Pre Sol Synopsis MMAS II_16 Apr 2024.pdf

Meteorological Modeling, Analysis, and Subject Matter Expertise (MMAS) II

(FA702224R0005)

Pre-Solicitation Synopsis 16 April 2024

This is a synopsis for a follow-on competitive, 100% Small Business Set-Aside (SBSA), non-personal services acquisition as required by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 5.2. Services are non-commercial. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP). VENDORS SHOULD NOT

SUBMIT FORMAL PROPOSALS UNTIL THE RFP/SOLICITATION IS POSTED TO THE

GOVERNMENT POINT OF ENTRY (GPE), SAM.gov. This synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. Additionally, no reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this synopsis or any follow-up information requests.

Acquisition Description:

The Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) via AMIC DET 2/OL/PKA (Patrick SFB, FL) will soon be soliciting, through a formal Request for Proposal (RFP), for non-personal technical services, software, testing, data, and documentation in support of AFTAC’s Meteorological Modeling and Analysis Mission (MMA) as associated with the 24th Analysis Squadron’s Meteorological Modeling and Analysis Flight (24 ANS/ANM) and the 21st Surveillance Squadron (21 SURS/SUD), which are part of the Air Force Technical Application Center (AFTAC) 709th Surveillance and Analysis Group (709 SAG). These squadrons use the analytical data results to create reports that are delivered to its customers as part of its treaty monitoring mission.

The procurement is anticipated to be conducted in accordance with DoD Source Selection Procedures, (dated 20 Aug 2022), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFARS) Part 215, and Department of the Air Force Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DAFFARS) Mandatory Procedures (MP) 5315.3.

Background for 24 ANS/ANM Services:

The required MMAS II services will comprise supporting, maintaining, and developing 24 ANS/ANM software tools (i.e., HART (HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Integrated Trajectory) Analysis and Research Toolkit) and ARGUS (AFTAC’s Rapid-GPU Urban Modeling System) that interfaces users to the 24 ANS/ANM's meteorological and transport and dispersion modeling. This allows users to setup, run, and manage these model runs. The MMAS system manages two (2) primary elements: HART and

ARGUS.

The overall process begins when 24 ANS/ANM receives a request for transport and dispersion or urban-scale modeling. The numerical models are then run through the HART or ARGUS workflow to produce outputs. These outputs are then put in reports for customers.

Element Description Associated Software & Hardware

HART

System which controls the HYPSLIT workflow to run atmospheric transport and dispersion.

Software (Singularity, HYSPLIT, WebTAK), Linux

HPC, TAK Application

ARGUS System which controls the urban-scale weather modeling

Software (Singularity, joules, WebTAK), Linux HPC, TAK

Application and atmospheric transport and dispersion.

WebTAK Web user interface for the

ARGUS and HART Applications.

TAK

HART: A software system that allows 24 ANS/ANM to setup, run, and monitor atmospheric transport and dispersion models. This workflow outputs products from the HYSPLIT model.

ARGUS: A software system that allows 24 ANS/ANM to setup, run, and monitor urban-scale meteorology and transport and dispersion models. This workflow outputs the products of the JOULES (Joint Outdoor-indoor Large Eddy Simulation) model.

WebTAK: A software system that allows 24 ANS/ANM to visualize output from both the HART and ARGUS system. This system also acts as the user interface for the HART and ARGUS applications. The WebTAK architecture facilitates the communication between the front-end user interface and the back-end which executes the numerical models and produces post-processed information.

All three of these applications are containerized within singularity/docker containers.

Scope of Requirement:

This contract will provide subject matter expertise, atmospheric science, modeling, and the development of technical capabilities with an emphasis in the following areas: (a) Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model for meteorological prediction and atmospheric event reconstructions; (b) atmospheric transport and dispersion (ATD) with emphasis on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD); (c) urban environment ATD; (d) development and implementation of airborne material source term estimation (STE) methodologies for WMD defense applications; (e) Space Weather modeling; (f) operational software development.

The Contractor shall maintain, sustain, enhance, and provide system integration services for the HART and ARGUS software systems associated with 24ANS/ANM requirements. Services shall include but are not limited to software sustainment and maintenance using AFTAC’s Continuous Integration Continuous Development (CI/CD) pipeline, installation on development and production networks, integration with AFTAC’s information technology (IT) systems, updates in response to feedback, and rapid, even immediate, response to identified vulnerabilities/bugs. The contractor shall also assist 24ANS/ANM with interfacing between HART and ARGUS and modernization efforts which may include new applications and the deployment of HART and ARGUS to a Government approved secure cloud vendor cloud-based service. Specific task requirements will be further identified at the individual Task Order (TO) level.

Security Requirements:

The future contractor shall have a Government issued TOP SECRET//SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION (TS//SCI) security clearance and be DCID 6/4 eligible with a current Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) upon award of contract. Further details will be provided in the solicitation’s DD Form 254 (DD254).

The future contractor shall have a current SECRET facility clearance (FCL) is required at time of future award. However, after award the future contractor will be required to have a Top-Secret Collateral facility though the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency (DCSA) as indicated in the subsequent solicitation’s Performance Work Statement (PWS) and the DD254. However, note that the offeror does NOT require their facility to meet SCIF requirements.

Other Acquisition Details:

This acquisition will be conducted as full & open after exclusion of sources (i.e., a total small business set-aside (SBSA)). The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541990 – All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services and the size standard is $19.5M. In addition, the applicable Product Service Code (PSC) is R412- Support-Professional-Simulation. The subsequent RFP will be publicly released and available electronically through the GPE only (i.e., SAM.gov). Fax, telephone, written, or email requests/inquiries for the solicitation package, prior to the release of the RFP, WILL NOT be honored. Future RFP Questions and Answers will be addressed as appropriate.

Contract award is anticipated for July 2024. A single Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract is contemplated with an ordering period of 60 months. It is anticipated that the contract will be awarded using Firm Fixed Price (FFP) for operation and maintenance (O&M) CLINs, Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) for Research and development (R&D) CLINs, Cost Reimbursement (CR) with no fee for other direct costs (ODC) and travel, and Not Separately Priced (NSP) for Data Deliverables.

Offeror Requirements:

In accordance with FAR provision 52.204-7, System for Award Management (SAM), a potential offeror is required to be registered in SAM (see https://www.sam.gov/SAM/) when submitting an offer, and shall continue to be registered until time of award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract or task order resulting from the upcoming solicitation/RFP for the subject acquisition. All responsible firms may submit a proposal (only after issuance of the RFP) to be considered for contract award. PHONE CALLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Firms responding to the solicitation/RFP must state whether they are a Small Business (SB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HUBZone Small Business (HSB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Business (EDWOSB) Historically Black College or University or Minority Institution (HBCU/MI), an 8(a) firm, an Indian Tribe or Alaskan Native Corporation. Moreover, the potential offeror’s firm shall also have an accounting system that has been determined adequate for determining costs applicable to the contract or order to receive a cost type contract in accordance with (IAW) FAR 16.301-3(3) and DFARS 252.242-7006. In addition, your firm shall be required to state if is able to perform at least fifty percent (50%) of the services required under this acquisition.

DAFFARS Provision 5352.201-9101, Ombudsman The Air Force Federal Acquisition Regulation (AFFARS) 5352.201-9101, Ombudsman, is applicable and follows below. Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the Contracting Officer for resolution.

Point of contacts are:

Mr. Daniel Perry, Contracting Officer Ms. Shawna Kettell, Contracting Officer AMIC DET 2 OL/PKA (Patrick SFB FL) 1020 South Patrick Drive, Patrick SFB FL 32925, at e-mail: daniel.perry.23@us.af.mil; and cc:

shawna.kettell@us.af.mil.

As prescribed in DAFFARS 5301.9103, the following provision applies:

5352.201-9101 OMBUDSMAN (JUL 2023)

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

(a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern.

(b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions).

(c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, the interested party may contact the ombudsman, Deputy Director of Contracting

AFICC/KC(OL-ACC)

114 Thompson Street Bldg. 586, Room 129 Langley AFB, VA, 23665 Telephone 757-764-5372 (DSN 574-5372).

Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/FLDCOM/DRU ombudsman level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Department of the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2395, facsimile number (571) 256-2431.

(d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency.

(e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the contracting officer.

(End of clause)

FAR 5.207 Synopsis Summary:

(1) Action Code: R - Support-Professional-Simulation (Service)

(2) Date: 16 April 2024

(3) Year: 2024

(4) Contracting Office ZIP Code: 32925

(5) Product or Service Code: R412- Support-Professional-Simulation

(6) Contracting Office Address: 1020 S Patrick Dr, Patrick SFB, FL 32925

(7) Subject: Proposed Contract Action Announcement

(8) Proposed Solicitation Number: For future reference, the RFP number will be FA702224R0005

(9) Closing Response Date: N/A

(10) Contact Point or Contracting Officer: Mr. Daniel Perry, Contracting Officer, daniel.perry.23@us.af.mil; and Ms. Shawna Kettell, Contracting Officer, shawna.kettell@us.af.mil

(11) Contract Award and Solicitation Number. TBD and FA702224R0005

(12) Contract Award Dollar Amount: N/A

(13) Line-Item Number:

CLIN 0001, O&M Labor (FFP).

CLIN 0002, R&D Labor (CPFF) CLIN 0003, Travel and Other Direct Costs (ODC), O&M, will be reimbursed on a cost-only basis (no fee).

CLIN 0004, Travel and Other Direct Costs (ODC), R&D, will be reimbursed on a cost-only basis (no fee).

CLIN 0005, Data Deliverables for CLINs 0001 to 0004, will be Not Separately Priced

(NSP).

(14) Contract Award Date: Anticipated October 2024.

(15) Contractor: TBD.

Incumbent Contractor for MMAS:

AERIS LLC.

1314 MAIN STREET SUITE 101

LOUISVILLE, CO 80027

(16) Description: See above detailed description provided.

(17) Place of Contract Performance: At future contractor’s facility, AFTAC at Patrick SFB, FL 32925, and CONUS.

(18) Set-aside Status: 100% Small Business Set-Aside