AWACS MTC Services RFI - Repost - June 2011.docx

Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Mission Training Center (MTC) Follow-on Request for Information (RFI), Solicitation Number: FA8621-10-R-6257.

DESCRIPTION

I. Request for Information for Planning Purposes. This is an RFI in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3 --Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997).

a) The Government is conducting market research to identify, as potential sources, companies that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to competently and competitively respond to requirements to provide training services for the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Mission Training Centers (MTC) following the end of the existing MTC services contract in February 2014. Only United States companies will be considered for contract award.

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

c) Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this RFI, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

d) Background: The Combat Air Force’s (CAF’s) Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) program is utilizing training simulation services at Air Combat Command (ACC), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), and United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) main operating bases for F15C, F-15E, F-16 Block 50, and AWACS platforms, with interoperability between sites provided through the DMO Network (DMON). The AWACS MTC Integrated Product Team (IPT) at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio is responsible for fielding aircrew training device (ATD) capability that ensures the trainers maintain concurrency with the aircraft co-located at each base. Currently, this capability is provided through a Commercial Training Simulation Services (CTSS) contract that meets the Air Force requirements. This contract is scheduled to end on 31 January 2014. The Air Force wishes to continue with a simulation services contract on the AWACS Block 30/35 MTCs until the AWACS Block 40/45 Mission Crew Training System (MCTS) replaces the Block 30/35 MTCs. This Block 30/35 services contract will initially include three MTCs at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma; one MTC at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; and one MTC at Kadena AB, Japan. Contractors will be responsible for maintaining their simulation services concurrent with changes to the aircraft at the respective locations. Each AWACS MTC site will connect into the DMON through a portal provided by Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS), the DMO Operations and Integration contractor, and will have to meet the CAF DMO Interoperability Standards (described at http://www.dmodmt.com). An Associate Contract Agreement (ACA) with NGMS and other simulator manufacturers will be required in support of DMO integration.

e) The Government anticipates a FAR Part 15, non-personal services contract approach with a total projected performance period of five to 10 years. The period of performance includes the incremental phase-out of the AWACS Block 30/35 MTCs as each MTC is replaced with the Block 40/45 MCTS. However, the Block 40/45 MCTS is not part of this acquisition.

f) All services will be housed in Government facilities and utilized by personnel designated by the Government. Government-contracted instructors, separate from this acquisition, will use all aspects of the services in preparation for and conduct of lessons.

g) Payment for training services under this contract will commence with start of service at each site.

h) The purpose of this RFI is to determine offeror interest in providing AWACS MTC simulation services to the United States Air Force (USAF).

II. Program Requirements.

a) The MTC is a high-fidelity simulation of E-3 mission system hardware, performance, and capability. This includes simulations of sensor systems, data-links, communication and navigation systems, constructive entities, common malfunctions, and databases. The MTC enables crew members to train in a stand-alone mode or network mode with other DMO participants for a full range of composite force employment options. The MTC has Instructor/Operator Stations (IOS) capable of managing the AWACS Block 30/35 MTC local and long-haul networking environment and the briefing/debriefing function. The system is capable of simulating missions ranging from single ship engagements to full theater-wide composite forces capable of interacting with other battle management Command and Control (C2) elements.

b) The AWACS MTC is an integrated set of hardware and software that implements the performance requirements specified in a requirements document that the Simulators Division (ASC/WNS) will provide in the request for proposals (RFP).

c) The current AWACS Block 30/35 MTC is not Government-owned equipment; therefore, this contract effort will include the manufacture and fielding of five training systems. Fielding of the AWACS MTCs is anticipated at all three sites worldwide by 1 February 2014. The first MTC phase-out at Tinker is anticipated to occur in 2015, followed by the second (and final) MTC phase-out at Tinker in 2018. The Elmendorf AFB and Kadena AB MTCs will be phased out in 2018 as well.

d) There can be no break in training. This is defined as all MTC devices at the operating location operating at no less than 99% availability rate throughout any transition period. The MTC must be concurrent with ramp aircraft. All simulators must be fully operational in accordance with the applicable DMO standard by 1 February 2014.

e) Specific performance requirements for all system elements will be defined in the requirements documents, but will be similar to the following requirements for the existing system:

1) Modes of Training – The MTC provides solo operation for individual mission crew consoles running independently of any other consoles or IOS. The MTC must provide local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) capability and use the most current long-haul networking protocols. The systems must be capable of connecting to and being a full participant in the DMO environment. The MTCs provide a capability to control simultaneous independent live-flying missions.

2) Mission Crew Consoles - Each AWACS MTC includes 14 high-fidelity operator consoles concurrent with the E-3 operational aircraft configuration that function like the actual equipment and shall support all training tasks identified in the Master Training Task List (MTTL). Additionally, each console has a network interface that allows for either solo operation, instructor-to-student training, distributed mission training, or live training and have the capability to be assigned to any mission crew position.

3) Aircraft Systems - The MTC emulates actual system performance throughout the operating regime to include seamless operation and real-time responses for all modes of training. It provides a high-fidelity representation of all E-3 AWACS active and passive sensors; high-fidelity representation of all E-3 AWACS data links; and accurately replicates the operation of all E-3 AWACS communication and navigation capabilities.

4) Synthetic Environment - The system creates a realistic, high-fidelity, synthetic environment capable of supporting the full range of AWACS mission scenarios for all modes of training. The system supports a mix of constructive and real human-in-the-loop entities, as well as, constructive entities that intelligently interact with all other synthetic environment entities such as aircraft flight, avionics, and weapons systems. Additionally, constructive entities interact with atmospheric and weather conditions; accurately model real-world threats, aircraft countermeasures, electronic combat entities, blue/red/gray entities, all associated emitters, and Integrated Air Defense Systems; and supports the addition of new entities as DMO evolves.

5) Instructor Operator Station (IOS) - Each MTC provides six IOSs to provide instructors the ability to train AWACS mission crews on all tasks identified in the MTTLs and to provide training scenario management capabilities for all modes of training. Training scenario management includes the capability to create, setup, execute, monitor, and evaluate training mission scenarios for all modes of training. The instructor has the capability to input accurately modeled common radar, communications, computer, and power problems requiring crew member response/notification before and during a mission. The IOS provides full capabilities to monitor all crew console displays independently, as well as, the communications and sensor systems. The IOS is also able to pause and reset missions and to select mark points during the missions. In addition, the IOS has the capability to record whole and partial mission segments, to include console communications, displays, and switch actions for each console. The recording has the capability for later replay.

6) Briefing/Debriefing Facilities (B/DB) - The MTC contract provides two briefing and debriefing rooms for each MTC. B/DB capability supports individual, small team, and full mission crews and console recordings selected for playback and display targeted for specific consoles or groups of consoles, as desired. Each B/DB room includes additional equipment and capabilities that allow video teleconferencing (VTC) in accordance with CAF DMO standards and supports either local or distributed briefing or debriefing tasks, to include transferring and receiving audio and visual brief/debrief data of the mission scenario.

f) The MTC shall be available (ready for Government use) on normal duty days (5 days per week) at all sites. The Tinker AFB sites will operate for 16 consecutive hours per day, and the Elmendorf AFB and Kadena AB sites will operate for eight consecutive hours per day. All sites shall be available for surge operations outside the normal operational hours, including contingency operations for 24 hours-a-day for up to three consecutive days.

g) Because the AWACS MTC is a secure facility, the contractor will be required to provide access control to the facility on a continuous basis at all three locations. This includes controlling the access of all personnel using a badge system during the hours of operation (including surge). All personnel entering or controlling access to the MTC facility must have the appropriate security clearances.

h) Instructors and courseware will be provided by the Air Force. The contractor will be responsible for system operation; system maintenance; product baseline management; and training system modification. The MTCs must be maintained in a fully operational status and available for use 99% of the time. The contractor will keep training devices concurrent with the changing configuration of the fielded E-3 and insert new technology as it becomes available. A program to rapidly insert and validate new technology and/or systems that improve training capability and facilitates hardware/software concurrency is required.

i) The MTC shall have a scenario generation capability. All previously created training scenarios shall be executable/compatible in the new devices. The performance requirements for scenario generation will be specified in a requirements document that ASC/WNS will provide in the RFP.

j) The contractor shall support system testing, verifications, and Simulator Certifications (SIMCERT). The contractor will be subject to AFI 36-2248 acceptance testing requirements.

III. RFI Response. In response to this RFI, please provide the following information:

Part I: Business Information Please provide the following business information for your company and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

· Company Name:

· Address:

· Point of Contact:

· CAGE Code:

· Phone Number:

· E-mail Address:

· Web Page URL:

· North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: 333319 Teaching Machines (Flight Simulators). Size standard: 500 employees. Based on the NAICS Code, state whether your company is:

(*) If you answered yes, please explain whether your company would be capable of meeting the requirements of FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting.

Part II: Competition Considerations and Business Strategies Competitive Services – Risks and Challenges:

The Government is formulating ideas, concepts, and strategies on how best to foster competition on this effort. Market research to date has identified significant risks and challenges inherent in a competitive procurement such as:

· Incumbent owns all hardware and data rights.

· Limited GFE hardware and limited Government GFI available.

· Period of performance under consideration is between 5 and 10 years.

Industry Inputs to Facilitate Competition The Government requests that you provide in your response any concepts, ideas, and strategies that would facilitate a sound and transparent competition. Please note responses regarding this portion of the RFI may be used in the formulation of an acquisition strategy and may be shared publicly, on a non-attribution basis, during industry days and other pre-solicitation activities. Therefore, only non-proprietary, non-sensitive responses shall be provided.

a) Describe your company’s experience in providing simulation services for networked high-fidelity training devices and simulations similar to the AWACS. Include a brief description of the work performed, length of effort, and agency/organization supported.

b) Describe your specific experience and capabilities with DMOs, high-fidelity training devices and simulations, threat generation, and scenario creation for AWACS training in a classified environment.

c) Are there any other relevant topics, concerns, and information that will help the Government in forming an acquisition strategy?

Please e-mail your responses to steve.godby@wpafb.af.mil and amanda.morris@wpafb.af.mil by 1700 EDT, 14 July 2011. Also, please mail an original signed copy of your response, postmarked on or before the same date, to:

ASC/WNSK

Attn: Steve Godby, Contracting Officer 2300 D Street, Bldg 32 Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7249

(937) 255-3748 Technical questions regarding this RFI should be directed to Ms. Kelly Morris, Program Manager, ASC/WNSPB, (937) 255-8655.

Marketing materials are considered an insufficient response to this RFI. Please limit responses to no more than 20 pages, and identify a representative to support further Government inquiries and requests for clarification of the information provided, if needed. Respondents should indicate which portions of their response are proprietary and should mark them accordingly.