RBF Sources Sought.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT

3 Jun 2020

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS ONLY. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION

AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A

COMMITMENT BY THE AIR FORCE TO ISSUE A SOLICITATION OR

ULTIMATELY AWARD A CONTRACT. NEITHER UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS

NOR ANY OTHER KINDS OF OFFERS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN RESPONSE TO

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT.

I. Synopsis:

The Department of the Air Force, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Strategic Warning and Surveillance Systems Division is conducting market research to identify contractors capable of and interested in producing, installing, and integrating Receive Beam Formers (RBFs) obsolescence mitigation kits at the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) and Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry (PAVE) Phase Array Warning System (PAWS) (BMEWS/PAVE PAWS) (BPP) sites. These kits will contain Form Fit Function Interface (F3I) replacement components within each cabinet to resolve obsolescence. This effort will support Government requirements to provide sustainment support for BPP sites for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Digital (AFMC), Strategic Warning & Surveillance Systems Division (HBQR). The AN/FPS-123 and AN/FPS-132 BPP radar sensors are ground-based, computer-driven, phased array radars located at Thule Air Base (AB), Greenland; Clear Air Force Station (AFS), Alaska (AK); Royal Air Force (RAF) Fylingdales, United Kingdom (UK); Beale AFB, California (CA); and Cape Cod AFS, Massachusetts (MA). All information contained in this Sources Sought Synopsis is preliminary, as well as subject to modification, and is in no way binding on the Government.

The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this request. The information requested will be used solely within the Air Force to facilitate decision making and will not be disclosed outside of the Government. The determination of a procurement strategy, based upon the comments submitted in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis, is solely within the discretion of the Government. This synopsis is open to all qualified prime contractors, regardless of size. The applicable NAICS is: 334511 – Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical Systems and Instrument Manufacturing. If a potential offeror believes a different NAICS code is more applicable to this effort than the one noted here, an alternate NAICS and justification for its use should be noted in their response.

II. Scope of Work:

An RBF combines the detected RF signals from each subarray in the radars and consolidates them into a single Sum channel, Azimuth channel, and Elevation channel. The RBF then amplifies each channel before sending it to the next component of the radar. The contractor will need to demonstrate their expertise in phased array UHF technology, and be able to build to design and troubleshoot/repair if issues arise during manufacturing, installation and integration. The Government has a partial systems performance specifications and a Technical Data Package (TDP) available for use by potential offerors. The requirements and background information are available only to bidders with ability to handle For Official Use Only information upon request.

The Government needs ten F3I Receive Beam Former (RBF) obsolescence mitigation kits to replace brittle 1970s flexible RF Cabling, obsolete CCAs, card baskets, wire harnesses, and wire wrap backplane at five BMEWS and PAVE PAWS sites. After each kit is installed, the contractor must align the RBF cabinet’s functionality with array face.

III. Information Sought:

Within the 10 pages specified by this Sources Sought, qualified potential prime contractors are requested to provide the following information to meet the Sources Sought objectives.

1. The Government requests industry feedback on potential offeror’s ability to meet the current requirements. Responses should:

a. Specify whether respondents have the background and expertise to be able to produce RBF kits IAW a Government provided draft Level III Technical Data Package (TDP).

b. Specify whether respondents have the background and expertise to be able to build, install, integrate RBF kits, and align the array faces to the updated RBF cabinets to meet site specific requirements. Contractor will also need to finalize the TDP, update Technical Orders, and provide training to on-site maintainers.

c. Describe processes for kit production, quality control, and quality assurance.

d. Identify an estimated timeline to produce, integrate, install, align and calibrate the replacement RBF kits at SIL five (5) operational sites plus the SIL if not already qualified in a previous effort.

2. The Government desires to maintain unlimited data rights and not proprietary electronic solutions. Describe any privately developed items, components, processes, computer software, and/or technical data that a potential offeror: (a) Intends to deliver with Limited Rights, (b) Intends to deliver with Government Purpose Rights, (c) Intends to deliver with Restricted Rights, or (d) have not yet determined if such rights should apply.

The BPP RBF Obsolescence Mitigation Bidders Library contains additional requirements information and system program documentation. Request access to the Bidders Library by following directions in Attachment 1 - Bidders Library Instructions dated 22 Jun 2017. Once in the library, users can download individual documents or open the document titled “Users Guide – Bidders Library Cloning Workbench” for instructions on how to download the entire library.

IV. Questions:

In addition to the information requested above in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis, the Government is seeking responses to the questions below:

1. After review of the Sources Sought library data, what additional technical/workload data, if any, is required for you to competitively propose for this effort?

2. What is your production capacity?

3. Are you familiar with BPP phased-array radar functionality and its performance operations to be able to conduct both transmit and receive array alignment and calibration processes? How would you plan for potential MAS and SAPs updates that have limited source code and tool availability while integrating the RBF LRU at site?

4. What, if any, warranty period would you offer?

5. Do you have an existing contract vehicle to fulfill the requirement? If so, please identify. If not, what contract type would you recommend given your strategic look at risk?

6. What are your production cost drivers and constraints?

7. Would you require a site visit in order to respond to a formal Request for Proposal (RFP)? If so, how far in advance would you need to visit in order respond to a formal

RFP?

8. Describe opportunities for small business participation, if any.

V. Response Information:

Submit your responses via email in a PDF or an MS Office compatible electronic format with “RBF Response” in the subject line to Keri Sampson, Contracting Officer (keri.sampson@us.af.mil).

Response information shall contain only ONE electronic file, no larger than 5 megabytes (MB) in size that contains the following:

1) Cover letter

2) Company name, mailing address/website, location of facilities, CAGE Code, North

Industry Classification System (NAICS) number(s), business size and any eligibility under the U.S. Government socio-economic programs and preference, and point of contact to include telephone number(s) and email address. Specify if responding concern is a U.S. (no foreign concerns).

3) Responses to the Information Sought in Section III (no more than 10 pages, 11 point Times New Roman font (no smaller than 10 point when embedded within graphics)

4) Responses to questions in Section IV (if desired)

Multiple electronic submissions to avoid the 5 MB size limitation will not be allowed.

Any response submitted by respondents to this Sources Sought constitutes consent for their submission to be reviewed by Government personnel, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) employees and Advisory & Assistance Services (A&AS) contractor employees supporting AFLCMC/HBQ, unless the respondent clearly objects in writing to the release of this information to FFRDC contractor employees and A&AS contractor employees supporting AFLCMC/HBQR, in a cover letter accompanying your Sources Sought Response Package.

The information received will assist in formulating an acquisition strategy decision.

Responses are due no later than 3 July 2020, 4:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST), however, earlier submissions of responses are highly desirable. Responses received after this date and time may not be reviewed.

Address all contracting and acquisition strategy questions to the Contracting Officer:

Keri Sampson, email: keri.sampson@us.af.mil. mailto:ESC.HSIK.NCMC@peterson.af.mil mailto:keri.sampson@us.af.mil mailto:ESC.HSIK.NCMC@peterson.af.mil