FA8723-23-R-0007_SysOps_Trainer RFI_v2_20221220.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Systems Operations Trainer

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Systems Operations Trainer

SSC/SZQK

20 December 2022

FA8723-23-R-0007

1.0 Description

1.1 The Space Systems Command (SSC) in support of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Cheyenne Mountain Complex-Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment (NCMC-ITW/AA) Program Office is seeking information on how interested vendor/contractor could provide a trainer to perform initial and mission qualification, requalification, and continuation training of System Controller personnel located at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station (CMSFS).

1.2 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 Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Space Force is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Those responding are advised that the 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 RFP, if any is issued.

2.0 Background

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Cheyenne Mountain Complex-Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment (NCMC-ITW/AA) and Legacy Space systems provides timely, accurate, unambiguous, and continuous warning and attack assessment of air, missile and space threats to North America, and geographical theaters. This system integrates and correlates missile launch and air surveillance information from certified sources to assess the nature of an enemy launch/attack and issues warnings to the US National Command Authority, Canadian National Leadership, National military Command center and war-fighting Combatant Commanders. NCMC-ITW/AA and Legacy Space Command and Control (C2) systems provide NORAD/NORTHCOM, USSTRATCOM, and US Space Force command with the information management, decision aids, and connectivity required to monitor, assess, plan, and execute assigned strategic and theater missile warning, space operations, and missile defense missions. The Combatant Commanders Integrated Command and Control System (CCIC2S) is a unique, integrated, C2 “system of systems,” to provide data communication between external sensors and end users; mission processing for air and missile warning mission and system operations functions. The system supports national strategic objectives for the Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) community and provides missile and air warning information to theater combatant commanders. The system consists of terrestrial and space-based sensor outputs, C2 nodes, and communication and dissemination links, connecting the US and Canadian defense information networks. Emerging threats require new and innovative Strategic C2 approaches for strategic warning time analysis, attack origination identification, weapon system identification, multi-phenomenology track custody, event correlation, threat determination, and multi-domain attack characterization. Legacy Space C2 systems include Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC)/ SPADOC Emulation Analysis Risk Reduction (SPEAR) and a front-end communications system the Communications Processing Subsystem (CPS).

3.0 Problem Set

The System Center in CMSFS requires a Systems Operations trainer to perform initial and mission qualification, requalification, and continuation training of System Controller personnel. The trainer must emulate the behavior and performance of the operational Systems Operations to the greatest extent possible yet operate independently of the operational Systems Operations and any other systems (i.e. – a standalone trainer). The contractor shall be aware that NCMC-ITW/AA Program Office is in the process of updating the Systems Operations user interface from HP OpenView to OBM; the contractor’s technical solution recommendations shall encompass both user interfaces. SZQK is seeking a highly qualified contractor able to design and implement a Systems Operations standalone trainer, as detailed below.

3.1 Delivery Period: Expected Period of Performance – To be determined (TBD).

3.2 Limitations:

3.2.1 The contractor will be reporting to the System Program Office (SPO).

3.2.2 The Systems Operations code is classified at the SECRET level.

3.3 Security Requirements:

3.3.1 Responses shall be Unclassified Only.

3.3.2 Contractor personnel will require a SECRET level security clearance to access the System Center facility.

3.3.3 If the contractor will perform work at their facility, it must be classified to the SECRET level, at a minimum.

4.0 Anticipated Scope of Work

The strategy to implement a trainer for System Center is divided into two phases. Phase I will be to analyze and develop recommendations for the government to approve. Recommendations will include benefits and limitations as well as cost tradeoff information for each design presented. Phase II will implement the government approved design.

4.1 Phase I: Strategy

The purpose of this phase is to analyze and develop a stand-alone trainer technical solution. At the conclusion phase, the contractor shall provide a report detailing the recommended technical solution, to include a design, build of materials (BOM), schedule, manpower estimate, cost estimate, and sustainment plan that includes a process to keep the trainer updated with the current version of operational Systems Operations software. In addition to the report, the contractor shall provide initial training materials in the form of a slideshow (or similar product) depicting screenshots of the Systems Operations user interface (UI) as trainees progress throughout the required training scenarios. The contractor shall also provide the required wall mounted displays for the trainer, as determined in the design, upon approval from the Government.

4.1.1 The contractor shall evaluate various technical solutions, such as on premise, virtualized, and cloud based, for both the current HP OpenView UI and the future OBM UI.

· If the contractor recommends initially deploying the trainer with HP OpenView UI, the technical solution shall also support OBM UI with minimal rework.

· The contractor shall design the trainer to emulate the behavior and performance of the operational Systems Operations to the greatest extent possible.

· The contractor shall design the trainer to depict the operational Systems Operations UI on the wall mounted displays to the greatest extent possible.

4.1.2 The System Center Trainer technical solution report shall:

· Include all training scenarios and system configurations (1R, 2R, 4R, etc.) required for System Controller qualification.

· Include timing information based on System Center response requirements, and CCIC2S and Space Domain Awareness system requirements for application state changes identified in the appropriate System Requirements Document and System/Subsystem requirements documents

· Include screen capture, recording, and logging capabilities.

· Include trainee audio/video recording capabilities.

· Include the capability for scenario playback with user inputs and trainee audio/video for retrospective analysis.

· Include one (1) instructor position, one (1) system administrator position, and one (1) trainee position. Each position shall have a dedicated keyboard, mouse, phone, and display. The Systems Operations UI shall be depicted on wall mounted displays.

· Provide the capability for the instructor position to generate, load, start, stop, edit, save, delete, pause, rewind, advance, and restart training scenarios; change the status of equipment and circuits ad hoc during scenario execution without stopping the scenario; and augment scenarios during scenario execution in defined focus areas (e.g. – cybersecurity, database resets, etc.)

· Provide the capability for the trainee position to respond to scenarios and inputs by altering system configuration (“change flags”), the Integrated Space Command and Control (ISC2) Reset Service feature, and the Communications Processing System (CPS) System Configuration feature.

4.2 Phase II: Implementation

· Immediate efforts will include procuring any material needed to implement the government approved design. The contractor shall implement outcomes from the government approved design and corroborate with prime contractor. Contractor shall employ the software development standards, processes, integration, and test methods as defined in the NCMC-ITW/AA and Space Support Contract (NISSC) Operations, Maintenance, and Support (OM&S) Software Development Plan and Configuration Management Plan. The contractor shall employ all hardware standards, processes, integration, and test methods as defined in the NISSC OM&S configuration management plan.

4.3 Additional requirements included in delivery of Systems Operations Trainer The following additional requirements are anticipated:

· A complete technical documentation package related to the engineering, management, test, and logistics support for the training device

· Training for on-site operators and maintainers

· Option for training device spares

5.0 Requested Information

The Government is seeking to identify potential vendors who have experience developing a trainer to perform to perform initial and mission qualification, requalification, and continuation training of System Controller personnel to achieve the objectives outlined below:

· Stand Alone Trainer

· Develop a government approved technical solution for implementation of a dynamic, flexible training system to perform to perform initial and mission qualification, requalification, and continuation training of System Controller personnel

· The technical solution supports ten (10) system controller and five (5) senior system controller training scenarios or modules.

· The technical solution provides scenarios for all system configurations (1R, 2R, 4R, etc.)

· The technical solution displays system time based on application input/output status.

· The technical solution scenarios capture timing information based on CCIC2S system requirements for application state changes identified in the CCIC2S System Requirements Document and System/Subsystem requirements documents.

· The technical solution provides randomized configuration change save duration, with the ability for the trainer position to edit save duration manually.

· The technical solution provides screen capture and recording capabilities, and logs.

· The technical solution will have wall mounted displays to support two (2) Correlation Centers to support failover scenarios

· The technical solution will should include support for one (1) Instructor position.

· Instructor Position

· The technical solution should allow the instructor position to load scenarios; make changes to scenarios; ability to save, delete, pause, and restart scenarios; able to augment scenarios during scenario execution in defined focus areas. (Note: Defined focus areas include cybersecurity, database resets, etc.)

· The technical solution should allow the instructor position to be able to change the status of equipment during scenario execution; able to change the status of circuits during scenario execution; and display on the Wall Mounted Displays.

· The technical solution should have an instructor position workstation with the following: (2) Monitors, Keyboard, Mouse, and phone

· Trainee Position

· The technical solution should support for one (1) Trainee position.

· The technical solution should provide active screen capture or record trainee screen activity; able to be displayed on the Wall Mounted Displays.

· The technical solution should have a trainee position workstation with the following: (2) Monitors, Keyboard, Mouse, and phone

· System Administration Position

· The technical solution should support a system administration or MSD position (optional) position workstation to include (2) Monitors, keyboard, Mouse, and phone

· The technical solution should support the System Administration or MSD position operator actions to be displayed on the Wall Mounted Displays.

· Examples of previous efforts/solutions that meet training requirement

6.0 Responses

6.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper.

6.2 White papers are due no later than 31 January 2023, 1200 MST. Responses shall be clearly marked as “Unclassified” in classification and limited to ten pages relative to paragraph four above and submitted via e-mail to Mr. Corey Chopko at corey.chopko@spaceforce.mil and Mr. Kurt Brunnemer at kurt.brunnemer@spaceforce.mil. In addition, the White Paper submission should be limited to 10MB. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

6.3 The white paper shall provide administrative information, and shall include the following as a minimum:

6.3.1 Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact.

6.3.2 Recommended contracting strategy.

6.3.3 Recommended staffing plan/skillsets to complete the proposed effort.

6.3.4 Recommended Level of Effort (LoE) estimated total hours to complete project.

6.3.5 Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services. “Small business concern” means a concern, including its affiliates that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, averaging no more than 35 million dollars in annual receipts. Respondents are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only. Additional standards and conditions apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.

6.3.6 Identify which GWAC pools that are vendors are qualified under, and to provide an example of work of similar scope and magnitude that was completed under the GWAC pool(s).

6.3.7 The facility security clearance of the respondent.

The number of pages in the administrative section of the white paper shall not be included in the ten-page limitation. The ten-page limitation applies only to the technical portion of the white paper.

7.0 Industry Discussions

SSC representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential respondents. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks.

8.0 Questions

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to Mr. Corey Chopko at corey.chopko@spaceforce.mil and Mr. Kurt Brunnemer at kurt.brunnemer@spaceforce.mil by 15 January 2023, 1200 MST and shall clearly be marked as UNCLASSIFIED classification. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions will be answered by posting answers in response to this RFI. Accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 15 January 2023, 1200 MST will be answered.

9.0 Summary

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can establish a data harmonization solution. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Space Force has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.