HQ0034259C00F Amd1 Request for Consortium Management.docx

Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles Consortium (RFTC): HQ0034259C00F Amendment 1

REQUEST FOR CONSORTIUM MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL

HQ0034259C00F AMENDMENT 1

REVOLUTIONARY FIBERS AND TEXTILESCONSORTIUM (RFTC)

OTHER TRANSACTIONS CONSORTIUM MANAGER

Issued by:

Washington Headquarters Services 4800 Mark Center Drive, Suite 09F09 Alexandria, VA 22350-0002 on behalf of:

Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (OUSD) Research and Engineering (R&E), Manufacturing Technology Program (ManTech)

jeffrey.s.pacuska.civ@mail.mil

Table of Contents

I. BACKGROUND:

The Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Manufacturing Technology Program (ManTech) furthers national security objectives through the development and application of advanced manufacturing technologies and processes. ManTech manages a portfolio of DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MIIs) authorized under 15 U.S.C. § 278s, Manufacturing USA. This Request for Consortium Management (RCM) seeks to re-establish the DoD MII in the Advanced Fibers and Textiles technical focus area as a Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles Consortium (RFTC) other transaction (OT) agreement.

The MII’s purpose is to create effective manufacturing research infrastructure for U.S. industry and academia and leverage existing resources, collaboration, and co-investment to nurture manufacturing innovation and accelerate commercialization. The MIIs are partnerships between government, industry and academia, supported with cost-share funding from Federal and non-Federal sources. The MIIs focus on Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRL) 4-7, ranging from production of technology in a laboratory environment to capability to produce systems, subsystems or components in a production relevant environment. MIIs are led by independent, non-profit organizations as public-private partnership(s) (PPP) to accelerate investment in and deployment of advanced manufacturing technologies. (See Appendix 1)

In conjunction with the OT agreement, the DoD and MII will jointly develop a system of governance for the RFTC. ManTech provides Federal financial and technical assistance, and other Federal funding to revitalize the U.S.’s domestic manufacturing capability through domestic PPPs that enhance America’s strategic competitiveness while advancing the military of tomorrow. The three key stakeholders in DoD MII’s are government, industry, and academia who collaborate in a joint governance model.

Led by the Consortium Manager (CM), the RFTCC seeks to create a research and prototyping ecosystem comprised of government, industry and academia to collaborate, advance and scale critical manufacturing processes for revolutionary fibers and textiles. The RFTC will support research and prototyping that advance the performance and manufacturability of fibers and textiles with properties of strength, flame resistance, electrical conductivity, phase change, chemical adsorption, etc. The RFTC will foster a collaborative framework that supports innovative mechanisms to rapidly produce end-item prototypes. The RFTC will support advanced manufacturing workforce development through educational outreach programs and workforce training programs. The RFTC will collaborate with allied technology areas supported by other non-Federal organizations including, but not limited to, the NextFlex (flexible hybrid electronics) MII, ARM (advanced robotics for manufacturing) MII, BioMADE (bioindustrial manufacturing) MII, and the National Science Foundation North Carolina Textile Innovation Engine.

II. PROBLEM STATEMENT:

The current U.S. textile defense industrial base is limited in its ability to competitively manufacture fiber-based products due to limitations in textile automation technologies, import competition, and the prevalence of U.S. micro-factories that are not positioned to replace textile imports. The industry is further challenged by a lack of modeling and simulation tools that can facilitate predictive design utilizing robust knowledge management system(s) that provide validated performance data for fibers and textile assemblies. These limitations hinder the ability of the U.S. textile defense industrial base to create and scale the advanced textile materials systems that are needed for aerospace, marine, and space applications. The intent of the RFTC is to support and invest in the textile defense industrial base where fibers, textiles, and goods are cost-effectively produced, key stakeholders collaborate effectively to integrate innovative designs and infrastructure to support a domestic textile supply chain, and industrial manufacturing can be customized and scaled based on the needs of the DoD. The DoD needs the ability to react quickly to new requirements, using an integrated approach of design and advanced manufacturing, for more tailorable and affordable solutions.

III. AUTHORITIES AND PROCEDURES:

a. Authorities The DoD seeks to enter into an Other Transaction (OT) Agreement under 10 U.S.C. § 4022 for consortium management. It is anticipated that Project Agreements (PAs) awarded through the RFTC may utilize either 10 U.S.C 4021 (Research projects) or 10 U.S.C. 4022 (Prototype projects) to maximize technology and process advancements.

The RFTC will address the following Technology Focus Areas (TFA):

1) Test Method Development and Validation.

2) Automated technologies for textile manufacturing. Methods to include processes from fiber manufacture through substrate production and finishing to end-item fabrication

3) Manufacturing of advanced textile materials and components.

4) Digital Engineering and Digital Manufacturing. Textile engineering design tools from fiber to factory floor. These include tools for design, development, and digital process flow.

5) Data and IP Management for digital traceability across the U.S. textile defense supply chain.

6) Domestic Supply Chain Surety. Assured domestic supply chain reliability and consistency.

7) Standards Development. American Standard Test Method (ASTM), American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), or other industry bodies for standard(s) development.

8) Education and Workforce Development (EWD) Activities. Training of scientists, engineers, technologists, and technicians in the application and manufacture of textiles and related products.

b. Procedures The RFTC CM will be competitively selected using a two-phase selection process to evaluate the proposed solution(s). Phase I consists of a white paper submittal in compliance with the instructions in this request. The Government will conduct a competitive evaluation of the white papers and select organization(s) that presented the best solution to participate in Phase II. Phase II requires a full proposal.

Phase I: White Papers The Government will evaluate White Paper submittals utilizing the following criteria:

1) Relevancy of the proposed solution to the Problem Statement The solution must be determined relevant to the requirement to receive further consideration. Any solution determined not to be relevant to the requirement will be excluded from further consideration.

Phase II: Full Proposal Following the competitive evaluation in Phase I, organizations may be invited to submit a full proposal providing specific details about their proposed consortium arrangement. Organizations not selected for Phase II will also be notified of their proposal’s status at this time. Prior to the Phase II submittal and at the Government’s sole discretion, the Government may request the organization to “pitch” their approach, during which the Government will engage with the proposers about the specific approach to better understand the approach and/or address any pertinent issues. The Government will evaluate all Phase II proposed solutions based on the following evaluation criteria:

1) Relevance of the proposed submission to the Problem Statement.

2) Merit and feasibility of the proposed approach to Consortium Management.

3) Adequacy of the governance and oversight model, including the degree of industry involvement and openness to relevant new participants.

4) Adequacy of the EWD strategy that leverages, and builds upon prior DoD investments in this area, with attainable/measurable metrics for success.

5) A Member-forward technology development, investment, and industry adoption strategy.

6) Feasibility and/or adequacy of the proposed Cost model.

7) Feasibility and/or adequacy of the proposed stand-up timeline and project performance schedules.

Collaboration and Negotiation Following the Government’s Phase II evaluation, ManTech will collaborate directly with the selected organization(s) to finalize the CM ‘s Performance Work Statement (PWS) and jointly develop the Governance Plan. Furthermore, the Government may open negotiations with the selected organization(s) on the cost model and any other documents that will become a part of the resulting OT Agreement, if selected. The Government retains the right to modify requirements, request additional information, or terminate the process at any time.

Award The Government may make an award to the organization which represents the best interest of the Government upon favorable review and subject to availability of funds. However, the Government is under no obligation to make an award.

IV. SOLUTION INSTRUCTIONS

All costs incurred by the organization, its partners, or subcontractors in the preparation, development, and negotiation of its proposal, pitch, and agreement are not recoverable from the Government.

a. PHASE I: White Paper Instructions and Template White Papers shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions described in this document. All submissions shall be in English. The following formatting guidelines shall be followed by respondents:

· A page is defined as one 8.5” x 11” (letter size) electronic page with 1” margins.

· The font shall be Times New Roman single-spaced and no smaller than 11-point font size.

Note: A smaller font size may be used in figures and tables but must be legible.

· Pages shall be in portrait orientation, except for figures, graphs, images, and pictures.

· Figures and tables shall be numbered and, when referenced in the text, shall be referenced by that number. Figures and tables shall be of a size that is easily readable and may be in landscape orientation.

· Pages shall be numbered sequentially, and all major sections shall begin on a new page.

· All White Paper documents shall be submitted as one PDF file.

No classified information shall be submitted with the proposal. All information that is considered a trade secret or proprietary information shall be marked as such.

NOTE: All submissions will be treated as “source selection information” as defined by 41 U.S.C. § 2101(7), and will be protected in accordance with 41 U.S.C. § 2101 and 41 U.S.C. § 2102. During the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by Government support contractors who may have access to this information for the purposes of administrative support and/or evaluation(s). Each evaluator will be required to complete a nondisclosure agreement and certify they have no conflicts of interest that might affect the review process.

The main text of the White Paper is limited to twenty-one pages in length, exclusive of the cover page, bios, and attachments. The White Paper template is included at the end of this solicitation.

b. PHASE II: Full Proposal Instructions Participation in Phase II is by invitation only and organizations that did not participate in Phase I will not be considered. The full proposal will include a discussion on the NPO activities, suitability for execution of the MII, and the organization’s proposed technical approach. The Government will provide a separate request for proposals for Phase II; however, the following information provides insight into the process and expectations.

The proposal shall include the following:

1) Cover Page: Respondent shall include the following details (Page Limit: 1 page)

a. RPP Number HQ0034259C00F

b. Organization Name

c. System for Award Management (SAM) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

d. Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number

e. NAICS Code

f. Business Size

g. Participation in socioeconomic contracting programs

h. Contracting point of contact (name, title, phone, email)

i. Technical point of contact (name, title, phone, email)

2) Attachment 0: Terms and Conditions: Utilizing the attached terms and conditions, the organization shall update any sections highlighted in yellow and ensure any proposed changes to the Terms and Conditions are completed using tracked changes. (No Page Limit)

3) Attachment 1: Consortium Management Performance Work Statement (PWS): Utilizing the attached PWS template, the organization shall detail its proposed solution to address the problem statement and plan to execute the consortium. (Page Limit: 40 pages)

a. Patented Inventions: The organization shall include documentation proving its ownership of or possession of appropriate licensing rights to all patented inventions (or inventions for which a patent application has been filed) that will be utilized under the proposed solution for the Consortium. If a patent application has been filed for an invention that the proposal utilizes, but the application has not yet been made publicly available and contains proprietary information, the organization may provide only the patent number, inventor name(s), assignee names (if any), filing date, filing date of any related provisional application, and a summary of the patent title, together with either: (1) a representation that the organization owns the invention, or (2) proof of possession of appropriate licensing rights in the invention.

b. Intellectual Property: The organization shall provide a good faith representation that it either own or possess appropriate licensing rights to all other intellectual property that will be utilized under the proposed solution. In Section 3.0 “Solution”, the organization shall address the procedures for Intellectual property for each project agreement. In Section 6.0 “Data Rights Assertions”, the organization shall provide a short summary for each item asserted with less than Government purpose rights that describes the nature of the restriction and the intended use of the intellectual property in the conduct of the proposed solution.

c. Disclosure: Proposals containing data that is not to be disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes shall include the following sentences on the document:

“This proposal includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed -- in whole or in part -- for any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, an agreement is awarded to this Organization as a result of -- or in connection with -- the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent agreed upon by both parties in the resulting agreement. This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]”

4) Attachment 2: Affirmation of Business Status Certification: Utilizing the attached affirmation of business status certification template, the organization shall submit a signed certification for every significant participating entity. (No Page Limit)

5) Attachment 3: Consortium Cost Model: The organization shall provide a cost model documenting the proposed cost and fee structure as well as the profit reinvestment strategy if applicable. The Consortium Cost Model shall be submitted in Microsoft Excel with calculations embedded and unlocked. Any Milestone Payment Schedule included in Attachment 1: Consortium Management Performance Work Statement (PWS) shall connect back and be detailed in the cost model. The cost model shall be transparent, easy to understand, and represent only one cost model scenario. For estimation purposes, the cost model may assume $450M in total cost of consortium management and project agreements over a period of five years. (No Page Limit)

The organization shall provide any other data or supporting information that is necessary for the determination of a fair and reasonable price. This may include commercial price catalog for hardware or software, labor categories and labor rates, indirect rates, other direct costs (e.g. supplies and material cost quotes), proposed travel, etc.

c. Requirements for Award

1) The CM will be registered as a U.S. non-profit organization.

2) The CM must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and hold a Unique Entity ID (UEI) number prior to submittal in Phase 2 of the evaluation process to be eligible for award.

3) An awardee shall maintain its SAM registration, with a SAM Unique Entity ID (UEI) Number for the life of the OT Agreement. The representations and certifications, including those completed electronically via the SAM shall be incorporated by reference into any resulting OT Agreement.

4) Companies shall possess a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code or NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) to receive an award and payments.

5) Companies shall register in the prescribed Government invoicing system (e.g., Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE) Wide Area Workflow (WAWF)), unless otherwise stated in the award.

6) The CM must be determined to be responsible by the Agreements Officer and must not be suspended or debarred from award by the Federal Government, nor be prohibited by Presidential Executive Order and/or law from receiving award.

7) Federal Government organizations and personnel may not participate in any proposal prior to the award.

U.S. incorporated companies that are wholly owned subsidiaries of foreign companies may become eligible to be members of the consortium and sub-awardees of federal support at the discretion of the Government.

ATTACHMENTS:

REVOLUTIONARY FIBER AND TEXTILES

MANUFACTURING INNOVATION INSTITUTE

CONSORTIUM MANAGEMENT WHITE PAPER

REQUEST FOR WHITE PAPERS

HQ0034259C00F

PART I: TABLE OF CONTENTS (LIMIT: NO PAGE LIMIT)

PART II: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & BUSINESS STRATEGY (LIMIT: 15 PAGES)

Respondents shall submit an executive summary of the proposed solution, which clearly addresses their vision for the Consortium, structure, and management.

Part A: Formation of the Consortium/Progress Toward Creation of the Consortium. At a minimum, shall address:

· Consortium mission and vision

· Outreach to potential members, to include listing committed founding members (if available)

· Plan for an interim board

· Development of business practices

Part B: Consortium Structure and Functions. At a minimum, shall address:

· Proposed responsibilities as Consortium Manager

· Description of facilities necessary for execution of proposed effort, including Facility Clearance Level (FCL)

· Proposed Consortium structure, processes for providing administrative and financial oversight, plans to develop and implement Consortium by-laws, plans for ensuring consistent and impactful interaction between the Government and Consortium

· Plans for establishing shared goals, commitments, buy-in, and relationships among consortium members rather than just between members and the consortium manager

· Plan for webpage and electronic communications

· Plan for prototype/research project awards processes and execution

· Plan for Consortium members to be able to provide unsolicited solutions

· Plan for administrative oversight of prototype/research projects

· Intended level of interaction/oversight with Consortium members

· Plan/ability to assist new and nontraditional defense contractors in understanding the DoD customer, mission, and processes

· Plan to enhance educational and workforce development, strategy for leveraging ongoing and prior DoD investments in this space, approach for building the domestic workforce in the advanced textile manufacturing space

· Plan to share information across the membership

· Plan to foster teaming among the membership

· Plan to provide logistical and information support to membership and member-customer functions such as Industry Day events

· Plan to provide funding oversight for the consortium OT Agreement

· Plan to provide funding oversight of all sub prototype/research projects that contemplates the unique aspects of each authority and resource sharing applications

Part C: Membership. At a minimum, shall address:

· Process for identifying/adding new members to the consortium after award

· Plan for incorporating industry into consortium

· Demonstrated current capability, as well as future plans for member retention and growth

· Consortium cost model (i.e., fees) for consortium members.

Part D: Metrics and Reporting. At a minimum, shall address:

· Proposed metrics and reporting to validate that the Government’s intent for the Consortium is being met including but not limited to reinvestments, Consortium growth, level of Non-traditional Defense Contractor (NDC) participation, cost savings, minimizing time to award, etc.

Part E: Security Plan. At a minimum, shall address:

· Overall technical capabilities

· Capability and capacity to implement Government’s security procedures and handle, transmit and store controlled unclassified, confidential, and classified information

· Capability and capacity to manage Consortium member’s security clearance requirements

· Plan to ensure Operational Security, ensure compliance with ITAR and other regulatory and statutory obligations

Part F: Expertise. At a minimum, shall address:

· Overall experience and expertise as it relates to managing [a] consortium(s) or similar entity

· Experience and expertise in Parts A, B, C, D, and E above

· Substantive expertise in the technical focus areas of the Consortium

PART III: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS (LIMIT: 3 PAGES)

Respondents shall submit a full list of anticipated participants (to include: (1) each person anticipated to support the management of this Consortium (listed with their name and current institutions/organization), and (2) all institutions, organizations, laboratories, etc. anticipated to provide support in the management of this Consortium).

PART IV: SCHEDULE (LIMIT: 3 PAGES)

Respondents shall provide a schedule indicating key milestones for establishing the Consortium.

PART V: CONSORTIUM COST MODEL OVERVIEW (LIMIT: NO PAGE LIMIT)

Respondent shall provide an overview of the cost model associated with the Consortium. Expenses may include, but are not limited to the following:

· Consortium Management

· Fee Structure

· Administrative

· Finance/Accounting

· Contracting

· Special Security Officer (SSO)

· Indirect Rates (Overhead/Fringe/G&A/etc.) and any other direct charges for the consortium

Note: Companies should propose their recommended management fee structure and approach to support the proposed consortium management cost model. A detailed explanation shall be provided, explaining how and why you proposed the specific consortium management fee structure.