IDOS SSS.pdf

Synopsis:

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) (or solicitation) or an indication that a contractual commitment will exist for this requirement. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market research. No funds are available to fund the information solicited.

This Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) is in support of market research being conducted by the United States Air Force to identify potential sources and to help determine the most appropriate acquisition strategy. No determinations have been made regarding a specific acquisition strategy; thus no assumptions should be made that references to a single contract, contractor, effort, etc., carry any implication that this will be a single effort (vs multiple efforts) on a single contract (vs multiple contracts) with a single awardee (vs multiple awardees). Responses to this SSS will be considered by the Government in making such decisions.

The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center located at Hill Air Force Base is requesting information, pursuant to FAR Part 10, in support of market research to identify prospective sources for a potential upcoming Government support contract. The Government is not providing any associated technical data to potential sources at this time. A draft Statement of Objectives (SOO) is attached for scope reference. It should be noted that the information contained in the SOO is subject to change prior to the release of any eventual RFP. No contractor qualification requirements exist.

The Government requests that interested parties respond to this notice in writing including details of your ability to fulfill the existing requirement (please be specific rather than providing a generic capabilities statement) or a portion of the requirement.

The Government is interested in all businesses to include Large Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Businesses 8(a)s, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Hubzone Businesses, and Women-Owned Small Businesses. The Government requests responses from contractors who, whether independently or through teaming arrangements, are capable of performing the entire scope of the attached SOO, as well as those who are capable of performing only part of it. The proposed North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code for the overall effort is 541330, which has a corresponding Size Standard of $47M (under Exception 1, Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military

Weapons). However, other NAICS codes could become applicable should the Government choose a strategy in which the overall effort is divided into separate, smaller pieces.

In response to this SSS, the Government requests interested parties:

1. Respond to this notice and, if applicable, identify its small business status to the applicable NAICS code.

2. Provide any anticipated teaming arrangements, if known.

a. Delineate between the work that will be accomplished by the prime and the work accomplished by the teaming partners.

b. Any contractor interested in only part of the scope (not as a sub or part of another teaming arrangement) should specify exactly which part(s) in its response as well as a proposed NAICS code to go along with the specified portion(s) of work and corresponding small business status.

3. Provide a description of similar services offered to the Government and to commercial customers within the past three years.

4. Include the following information in your submission for the proposing company along with all subs and teaming partners:

- Company name and address

- Cage Code

- DUNs Number

- Company business size by the applicable NAICS code(s) (all subcontractors and teaming partners should assume the same NAICS code as the proposing contractor)

- Small Business Type(s), if applicable

- Point of Contact for questions and/or clarification

- Telephone number, fax number, and email address

- Web page URL

5. Submit specific suggestions for contract structure for this effort along with the rationale for any such suggestions:

a. Contract vehicle (Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), new acquisition, etc.).

b. Contract duration (Pros and cons of a longer vs shorter contract Period of Performance).

c. Contract type (C-type contract, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), etc.).

d. Single award vs. multiple award

e. Possibilities of dividing the scope into separate efforts vs keeping the scope under one big effort.

f. Pricing and incentive structure (i.e. cost-plus, fixed-price, award fee, incentive fee fixed-fee, etc.).

g. Any other contract structure suggestions not covered above.

6. Submit feedback regarding the best way for the Government to convey its requirements and magnitude to the contractor(s) along with the accompanying rationale. As stated in the attached SOO, the main function of this effort will be to provide services for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Weapon System (WS) Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I). To accomplish this, the contractor(s) will need to support effective and responsive SE&I throughout the life cycles of ICBM WSs by providing knowledge, experience, and resources across a broad range of diverse professional disciplines and functional capabilities.

a. One potential approach involves the Government specifying the education and experience required, as well as detailing the quantities (in man-years) needed for each labor category.

b. An alternative approach could be more performance-based. Rather than prescribing qualification requirements or the quantity/type of each labor category, the Government would frame its requirements around the outcomes to be achieved, leaving the contractor(s) to determine and provide the appropriate manpower based on their expertise and judgment. In this model, the Government would clearly define the desired results and allow the contractor(s) flexibility in staffing.

Your recommendations are not limited to the two methods listed above, and any feedback on these options is appreciated. Please include the rationale for any suggestions or comments provided.

7. The Government is interested in contractors capable of delivering scalable, real-time insights across various aspects of this effort. The Government is contemplating the best way to include and communicate requirements for real-time visibility into mission impact and progress on a large-scale, evolving contract. To effectively manage this complex initiative, the Government anticipates the need for a reporting framework that provides immediate clarity on progress, quality, and alignment with mission goals to enable responsive adjustments, within contract scope, as needs evolve.

With this understanding of the Government’s desire to achieve these insights and visibility into contract performance, interested parties are welcome to submit any recommendations regarding how the Government might achieve this intended goal.

Responses could include suggested contract terms, conditions, CDRLs (Contract Data Requirements Lists), or other management methodologies that could enhance transparency and flexibility. Please also explain how any offered suggestions could provide clarity, adaptability, and mission-focused impact throughout the contract lifecycle.

8. Submit any other feedback related to this effort not already addressed elsewhere, along with accompanying rationale.

All interested contractors should be aware that because the deliverables developed from this requirement could be used to plan and integrate the engineering effort for the ICBM Weapon Systems as a whole, the Government intends to prevent conflicting roles as they pertain to the current and future missile program developments which may bias the contractor’s judgement or objectivity. The Government also aims to preclude the eventual contract awardee from obtaining an unfair competitive advantage in current or future acquisitions. To help accomplish this, the Government anticipates the contract awardee will need to adhere to the following guidelines/restrictions:

a) Perform Systems Engineering and Technical Vectoring but will not have overall contractual responsibility for the Systems’ development, integration, assembly and checkout, or production.

b) The contract awardee shall occupy a highly influential and responsible position in determining the Systems’ basic concepts and overseeing their execution by other Contractors.

c) Judgement and recommendations must be objective, impartial, and independent.

d) To avoid the prospect of judgement or recommendations being influenced by its own products or capabilities, it is anticipated that during period of performance of the contract and for a period of time after expiration of the contract, the contract awardee may not:

i) Receive award of a DoD contract to supply the ICBM Weapon Systems,

ii) Act as a joint venture, teaming partner, subcontractor, or consultant to a DoD supplier for the ICBM Weapon Systems, or

iii) Supply ICBM Weapon Systems development, production, or services as a prime, joint venture, teaming partner, or subcontractor

e) It is anticipated that support work required by the Government for the Strategic Missile Integration Complex (SMIC) could be excluded from the above restrictions.

The Government anticipates that the above restrictions will need to be included in all subcontracts, teaming arrangements and other agreements calling for performance of work which is subject to the Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) restrictions identified above unless excused in writing by the Contracting Officer.

Please e-mail your response advising if the requirements stated above can be met to the following address: blake.davis.1@us.af.mil and afnwc.pzbc.isc2@us.af.mil. This SSS is issued solely for informational and planning purposes. No funds are available to fund the information requested. The information in this notice is current as of the publication date but is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. Oral submissions of information are not acceptable.

Responses to questions on this synopsis will be posted through the Sam.gov Contract Opportunities website.

mailto:blake.davis.1@us.af.mil mailto:afnwc.pzbc.isc2@us.af.mil