FDL Section L Final.pdf

Section L

Instruction to Offerors

Proposal Requirements

I. Proposal Format

A. General: The following instructions cover the preparation and submittal of the offeror’s proposal for this solicitation. Offerors must follow the instructions contained herein. Offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP may cause their proposal to be determined not eligible for award. If a joint venture arrangement exists for this acquisition, the offeror shall provide a copy of the joint venture agreement that is signed and dated by all joint venture members as part of the proposal submission. Offerors shall submit only one proposal for the Flare Data Logger as the Government will review only one proposal per offeror. Proposals must be submitted via AMRDEC SAFE at https://safe.apps.mil/ and received by AFLCMC/EBHKC, Attention Lauren Johnston (lauren.johnston.4@us.af.mil) no later than the date and time specified in Block 8 on the face page of the RFP.

B. Communications: Exchanges of source selection information between Government and offerors will be controlled by the Contracting Officer. Email may be used to transmit such information only if the email can be sent encrypted, and must include “Source Selection

Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104” in the subject line of the email. In order to facilitate the sending and receiving of encrypted emails, offerors must use MS Outlook email configured to support encryption or a different email product that is S/MIME compatible and configured to support encryption. When submitting your source selection information via encrypted email, you will need to contact the Buyer/Contracting Officer indicated on the face page of the solicitation prior to that first submittal in order to exchange certificates used for encryption. To ensure the process is working correctly, send a test encrypted message first (without including any source selection information). Otherwise, source selection information will be transmitted via AMRDEC SAFE at https://safe.apps.mil/.When submitting source selection information via email, file suppression utilities, to include but not limited to zip files, will not be accepted.

II. Volume Organization

A. General: Proposals shall be submitted to the Government in fill in number separate volumes as set forth below:

VOLUME PAGE LIMIT NUMBER OF

COPIES

DESCRIPTION

I 35 1 Completed RFP

II 25 1 Written Technical

Proposal

III 5 1 Past Performance

IV 5 1 Cost/Price Proposal

1. The page limitation for Volume II, Technical Proposal is 25 pages. The page limitations https://safe.apps.mil/ include any cover page, charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, supporting illustrations, spreadsheets, etc., but excludes any table of contents or list of acronyms (if utilized). Offerors are cautioned that any pages that exceed the page limitations shall not be read but shall be removed and either retained in the contract file without being considered in the evaluation, or, sent back to the offeror.

2. Page limitations may be placed on responses to Evaluation Notices (ENs), if issued. The specified page limits for EN responses will be identified in the letters forwarding the ENs to offerors or on the EN form itself.

3. Each page containing proprietary information should be so marked.

B. Volume I, Completed RFP

1. General: Volume I, Completed RFP shall consist of the completed and signed RFP, to include any amendments issued, with a cover letter delineating any exceptions taken to the RFP terms and conditions with accompanying rationale. However, offerors are cautioned that any noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP may cause their proposal to be determined unacceptable and therefore not considered eligible for award. Offerors shall ensure that all clauses and provisions that require “fill in” information are appropriately completed, including the proposed prices associated with the contract line items in the

Schedule of the RFP.

C. Volume II, Written Technical Proposal

1. General: The written technical proposal shall be clear, concise, and include all the information required by this provision in sufficient detail for effective evaluation. The proposal should not simply rephrase or restate the Government’s requirements, but rather shall provide convincing rationale to address how the offeror intends to meet these requirements. Offerors shall assume the Government has no prior knowledge of their capabilities, work processes, facilities, and experience and will base its evaluation on the information presented in the offeror’s technical proposal.

2. Format and Specific Content: The following information shall be provided in the written technical proposal and will be evaluated to assess technical acceptability in accordance with

Section M, Evaluation Basis for Award. The written technical proposal shall address each of the following sub factors to describe the offeror’s proposed approach to performing the requirements set forth in the Statement of Work (SOW).

Sub factor one: Size Constraint - the design will be a self-contained functional unit that fits within the following form factor:

1. Weight: Gross Weight: 0.44 lbs

2. Overall External Dimensions: 8.05” (length) x 0.97” (width) x 0.97” (height)

3. Approximate working space: 6.5” (length) x 0.825” (width) x 0.825” (height)

4. Electrical Connections: None

This sub factor is met when the contractor provides a detailed plan as to how all proposed components will conform to the size constraint. An adequate response to this sub factor may include any initial models of component orientation, dimensions of components proposed, potential paths of modification if problems arise, and plans for potential size/efficiency trade study.

Sub factor two: Measurement Accuracy - the individual sensors, vibration, temperature, pressure, and vibration will meet the following standards of accuracy and be certified to applicable National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) standards:

Vibration: The contractor shall use accelerometers that will have the capacity to record data for:

1. A threshold of a 2 ± 0.1 second duration with a sample rate of at least 2500 Hz occurring every 600 ± 2 seconds when in active operation for a minimum length of 12 hours. Measure up to 8 G with a resolution of 0.01 G.

2. An objective of a 3 ± 0.1 second duration with a sample rate of at least 5000 Hz occurring every 120 ± 2 seconds when in active operation for a minimum length of 12 hours. Measure up to 80 G with a resolution of 0.001G.

Temperature: The contractor shall verify that the data is both accurate and precise, measuring in absolutes (-65℉ to 171℉ ±2℉) at 1 Hz over the duration of the vibration data recording.

Pressure: The contractor shall verify that the sensor is valid for use down to 10 kPa (up to

45k ft MSL) and suitable for the required altitude of the test and shall evaluate and record pressure data a 1 Hz over the duration of the vibration data recording.

This sub factor is met when the contractor provides a technically sufficient plan as to how they propose to test the completed prototype for measurement accuracy requirements in a way that will provide confidence of the test results such as using calibrated equipment traceable to NIST standards.

Sub factor Three: Durability - The contractor will demonstrate through proposed design how risk of damage to the device during flight will be mitigated. Success will be determined by the ability of the unit to pass 3 axis vibrational testing at 3 temperatures for a total of 9 hours of random vibration in accordance with the requirements described in MIL-STD-810H, Test Method 514.8, Test Procedure I, Category 12 (Jet Aircraft).

This sub factor is met when the contractor provides a technically sufficient plan as to how they propose to test the completed prototype for durability requirements in a way that will provide confidence of the test results such as using calibrated equipment traceable to NIST standards.

D. Volume III, Past Performance

Past Performance Factor - Limited to no more than 3 pages per contract citation listed. Only references for relevant past efforts/contracts are desired. Only need to submit one version.

(a) Quality and Satisfaction Rating for Contracts Completed in the Past Three Years:

Provide any information currently available (letters, metrics, customer surveys, independent surveys, etc.) which demonstrates customer satisfaction with overall job performance and quality of completed product for relevant past efforts/contracts (similar in scope and magnitude of effort and complexities this solicitation requires). In addition, explain corrective actions taken in the past, if any, for substandard performance and any current performance problems such as cost overruns, extended performance periods, numerous warranty calls, etc.

(b) Performance Surveys: The government will evaluate the quality and extent of offeror's performance deemed relevant to the requirements of this RFP. The government will use information submitted by the offeror and any other sources of information available to the

Government to assess past performance. Provide a list of no more than five (5) of the most relevant contracts performed for Federal agencies and commercial customers within the last three

(3) years. Relevant contracts include effort(s) that included working with data logger or similar technology. The effort(s) must have included size constraints and accuracy requirements, and in addition, included some engineering analysis, the use of trade studies or an equivalent iterative method to reduce component options to a more efficient device.

The evaluation of past performance information will not take into account past performance information regarding predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience, or subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement when such information is relevant to the instant acquisition. Furnish the following information for each contract citation submitted:

(i) Company/Division name

(ii) Product/Service

(iii) Contracting Agency/Customer

(iv) Contract Number

(v) Contract Dollar Value

(vi) Period of Performance

(vii) Verified, up-to-date name, address, FAX & telephone number of the contracting officer

(viii) Comments regarding compliance with contract terms and conditions

(ix) Comments regarding any known performance deemed unacceptable to the customer, or not in accordance with the contract terms and conditions.

If a teaming arrangement is contemplated, provide complete information as to the arrangement, including any relevant and recent past performance information on previous teaming arrangements with same partner. If this is a first time joint effort, each party to the arrangement must provide a list of past relevant contracts.

(c) Subcontractor Consent: Past performance information pertaining to a subcontractor cannot be disclosed to the prime offeror without the subcontractor’s consent. Provide with the proposal a letter from all subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement, consenting to the release of their past performance information to the prime contractor.

(d). Documents submitted in response to this RFP must be fully responsive to and consistent with the following:

1. Requirements of the RFP (CLINs & SOW) and government standards and regulations pertaining to the SOW.

2. Evaluation Factors for Award in Section M of this RFP.

3. Any limitation on the number of proposal pages. Pages exceeding the page limitations set forth in this Section L will not be read or evaluated, and will be removed from the proposal.