M67854-25-9-9000_ACV STS_Request for Whitepapers_v5_FINAL.pdf

Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) Suite of Training Systems (STS)

26 September 2024

Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) Suite of Training Systems (STS)

Request for White Papers

1. Project Number: M67854-25-9-9000

2. This Request for White Papers (RFW) is being issued pursuant to the authority granted under 10 U.S.C. § 4022, commonly referred to as Other Transaction Authority (OTA), the authority of the Department of Defense (DoD) to carry out certain prototype and production projects. Other Transaction (OT) authorities were created to give DoD the flexibility necessary to adopt and incorporate business practices that reflect commercial industry standards and best practices into its award instruments.

3. In addition to prototyping award(s), the United States Marine Corps (USMC), Program Executive Officer Land Systems (PEO LS), Program Manager Advanced Amphibious Assault (PM AAA) anticipates leveraging the authority in 10 U.S.C. § 4022(f) for awarding one or multiple follow-on production contracts to any vendor who successfully complete the prototype project in the Government’s sole discretion given funding and other programmatic considerations. In addition to the training system, the full training solutions being considered for follow-on production may include all the training material and equipment, personnel, and logistics needed by the Government to support each of the three standalone systems that comprise the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) Suite of Training Systems (STS) and in support of ACV operational missions. The USMC currently estimates the ACV STS prototype and development phase to be valued in the $6-12M range. The availability of resources and funding, as well as the quality of solution papers, will affect the number of agreements PM AAA will award. The Government may ultimately award one, multiple, or no agreements in support of the ACV STS.

4. Points of Contact:

Contact Information

Project Officer Agreements Officer Contract Specialist

Name: Major Alex Puraty Shanna Laging Jacob Garner Email Address: alexander.puraty@usmc.mil shanna.laging@usmc.mil jacob.garner@usmc.mil

5. Problem Statement:

PM AAA has a requirement for the design, development, and delivery of a Suite of Training Systems (STS) incorporating advanced technological solutions to support the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). The STS includes several desired systems: 1) The Electronic Classroom; 2) the Diagnostic Task Trainer; and 3) the Part Task Trainer. This effort will require the participants to engage in efforts including, but not limited to, developing engineering drawings for prototype systems, manufacturing prototypes for testing, and providing test support for the prototypes at program designated evaluation events.

6. Desired Objective:

The Electronic Classroom (EC) is the highest priority among the proposed ACV training systems.

The EC upgrades the existing classrooms at the Amphibian Assault School to a digital, augmented and/or virtual-reality training environment that still includes instructor-led training, but increases student retention and transfer by providing significantly more individualized content and increased practical application attempts.

The plan for the EC is to begin formal prototype design and testing activities in 3rd Quarter, Fiscal Year 2025 (3QFY25) culminating in the installation of production systems in 3rd Quarter, Fiscal Year 2026.

The Diagnostic Task Trainer (DTT) will replace the capabilities of the legacy, unsupported, and obsolete maintenance Training Device. The DTT trains students in the diagnostics, troubleshooting, maintaining, and repairing of the ACV systems and subcomponents. The plan for the DTT is to begin formal design activities in 3QFY25 culminating in the purchase of one to two test articles with test activities commencing that same quarter.

The Part Task Trainer (PTT) is envisioned to provide entry-level ACV technicians proficiency in the installation and removal of the ACV power pack and suspension components. The plan for the PTT is to begin formal design activities in 3QFY25 culminating in the purchase of one to two test articles with test activities commencing that same quarter.

At this time, the USMC does not anticipate that development or deployment of these training systems requiring access to classified information. If that need arises, the USMC will address it at that point in time.

To be successful, it is anticipated that vendors will need to be able to receive and properly handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), including, but not limited to, export-controlled information subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

7. Government’s Intent with Respect to Rights in the Responding Party’s Technical Data and Computer Software:

The Government intends to use the full flexibility of the other transaction approach to acquiring rights in the Responding Party’s technical data and computer software (data rights). In order to support the anticipated development of the ACV STS (including all components and computer software), the Government anticipates that it will require the delivery of the Responding Party’s tech data and computer software with the appropriate rights necessary for the Government to transfer and use such delivered data in future developments (i.e., Government purpose rights or greater), which may be performed by the Government or a third party.

The terms governing such transfer and use, which may include the transfer and use of the delivered data that were developed at private expense, will be negotiated.

The Government intends to take data rights into account in analyzing proposals. The Government is open to negotiating the specific terms; however, any Responding Party unwilling to offer the Government sufficient data rights to meet the Government’s developmental needs should consider whether it wishes to proceed in responding to the Government’s request. Further, the Responding Party must conspicuously call out, in its response, any restrictions in the transfer and use of data that run afoul of the Government’s stated intent.

8. Process:

Phase I: Request for White Papers

Interested vendors shall submit white papers, exclusive of attachments, that should be no longer than 15 pages and must be submitted in a searchable PDF format using no smaller than Times New Roman 12 pt. font. Text should be double-spaced, and the document should contain section headers and page numbers for ease of reference. Margins must be printable (generally no less than ½ inch) on each edge. Interested vendors may add a cover letter and/or acronym list which will not count against the page count. Interested vendors are discouraged from adding additional attachments other than those requested but may use their discretion to attach a reasonable additional number of pages to supplement their white paper as an attachment. The USMC is under no obligation to read any such additional attachments and those who include additional information in an attachment are encouraged to clearly explain within the standard page count the significance of the attachment.

Vendor white papers are due, via email to the Contract Specialist, Mr. Jacob Garner at jacob.garner@usmc.mil and the Agreements Officer, Ms. Shanna Laging at shanna.laging@usmc.mil no later than 1000 EST on Thursday, 31 October 2024. Due to email memory size limitations, the USMC can only receive emails less than 10MB. If your submission is over 10MB, please submit electronically to Ms. Shanna Laging at shanna.laging@usmc.mil via the Safe Access File Exchange (SAFE) website provided via at https://safe.apps.mil/. Title the subject line of the email as follows:

“Company_Name_ACV STS_Response_Request for White Papers”

The USMC requests that interested vendors provide the following information:

1. A description of how the vendor will approach developing the ACV Suite of Training Systems in accordance with the Enclosures 1-3.

2. A description of the vendor’s software (SW) development approach and a list of technical data or software needed from the Government or from other parties in order to develop the required capabilities.

3. An assertion of the data rights applicable to the systems/components/software needed by the vendor to complete the prototype as well as the level of rights applicable to the prototype upon completion.

4. Rough Order Magnitude (ROM) pricing and a schedule for design and delivery of one electronic classroom with one instructor station and five student stations, three diagnostic task trainers with the ability to troubleshoot 10 faults to be selected by the Government at a later date, and one part task trainer for the suspension system of the ACV. Provide ROM https://safe.apps.mil/ in an Excel spreadsheet (that can be edited) and which is not considered part of the page count but should be marked and separately numbered as Attachment C-1.

5. Description of the scalability of the vendor’s design to allow the future development that incorporates the capabilities and idiosyncrasies of each ACV FoV Mission Role Variant (MRV) type within the proposed training platform.

6. Description of the vendor’s anticipated production capability for 9 EC, 5 PTT, 33 DTT Systems (plus spares) over a period of three years.

7. Description of the vendor’s Learning Management System, to include reports and ability to offload/ transfer records of students by crew and by individual training.

8. Description of the vendor’s Contractor Operation and Maintenance Support (COMS)/ Contractor Logistics Services (CLS) approach to operate, sustain, and maintain the ACV STS and provide initial operator instructor training. It is anticipated that one Field Service Representative will be needed on-site at Camp Pendleton, CA.

9. If the vendor’s system is currently offered, copies of the applicable terms and conditions of sale, to include all licensing agreements and third-party software terms and conditions.

Terms and conditions and licensing agreements are not considered part of the page count, and should be marked and separately numbered as Attachment B. If offerors have more than one document, a table of contents for Attachment B is required.

10. ROM pricing for STS quantities, spares, and COMS/CLS. Provide ROM in an Excel spreadsheet (that can be edited) are not considered part of the page count and should be marked and separately numbered as Attachment C-2.

11. Description of the basis for the vendor’s status as a small business or non-traditional defense contractor, if applicable. If the vendor does not qualify as a small business, please provide a response that details how at least one “non-traditional defense contractor” is participating to a significant extent. Any response provided should include a qualitative and quantitative narrative about the contributions of the “non-traditional defense contractor,” as well as a response that describes how the identified “non-traditional defense contractor” who will participate in a “significant extent” qualifies as a “non-traditional defense contractor.” For this effort, “significant extent” is defined as one of the following:

o The participation causes a material reduction in the cost or schedule; or, o The participation causes an increase in the performance of prototype; or, o The performer is responsible for a new key component, technology, or process on the critical path.

12. Please identify any Foreign Partners that you anticipate being involved that may require official approval from their country’s government. If a company is owned wholly or partially by foreign persons/entities, they will be required to complete a Certificate Pertaining to Foreign Interests (i.e., SF 328). Additional information can be found in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) Rule – https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/isd/NISPOM-Rule/

13. If applicable, please identify the facility clearance process to access any classified spaces or information that is part of your solution, and if there any International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) restrictions in effect that are applicable to any proposed device or component thereof.

Phase II: Selection and Award https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/isd/NISPOM-Rule/

After the USMC reviews the white papers, it intends to identify those companies deemed most viable and will be afforded an opportunity to provide additional details and information regarding their solution. The Government may seek further information from whichever companies it believes offer the most advantageous solution at its sole discretion. The Government may seek further information or may decide to award one, multiple, or no prototype project awards at the conclusion of its white paper evaluation. The prototype project may be for any or all of the STS solutions described by the vendor in its white paper submission, again based on what the Government believes offers the most advantageous solution. As a preliminary matter, the Government anticipates a phase in which it will seek more detailed written documentation and the testing and demonstration of prototypes. The Government also anticipates leveraging the flexibility that OT authority provides and engaging with companies in the development of the statement of work describing the prototype project. This flexibility includes modifying the anticipated path forward.

Questions or comments regarding this Request for White Papers may be addressed via email, to the Contract Specialist, Mr. Jacob Garner, at jacob.garner@usmc.mil, and the Agreements Officer, Ms.

Shanna Laging, at shanna.laging@usmc.mil. Submit all questions and comments to the Contract Specialist, with a copy to the Contracting Officer no later than 1000 EST on Tuesday, 15 October 2024. Title the subject line of the email as follows:

“Company Name_ACV STS_Questions_Request for White Papers”

9. Terms and Conditions:

1. The Government will not pay any costs associated with the preparation of white papers, subsequent submissions, or negotiations. Any Government obligation to make a payment will be an express term of a written agreement.

2. The Government, to the extent permitted by law and regulation, will safeguard and treat information obtained pursuant to the Contractor’s disclosure as confidential where the information has been marked “confidential” or “proprietary” by the company. To the extent permitted by law and regulation, such information will not be released by the Government to the public pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request, 5 U.S.C. Section 552, without prior notification to the Contractor. The Government may transfer documents provided by the Contractor to any department or agency within the Executive Branch if the information relates to matters within the organization’s jurisdiction.

3. All respondents shall be registered in the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov).

4. Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Aug 2020)

The Offeror shall not complete the representation at paragraph (d)(1) of this provision if the Offeror has represented that it “does not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services as a part of its offered products or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract, or other contractual instrument” in the provision at 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications http://www.sam.gov/

Equipment or Services—Representation, or in paragraph (v) of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items.

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision—

Backhaul, covered telecommunications equipment or services, critical technology, interconnection arrangements, reasonable inquiry, roaming, and substantial or essential component have the meanings provided in the clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

(b) Prohibition.

(1) Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2019, from procuring or obtaining, or extending or renewing a contract to procure or obtain, any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(2) Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2020, from entering into a contract or extending or renewing a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. This prohibition applies to the use of covered telecommunications equipment or services, regardless of whether that use is in performance of work under a Federal contract. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements; or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(c) Procedures. The Offeror shall review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://www.sam.gov) for entities excluded from receiving federal awards for “covered telecommunications equipment or services”.

(d) Representation. The Offeror represents that—

(1) It □ will, □ will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract or other contractual instrument resulting from this solicitation. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the Offeror responds “will” in paragraph (d)(1) of this section; and

(2) After conducting a reasonable inquiry, for purposes of this representation, the Offeror represents that—

It □ does, □ does not use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or use any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(2) of this section if the Offeror responds “does” in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(e) Disclosures.

(1) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded “will” in the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or a distributor, if known);

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand;

model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained: Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the Product Service Code (PSC) of the service being provided; and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(1) of this provision.

(2) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded “does” in the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the OEM or a distributor, if known);

(B) A description of all covered telecommunications equipment offered (include brand;

model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); and

(C) Explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications equipment and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

(ii) For covered services—

(A) If the service is related to item maintenance: A description of all covered telecommunications services offered (include on the item being maintained: Brand; model number, such as OEM number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number; and item description, as applicable); or

(B) If not associated with maintenance, the PSC of the service being provided; and explanation of the proposed use of covered telecommunications services and any factors relevant to determining if such use would be permissible under the prohibition in paragraph (b)(2) of this provision.

5. FAR 52.204-25 will be incorporated by reference into the final agreement.

Enclosure 1: Electronic Classroom (EC)

1. The EC shall be installed in up to nine (9) AAS classrooms.

2. The EC shall provide up to 48 student workstations (SWSs) per classroom.

3. The EC shall provide a single Instructor Operator Station (IOS) per classroom.

4. The EC shall allow the student to select from one of the following course loadouts: Basic

Operator, Basic Repairer, Amphibious Officer, and Intermediate Maintainer for each ACV variant

5. The EC shall allow courseware selection for the ACV-P variant (T) and in the future allow courseware selection for MRVs (O).

6. The EC simulation software shall be reusable and portable for incorporation into the Diagnostic Troubleshooting Trainer.

7. The EC shall provide a 3-D movable first-person point of view functions for the exterior of the vehicle.

8. The EC shall provide a 3-D movable first-person point of view functions for the interior of the vehicle.

9. The EC shall allow the Instructor to execute demonstrations of all tasks.

10. The EC system shall use non-proprietary interfaces, protocols, and standards that are published and maintained by a recognized industry or government standards organization.

Enclosure 2: Part Task Trainer (PTT)

1. The PTT shall train a class of 35 Students on the removal and installation of the power pack and suspension system components of the ACV.

2. The PTT shall have two types of mockups. Type 1 is an ACV-P powerpack remove and install trainer. Type 2 is an ACV-P suspension station remove and install trainer. These mockups will allow maintainer students to perform all identified tasks on the mockups simultaneously.

3. The PTT Power Pack Mockup shall allow the student to perform the maintenance tasks as identified.

4. The PTT Suspension Mockup shall allow the maintainer to perform the maintenance tasks identified.

5. The PTT shall have no less than two (2) Type 1 mockups. The PTT mockups will not include an Environmental Control System (ECS).

6. The PTT shall have no less than three (3) Type 2 mockups with no less than one (1) mockup being mobile.

7. The PTT instructor shall capture and download student performance data from the PTT, and upload of data to media in a Marine Corps Training and Information Management System (MCTIMS) compatible format. The instructor will upload the student data to MCTIMS from a computer that is located elsewhere and connected to the internet.

8. The PTT shall be integrated into the existing facilities and supported by the existing utilities, electrical panels, circuits, outlets, lighting, water, and HVAC systems including exhaust systems.

9. The system shall be designed to permit onsite repair, through component replacement, to the greatest extent possible with a minimum of manpower, skills, support equipment, special tools, and test equipment (STTE), and external test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment.

10. The PTT shall be designed to be operated by personnel with the same or equivalent skill levels and classifications that are in the current USMC active-duty instructor inventory.

Enclosure 3: Diagnostic Task Trainer (DTT)

1. The DTT shall utilize the existing EC maintenance software.

2. The DTT graphical models for the vehicle, and all software and data needed to simulate the vehicle normal and faulted behaviors, as well as the external environment, shall be provided by the vehicle training software baseline.

3. The DTT virtual environment shall replicate movement, rotation, and traversing of all vehicle parts.

4. The DTT visual simulation shall provide the maintainer cues to assess simulated vehicle characteristics and other information necessary to perform tasks.

5. The DTT shall provide simulation of work packages in accordance with "Amphibious Combat Vehicle Basic Repairer (ACVBR) Work Packages".

6. The DTT shall provide simulation of Common Remote Operated Weapons Station (CROWS) work packages in accordance with "CROWS Work Packages".

7. The DTT shall score the performance of maintainers on all maintenance tasks.

8. The DTT shall provide a centralized record keeping system retaining data from each connected system and classroom.

9. The DTT mass storage system shall be expandable to incorporate future ACV vehicle variants and maintenance tasks.

10. The DTT system shall use non-proprietary interfaces, protocols, and standards that are published and maintained by a recognized industry or government standards organization.