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking (MW/MT)

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Epoch 2 RFI

For Space Vehicle (SV) Prime Providers:

1. Is any part of our approach or expectations unclear across the Technical Requirements, Statement of Work (SOW), Agreement Data Requirements List (ADRL), or others?

2. What technical requirements are challenging your design to be cost effective?

a. How would you modify them and maintain a viable path to Full Warfighting Capability?

b. What SOW or technical requirements changes would you prefer the Government to make to reduce the cost of your offer significantly?

3. What are the barriers to your firm submitting a fixed price offer?

a. What elements in the SOW or ADRLs are impacting your ability or confidence?

b. What changes would make a fixed price offer less risky for your company?

c. Would a shared risk model FPIF make your company offering more affordable?

i. If so, what kind FPIF parameters would you consider reasonable commensurate with the risk?

ii. In what other ways, would an FPIF contract type, would this be beneficial to meeting cost, schedule, and performance?

4. What approaches are best for the Government to implement crosslink standards on this effort and its timeline?

a. What is your assessment of the cost/schedule/technical risk of requiring this?

b. What recommendations would you make to reduce this risk (i.e. one compatible crosslink per vehicle, one compatible crosslink on one vehicle per plane, etc.)

5. What is your approach for cost effective resiliency? We are interested in hearing more about your payload resiliency in our one-on-one discussions at the right classification level.

6. The Back-up SOC at the factory is an open trade. The Government seeks to maintain speed but is also considering the OPIR Battlespace Awareness Center at Buckley Space Force Base as an option. What are your concerns with supportability from your factories?

7. The Government is maintaining our path down an OTA. Please respond to FA8810-RFI-24-

0002 by 10 April, on how your firm would fulfill the requirements to be a principal performer (“prime”) on this acquisition IAW Section 4022(d)(1) of Title 10 of the U.S. Code.

https://sam.gov/opp/1921c705b6ee4342957fdfa6649e2c49/view