C2SES_III_Sources_Sought.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR

COMMAND AND CONTROL SOFTWARE ENGINEERING SERVICES (C2SES) III

A. INTRODUCTION

1. This is a Sources Sought synopsis being conducted pursuant to FAR Part 10, Market

Research. This is for planning purposes only and there is no solicitation available at this time.

2. This is an initial step in the planning process for the Command and Control Software

Engineering and Support (C2SES) III follow-on acquisition currently titled Command and Control Software Engineering and Support (C2SES) II. The Government is contemplating award of a Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract.

3. The 55 th

Contracting Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, seeks potential sources to perform software engineering and maintenance, system engineering, testing, integration, installation, security engineering required to provide reliable, effective, and user-friendly net-centric capabilities contributing to the overall operations and maintenance of USSTRATCOM C2 capabilities.

4. Period of Performance: It is anticipated that the contract period will be a base period of one year (from date of award, with a one month transition period) and four option periods. The six month extension will be available for exercise IAW FAR 52.217-8

Option to Extend Services.

5. Security: The security requirements are outlined in the PWS under the Personnel

Security paragraph.

6. The North American Industrial Classification Systems (NAICS) code is 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services, which has a small business size standard of $27.5M.

B. C2SES III REQUIREMENTS –

1. The effort under this contract is associated with extremely complex data relationships, and processes. Support of these large-scale efforts requires extremely well defined contractor process and control mechanisms. Hundreds of individual modules and associated applications must seamlessly interact with internal and external systems at all times to provide the government with the capability to immediately plan and execute the nations war plan for the defense of the country.

2. On large efforts, the government requires very well-defined management processes for security, metrics, financial monitoring, financial reporting, and manpower reporting. Demonstrated large effort experience is required in these areas, as the

Government cannot experience any delays in critical national defense efforts.

3. See the DRAFT PWS attached for a full description of the C2SES III requirement.

C. INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS:

1. All businesses capable of providing these services are invited to respond. Any information provided to the government as a result of this sources sought synopsis is voluntary and the Government will not pay for any information submitted.

Respondents are requested to submit capability packages electronically, as described below.

a. Capability packages shall be one electronic copy. Capability package files should be in MS Office format (Word, Excel or PowerPoint) or Adobe PDF format, and should not exceed 5 MB on one e-mail. All packages shall contain UNCLASSIFIED material only.

b. Capability packages should not exceed 20 pages, each single side counting one page, 8.5 x 11 inch, with one-inch margins, and font no smaller than 10 point Times New Roman. All capability packages must be received no later than 1400 hours (Central) on 30 November 2015.

c. Capability package responses shall be sent via email to

Melissa.Hergenrader@us.af.mil and Theresa.Bryant@us.af.mil.

2. Respondents must include the following information within their statement of capability packages:

a. Company Information: Provide company name, address, a point of contact with e-mail address and telephone number, Federal Cage Code, Data

Universal Numbering System (DUNS), business size, and security clearance level. Your company must be registered in SAM and ORCA. To register, go to https://www.sam.gov. Also include intent to be a prime or sub-contractor on this effort.

b. Identify whether the company and team partners have a DCAA approved accounting system. Provide the DCAA address, a point of contact with e-mail address and telephone number for the Prime Contractor and Team Partners.

3. In addition to the 20-page capability statement, contractors are encouraged to submit thoughts or suggestions on overall contract structure, period of performance, ability of the prime contractor to self-perform (and the types of activities considered appropriate for the prime contractor to self-perform), etc.

D. CAPABILITY PACKAGE AND EVALUATION:

1. Interested businesses should provide a capability package describing corporate experience in managing recent (within the past 5 years) requirements similar in size and scope to the activities described in this sources sought. Performance information should include dollar value and performance period. The interested offeror must have performed the recent experience for a minimum of 3 years.

2. The Government will identify competitive firms by evaluating the capability packages using the following evaluation criteria. If you are planning on subcontracting any of this effort, please indicate what work will be subcontracted.

You may include in your capabilities package the capabilities of key partners that you intend to utilize, as long as you identify what effort will be theirs. Potential offers should address the following and provide evidence that they have relevant experience and the ability to deliver the mandatory capabilities (identified below) from the PWS referenced in Section B above. The potential offeror must identify if the contractor has performed the capability as a prime or subcontractor.

mailto:Melissa.Hergenrader@us.af.mil mailto:Theresa.Bryant@us.af.mil https://www.sam.gov/

1. Contract Background and Program Management

Describe your in-depth knowledge and experience with the NC2/NC3 mission, applications or programs. Demonstrate expertise/experience on sustainment of nuclear command and control

(NC2) nuclear command, control, communications (NC3) systems or programs with:

Experience managing large scale software support efforts, either or both as a sub or the prime contractor, in support of the applications/systems identified in the PWS, or related systems and any domain knowledge of the functions and understanding of the complex data relationships supporting the applications/systems identified in the PWS.

Project planning approach o Project planning, implementation planning, and/or software development planning o Resources needed, schedules, milestones, man-hour estimates, costs, monitor requirements o Project implementation status to facilitate the creation and analysis of metrics to show the status, support the development of performance trends and support engineering analysis, predict workload and reveal performance-improving processes

Comprehensive status reports (Bi-weekly Integrated Schedules, Monthly Performance

Reports, Project Status Reports, Program Management Reviews, etc.) providing narrative and/or graphical reports of the following areas to include but not limited to:

o Audits and reviews;

o Schedule – detailed and milestone schedule of past and upcoming events, o Compliance – profile compliance performance for items;

o Variances – target performance of actual vs. targets;

o Cost performance – cost performance data, both historical actual and forecasted trends;

o Recurring problems; and o Other pertinent information

Ability to support the Government during crisis, exercise, and national emergency periods

2. Application Software program software sustainment. Demonstrate expertise/experience on sustainment of nuclear command and control (NC2) nuclear command, control, communications (NC3) systems or programs with:

DoD accepted software development processes and practices to include Agile software development; test driven design and architecture driven design concepts and practices

Software life cycle management approach o Skill sets to troubleshoot, maintain, and document application programs; and design, test, and implement changes to Government-owned application software o Skill sets to conduct appropriate combination of reviews (preliminary and critical), walkthroughs, and inspections, as well as execution-based testing o Skill sets to analyzing software problems and provide recommendations to the

Government

Ensuring software quality (requirements decomposition, minimize defects, etc.).

Developing applications using an n-tier architecture, while utilizing x86 standard hardware and system software; UML and Object Oriented Design

Legacy language design and programming (i.e. ADA, Fortran and C++)

DoD net-centric related activities to include:

o Community of Interest (COI) data strategy governance o Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) o Net-Ready Key Performance Parameter (KPP) and Key-System Attributes (KSA) implementation.

o Joint Information Environment (JIE)

3. System Engineering programs, as it relates to design, development and integration in fixed and mobile environments.

Demonstrate expertise/experience with engineering practices, techniques, and tools to:

Implement rigorous system engineering processes across the software life cycle

Ensure Government requirements and timelines are met

Identify, mitigate and manage risk

Create an efficient design consistent with the defined enterprise architecture

Proactively plan and adapt to changes in the operational environments, interfacing systems, and system requirements

Analyze mission systems (hardware, software, firmware, communications, and procedures) to identify weaknesses, vulnerabilities, or integration/interoperability issues;

and develop technical solutions to ensure integrity, system maintainability, technical performance, and adherence to recommended best practices

Deliver manpower with the appropriate skill sets to troubleshoot, isolate, and correct systems problems to include interfaces with external systems

4. Communication Engineering

Describe your in-depth knowledge and experience with the NC2/NC3 communication systems and environments as it relates to communication system integration in fixed and mobile environments. Demonstrate expertise/experience with:

Specific protocols and transports used in DoD communication transports and networks

Interfacing and data synchronization through cross-domain solutions

5. Security Engineering programs, as it relates to building security into a design or system and supporting the security approval process. Demonstrate expertise/experience with:

Managing secure development processes and environments, employing security engineering processes into the software life cycle, recommending and implementing

Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) changes and security patches

Experience producing the following documentation within the Governments prescribed standards (System Security Authorization Agreement, System Security Analyses, Security Requirements, Accreditation Test Plans, and Accreditation Test Procedures, or the risk management framework (RMF) process) resulting in system receiving an

Approval to Operate

Providing a critical review of existing site system security documentation based on DoD and USSTRATCOM regulations, standards, and practices

Processes, techniques, documentation, support and security related tools that will be used to implement rigorous adherence to security engineering guidelines

Experience performing Deputy Information System Security Officer (DISSO) and

Deputy Network Security Officer (DNSO), or Information System Security Manager

(ISSM) functions.

6. Integration Experience programs, as it relates to design, development and integration in fixed and mobile environments.

Demonstrate expertise/experience with:

Establishing effective working relationships with external programs, external agencies, interfacing with multiple programs and etc. Periodically coordinating with external program offices to complete integration tasking and to collect data associated with the integration of downward-directed migration systems, as well as establish and maintain working interfaces with other organizations throughout the NC3 community in order to facilitate migration to a standards compliant and interoperable infrastructure across multiple platforms

Performing systems management, implementation planning, deployment and integration to include, but not limited to, migration of functionality, redesign of interface software documentation, test, and accreditation across multiple systems/applications in both fixed and mobile environments.

Seamless integration of GOTS/COTS products ensuring systems functional interoperability between infrastructure systems capabilities, externally developed, downward directed migration systems, and locally developed, command-unique software applications through document and architectural review

Authoring implementation plans to ensure the successful installation and operational acceptance of new messaging and communications support systems, as well as incremental upgrades to existing baseline communications applications within the NC3 production infrastructure.

Conducting studies and technical evaluations of new technologies, downward-directed programs, and requirements documents. This shall include, but not limited to, technical analysis, trade studies, feasibility studies, engineering plans and prototypes and cost estimates

7. Testing

Demonstrate expertise/experience on sustainment of nuclear command and control (NC2) nuclear command, control, communications (NC3) systems or programs with:

Providing and maintaining test documentation for all new or modified systems/applications integrated into the architecture; perform testing on the software it develops, modifies, or integrates/interfaces with GOTS/COTS software

The ability to assist government personnel in collecting, organizing and publishing information required for the creation of functional system specifications, functional test plans, and support operational test and evaluation certification

Testing complex software-intensive systems and/or applications with automated and manual requirements testing methods as it pertains to fixed and mobile platforms

8. System Administration/Configuration Management

Demonstrate expertise/experience on sustainment of nuclear command and control (NC2) nuclear command, control, communications (NC3) systems or programs with:

Create a software configuration management program that meets the standards identified for Information Technology – Software Lifecycle processes. Experience maintaining a system/application requirement database (i.e. like JIRA), to include data entry, database maintenance, metric tracking.

Proactively manage and maintain secure development processes and environments, hardware and software documentation libraries, control magnetic media and tape storage, manage software licenses as required by the Government, and maintain the status of operational, test, and development computer software and network architecture

Collectively, the system administrator’s possess the following certifications: Microsoft

Certified Professional, Altiris Certified Professional and experience with Red Hat Linux

OS, Sun Solaris OS, or other comparable UNIX-based OS, and Microsoft OS, Supporting

Operations & Maintenance, Accomplishing performance and tuning functions

Experience scheduling and accomplishing backups and tracking of archival media to ensure location if recovery is needed, performing data collection during network administration, database administration, regular testing of recovery procedures, resource monitoring used to identify corrupt databases and software baselines, and system administration to proactively identify, transitioning or implementing new backup and recovery requirements and correct problem before they impact users.

Experiencing installing software, ensuring installed packages execute correctly in a test environment, and validating package installation; maintaining a reference library of network, system, organization and individual contact information to include work in progress, coordination of network downtime, and outage reports; coordinating downtime requests; and monitoring daily disk utilization to ensure adequate file system resources

Collectively, the database administrator’s possess the following certifications: Certified

Sybase Professional, Oracle Certified Professional (Certified DBA), and experience with

Structured Query Language (SQL) servers and databases, or comparable relational database software.

An understanding of database schemas and performance for databases running on data and application servers and establishing procedures to monitor, track, and manage database performance.

Experience performing the following data management tasks:

o Data loads/reloads o Modify user data o Upgrade application and SQL servers o Migrate application databases through the development migration cycle o Respond to database Trouble Tickets

9. Personnel Security

Demonstrate expertise/experience with:

Programs requiring a U.S. Top Secret (TS) level facility clearance. Does your company currently have a U.S. Top Secret (TS) level facility clearance?

Experience working in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF)? The contractor shall perform physical security duties to ensure computer facilities are protected and assume oversight for room/vault security.

Ability to meet the security requirements in a manner that is sufficient to the task from the first day of the period of performance with personnel available who are SCI indoctrinated, with a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) and TS with DISCO or be SCI eligible

This project is classified up to Top Secret/SCI/SI/TK/G/HCS.

Is the contractor well-versed in provisions in the following:

o DIA50-3, SAI 329-9, Use of Electronic Equipment in Sensitive Compartmented

Information Facilities (SCIFs) o AFI 33-203, Air Force Emission Security Program o SAI321-22, Appointment of Deputy Information System Security Officers and

Deputy Network Security Officers o SAI321-25 Data Transmission Over Telephone Lines which Terminate Within

Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs)

Experience working with the following security programs:

o Physical security o Personnel security o Automated tools o Information security (INFOSEC) o OPSEC o COMSEC/STU o EMSEC o COMPUSEC o Training to include SATE

E. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY: This Sources Sought Notice is not a solicitation, and should not be construed as a commitment by the Government for any purpose, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought is strictly voluntary and any offer submitted by such a firm will be evaluated without prejudice. All questions and comments on this synopsis shall be submitted via e-mail to only the contact listed below. PRIMARY CONTACT: Melissa

Hergenrader (402-232-0363), Contract Specialist, Melissa.Hergenrader@us.af.mil.

SECONDARY CONTACT: Theresa Bryant (402-294-7304), Contracting Officer, Theresa.Bryant@us.af.mil.

mailto:Melissa.Hergenrader@us.af.mil mailto:Theresa.Bryant@us.af.mil