GMD Future MDA20GMRFI02_28Apr20.pdf

The Missile Defense Agency Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Element Capabilities

Request For Information

Approved for Public Release

20-MDA-10464 (28 April 2020)

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited.

Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System Engineering, Test, Homeland Defense

Interceptors and Ground Systems Development & Deliveries and Operations &

Sustainment Request For Information #3

Agency: Other Defense Agency

Office: Missile Defense Agency

Location: MDA-CTG

Solicitation Number: MDA20GMRFI02

Notice Type: Special Notice

Synopsis:

DESCRIPTION:

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is conducting market research to determine potential strategies and industry capabilities to execute the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD)

Systems Engineering and Integration, Development, System level Test, Production, Fielding, Operations, and Sustainment requirements.

This third Request for Information (RFI) is part of the overall market research activity to collect, organize, maintain, analyze and present data in accordance with Federal Acquisition

Regulation (FAR) Part 10.

This is a market research announcement for informational planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), nor is it to be construed as a commitment by

MDA. Information submitted will be considered as an exchange of information and may be used as part of future RFP(s). No RFP/solicitation will be issued at this time. Participation in this effort is strictly voluntary with no costs incurred or obligations made on behalf of MDA.

RFI responses will not be construed as an offer and will not be accepted by MDA to form a binding contract.

This RFI will assist MDA in making informed acquisition decisions related to Organizational

Conflicts of Interests (OCI). MDA is seeking Industry inputs on potential OCI strategies and interest in bidding based on potential OCI decisions as GMD develops future acquisition strategies.

Based on the level of interest and feedback on potential OCI strategies, the Government reserves the right to develop an acquisition strategy to pursue a solicitation as a single contract or as multiple contracts.

MDA reserves the right to request follow-up information and/or capability presentations from

RFI respondents, as needed, as a result of the information received from this RFI. The purpose of these follow-up questions and discussion is for MDA to better understand the market capabilities in relation to the various acquisition strategies available for this effort. Information received from follow-up questions and presentations is considered part of the overall market research activity per FAR Part 15.201.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND:

The GMD Program Element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) provides

Combatant Commanders the capability to engage and destroy intermediate and long-range ballistic missile threats in space to protect the U.S. homeland. The GMD Program Element integrates multiple sensors, communications systems, fire control capabilities, and Ground-

Based Interceptors (GBIs) to detect, track, and destroy intermediate and long-range ballistic missile threats during the midcourse phase of flight. The GMD Program Element is composed of two main components: GBIs and Ground Systems (GS), along with required communications, support equipment, training equipment, and facilities. The GMD Program

Element is a distributed capability with operational mission locations in Alaska, California, Colorado, and New York.

The GMD architecture provides for a defensive operations capability as well as the simultaneous conduct of operations, flight tests, ground tests, cybersecurity tests, and training.

MDA implements an evolutionary acquisition strategy to design, build, integrate, test, and field capabilities for missile defense in an incremental capability delivery approach.

Therefore, the GMD Program Element is involved simultaneously in multiple life cycle phases ranging from Product Development to Operations and Support.

As of April 2020, a single prime contractor manages the GMD Program Element under the

GMD Development and Sustainment Contract (DSC) HQ014712C0004/HQ014719C0004.

The DSC is a single contract that provides full end-to-end development and sustainment of the current GMD weapon system. The DSC’s period of performance is December 30, 2011 –

December 29, 2023.

GMD PROGRAM ELEMENT SCOPE:

GMD is currently exploring the work-scope construct of the activities defined in RFI #2 shown in figure 1 below:

Figure 1 - GMD Work Scope Construct

This GM construct uses five major thrust areas to encompass the full scope of the GMD mission system.

1. Next Generation Interceptor: Responsible for full lifecycle of new interceptors for

GMD.

2. Ground Systems (Legacy and Future): Responsible for full lifecycle of the new ground system and sustainment of the legacy ground system.

3. In-Service Fleet: Responsible for sustainment of the existing fleet of Ground-Based interceptors.

4. System Operations: Responsible for operating the weapon system in partnership with military operators, fleet maintenance scheduling and deconfliction, site operations and coordination with host units, test support, and depot and parts management

5. Weapon System Integrator (WSI): Responsible for overall GMD integration including physical and logical integration of the GMD components, GMD system and MDA enterprise level integration, planning and execution of all necessary testing to verify and validate overall requirements compliance.

MDA will assess respondents’ strategies and capabilities to perform and integrate the key requirements to develop, test, deliver, and sustain a major weapon system element.

The discussion below is intended to provide an overview of the scope of work needed to sustain the existing GMD Weapon System from as early as 2021 through 2031.

1. Next Generation Interceptor

The Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) scope includes the systems engineering, design, development, integration, testing and manufacturing of an All-Up Round (AUR). The NGI will consist of an integrated booster and payload system and ground silo infrastructure

(electrical, mechanical, and functional interfaces) capable of surviving both the natural and hostile environments while countering the emerging threats

- This effort is covered under an ongoing contract action including:

- Work in conjunction with the WSI lead and GS contractor for integration of the NGI component into the GMD Weapon System.

- Execute Component Level Design Reviews and support GMD Weapon System design reviews to ensure successful integration with the GM Weapon and the BMDS.

- Execute NGI-Level traceability of requirements through concept definition, requirements definition support, M&S development, CM, analysis of alternatives, MBSE, trade studies, architecture definition and modifications. Develop NGI modeling and simulation capabilities at multiple levels of fidelity to support Element and component architecture definition and performance assessment, with verification, validation, and accreditation to support GS, GMD

Weapon System and BMDS Tests.

- Establish metrics-based analytics to address definition and traceability of internal and external interfaces, algorithm and software development including verification and validation, system level physical and logical integration, component/product level integration, analysis of system effectiveness, program management, and weapon system data and lab management.

- Design, develop, integrate and test and deliver NGI capabilities in accordance with the sustainment. Develop software in accordance with DevSecOps.

- Participate in the integration and component-to-component testing of all products to ensure interoperability. Deliver Software and Hardware for GMD’s in-phase Software

Independent Verification and Validation of Software throughout the software development cycle.

- Conduct develop activities in the Government’s Integrated Digital Engineering

Environment (IDDE) including integration of digital M&S, development of processes, and

CM/DM across disciplines to support life cycle activities from concept thru disposal such as

MBSE, H/W Design, Product Based Logistics, DevSecOps, etc.

2. Ground System (GS) Component

- Execute design, development, integration, component-level test, delivery and deployment of GS components including the GMD Fire Control, In-Flight Interceptor

Communications System (IFICS), Data Terminals (IDT), GMD Communications Network

(GCN) and related communications components Launch Support Systems including Silos and

Silo Interface Vaults or Launch Equipment Rooms (not already included in the NGI work scope), and other GS related components included in the GMD Program Element of the

BMDS.

- Work in conjunction with the WSI lead, GM Operations and Sustainment activities and

AUR contractors for integration of the GS component into the GMD Weapon System

- Conduct develop activities in the Government’s Integrated Digital Engineering

Environment (IDDE) including integration of digital M&S, development of processes, and

CM/DM across disciplines to support life cycle activities from concept thru disposal such as

MBSE, H/W Design, Product Based Logistics, DevSecOps, etc.

- Execute Component Level Design Reviews and support GMD System design reviews to ensure successful integration with the GM Weapon and the BMDS.

-- Develop Component M&S capabilities at multiple levels of fidelity to support Element and component architecture definition and performance assessment, with verification, validation, and accreditation to support GS, GMD Weapon System and BMDS Tests.

- Execute GS-Level traceability of requirements through concept definition, requirements definition support, M&S development, CM, analysis of alternatives, MBSE, trade studies, architecture definition and modifications.

- Establish metrics-based analytics to address definition and traceability of internal and external interfaces, algorithm and software development including verification and validation, system level physical and logical integration, component/product level integration, analysis of system effectiveness, program management, and weapon system data and lab management.

- Execute the design, development, delivery and deployment of upgrades to the baseline via GS builds utilizing GS design specifications throughout the lifecycle of the products.

- Execute hardware and software upgrades in accordance with Government provided installation kits/packages. Establish relationships with the Systems Operations Contract depot/OEM to plan and execute both on-site and depot maintenance efforts required to support the GMD Program Element.

- Design, develop, integrate, test and deliver GS capabilities in accordance with the performance specification. Develop software in accordance with DevSecOps.

- Develop, install and verify new hardware and software upgrades and new maintenance hardware and software upgrades. Develop software in accordance with DevSecOps.

- Deliver Software and Hardware for GMD’s in-phase Software Independent Verification and Validation of Software throughout the software development cycle.

- Conduct GS developmental testing and provide HW/SW and support to GM Weapon system development and operational testing.

- Execute initial provisioning of required spares, repair parts, and consumables necessary to maintain the components of the GMD Program Element.

- Design GS training materials for OS contractor. Execute engineering releases, maintenance on current operational software, GMD allocated capability requirements, specifications, enhancements and defect repairs, designate a major or incremental software build, testing activities and fielding methods. Execute software and hardware to implement enhancements and defect correction in support of installed and test assets. Deploy software, hardware and firmware to each affected component at each test, training, and operational site and conduct a configuration controlled, quality witnessed checkout.

- Perform maintenance (preventative, scheduled, and corrective) of the GMD Program

Element and associated infrastructure. Plan and execute product support to meet or exceed system availability rates. Schedule and support coordination and synchronization of maintenance activities as required by the asset management.

- Operate and maintain provided GMD Element support and training equipment.

- Maintain the replenishing of required spares, repair parts, and consumables necessary to maintain the components of the GMD Program Element.

- Conduct institutional training, develop and maintain training materials, support and sustainment training, Warfighter certifications, maintain training system availability at the

GMD sites in Colorado Springs, Colorado and at Fort Greely, AK using current (existing)

GMD Fire Control training devices and support BMDS and Combatant Command (COCOM) exercises.

3. In-Service Fleet

- Execute maintenance, upgrade, integration, component level test, delivery and emplacement of GBIs as the GM AUR. The GBI fleet is made up of many configuration variations consisting of configuration (C) 1 and C2 Orbital Boost Vehicles (BV) and

Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) Capability Enhancement (CE) I, CEII, and CEII Block 1 and all up round integration.

- Execute AUR-Level traceability of requirements through concept definitions, requirements definition support, M&S, CM, analysis of alternatives, MBSE, trade studies, architecture definition and modifications.

- Work in conjunction with the WSI lead for integration of the In-Service fleet component into the GMD element- Establish metrics-based analytics to address definition and traceability of internal and external interfaces, algorithm and software development including verification and validation, system level physical and logical integration, component/product level integration, analysis of system effectiveness, program management, and weapon system data and lab management.

- Execute engineering releases, maintenance on current operational software, GMD allocated capability requirements, specifications, enhancements and defect repairs, designate a major or incremental software build, testing activities and fielding methods. Execute software and hardware to implement enhancements and defect correction in support of installed and test assets. Deploy software, hardware and firmware to each affected component at each test, training, and operational site and conduct a configuration controlled, quality witnessed checkout.

- Execute the maintenance tasks associated with the GMD Peculiar Support Equipment

(PSE) in accordance with the prescribed service intervals.

- Support the assessment and dispositioning of various forms of software and hardware trouble reports (e.g., Test Incident Reports (TIRs), Test Problem Reports (TPRs), discrepancy reports, nonconformance reports, and BMDS Discrepancy Reports (BDRs)) arising from operations; flight, ground, and cybersecurity test events; training installations; labs; and other installed locations.

- Support WSI efforts related to executing the integration and test all products to ensure interoperability. Support in-phase Software Independent Verification and Validation (SW

IV&V) of software throughout the software development cycle.

- Perform maintenance (preventative, schedule, and corrective) of the Ground-Based

Interceptors associated infrastructure. Plan and execute product support to meet or exceed system availability rates. Schedule and support coordination and synchronization of maintenance activities as required by the asset management.

- Operate and maintain provided support and training equipment. As needed, procure required spares, repair parts, and consumables necessary to maintain the components of the

GMD Program Element. Conduct institutional training, develop and maintain training materials, support and sustainment training, Warfighter certifications, maintain training system availability at the GMD sites in Colorado Springs, Colorado and at Fort Greely, AK using current (existing) GMD Fire Control training devices and support BMDS and

Combatant Command (COCOM) exercises.

- Maintain readiness of the AURs and ground systems to include reporting, analyzing, and assisting with issues and assets associated with operations, training, test and exercise events, scheduled system and site transitions, development activities, including necessary privileged user/system administrator (SA) functions.

-Operate and maintain the GMD Element support and training equipment. Execute engineering releases, maintenance on current operational software, GMD allocated capability requirements, specifications, enhancements and defect repairs, designate a major or incremental software build, testing activities and fielding methods. Execute software and hardware to implement enhancements and defect correction in support of installed and test assets. Deploy software, hardware and firmware to each affected component at each test, training, and operational site and conduct a configuration controlled, quality witnessed checkout.

4. System Operations

- Maintain readiness of the GMD Weapon System to include reporting, analyzing, and assisting with issues and assets associated with operations, training, test and exercise events, scheduled system and site transitions, development activities, including necessary privileged user/system administrator (SA) functions.

- Manage and perform GMD system transitions between three Simultaneous Test and

Operations (STO) environments: (1) Operations, (2) Maintenance, and (3) Testing.

- Work in conjunction with the WSI lead for integration of the Operations component into the GMD element.

- Provide site and facility support to include requirements for logistics, security, and host organization liaison.

- Maintain field level depots as applicable.

- Develop and execute routine and periodic techniques and processes for state of health, verification of operational status of the GMD element.

- Provide day-to-day interface with warfighter operational units.

- Develop, deconflict, prioritize, and execute operational schedule to synchronize all activities impacting fielded systems to include routine and corrective maintenance, operational availability, component and system testing, associated BMDS test and exercises, interceptor and ground system upgrades and updates, and other events as determined by the Government.

5. Weapon System Integrator

- Integrate the overall end-to-end performance and function of the GMD Weapon System to include management of system engineering, system integration, system testing, and other services. Ensure the successful integration and interoperability of multiple component products, and perform testing for validation and verification of the GMD portion of the

BMDS. Perform Government defined requirements management for component and system-level ground, flight, and cybersecurity test and verification. Manage and maintain configuration and performance baselines to include change management and risk management and facilitate Government chaired baseline management boards. Provide data to support and conduct both a vertical and horizontal technical review of interoperability.

- Manage and maintain the Government’s Integrated Digital Engineering Environment

(IDDE) without proprietary or IP restrictions to include integration of digital M&S, development of processes, and CM/DM across disciplines to support life cycle activities from concept thru disposal such as MBSE, H/W Design, Product Based Logistics, DevSecOps, etc.

- Execute GMD Program Element-Level activities for development, integration, fielding, maintenance, and the critical engineering processes to ensure delivery of an integrated GMD element capability which meets the BMDS performance specification including requirements verification and design compliance, models & simulation (M&S) execution, configuration management (CM) change management execution, risk management, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), architecture definition, definition and traceability of internal and external interfaces, algorithm and software independent verification and validation, system level physical and logical integration, system level integration, analysis of system performance and effectiveness, and weapon system data and lab infrastructure/management.

- Execute GMD system integration of the BMDS integration for vertical and horizontal interoperability with the BMDS and GMD system, components, and products. Support the integration of the component and product hardware and software into the GMD and BMDS

Government laboratories. Plan and Execute GMD system integration and scheduling including interoperability of components and products in test and operational environments.

In addition, execute development and integration of new functionality and capabilities using hardware and software technology insertion and obsolescence replacements to keep the weapon system capable of countering an evolving threat.

- Execute M&S capabilities at multiple levels of fidelity to support architecture definition and system performance assessment, with verification, validation, and accreditation to support specific intended uses.

- Manage and support planning, integration, and execution and analysis for the integrated

BMDS. Conduct internal testing and system level testing and verification and validation with matrixed support, as needed, during test execution surges.

- Demonstrate and verify GMD Program Element performance requirements through detailed laboratory, ground, flight, and cybersecurity test events. Provide support associated with day-to-day operations of the flight, ground, and cybersecurity test programs to include engineering support for test planning, execution, and analysis.

- Execute BMDS-level flight test – including System Ground Test activities to include

Integrated and Distributed testing; and Cybersecurity test events. Additional test events may include sensor characterization flight tests; real world, operational exercise type events; fast-type events, Warfighter Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) development events;

Targets of Opportunity; GMD and BMDS Integration activities; and external element upgrades and trial periods.

- Provide Subject Matter Expertise knowledge of test resources, test range support, test assets, processes, knowledge of system test and System Test Labs, and facilitation/integration of cross-functional organizations.

- Manage GMD system test lab and infrastructure resources.

- Integrate GMD element training plans for end-to-end operation of the weapon system.

ACQUISITION CONCEPTS

MDA is exploring different approaches for fulfilling the GMD Program Element requirements. Acquisition approaches under consideration range from an award of multiple contracts to execute segments/missions of the program scope to a single contract to execute the entirety of the program scope. Essential to all of the acquisition approaches under consideration is the establishment of an enduring arrangement strategy for the execution of the

WSI functions across the program lifecycle, either under a single prime contract, or as one of the multiple contracts.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Address all questions concerning this RFI in writing via e-mail to GMD-Future@mda.mil.

Additional information on the GMD weapon system can be found at www.mda.mil.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, RFI submissions will only be accepted electronically. Responses to this RFI are due no later than May 6, 2020. All submitted information will be handled per standard DoD security marking guidelines.

Respondent’s information/documents submitted in response to this RFI will not be returned.

The Respondent’s information/documents should be complete, informative, clearly demonstrate competencies and expertise in executing and delivering robust systems engineering, systems integration, and test activities. MDA will not accept any responses submitted as classified information. Industry is encouraged to respond with information that is not constrained by proprietary data rights. If submission contains proprietary data, ensure that it is marked as such. MDA intends to use third party, non-Government (Contractor) support as subject matter experts to review RFI responses. Appropriate non-disclosure agreements have been executed to protect and safeguard industry information.

The resultant knowledge will enable MDA to achieve the best value acquisition of systems, commodities, components, technologies, capabilities, or services to fulfill its complex mission.

SUBMISSION FORMAT AND DESIRED CONTENTS

Interested vendors must provide an information package consisting of the following:

Respondents and/or Prospective Offerors (if a solicitation is issued) and its subcontractors/suppliers which must be U.S. firms/businesses and not foreign owned, controlled, or influenced.

Responses limited to a maximum page count of 15 pages. Each response shall be single-spaced, minimum 12-point Times New Roman font, and describe corporate experience and/or relevancy in the areas described in the requirements scope. Do not submit generic corporate marketing materials for this RFI.

Include a company profile which should entail: Company Name, Point of Contact, Address, Telephone and Fax Numbers, Email Address, DUNS Number, CAGE Code and/or Tax ID

Number, Facility Clearance Level, and all applicable socio-economic business/company profile

(e.g., Large/Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged, 8(a), 8(m) (both Woman Owned SB and

Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned SB), Tribally Owned entity, Alaskan Native

Corporation, Hawaiian Owned Organization, Service Disabled Veteran Owned SB, Historically

Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) SB, other, etc.).

PROGRAMMATIC: Responses should address the following questions listed below.

1) Types of Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI):

a) Impaired Objectivity: This type of OCI arises where a firm’s ability to render impartial advice to the government would be undermined by the firm's competing interests. The primary concern with an impaired objectivity type OCI is that the contractor has a financial interest in the outcome of its performance and that the conflicting roles might influence the contractor’s judgement.

b) Biased Ground Rules: This type of OCI arises where a firm, as part of its performance of a government contract, has set the ground rules for the competition for another government contract. The primary concern with a biased ground rules type OCI is that by virtue of its current work a company has the opportunity and ability to skew a future competition in favor of itself, even unintentionally. There is typically no basis to distinguish between a firm and its affiliates, at least where concerns about potentially biased ground rules are at issue.

c) Unequal Access to Non-Public Information: This type of OCI arises when a firm has access to nonpublic information as part of its performance of a contract and where that information may provide a competitive advantage in a competition. The primary concern with an unequal access to information type OCI is that the contractor had inside information that provides it with an unfair competitive advantage.

2) OCI Business Decision Options A or B:

a) Option A: A provision which forces offerors to make a business decision as to which GMD opportunity (GMD WSI contract or GMD development/production contract) to pursue; this limits contractor/subcontractors from participating in both GMD development/production contracts and the GMD WSI contract.

b) Option B: No pre-determined prohibitions on contractor/subcontractors from participating in both GMD development/production contracts and the GMD WSI contract. The PCO will still perform the OCI analysis required under FAR subpart 9.5.

3) Programmatic OCI Questions:

a) Based on the WSI work scope outlined in figure 1 and defined in paragraph 5, what is your opinion of the possible OCI issues?

b) If MDA executes a provision which forces offerors to make a business decision as to which GMD opportunity to pursue, either the GMD WSI contract or the GMD Development/Production contract, which effort, if any, would your company bid on and why? (In this environment, the WSI contractor would be forbidden from competing for the development contracts (NGI, GS) but allowed to compete for the System Operations contract).

(1) Consider the potential risks and opportunities to the GMD Program, GMD WSI contract, and GMD Development/Production contract if MDA pursues Option A and how your company would mitigate the risks.

c) If MDA were to permit offerors to bid openly on both the GMD WSI requirements and the GMD Development/Production requirements, which effort, if any, would your company bid on and why? How would your company address the OCI concerns?

(1) Consider the potential risks and opportunities to the GMD Program, GMD WSI contract, and GMD Development/Production contract if MDA were to pursue OCI Business Decision Option B described above and how your company would mitigate the risk.

d) What potential WSI scope listed above would cause your company to recommend

OCI Business Decision Option A if it were included in a future solicitation? Is there scope not listed, that would logically fall under a WSI, which would lead to the same recommendation?

e) What are the potential risks and opportunities to the GMD Program if MDA were to combine WSI and System Operations into one contract? Are there any OCI implications between the two lines of effort? Would your company bid on a combined WSI and Systems Operation solicitation?