Industry_Day_Mar_2015_Questions_and_Answers_dtd_4_May_2015.pdf

Questions and Answers

AN/SPN-50(V)1 Industry Day

March 17-18, 2015

1. Question: Will there be more than one (1) TMRR award? If yes, down select at EMD?

1. Answer: No. We are not doing competitive prototyping.

2. Question: What is the status of the Bidders Library? Will there be one, when will it be available?

2. Answer: Yes the Bidders Library will be available by release of formal RFP.

3. Question: What is the purpose of procuring two (2) units during TMRR?

3. Answer: The USN will be procuring two prototype units in the TMRR Phase. The first prototype will be installed in the SIL at Webster Field for initial integration testing and co-site interference testing. The first prototype will then be reconfigured to EDM configuration after CDR. The Offeror is expected to perform the update at

Webster Field and complete the update no later than twelve months after CDR. The second prototype will be used for environmental testing and will be kept at the Offeror’s facility. It will be updated to the CDR configuration no later than twelve months after CDR for environmental testing at the Offeror’s facility.

4. Question: Where will each unit be set up for evaluation?

4. Answer: Please refer to Question #3 for the prototypes. The EDM will be delivered to Webster Field.

5. Question: How long (approximately) will it take after Technical Assistance Agreement (TAA) is submitted to gain approval to release the SRD to Foreign Nationals?

5. Answer: This is an external process to PMA213, and we do not have a definitive time frame for completion.

Current estimate is one week provided everything is in order with the DSP-5/TAA.

6. Question: How many contracts will be awarded for the TMRR phase?

6. Answer: One, we are not doing competitive prototyping.

7. Question: What is considered/defines when the TMRR phase is complete and successful?

7. Answer: The TMRR Phase will be complete after the Milestone Decision Authority assesses technology maturity as well as technical risk and makes a determination to exercise the option for EMD. To assess technology maturity and risk, system engineering reviews will be conducted as specified in the statement of work. These reviews are anticipated to include the System Requirements Review (SRR), System Functional Review (SFR), Software Specification Review (SSR), and Preliminary Design Review (PDR).

8. Question: What is the expected page count for proposal?

8. Answer: Page count will be addressed in Section L of the RFP.

9. Question: Will past performance citations be required?

9. Answer The required information from the Offeror to support the Government past performance evaluation will be specified in Section L of the RFP.

10. Question: Can you discuss selection criteria?

10. Answer: The selection criteria will be specified in Section M of the RFP.

11. Question: Will the Offeror participate in the system evaluation during TMRR?

11. Answer: The Offeror will participate only in accordance with (IAW) the appropriate SOW sections.

12. Question: Does the Government expect SW “documentation” unlimited rights to include source code?

12. Answer: Please refer to DFARS 227.7103-10(5) “Information provided by Offerors in response to the solicitation provision may be used in the source selection process to evaluate the impact on evaluation factors that may be created by restrictions on the Government's ability to use or disclose technical data. However, Offerors shall not be prohibited from offering products for which the Offeror is entitled to provide the Government limited rights in the technical data pertaining to such products and Offerors shall not be required, either as a condition of being responsive to a solicitation or as a condition for award, to sell or otherwise relinquish any greater rights in technical data when the Offeror is entitled to provide the technical data with limited rights. Offeror will comply with DFARS provision and will not be a condition of award.” The Government evaluation of the proposals will be fully compliant with the above DFARS provision.

13. Question: What kind of contract will it be, i.e. LPTA?

13. Answer: The contract type will be cost plus incentive fee. The source selection will be Best Value. The order of importance of the criteria will be specified in Section M of the RFP.

14. Question: Sixty (60) days seems like too short of a time for the proposal response…why not longer?

14. Answer: Sixty days to respond the AN/SPN-50(V)1 RFP is to support contract award in the 3 rd

Quarter of

Fiscal Year 2016.

15. Question: Buying two (2) prototypes with options for 2 EDM’s will require pricing 2 and 2. Buying 2 systems will be more cost effective. Will you consider buying 4 at one time?

15. Answer: The plan is to only purchase two TMRR Prototypes and one EDM unit. Due to timing, the EDM must be purchased after Milestone B. The draft RFP will be revised to reflect this change.

16. Question: Will the production contract be competitive?

16. Answer: The Government has not made a decision as to whether the production contract will be competitive.

17. Question: When will Sections L&M be available?

17. Answer: With formal release of RFP.

18. Question: CVN 79+ does not have Dual Band Radar (DBR), but has Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar

(EASR). Does AN/SPN-50(V)1 go with CVN 79 and follow-on or does EASR perform that function (EASR has an

ATC mission)?

18. Answer: AN/SPN-50(V)1 will be the SPN-43 replacement onboard legacy CVN and LHA/LHD type ships.

19. Question: Are there any restrictions on the number of proposals a Offeror can submit?

19. Answer: Only one proposal per Offeror will be considered.

20. Question: What are the likely elements for Offeror evaluations?

20. Answer: Offeror evaluations will be provided in sections L&M upon issuance of a formal RFP.

21. Question: What is the rational for why the USN has not determined the operating frequency for the AN/SPN-

50(V)1 radars?

21. Answer: Based upon analysis , we anticipate releasing an RFP specifying the spectrum between the frequencies of 5.25 to 5.95 Ghz. The analysis is classified and not available as part of this RFP. A whitepaper stating the initial analysis recommendations is FOUO and Distribution D. If DoD contractors desire a copy of this whitepaper, it will be handled on a case by case basis by contacting Mr. Michael Collins at Michael.c.collins@navy.mil for download instructions via AMRDEC.

22. Question: Is the Government going to function as the Lead Systems Integrator?

22. Answer: Yes

23. Question: What GFP or GFI will be provided?

23. Answer: Government Furnished Information (GFI) including, but not limited to, the applicable interface documents will be provided to industry. Publically accessible GFI will be posted to FEDBIZOPS. GFI to which a limited distribution statement applies, will be provided via AMRDEC. Section L of the formal RFP will advise potential Offerors that they may request Government Furnished Property (GFP) in their proposal. Under the cost price portion of the evaluation, the Government will adjust the proposal upward to reflect the value of the GFP being provided.

24. Question: For the Radar interface gateway, how much does the Government expect the vendor to provide

COTS and have it interface with system?

24. Answer: The Government will provide the Radar Interface Gateway (RIG) to be used as a Test Bed asset only.

The RIG will only be utilized with TMRR prototype units. The vendor will have to interface their radar to the

AN/SLA-10, NAVSSI, AN/TPX-42A(V)14, and the AN/UPX-29 IFF shipboard systems . The vendor shall provide the interfaces for these systems for the EDM and all subsequent production units.

25. Question: Will water cooling be considered or will air cooling be a hard and fast requirement?

25. Answer: Yes, water cooling will be considered.

26. Question: Is AN/TPX-42 part of the competition?

26. Answer: No

27. Question: What weather presentation should the AN/SPN-50(V)1 display?

27. Answer: Weather outlines must be displayed by radar – see System Specification for more detail.

28. Question: Draft documents do not discuss frequency of radar but in the past there was discussion of changing the frequency band. The current document references a radar which is S Band. Is there any advantage for a wider bandwidth than the current ATC bandwidth?

28. Answer: See Question #21.

29. Question: Your desire is for a production system but how much change to a system is acceptable? For example can we update the DSP or the receiver/exciter?

29. Answer: The Government desires a production system that requires a minimum amount of changes to take advantage of existing data, certifications, testing, and commonality; which additionally affects the overall cost of the system.

30. Question: If an Offeror has a radar that meets specification but is not in production (just an EDM built so far) would that be acceptable, assuming they can meet the AN/SPN-50(V)1 program schedule?

30. Answer: Such a system would be considered. However, see answer to Question #29.

mailto:Michael.c.collins@navy.mil

31. Question: Specs [14 20] seems to imply you want the radar to detect non-moving (0 knots). Is that true?

31. Answer: Yes, to track aircraft in a hover.

32. Question: Will the USN limit the number of RFP responses (Offerors)?

32. Answer: There is no limit on the number of firms which may submit an offer for initial evaluation; however, each Offeror may submit only one proposal per the answer to question #19. The Government reserves the right to award on initial offers; however, the Government may establish a competitive range and conduct discussions if the

Government determines that holding discussions will be beneficial. If the Government establishes a competitive range, then the contracting officer may limit the number of proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated proposals [See FAR 15.306(c)(2)].

33. Question: What are the likely elements of a “best value” criteria being considered by the USN?

33. Answer: The best value criteria being considered include technical, past performance, and cost/price. These criteria will be addressed in Section M of the RFP.

34. Question: Please explain the USN’s role as the lead system integrator?

34. Answer: The Government will ultimately be responsible for the final configuration and installation of the radar onto the ship.

35. Question: Is the AN/SPN-50(V)1 required to operate in the same frequency band as the SPN-43?

35. Answer: No. Please refer to questions #21 and #28.

36. Question: Is the AN/TPX-42 console to be part of the AN/SPN-50(V)1?

36. Answer: The AN/TPX-42 is not considered part of the AN/SPN-50(V)1 but data will be delivered to the system. This effort will not include vendor modifications to the AN/TPX-42.

37. Question: What weather presentation is the AN/SPN-50(V)1 to display?

37. Answer: Weather outlines detection is required by the radar. Weather detections must be sent to the AN/TPX-

42. The AN/TPX-42 will display the weather outlines to the controllers. The AN/SPN-50(V)1 maintenance display shall have the capability to display weather outlines, if selected.

38. Question: Is there any advantage for a wider bandwidth than the current ATC bandwidth?

38. Answer: Please refer to question #28.

39. Question: Exhibit B is not in the CDRLS package but is called out in the DRFP.

39. Answer: Exhibit B is no longer part of the effort. The reference to Exhibit B in the DRFP will be deleted prior to issuance of the Formal RFP.

40. Question: May the Offeror submit a AN/SPN-50(V)1 design solution that is at a higher level of classification that is presently specified in the System Specification?

40. Answer: No. The AN/SPN-50(V)1 radar is required to be an unclassified system.

41. Question: Define Commercially Available Off the Shelf (COTS) Item at a lower level – do you mean off the shelf or COTS as it relates to the Navy?

41. Answer: As per the FAR Part 2 definition of COTS, this is not a COTS contract. The USN desires to procure a mature system. See the answer to Question #29.

42. Question: Does the weight budget include the entire system?

42. Answer: The weight is included in the AN/SPN-50(V)1 System Specification.

43. Question: What AC/DC power services are provided by the ships?

43. Answer: The AN/SPN-50(V)1 program does not control the power supply of the ship. Please refer to the

Specification.

44. Question: What is total ownership cost?

44. Answer: The definition of total ownership cost will be provided in Sections L&M of the RFP.

45. Question: Will land clutter suppression be included in the final Specification?

45. Answer: Yes.

46. Question: Would it be acceptable if a vendor was able to offer a representative prototype that is not in the final configuration? Would an offer of existing radar that exceeds your requirement be acceptable?

46. Answer: The prototype systems are not anticipated to be fully Spec compliant in the TMRR Phase. They will be brought into specification as per the statement of work. The systems will be evaluated against the updated

AN/SPN-50(V)1 Specification that will reflect Threshold equals Objective.

47. Question: Will the Buy American Act apply to this acquisition?

47. Answer: The Government is assessing the Buy American Act applicability and its possible exceptions and will follow all law, rules, and regulations.

48. Question: Will the Government NAVAIR Liquidated Damages Clause apply?

48. Answer: The Government is considering the use of the FAR 52.211-11, “Liquidated Damages- Supplies, Services, or Research and Development (Sept 2000)”. The NAVAIR Liquidated Damages Clause will not be in the

Formal RFP.

49. Question: Will flight certification be required prior to the EMD phase?

49. Answer: No, a flight certification is not required for any stage of the AN/SPN-50(V)1.

50. Question: What is the total budget line for this program?

50. Answer: Budgetary matters are outside the purview of this forum.

51. Question: Can the Offeror send suggestions for improving program documents?

51. Answer: Yes. Send all suggestions to the PCO.

52. Question: Will the AN/SPN-50(V)1 be recording data in the system or operational data?

52. Answer: The AN/SPN-50(V)1 will only be expected to record system performance data.

53. Question: Is this procurement restricted for award to a US Prime Contractor Only?

53. Answer: The SPN-50 SATR Specification is marked with Distribution Statement C which limits distribution of the document to United States (U.S.) Government Agencies and their contractors. U.S. Contractors teaming with a foreign contractor must obtain an export license via the Department of State. Other foreign firms may participate as subcontractors PROVIDED that their performance of the subcontract does NOT require them to have access to the

SPN-50 SATR Specification.