FY16_MK_54_MOD_0_LWT_COMMON_PARTS_KITS_PROCUREMENT_INDUSTRY_DAY_QUESTIONS.pdf

MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Common Parts Kits Procurement Industry Day Questions and Answers

1. Will failure data or problem reports be provided for hardware items?

Failure data and problem reports will be provided post-delivery via the torpedo enterprise’s TIMS (Technical Information Management System) reporting system with the returned hardware (whether a conditional acceptance return, warranty return, or post warranty return) documenting the problem discovered during Government testing of the Contractors product. The Contractor will be required to produce a failure report for the returned hardware in the first two (2) return situations above that documents root cause and corrective actions taken for the failed hardware. If the question is directed towards current contracts, then no, the current contract failure reports will not be provided as part of the Technical Data Package (TDP) with the Request for Proposal (RFP).

2. What is the process for contractor modifications to a BTP dwg?

Assuming BTP means build-to-print, any changes to a BTP would follow the Government Configuration Management Process. For any changes, the Contractor will submit an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) or Request For Variance (RFV) for Government approval.

3. Two representations of software architecture were shown during the presentations which depict two very different relationships between software and hardware: Slide 11 in the Torpedo Program Overview by Mr. Rod Bragg and slide 2 in the LWT Software Overview by Mr.

Michael Funk. Which presentation is a more accurate depiction of the architecture?

The two (2) representations of Software Architecture (SA) that were shown during the presentations depict the same diagrammatical relationships, using different types of diagrams to show the interrelationships of the SA.

4. Does the government or the contractor have maintenance responsibility for the GFE test equipment (AutoLITS)? Will the Government employ an identical set of test equipment to retest delivered hardware after the factory acceptance test? If so, how will the two sets of test equipment be managed to ensure proper CM of hardware, software and certification?

The Government will supply Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) test set to the Contractor for use as a test platform. The Contractor assumes all responsibility for reliability, availability, maintainability, operations, maintenance, test, evaluation and calibration of the test set.

Repair of the GFE test sets will be funded as the need arises. The Contractor must include preventive and corrective maintenance into their RFP response and ongoing operations. The Government may choose to employ an identical set of test equipment to retest delivered hardware after the factory acceptance test or during other testing procedures and processes, but is not guaranteed.

The two (2) sets of test equipment (Contractor GFE and Government) will be managed separately. Any changes to the GFE test sets require

Government approval and delivery of the contract change to the Government. The Government will assess the need to modify the test sets in

Government possession.

5. Is there a notional program timeline indicating Pre-POM and First Article deliveries, PRR and production deliveries relative to contract award?

The RFP will identify key delivery dates which will define the Government’s required delivery schedule.

6. What is meant by 8 year deployments?

Eight (8) year deployments refer to the eight (8) year torpedo maintenance cycle. Once tested and assembled, a MK 54 torpedo is assigned maintenance due date of eight (8) years and is either stored or issued. No scheduled or corrective maintenance will be required during that eight

(8) year period and the torpedo is expected to operate in compliance to its specification during that period.

7. Can the hydrostatic tests be performed at the contractor’s facility and if so will the Fuel Tank components (e.g., Bulkheads, etc.) required to perform the test be provided GFE?

The Contractor is responsible for conducting all required tests in accordance with applicable contract requirements and specifications supplied with the RFP. Hydrostatic testing shall be performed by the Contractor at a suitable facility determined by the Contractor. The Government will not provide fuel tank components as GFE. The Government will provide component drawings for required parts so the Contractor can manufacture them for use in hydrostatic testing, if desired.

8. When will the TDP be available for contractor review? (build to spec vice BTP)

The TDP will be available when the RFP is issued.

9. When will revised documents be available?

The documents and any revisions will be available when the RFP is issued.

10. Will noise sensitivity failure data be made available?

Noise sensitivity failure data will not be part of the TDP, document revisions or subsequent RFP and will not be provided after contract award.

11. The function of the CGA Loader is described as “Selects software to execute at run-time (OPSW or FDFL)”. This implies that the

FDFL does not run simultaneously as a layer with the OPSW. This links the CGA OPSW directly to the COTS Operating System and COTS hardware with no contractor middleware. How will this linkage be managed and tested without access to the OPSW? What SW Interface Control

Specs will be provided to the contractor to ensure selected hardware and COTS operating systems are compatible with the OPSW?

The Operational Software (OPSW) and Fault Detection and Fault Location (FDFL) software are independent applications running on a common infrastructure (Middleware (MW)). The MW will be tested with FDFL to meet the performance and interface requirements in accordance with the Critical Item Performance Specifications (CIPS) and other software interface documents.

12. Slide 2 shows the OPSW and FDFL SW as government supplied (above red line), but slide 5 and 7 list the FDFL as contractor delivered software. Which is correct? If FDFL is government supplied will it be GFE for development of the middleware? If FDFL is contractor developed, what will be provided to specify the interface and performance specs?

FDFL is software running on the unit under test. The Contractor will be provided the existing software as GFE but it is the responsibility of the Contractor to modify or maintain as necessary to meet performance requirements. Often, when hardware components are changed due to obsolescence, the Contractor’s portion of the software requires updating to meet the specification requirements. This is entirely the Contractors responsibility to meet the specification requirements.

13. The contractor is responsible for development of the PGA FDFL and CGA FDFL. How does the FDFL interface with the OPSW? Is FDFL used solely for factory acceptance testing as stated or is it a middleware layer for interfacing with the OPSW? If the Loader function is as stated and selects either OPSW or FDFL, then what GFI will be provided to ensure the contractor developed FDFL correctly emulates OPSW?

The FDFL does not interface with OPSW. They are two (2) separate applications that run on a MW infrastructure, but not at the same time. FDFL is utilized only for factory acceptance. The FDFL just stimulates the system to support factory test, this does not emulate OPSW. The

Government will provide the existing FDFL as part of the TDP.

14. What process will be imposed to determine if a hardware change affects the government software?

The RFP specifies hardware that will be utilized to support integration with existing hardware and software and support torpedo level integration.

The Contractor is responsible for conducting all required design verification tests in accordance with applicable contract requirements and specifications supplied with the RFP to ensure the hardware and software changes made during the POM or after the POM period are compliant with the specification. The Government will validate the Contractor’s testing with Government regression testing (using operational software) and Government test equipment (MK 695) and will run any additional regression and safety testing it determines is required based on the scope of the change.

15. What is the process for approving FPGA changes?

Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) firmware changes are made via ECP after Production Readiness Review (PRR). Prior to PRR, the

Contractor has Configuration Management of the firmware. FPGA changes have similar process controls as software changes.

16. What is the typical turn-around time for SW approvals?

The Government will work with the Contractor to review test results and other submitted data in order to provide approvals for changes. The

Contractor shall provide an engineering analysis report Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) to document the scope and impact. This CDRL requires Government approval. The Government will work with the Contractor to expedite the approval of software changes, but the CDRL associated with software changes generally allows thirty (30) days of Government review.

17. Please define the scope of the contractor’s responsibilities with respect to safety and safety certification.

The Contractor is responsible for providing the objective quality evidence and test data that demonstrates compliance with standard safety practices. The Government safety group/safety review board will provide guidance based on the scope of the change. The Contractor is not expected to participate directly in the approval process outside the program in the case where approval is required by the Weapon Systems

Explosive Safety Review Board (WSERB) or Software System Safety Technical Review Panel (SSSTRP).

18. Are there reported problems with the tight bend radii referenced on the slide?

The current design does not have any known issues.

19. Prior to qual testing will a SCV Test Set be available at the contractor’s facility or will all testing be performed at government facilities?

The Speed Control Variable (SCV) test set will not be provided as GFE or be made available at the Contractor’s facility. The SCV kits procured under this contract will be tested by the Government at its Keyport Facilities. The Contractor will be allowed to witness the testing, if desired.

20. Prior to qual testing will GFE Test Stands be made available at the contractor’s facility for FIR testing DWA & DWA Gear Train?

The Government will not furnish DWA and/or DWA gear train test stands as GFE. The Contractor is responsible for developing all necessary test equipment to verify the DWA meets the drawing requirements.

21. Will build to print components (e.g. Fuel Pump Head, Seawater Pump Manifold, etc.) be qualified by inspection? If not explain qualification procedure.

These components are accepted by inspection. The Contactor is required to complete all drawing requirements, including any testing called out and shall provide Objective Quality Evidence (OQE) that they satisfactorily produced and tested the products.

22. Do any waivers, deviations and/or unincorporated ECPs currently exist against the MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Common Parts Kits

TDPs? If so, will they be provided?

YES, ECPs will be provided with the TDP in the RFP. Variances to the Government supplied GFE hardware will also be provided after contract award.

23. If the hardware is built to the supplied TDPs, will it meet the current revisions of the CIPS?

GFE hardware and the supplied TDPs meet the current contracts specification, with any waivers that are provided. It may or may not meet the revision of the CIPS supplied with the RFP. The new contract/Contractor’s product shall be required to meet the CIPS supplied with the RFP.

24. Will a Draft Request for Proposal be issued before the formal RFP is released? If not, are there any current documents available to provide additional insight into the MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Common Parts opportunity, especially section L & M?

NO.

This MK 54 MOD 0 procurement is structured to take advantage of ongoing programs and procurements; a draft RFP will not be issued before the formal RFP is released due to the additional time required. The Government recognizes that this may require Contractors additional time in preparation of their proposal and plans to allow sixty (60) days for proposal submission vice the normal thirty (30) or forty-five (45) days.

25. Will the Government provide a list of current vendors for each MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Common Parts component including current status of the TDPs?

This will be provided with the RFP. The Government is currently executing a separate production contract. An up-to-date TDP will be provided when the RFP is issued. The Government is also revising some elements of the specification, to correct issues discovered during the execution of the production contract and will provide the updated CIPS with the RFP.

26. Are the AutoLITS test sets and/or testing classified?

27. Does the AutoLITS GFE test sets to be delivered currently comply with all test requirements/ needs?

YES, they comply with the CIPS on the current contract. The updated CIPs mentioned in question twenty-five (25) above may modify some of the requirements requiring updates to the AutoLITS.

28. Are there any known AutoLITS updates required to be made “to accommodate the MK54 FIR interface or performance modifications”?

YES, see question 27 above.

29. When does the Government plan on releasing the MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Common Parts component TDPs?

The TDPs will be available when the RFP is issued.

30. Does the Government plan on releasing the native files for all TDP documents?

No. Not with the RFP. After award, the winning Contractor may have any existing native files that are in the possession of the Government for the current contract’s product.

31. Does the Government plan on releasing the current build processes for each MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Common Parts Components/FIRs?

32. Is there a test procedure for the AutoLITS test set? – If so will it be provided as GFI? Who is responsible for the Speed Control Valve test set

– Government or contractor? Is there a procedure for the test set and – will it be provided?

Question 1: YES

Question 2: YES Question 3: SCV kits will be tested by Government only.

Question 4: NO, it will not be provided with the RFP, but the winning Contractor may obtain it after award, if desired.

33. We cast the fuel tanks for the Mark 48 Torpedo. What are the casting requirements for the Mark 54 Torpedo fuel tanks?

The TDP for this item will be available when the RFP is issued.

34. Who do we contact to discuss the alternative coatings to the black oxide being used on the cards?

Any alternative approaches to the required black oxide coatings on the cards would have to include sufficient information within the proposal to show that it meets the minimum requirements in the RFP. A Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) will be provided post contract award.

35. It is not clear what the Acquisition Strategy is for MK54: 1. Are you looking for independent kit providers; or 2. Are you looking for a prime to provide all kits?

The Governments Acquisition Strategy (AS) is to award a single contract for all of the items presented at Industry Day.

36. Will there be a draft RFP? If so, what is the approximate release date?

NO. This MK 54 MOD 0 Procurement is structured to take advantage of ongoing programs and procurements, a draft will not be issued before the formal RFP is released due to other ongoing programs and procurements. The Government desires to release the RFP prior to the end of the calendar year (2014), but this is dependent on the Government’s internal review process and may not be achieved. The contract is planned to be awarded in FY2016.

37. Will software specifications be provided for development or is the contractor expected to develop these specifications from the FIR level

CIPS?

The Contractor is responsible for developing the software specifications derived from requirements in the CIPS. The Government will provide any existing software specifications as Government Furnished Information (GFI) with the RFP release.

The POC for the MK54 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) Common Parts Kits Procurement is Ms. Renee Brooks (renee.brooks@navy.mil) and may be contacted for additional information as needed.

mailto:renee.brooks@navy.mil