RFI_2 RTES.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, which, as part of market research, is being issued in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 15.201(e). This is not a solicitation/request for proposal and no contract shall be awarded from this Sources Sought. All interested parties should send company and/or descriptive literature, responses to the questions contained within the RFI, and any comments/questions from industry to Ms. Esther Casari, email esther.casari.civ@mail.mil. All responses should be received no later than 10 February 2021. All questions and comments must be in Microsoft Word and sent to the email listed above; no telephone calls will be accepted. No office calls or one on one meetings shall be requested or held related to this RFI. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this request, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any costs incurred in developing the information provided to the Government.

Purpose: Request for Information - The US Army Redstone Test Center (RTC), a subordinate activity of the US Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC), is searching for potential sources that are capable of performing Test and Engineering Services for a new contract.

The intent of this RFI, W91CRB-21-R-0030, is:

1) To gauge industry interest, capabilities and relevant experience to support RTC‘s major test mission areas of Aviation and Flight testing; Environmental and Component testing; Missile and Sensor testing; and Test Technology Development support of the Warfighter.

2) To update the market research conducted through the previous RFI, W91CRB-20-R-0022, on this requirement dated 27 March 2020.

The Government’s current plan is to set this requirement aside for Small Businesses.

Therefore, the Government is seeking additional information regarding Small Businesses’ capability to support this requirement. It is anticipated that interested and capable Small Businesses may enter teaming arrangements in order to provide the full range of support required.

The work in the test missions may relate to efforts associated with engineering, engineering technicians, instrumentation, software, modeling and simulation, test procedures and processes, technical data acquisition, processing, analysis and reporting in such areas as aviation, missiles, sensor systems, propulsion, infrared measurements, human factors, image technology, systems performance, climatic environments, and dynamic and electromagnetic environments. The preponderance of work is under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code of 5417115.

Industry Day: This Industry Day for this effort was held on 11 August 2020. No additional Industry Day will be held.

Estimated Dollar Value: Not to exceed $990 Million.

Estimated Period of Performance: Up to seven years.

Place of Contract Performance: There are multiple places of performance which are determined at the delivery/task order level; however, the majority of the work will be performed at U.S. Army Redstone Test Center (RTC), Redstone Arsenal (RSA), Alabama.

Contract Type: At this time, this requirement is anticipated to be an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract with Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee (CPFF) task orders.

In addition to the support requirements outlined in the initial RFI, the following major test mission requirements are areas where technical support is required on this contract.

They include work in fields such as aerospace, electrical, mechanical, human factors, software, and system engineering; scientific research and development; technical design, and other technical professional services. Below are the expected four major test mission requirements which will be further defined in the final PWS:

a. Aviation and Flight testing – This test commodity area is primarily accomplished in the Aviation Flight Test Directorate (AFTD is one of the three operational test directorates in RTC). Aviation and Flight testing includes testing of the Aircraft (Performance, Handling Qualities, Airworthiness), Mission Equipment (Systems ), Human Factors, Aviator Systems, Aircraft Flight Operations and ground support equipment.

b. Missile and Sensor testing – This test commodity area is primarily accomplished in the Missiles and Sensors Test Directorate (MSTD is one of the three operational test directorates in RTC). Missile and Sensor testing includes Missile Flight, Warhead, Missile Telemetry, Propulsion, Insensitive Munitions, Sensors, and Missile Instrumentation.

c. Environmental and Component testing – This test commodity area is primarily accomplished in the Environmental and Component Test Directorate (ECTD is one of the three operational test directorates in RTC). Environmental and Component testing includes Climatic, Non-Destructive, Stockpile Reliability Program/Surveillance, Component/Subsystems/Systems, Missile Modifications, Electro Magnetic Environmental Effects, Dynamic and Instrumentation.

d. Test Technology Development – Test Technology Development is managed by the Technical Director at RTC as a technology investment program. The developed test technology is required by the three operational directorates to sustain and enhance their current test capabilities and introduce new test capabilities, as required by our customers to test their new technology weapon systems.

Contract Management Expectation: There shall only be one point of contract from the Small Business prime contractor or Small Business Joint Venture which shall be responsible for management of the contract. The point of contact will be the Contract Manager for the Small Business prime contractor or the Contract Manager for the Small Business Joint Venture. All contract management personnel will be provided by the Small Business prime contractor or Small Business Joint Venture. All material purchases and other ODCs will be processed by the Small Business prime contractor or the Joint Venture (JV).

If your company did not previously respond to the 27 March 2020 RFI, please provide a separate response to the first RFI by the close date of this second RFI. The first RFI is attached and labeled “RFI_1 RTES”. Industry Day slides are attached and labeled “RTES Industry Day Slides”. Questions and Answers from RFI_1 are also attached and labeled “RFI_1 RTES Q&A”.

Request for Information: Please respond to the following in Arial font size 12 in no more than 13 pages in length.

1. Company information:

Company:

Address:

Point of Contact:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Please identify your company’s size standard per the primary NAICS code of 541715.

The Small Business Size Standard for this NAICS code with the Aviation and Aviation Parts is 1500 employees. For more information on small business, refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/table-small- business-size-standards.

Large Business:

Small Business

(SB):

8(a):

Small Disadvantaged Business (DB):

Woman-Owned Small Business:

Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone):

Veteran-Owned Small Business:

Service-Disable Veteran-Owned Small Business:

2. This requirement is set-aside for small businesses. Specifically address how your company will comply with FAR Clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, Class Deviation 2020-O0008 (06 November 2020).

3. If you identify your company as a Small Business or any of the SB subcategories as stipulated in Question 1:

a) Does your company intend to submit a proposal as the prime contractor?

b) Does your company plan to team with other Small or Large Business partners?

c) If your company plans to team with other contractors, indicate what type of teaming arrangement you intend to pursue (prime/subcontractor teaming arrangement, Joint Venture, etc.)?

d) Offerors are encouraged to identify teams, indicating each team member's size based upon the NAICS code of the work that the team member may be doing.

4. If your company plans to propose as the prime contractor or a Joint Venture, describe how it will manage the size and complexity of the entire RTES contract effort. Specifically address the “Contract Management Expectations” identified above. Confirm whether your company is capable of completely managing all aspects of the RTES contract and serving as the sole government interface on the contract. Describe a plan that will ensure that having subcontractors and partners will not create an environment within the workforce of discontent due to differences in wages and benefits between prime/subs/partners.

5. If your company plans to propose as a Joint Venture, will it be through an existing JV or will it be a new JV?

6. If your company intends to propose as the prime or as the Managing Partner in a SB JV, does it possess the capabilities to provide the entire range of services discussed in this RFI? If NO, please provide specific capabilities that your company intends to provide and how you will partner to provide the remaining capabilities.

7. Does the prime or JV Small Business have experience of a comparable complexity to RTES in at least two (2) of the major test mission areas of Aviation and Flight testing, Environmental and Component testing, Missile and Sensor testing and Test Technology Development? Ensure the examples provided include work of primarily engineering, engineering technicians, analysts and project management type personnel. Please provide the following information for up to 3 examples of similar work that your company has performed:

a. Contract number and Task Order number(s) (if applicable).

b. Whether performed by Prime or proposed subcontractor/team member.

c. Total dollar value of the contract or Task Order award(s).

d. Period of Performance.

e. Aggregate dollar value the relevant prime or subcontractor/team member company performed.

f. How was this work similar in scope?

8. If your company plans to respond as the prime or as the managing partner of a SB JV, does your company possess or is it capable of obtaining an approved Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system prior to contract award? Explain how the accounting system would be a part of the Prime or JV organization.

9. If you plan to respond as the prime or as the managing partner of the SB JV, does your company/JV or one of your intended partners possess or it is capable of obtaining a DCMA approved purchasing system prior to contract award? Explain how the purchasing system would be a part of the Prime or JV organization. In the event that a contractor purchasing system review has not been completed by DCMA, is your purchasing system in compliance with the requirements of DFARS Clause 252.244-7001(c). Indicate how that compliance was determined.

10. Does your company have or is it capable of obtaining a TOP SECRET facility clearance?

11. Describe your company’s ability to design and build new and unique test capabilities for the contract major test mission areas of Aviation and Flight testing, Environmental and Component testing, and Missile and Sensor testing. If you do not have the capability, what steps are needed to gain access to the needed knowledge, skills and abilities?

12. Explain how your company can plan for and overcome unexpected and uncontrollable events disrupting normal contract operations such as weather closures, pandemics, temporary government shutdowns and catastrophic closures. Explain how you will determine what kinds of reserves would need to be in place to ensure or maintain company resources and stability.

13. Describe your company’s ability to perform program, production and cost management for the RTES contract requirement. Include how your company would approach identifying key metrics for the RTES contract that would assist in managing operational performance and controlling cost growth.

14. Please provide additional information that you believe we should know about your company in support of this RFI.