Attachment 3_APSD Sources Sought Response.docx

SOURCES SOUGHT FOR TECHNICAL, ENGINEERING, INSTALLATION AND MANUFACTURING SUPPORT FOR AIRCRAFT PROTOTYPE SYSTEMS DIVISION (APSD), NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION (NAWCAD) Attachment 3: Sources Sought Response

Company Name:

Company Address:

CAGE Code:

Unique Entity Identifier:

Point of Contact Name:

Point of Contact Phone Number:

Point of Contact Email Address:

1. Company Size Standard under the following NAICS codes:

541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). Provide a statement including company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office locations, etc. Additionally, provide your current small/large business status.

Company Response:

2. Limitations on Sub-Contracting:

Small businesses must demonstrate the ability to perform at least 50% of the cost of contract labor performance as the prime contractor with similarly situated small business sub-contractors in accordance with FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (Deviation). If your company is planning to team with a similarly situated small business, the response must clearly identify the proposed team members and the capability statement must clearly articulate which portion of the work each team member will be responsible for. The response must be detailed enough for the Government to make a determination whether or not the proposed team will be able to perform 50% of the work when combined. Businesses that are not considered a small business under any of the potential NAICS are encouraged to respond to this request and include information regarding their intentions for small business utilization.

3. Current Company status in regards to:

Having a DCMA approved accounting system in accordance with FAR 16.301-3(a)(3) and possessing an acceptable purchasing system in accordance with DFARS 252.244-7001.

4. Capability Determination Response Topics:

The following responses will be reviewed and an initial assessment will be made on the potential ability to successfully compete for and execute the potential requirements. Please limit the response to no more than 15 pages.

TOPIC 1: AS9100D Certification As the Prime Offeror, describe your experience operating with an AS9100D certification. This includes flow down of the requirement to subcontractors and how you ensured conformance to the requirements. If currently certified, please provide OASIS Identification Number (OIN), certification number, and certification date.

TOPIC 1 Company Response:

TOPIC 2: Technical Capability and Experience Describe prior/current corporate experience performing efforts of similar size and scope within the last 5 years, including contract number, organization supported, indication of whether as a prime or a subcontractor, contract value, Government point of contact, and a brief description of how the referenced contract relates to the proposed required capabilities and in relation to the scale and complexity.

TOPIC 2 Company Response:

TOPIC 3: Engineering and Airworthiness Describe your experience with aircraft component and mission systems design and engineering, reverse engineering, system architecture development, and how it is documented and Configuration Management (CM) controlled as a technical data package. Further describe your experience with airworthiness analysis and data artifacts generated as submission for approval and certification through either the military or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

TOPIC 3 Company Response:

TOPIC 4: Manufacturing and Installation Describe your experience with manufacturing and installing aerospace components and systems in military, or commercial derivative, aircraft platforms within Offeror facilities and as support within Government facilities. This includes experience with DCMA Instruction 8210.1 Contractor’s Flight and Ground Operations or equivalent and Ground Operating Procedures (GOPs). Additionally, quality assurance policy, shop and artisan processes, and documentation utilized to initiate and track actions.

TOPIC 4 Company Response:

TOPIC 5: Providing Aircraft Describe your experience, or ability, to provide aircraft for experimentation and concept demonstration requirements.

TOPIC 5 Company Response:

TOPIC 6: Aircraft Hosting Describe your experience with receiving commercial/military aircraft for the purposes of modification, certification of systems installed, flight test, and either delivery of aircraft or return to previous state. Additionally, describe your experience with, or ability to maintain aircraft during modification periods. This could be an independent requirement (responsible for removal and reinstallation of aircraft components for purposes of access to perform modification), or in collaboration with military squadron maintenance personnel and aircrew.

TOPIC 6 Company Response:

TOPIC 7: Security Describe your current and prior experience supporting engineering, manufacturing, installation, and test activities at the SECRET, TOP SECRET, and TS//SCI levels (including multi-caveat, if applicable). This includes experience, capability, and access to unclassified and classified DoD systems and networks (e.g., Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET), SIPRNET, Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN), Secret Defense Research and Engineering Network (SDREN)), web servers, web-based systems, DoD websites, and email systems.

TOPIC 7 Company Response:

TOPIC 8: Software Development Describe your experience with software development, subsequent implementation in components you have developed or supported, and the software rigor within as part of the airworthiness process. This would also include software developed for engineering and shop processes; for components developed as aircraft or systems integration lab equipment; or for testing and verification purposes.

TOPIC 8 Company Response:

TOPIC 9: Performance Start Describe your ability to begin performance upon the anticipated contract start date of 13 December 2023. This includes workload transitioning and how you would address and track hiring for immediate open positions.

TOPIC 9 Company Response:

TOPIC 10: Invoicing As part of the Government’s cost recovery requirement, it is necessary to receive contract invoices/financial data on a bi-weekly basis. Describe your corporate experience with contract invoicing, frequency, and ability to reconcile errors identified between hours documented within Government databases against actuals submitted through an invoice/cost voucher via the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE) and Wide Area Workflow (WAWF). If frequency cannot be adhered to, further describe how you could provide draft data for auditing and Government recovery purposes prior to invoice submission in PIEE/WAWF.

TOPIC 10 Company Response:

The following section is OPTIONAL and will not be included in the capability determination. These responses are requested to help the Government understand the position of industry related to each topic and craft the best possible solicitation. The Government does not intend to provide a direct response to the inputs provided. Please limit the response to no more than 12 pages.

TOPIC A:

As part of this Market Research tool, the Government requests feedback on concerns with Conflicts of Interest (COI) and affected contracts that provide follow-on activities resultant of support performed within this Sources Sought. This also includes examples of how firewalls were successfully enforced to reduce impacts in other contracts and industry recommendations to prevent COI exclusions.

TOPIC A Company Response:

TOPIC B:

The Government recognizes the difference between Government (on-site) and Offeror facilities (off-site) labor rates and indirect costs. The Government is seeking industry feedback on how this influences an adequate cost evaluation and Streamlined Ordering Procedures. Would industry be willing to explain how those rates will be different and consistent or provide your inputs on how the Government should adequately address this area of concern?

TOPIC B Company Response:

TOPIC C:

The Government requests feedback on the proposed labor categories and qualifications in Attachment 2. This includes the inclusion of additional, combining, or derivative labor categories that industry believes will be advantageous to industry and the Government in the ability to recruit and retain the required technical expertise to execute the requirement. Additionally, feedback on the minimum years of experience at each SCA and professional level is requested. Where minimum years are recommended to be lower, please provide justification.

TOPIC C Company Response:

TOPIC D:

The Government is currently considering commercially available tools, test equipment, software tools, and applications that benefit automation, efficiency, and are utilized for manufacturing, engineering, cost and project management, quality management, and other systems employed across industry. As part of understanding how an on-site/off-site dynamic can create the most benefit, the Government is requesting to understand what tools and applications are utilized within the Offeror’s corporate and shop processes.

TOPIC D Company Response:

TOPIC E

The Government is currently considering multiple source selection strategies. The following approach is notional and not considered final until the issuance of the final RFP. The Government is considering AS9100D certification as a prerequisite for the Prime proposal combined with the use of the more traditional “Best Value” approach with Past Performance, Technical Approach, Cost/Price with established minimum direct rates and a minimum total cost/price realism limit in descending order of importance. The Government is requesting industry feedback on the potential approach or recommendations for alternative approaches.

TOPIC E Company Response:

TOPIC F:

The Government is considering the proposed Security Classification within the Sources Sought and acknowledges the requirement may not be immediately required for Contractor spaces. Provide feedback on concern with, or barriers to receiving and maintaining a Safeguarding requirement at the Secret Level, or higher. Additionally, provide recommendations on Offeror approach to how Safeguarding requirement can be achieved by scaling the overall requirement, or with subcontractor agreements.

TOPIC F Company Response:

TOPIC G:

The Government is currently evaluating the proposed period of performance for this requirement. The Government is considering a base year period plus an option year period. The Government is considering a five-year base period, with a two-year option, for a total of seven years. Please provide your feedback on the potential of a proposed base plus option period of performance such as this, as well as any other period of performance considerations that you wish to share with the Government, such as how this might affect your ability to recruit, train and retain talent, or establish valuable teaming arrangements etc... The Government is interested in both the potential benefits as well as the potential consequences that industry might see with this approach.

TOPIC G Company Response:

TOPIC H:

The Government is considering the structure of this requirement to be a D-type, Single Award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with individual Delivery and Task orders providing highly defined requirements and additional CDRLs as necessary to maintain management of cost, schedule, performance, and risk. Both completion and level of effort (LOE) task orders will be issued under the single award task order contract. These orders will include non-performance-based LOE and performance-based completion requirements. The Government would appreciate feedback on the proposed contract type and any examples of where these contract types did or did not work well for similar requirements.

TOPIC H Company Response:

TOPIC I:

The Government wants to understand if there are any barriers prohibiting competition within Industry with respect to this procurement.

TOPIC I Company Response:

TOPIC J:

Industry may use this response topic to provide any other feedback, not already addressed, associated with the sources sought.

TOPIC J Company Response: