Amend No 1_Attachment No. 4 _ MUSE Industry Day Question & Answer.pdf

MUSE INDUSTRY DAY – 17 JUNE 2025 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Will the Industry Day slides be available?

a. Yes, the slides were sent out to all Industry Day attendees on 18 June 2025 via email by Matt Zawisza, MUSE Acquisition Program Manager, and they are also posted here for any additional interested parties.

2. Will there be a consortium as the prime?

a. No, consortiums are typically utilized when the Gov’t is intending for the use of Other Transactions (OT) vehicles. While the Acquisition Strategy has not been approved yet, the use of a FAR-based IDIQ contract is intended for this requirement based on the scope and nature of the requirements. There are statutory limitations on use of OTs (e.g., deliverables must be prototypes (OT for Prototype), or supplies needed for test and experimentation (OT for Experimentation)) that would limit the Government’s ability to satisfy the full spectrum of requirements set forth in the SOW.

3. Does AFRL view this as Non-R&D Services acquisition in IAW DAFI 63-138.

a. No, this effort is not for services IAW DAFI 63-138.

4. What is the time frame for the Sources Sought?

a. Targeting last quarter of FY25.

5. How long is the Technical Library open for?

a. The Technical Library will open by request/appointment only through the release of the Request for Proposal (RFP). See question 6 for access requirements.

6. How do you make an appointment for the Technical Library?

a. Appointments for access may be made by contacting Matthew Zawisza, 315-330-

4922, e-mail matthew.zawisza@us.af.mil and AFRL.CUAS.PMO@us.af.mil at least forty-eight hours in advance. The library contains technical data subject to export control. Prior to review, potential offerors must submit a copy of an approved DD Form 2345, "Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement" (may be obtained at http://www.dlis.dla.mil,) along with a letter from the Data Custodian designated on that form, authorizing access by whomever will be reviewing the library, to ATTN: Matthew Zawisza, Air Force Research Laboratory/RIGD, 525 Brooks Rd, Rome, NY 13441, or emailed to matthew.zawisza@us.af.mil and AFRL.CUAS.PMO@us.af.mil.

7. Can a small business reply to the RFP if this effort is not determined to be a small business set aside?

a. Yes, even if not determined to be a small business set-aside, small businesses will be encouraged to respond/propose. (Acquisition Strategy still pending) mailto:AFRL.CUAS.PMO@us.af.mil

8. Is this going to be a Multiple Award IDIQ?

a. While the Acquisition Strategy is not approved yet, the Government does not intend for this effort to be a Multiple Award IDIQ. In order to meet the users’ critical schedule to combat UAS threat, and due to the required synchronicity and top level systems engineering between both the new capabilities to be developed and changes to fielded software baseline, this IDIQ is intended to be a single award.

9. How will the Sources Sought notice be used to determine if this program will be a Small Business Set-Aside?

a. Responses to the sources sought notice will be requested from small businesses and will be used for market research purposes and possible set-aside. Should the determination be made to select this as a small business set-aside, another notice will be posted reflecting such. Respondents to the announcement should indicate whether they are a small business, 8(a) concern, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small-disadvantaged business, or women-owned small business. As discussed at FAR 19.502-2(b)(1) and (2), in making small business set-asides, there must be a reasonable expectation that offers will be obtained from at least two responsible small business concerns and, for R&D work, a reasonable expectation of obtaining from small businesses the best scientific and technological sources consistent with the demands of the proposed acquisition for the best mix of cost, performances, and schedules.

In addition, please note that FAR 19.505(b)(1) states that a small business concern is subject to the limitations on subcontracting, regardless of dollar value for 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and women-owned small business, and is required to comply as follows:

For a contract or order assigned a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for services (except construction), it will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the concern’s 50 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. Other direct costs may be excluded to the extent they are not the principal purpose of the acquisition and small business concerns do not provide the service, such as airline travel, cloud computing services, or mass media purchases according to 13 CFR §125.6.

When a contract includes both services and supplies, the 50 percent limitation shall apply only to the service portion of the contract. See FAR 19.505(b) for complete details.

For a contract or order assigned a NAICS code for supplies or products (other than a procurement from a nonmanufacturer of such supplies or products), the concern will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance, excluding the cost of materials, to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the concern's 50 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. When a contract includes both supplies and services, the 50 percent limitation shall apply only to the supply portion of the contract.

A similarly situated entity is defined as a small business subcontractor that is a participant of the same small business program as the prime contractor and is small for the NAICS code assigned by the prime contractor to the subcontract.

Only a first-tier subcontractor, however, can be counted as a similarly situated entity.

The period of time used to calculate compliance with the limitations on subcontracting will be the base term and then each subsequent option period.

For task orders issued under total or partial set-aside contracts, the contracting officer can also require the firm to comply with the limitations on subcontracting for each order. For task orders set aside for small business under full-and-open contracts, the agency will use the period of performance for each order to determine compliance.

The 50 percent participation for supplies and services can be achieved by small businesses using a joint venture as long as the joint venture agrees that their combined effort meets the 50 percent requirement. If the joint venture involves a small business protégé and its mentor approved by the SBA, the small business protégé must perform at least 40 percent of the work performed by the joint venture. This work must be more than administrative functions. See FAR 52.219- 14(g) for complete details.

Large businesses are also requested to respond to express their interest in submitting a proposal, should this acquisition not be a small business set-aside.

10. Will this contract vehicle be used by other DoD agencies?

a. This IDIQ is intended to be for MUSE requirements across AFRL, other military services, as well as DoD and other Federal agencies, as long as it’s approved by AFRL and within scope of the contract. All ordering will be centralized through

AFRL/RIK.

11. Are there limitations for on-boarding (adding subcontractors)?

a. There are no limitations. However, if the effort is set-aside for small business, compliance with the clause at FAR 52.219-14, Limitation on Subcontracting will be required.

12. Will the Task Orders be openly sent out?

a. Pending acquisition strategy approval, Task Orders would be sent directly to the Prime once selected, via a Request for Proposal. While developing their proposal a prime may incorporate subcontractors based on the prime’s approach to the requirement.

13. How are you preventing the Prime from not giving awards to the subcontractor?

a. The Government is not privy to the relationships/contracts of that of a prime and subcontractors. As this is the case, the Government does not provide any assurances to the subcontractor. With that said, if a Large Business were to be the successful offeror, and a small business plan is in place at time of award, pending federal regulations at time of award, then the Government would be required to review those plans on a bi-annual basis and in general, monitor the Prime’s performance throughout the effort.

14. Are small business set asides going away?

a. At this time, it is unknown, this award will follow all applicable regulations as are set in place.

15. Will there be an opportunity to discuss classified information prior to the RFP?

a. No, not at this time.

16. What Data Rights are expected?

a. Unknown at this time, Unlimited Rights are preferred where agility is needed.

17. Will there be CONUS and OCONUS applicability?

a. Yes