JIFCO_QA_RTD2_industry_day_141021.pdf

Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office (JIFCO) RTD2 Industry Day Q&A

1.) Is an unclassified concept of employment/operation available?

a. See the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program website, Non-Lethal Weapons Program (defense.gov), for some representative vignettes and a virtual seminar presented by Col Leimbach.

2.) Is JIFCO only considering unmanned systems as a delivery platform for Intermediate Force Capabilities or are they also looking to use Intermediate Force Capabilities to counter-unmanned systems?

a. JIFCO is potentially interested in both. While primarily focused on integrating IFCs onto unmanned systems to deliver effects at range, we are also cognizant of and potentially interested in exploring the dual-use nature of some of the technologies and how they could be used to non-lethally counter unmanned system threats.

3.) Typically, in an IDIQ-type of contract, the task order development process is one way. The government issues a requirement and the contractors submit a proposal in response. Does the JIFCO envision any mechanism for the awardee(s) to submit new ideas, within the scope of the contract, to the government for consideration?

a. JIFCO is interested in looking at ways within the potential future contract to allow for this two-way exchange of ideas.

4.) Is the JIFCO interested in establishing an organic IT and computational capability for utilizing the modeling and simulation tools that it develops?

a. Typically, the JIFCO relies on external partners in government, industry, and academia to utilize the modeling and simulation tools it develops. However, the JIFCO will consider this potential requirement and if needed, a task order could be issued.

5.) Can the JIFCO offer any assurances that developing a response is worth the contractor’s time?

a. The prior contract with Indian Head was different from the current intended approach. The JIFCO intends for this potential contract vehicle to be a strategic part of how we will execute many of our R&D requirements in the near future. A formal solicitation is anticipated in the second quarter (January-March) of 2022 with contract award in the third quarter (April-June) of 2022. The new contract’s task orders should take 30 days to award.

6.) What percentage of the JIFCO’s budget is expected to be executed on this potential future contract?

a. Although we cannot provide an exact percentage at this time, the JIFCO intends for this potential future contract to be a key part of how we will execute our R&D requirements in the future. This potential vehicle will complement other planned mechanisms and contract vehicles to execute our requirements to include working with DoD laboratories, Small Business Innovative Research contracts, University-affiliated Research Contracts, and Federally-funded Research & Development Centers. At this time, the JIFCO is considering establishing a total contract value of $40M over a five-year ordering period.

7.) Has there been a discussion of opportunities for follow-on production work?

a. This requirement is primarily for R&D. Prototyping activities will be involved with possible minimal quantities for test & evaluation. It does not exclude potential follow-on production contracts, but that is not the focus at this time.

8.) What Human Effects efforts does the JIFCO expect to focus on in the near future?

a. To some extent, the JIFCO’s focus on developing relevant injury prediction models is winding down. This is also true, but to a lesser extent, on understanding the direct physiological effects from non-lethal weapon stimuli. A greater focus in the future may be on better understanding the more complex behavioral effects https://jnlwp.defense.gov/ and effectiveness of non-lethal weapons in specific operational contexts.

9.) Is a firm, fixed-price (FFP) contract structure appropriate for niche R&D work?

a. Yes. A cost-type contract is not the apparent viable/appropriate contract type for this effort as it is currently envisioned.

In this case, the contract is primarily for services, which given the market research, may be commercially available. Subsequently, labor categories and rates are to be established within the IDIQ contract, which is the basis for the FFP contract strategy. Each task order will include a PWS to enable proposing the appropriate labor categories and hours required to accomplish the needed work.

There may be requests for task orders which include a “Statement of Objective (SOO) vice PWS; AND there may be occasions where it is appropriate to use an FFP “level-of-effort” approach within the FFP framework.

By utilizing this approach, the risk is shared equally between the contractor and the Government.

10.) Can the government provide examples of the type of R&D it anticipates will be supported under this contract?

The overall explanation of the services sought, from our perspective, blurs between the sort of R&D that would be provided under a NAICS code for basic scientific research as opposed to applied R&D for a specific solution development.

a. The government anticipates utilizing NAICS code 541715. The type of research and development would be in physical, engineering and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology). The government welcomes any suggestions to any alternate NAICs and please provide a rationale.

This effort is for applied research and advanced technology development. Basic research is not anticipated for this effort. The government welcomes any suggestions to make this more clear in the corresponding documents.

11.) If a company is supporting the JIFCO in the Program Support Officer role, is it considered an Organizational Conflict of Interest to bid this opportunity?

a. Organizational conflicts of interest can be mitigated. However, this will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The company would be required to provide a plan and specifics mitigation approaches for approval prior to award of any resulting contract.

Other notes relevant to the conversation at Industry Day:

- JIFCO is interested in integrating new capabilities onto existing platforms for cost savings over entirely new platforms.

- JIFCO is not interested in restricting itself to sole source solutions and capabilities.