SB Sources_Sought_AME O2 Carts_07Jan25.docx

Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment) (AME) O2 Servicing Cart Training Systems

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

INTRODUCTION

Naval Air Warfare Center Training System Division (NAWCTSD), Orlando, FL, is seeking potential small business sources to procure three Oxygen (O2) Servicing Cart training systems for the Aviation Structural Mechanic Safety Equipment (AME) rate Schoolhouse at Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC). NAWCTSD anticipates competing this requirement under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15, but reserves the right to compete under the TSC IV MAC as appropriate. The Request for Proposal (RFP) release is anticipated to be in the second quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and the start of contractor performance is anticipated to be in the fourth quarter of FY 2025. Responses received for this notice will serve as consideration for the Government’s decision to fulfill this requirement as a total small business set-aside or a set-aside in one of the socio-economic categories of small business. Additionally, the requested information will be taken into account for acquisition planning purposes.

If you are a small business interested in being the prime contractor for this effort, please be advised that the FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, Deviation 2021-O0008 is now in effect which includes the definition of “Similarly Situated Entity” and provides a revised methodology for the 50% calculation for compliance with the clause. Small business primes may count “first tier subcontracted” work performed by similarly situated entities as if it were performed by the prime itself. Please read the full text of the clause deviation (52.219-14 Class Deviation 2021-O0008, Revision 1, dated 15 February 2023 at https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA000277-23-DPC.pdf).

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

AME O2 Servicing Cart training systems will be delivered to the Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) Pensacola facility located aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, FL.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

NAWCTSD is tasked by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Program Office for Naval Aviation Training Systems (PMA-205) to procure three AME O2 Servicing Cart training systems for Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) specifically used for the AME rating as found in the AME Functional Requirements Document (FRD).

Per the AME FRD, the Schoolhouse requires three O2 Servicing Carts that will provide the exact look, feel, and sound as existing fully functional O2 Servicing Carts found in the Fleet, but do not require the use of pressurized oxygen or other gases. These mock-up O2 Servicing Carts shall provide hands-on interaction with physical equipment aided by an electronic or computer-controlled interface that will simulate pressure from the O2 tanks using electronically controlled pressure gauges.

The new training systems will be used to provide enhanced training capability to meet the approved FRDs for Sailor 2025 Ready Relevant Learning Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment) (AME) Rating requirements.

REQUIREMENTS

· Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract

· All contractor personnel must be eligible to perform Non-Critical Sensitive work as defined by Secretary of the Navy Instruction SECNAVINST-5510.30. All contractor personnel are required to have a favorably adjudicated Tier-3 investigation from the Office of Personnel Management.

· Below are the general requirements for each AME O2 Servicing Cart training system:

· These training devices shall be mock-ups of a specific O2 Servicing Cart that is currently used across the Fleet. The National Item Identification Number (NIIN) of the existing carts is 01-513-4318. The carts shall look, feel, and sound like the real carts currently in the Fleet but will not have pressurized oxygen in the mock-up O2 bottles.

· The existing carts that these mock-ups must replicate were designed and manufactured by Epsilon Systems Solutions, Inc. The new carts shall have the same appearance as the carts designed and manufactured by Epsilon Systems Solutions, Inc.

· Each O2 Servicing Cart shall have a replica of a Seat Survival Kit SKU-10/A affixed to the front of the cart.

· Students will utilize set procedures with these training carts to simulate how to fill the Seat Survival Kit SKU-10/A seat pans with oxygen from the O2 carts without the potential danger of highly pressurized gas.

· Each O2 Servicing Cart trainer shall allow the students to turn various knobs and utilize electronics to stimulate electronically controlled pressure gauges.

· AME instructors can ensure the students are familiar with how these carts function and how to safely operate the carts before the students become certified in operating highly pressured gas systems in other class settings.

· Each O2 Servicing Cart shall have the same number and types of pressure gauges as the existing O2 Servicing Carts used in the Fleet.

· Each O2 Servicing Cart shall produce a sound simulating an instant charge up of an oxygen line that is similar to the actual sound made by the existing O2 Servicing Carts used in the Fleet.

· The Government requires Operating and Maintenance Manuals to support the devices.

· The Government does not own the technical data of the existing O2 Servicing Carts to provide to a potential offeror.

· The devices shall have minimal Cyber Security impacts.

· Further desired requirements can be found in the supplemental document entitled “Oxygen Cart and Ejection Seat Trainer Brief Summary”

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE (Estimated)

RFP: March 2025 Award: September 2025 Delivery: Anticipated within 12 months of Award Note: Exact award and delivery schedule will be promulgated at RFP.

ELIGIBILITY

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 333310 (Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing) which carries a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. The Product Service Code (PSC) is 6910. Contractors shall answer #1 and #2 under submission details, when responding to this notice.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

All responses shall include the following:

1. Information about your firm.

Small businesses please address the following as appropriate:

a) Name and address of the firm.

b) Name of a primary Point of Contact (POC) for the response, including title and telephone number.

c) Identify your firm’s CAGE code.

d) Identify if your firm is considered a small business under the size standard (1,000 employees) associated with the chosen NAICS code (333310).

e) Identify your firm’s socio-economic status (please indicate all that apply: WOSB, EDWOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, 8(a)).

f) Please address if your firm is interested in participating as a prime or subcontractor. If interested in the prime contractor role, please identify anticipated teaming partners and their role in the overall acquisition (specific capabilities/solutions that partner brings to the acquisition, size and status of the partner, CAGE code, approximate workshare, etc.).

g) To assist in our market research and determination of any applicable small business set-aside for this effort, if you are a small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize “similarly situated entities” to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting, please identify the name & CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their Small Business (SB) size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding any planned similarly situated entity should be included in answering any questions outlined in the Sources Sought Notice in order to assist the Government’s capability determination.

2. Information about capabilities

a) A written statement detailing the ability to meet the above requirements. The Government understands that minimal information is provided within this posting. Any historical contracts (provide only the contract number and brief overview) that have been executed or in the process of being executed that are similar to the scope of this effort is requested in your written statement.

b) An explanation of how the new training cart will be designed to replicate the existing O2 Servicing Cart design (i.e. discussions with manufacturer of the existing O2 Servicing Cart, site visit and reverse engineering, etc.)

Interested sources shall submit their written technical capabilities to provide the requirements described above. Detailed written capabilities must be submitted by email to Julide (Julie) Alonso at julide.n.alonso.civ@us.navy.mil and copy Allison Laera at Allison.m.laera.civ@us.navy.mil in an electronic format that is compatible with Microsoft Office 2010 applications (MS Word), no later than 1500 Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 28 January 2025. The submission of this information is for PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to procure any supplies or services. All information shall be furnished at no cost or obligation to the Government. Responses shall be limited to no more than TEN (10) pages. Verbal submissions are not acceptable. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. Classified material SHALL NOT be submitted.

Questions concerning this requirement should be directed to the Contract Specialist, (Julie) Alonso, via email at julide.n.alonso.civ@us.navy.mil or by telephone at (407) 380-4261.

DISCLAIMER

THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. GOING FORWARD, ALL NEW ENTITIES REGISTERING IN GSA’S SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM), AS WELL AS EXISTING REGISTRATIONS BEING UPDATED OR RENEWED, WILL REQUIRE THE SUBMISSION OF AN ORIGINAL, SIGNED NOTARIZED LETTER IDENTIFYING THE AUTHORIZED ENTITY ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE ENTITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER BEFORE THE REGISTRATION WILL BE ACTIVATED. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL INTERESTED PARTIES BE AWARE THAT PROCESSING THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY TAKE SEVERAL DAYS AND ARE PROACTIVE IN MAINTAINING THE SAM REGISTRATIONS IN AN “ACTIVE” STATUS AS THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT AWARD TO AN ENTITY WITHOUT AN “ACTIVE” SAM REGISTRATION.