AOI 015 AF-A4-SSF (edited)_Aug2022.pdf

AREAS OF INTEREST (AOI): STRATEGIC SUSTAINMENT FRAMEWORK

1. General Information

1.1 AOI Background

The United States Air Force (USAF) is seeking an industry partner(s) to assist in the governance and development of solutions for complex challenges affecting Air Force readiness and competitiveness. These challenges are multi-faceted and inter-organizational in both origin and resolution and are critical for implementing Air Force strategies for improving readiness like the Strategic Sustainment Framework. These complex challenges require innovative future states/roadmaps, and multiple, synchronized, integrated innovative solution development initiatives for successful implementation. The USAF is seeking companies to better position the organization to connect with and govern all the innovation ideas and projects to the desired Future States.

One or more companies will be selected to provide the process and products to be delivered by the contractor during the entire agreement period of performance in order to: 1) develop a repeatable process to effectively develop specific innovations that advance the institution by developing innovation campaigns/roadmaps and subsequently governing, designing, developing, integrating, testing, prototyping, and otherwise preparing the institution for full implementation of the innovations to achieve the desired end state and 2) Establish a supporting triple-helix partnership between the Air Force, industry, and academia to enable prototyping of selected innovations.

The selected company or companies will only be provided Air Force-defined challenges. The selected company or companies will provide all other resources needed.

The objective is to obtain a solution to the USAF’s defined challenges and initiate implementation of the solution into the USAF’s sustainment functions within 12 months.

2. AOI Constraints

1. The selected company/companies will be assigned an Air Force development/design project for Tesseract. Their solution shall describe the proposed approach to completing this project.

a. Air Force subject matter experts (SMEs) will be available for consulting during the contract period.

b. Sustainment Challenge information will be made available to company.

c. The Government requires a process that targets fielding solutions within 12-18 months of challenge recognition.

d. The Government requires a solution that meets the following elements:

i. Examine and understand complex problems or obstacles to meet organizational strategic objectives;

ii. Develop a vision for the organizational end-state; and innovation management, and governance that allows for the development of multiple synchronized innovations;

iii. Develop and execute training to senior leaders and stakeholders for awareness and collaborator buy-in, as necessary;

iv. Design a deliberate implementation path to the identified end-state such that the implementation of the innovation is fully integrated into Air Force operational processes;

v. Coordinate appropriate data collection and analysis to establish clear and concise short and long-term goals to facilitate measurable operational improvements;

vi. Execute small, rapid prototyping cycles to test critical innovation elements and reduce full implementation risks while maturing integration requirements;

vii. Coordinate appropriate alignment of program integration among DAF staff, Major Commands or other responsible agencies to leverage cross-functional teams and reduce risk during implementation of an organic solution-set;

viii. Advise and assist setting the conditions for full implementation in a way that has measurable operational return;

ix. Engage non-traditional contractors in a focused manner that facilitates communication among Government, Industry and Academia in a way that is open, creative, and centered on the specific needs of the Air Force’s vision;

and

x. Support project stabilization with coaching, mentoring, and course corrections, as required.

2. Pricing Strategy

a. Contractor will be issued a firm-fixed price award.

3. Other

a. Using a repeatable process, solution prototypes will be developed and assessed for full implementation under the awarded contract

i. Prototypes meeting Air Force needs will be selected for long term contract.

b. Performance dates:

i. Company 1: 30 June 2020 – 29 June 2023

ii. NOTE: Projected dates are dependent on actual contract award date.

c. Location: Performance at Pentagon or Andrews AFB MD, while development will be performed at the company’s office location.

d. Security requirements: All projects, data, and discussions will be unclassified but will contain controlled unclassified information.

Ensure all contractors working within the AOI are eligible and compliant with National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI).

Platform environment and software applications must be compatible to operate within the FEDRAMP Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 199, moderate impact level security requirements.

3. Submission Requirements

A written solution must be sent via e-mail submission by 11:59 P.M. (EST) on 30 September, 2022, with subject line stating AOI 15 – Strategic Sustainment Framework to AFDW/PK CSO Team via email at margaret.santos@us.af.mil and copy the 87 CONS CSO Team at 87CONS.CSO.Team@us.af.mil

Solutions received after the specified due date and time will be discarded and not be evaluated by the Government.

AOI Open Period – This AOI shall close at 11:59 P.M. (EST), 30 September, 2022.

Point of contacts:

AOI questions can be sent to the Technical POC: Shanan Vigil at shanan.vigil@us.af.mil and

Contracting Officer: Margaret Santos at margaret.santos@us.af.mil

**Companies are advised that any Prototype Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) awarded in response to this Area of Interest may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures. The follow-on production contact or transaction will be available for use by one or more organizations in the Department of Defense and, as a result, the magnitude of the follow-on production contract or agreement could be significantly larger than that of the prototype OTA. As such, any Prototype Other Transaction Agreement will include the following statement relative to the potential for follow-on production: "In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2371b(f), and upon a determination that the prototype project for this transaction has been successfully completed, this competitively awarded prototype OTA may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures