FWS-S - RFI v4.pdf

RFI for Thermal Weapon Sight

30 October 2024

Request for Information

1.0 Description

This Request for Information (RFI) is for market research purposes only. The purpose of this RFI is to identify potential sources of supply and assist the Government in determining potential responsible sources as well as their technical and production capabilities.

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. Respondees are advised that the U.S. 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 Requirement

The Product Manager Soldier Maneuver and Precision Targeting (PdM SMPT), is conducting market research by releasing this Request for Information (RFI) asking for the submittal of White Papers regarding potential sources that are capable of delivering a thermal weapon sight that provides visibility during night/day and degraded battlefield or weather condition and provides bullet trace capability. The information received will support completion of the Government’s acquisition strategy for the Family of Weapon Sights-Sniper (FWS-S) Program.

PdM SMPT rapidly delivers integrated sensors that enable the Soldier system to detect and engage against all threats. This includes technology that provides Army with thermal enablers/sights for the sniper weapons.

Sources within the United States are sought for solutions for a thermal system which can provide Army Warfighters with bullet trace capability and provide hit confirmation to targets as described in Enclosure 1. The vendors are expected to provide their own complete system. The Government is seeking information from interested companies to introduce their own solution/product to meet the requirements listed in Enclosure 1 and possibly consider a competitively awarded contract. The Government anticipates funding the production qualification of this system, but prospective systems are expected to be Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL 9) at award. The Government expects the proposed vendor to have a Manufacturing Readiness Level 9 (MRL 9).

Information regarding sustainment of legacy systems is not required as part of this RFI.

However, use of existing Interface Controls, existing standards, and creative approaches to sustain future systems in coordination with Government depots are desired. Partnering arrangements among the Government and vendors within Industry are also encouraged.

Requirements provided in Enclosure 1 represents the key elements to meet the Government’s need. If an industry partner can improve upon the enclosed requirements, then please provide that information. If a requirement or set of requirements simply cannot be met or has a significant negative impact on cost / schedule / performance, then highlight such information.

Responses to this RFI represent a unique opportunity to influence both what the FWS-S program will produce (requirements) and how FWS-S production will be achieved (strategy).

3.0 Business Information

1. Company name, address, CAGE Code, DUNS, POC name, phone, and email;

2. Does your company desire to be the prime contractor for the award, or interested as a subcontractor to a prime contractor?

3. Within the last (5) years, does your company:

Have relevant experience described in this RFI. Provide a summary of experience to include skills, expertise and years of experience. Then for recent relevant awards provide a detailed narrative that includes contract number, contract value, period of performance, whether your company was the prime contractor or subcontractor, Government /Agency/Company point of contact name(s) with current telephone number/email address, briefly explain the scope, and provide a description of how the contract scope relates to this potential solicitation.

a. List each separately by relevant contract along with narrative.

b. Explain how this relevant experience relates to the requirements in this RFI.

4. Please indicate your company's size standard based on the primary The Small Business Size Standard for NAICS code 335999 is 500 employees, or you may also propose an alternative NAICS along with rational for why it’s a better fit. The Product Service Code (PSC) selected is 5820, you may also propose an alternative PSC along with rational for why it’s a better fit. For more information, refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/table- small-business-size-standards.

For Small Businesses:

a. Identify the applicable socio-economic category SDB/8a /HUBZone /WOSB/ EDWOSB/VOSB /SDVOSB /HBCU/MI etc):

b. Identify your company's small business size standard based on the assigned NAICS. For more information refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards.

c. If your company is interested to prime this effort and if awarded a contract, will you comply with the limitation on subcontracting? If so, indicate (with support rationale) how your company would be compliance given the restrictions identified in the National http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small-business-size-standards

Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013, which states that at least 50 percent of the total contract cost will be performed by the small business prime contractor or small businesses with similarly situated entities.

Reference: PL 112-239-Jan.2, 2013, NDAA FY2013 as amended, at Title XVI, Subtitle C, Part IV, Section 1651 discusses limitations on subcontracting.

6. Does your company have SECRET Level Clearance for:

a. Facilities Clearance: Yes/No?

4.0 Technical

Describe in detail your solution or introduce your system that meets the goals stated in Enclosure

1. The white paper should be brief and concise, yet clearly demonstrate an ability and understanding to either (1) meet or exceed each goal as written, or (2) if one or more goals are assessed as unachievable, describe what level of capability could reasonably be achieved by an anticipated contract award date (3QFY25).

Additionally, please specifically address the following items in the white paper:

a. Provide an estimate of the earliest date that demonstration hardware could be available for evaluation and when a qualified system could be available.

b. Provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimate of unit prices for annual quantities of 180 per year, and the level of anticipated internal and Government investment to achieve a qualified system.

c. Describe the estimated current TRL level of the proposed approach.

d. Describe the current MRL level of the solution.

e. Describe other emerging, novel technologies not considered in Enclosure 1 that would add capability or value toward achieving the program goals.

f. Describe approach for sustaining future systems with Army depots and/or other partnering relationships to include maintaining and providing OEM repairs.

g. Identify past efforts in development and production of portable, battery operated targeting systems that incorporate thermal imagers, day imagers, laser range finders/designators, SAASM compliant GPS cards, and azimuth sensing devices into compact packages, or other devices which incorporate any combination of these technologies.

h. Is the product currently commercially available? If so, please provide brochure, website, etc.

i. What, if any, efforts are required to put the product into production, along with estimated milestones and timelines.

j. Are there any proprietary interfaces or royalties associated with the product?

k. If you do currently offer products that provide the capabilities described in this RFI, what warranties do you offer, if any, and what are they based upon (time, performance, etc.)? If the technology is in production, what has been the reliability of the product(s)?

l. What components of your product(s) are made outside the United States, and what percentage of the total product does that constitute?

5.0 Responses

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

White papers in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat compatible format are due no later than 3pm on 29 November 2024. Responses shall be limited to 15 pages in length single sided, submitted via e-mail to Matt.j.mcneely.civ@army.mil AND Jennifer.L.Barnes78.civ@army.mil. Please provide all correspondence sent via email containing a subject line that reads “FWS-S RFI Response 2024”. Attachments with files ending in .zip or .exe are not allowable and will be deleted. Ensure only .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xsls, or .xls documents are attached to your email. All other attachments may be deleted. Data sheets, existing commercial documentation and/or product literature can also be submitted, and if included, do not count towards the 15 page maximum. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All information received shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure.

Responses must be unclassified. Government will be utilizing non-government personnel that have Non-Disclosure Agreements on file with the Government.

6.0 Disclaimer

Note: The government will respond to questions from industry for ten (10) business days from the posting date of this RFI. All questions shall be made via e-mail. Telephone requests for additional information will not be honored. For questions, potential respondents shall e-mail Jennifer Barnes, Jennifer.L.Barnes78.civ@army.mil and Matt J. Mcneely, Matt.j.mcneely.civ@army.mil.

Proposals are not being requested or accepted at this time. As stipulated in FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. No solicitation (Request for Proposal) exists at this time;

therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. The decision to solicit for a contract shall be solely within the Government’s discretion.

mailto:Matt.j.mcneely.civ@army.mil mailto:%20Jennifer.L.Barnes78.civ@army.mil

Any information submitted by respondents to this notice is voluntary. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government reimburse any costs associated with the submission of information in response to this notice. Respondents will not be individually notified of the results of any Government assessments. The Government’s assessment of the white papers received will factor into whether any forthcoming solicitation will be conducted as a full and open competition.

Data submitted in response to this RFI may be utilized to develop and document a formal RFP.

To prevent inadvertent disclosure in the RFP technical package, vendor responses shall clearly mark individual data elements that are considered proprietary in nature. The submitted responses and data will be reviewed by the Soldier Maneuver Sensors technical team which consists of both Government and embedded support contractor personnel.

Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any private sector input as a result of the market survey. The U.S. Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this survey. Any documentation provided will not be returned.

Please note, the Government is not required to provide feedback to RFI responders

Point of Contacts:

Matt J. Mcneely Contract Specialist Matt.j.mcneely.civ@army.mil

Mr. William Crosby Assistant Program Manager, Family of Weapons Sights - Sniper William.d.crosby2.civ@army.mil

(973) 294-8256

Secondary Point of Contact:

Ms. Jennifer Barnes Contracting Officer Jennifer.L.Barnes78.civ@army.mil mailto:Matt.j.mcneely.civ@army.mil