Sources Sought Notice for MH PDS.docx

Sources Sought Notice 8 November 2023

Title: Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV) Minehunting (MH) Payload Delivery System (PDS) (N00024-24-R-6303)

Purpose: To support the U.S. Navy’s requirement for a minehunting capability to detect, classify, and localize proud bottom, close tethered, and volume sea mines in shallow and deep-water environments; and to identify bottom mines in shallow water. The MH PDS provides structural interfaces and transfers the power and communications interfaces to the AN/AQS-20C via a towed cable and the MCM USV.

Description:

This is a sources sought notice in accordance with FAR 15.201 and in anticipation of a potential future procurement program. The Naval Sea Systems Command is conducting market research to determine industry capability and interest in producing the MH PDS and MH PDS towed cables utilizing a build to print Technical Data Package (TDP).

NAICS: 334511; Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing

PSC: 5865; Electronic Countermeasures, Electronic Support Measures, and Quick Reaction Capability Equipment and components

Synopsis:

The MH PDS will support various operational roles, including integration between the MCM USV craft and payload deployment, retrieval, and maneuvering tasks. The MH PDS will employ a minehunting payload (i.e., AN/AQS-20C) to conduct minehunting operations critical to MCM mission lethality and survivability. The MH PDS contractor shall meet the MH PDS TDP. The MH PDS Draft TDP is available to industry in accordance with the RFI “Availability of Attachments” instructions below. The final TDP will be available if and when a solicitation is released.

The objective of this sources sought notice is to assess industry’s ability to fabricate, assemble, test and deliver multiple MH PDSs. The Navy plans to procure multiple MH PDSs and additional MH PDS towed cables in one ordering period (FY24-FY25). The Navy is seeking information to determine the interest, technical and production capabilities, knowledge, experience level, and qualifications of industry.

The Government will review the information provided in response to this sources sought notice to determine if there are capable businesses or Small Businesses that can perform the requirements of a planned MH PDS contract. For these reasons, the Navy is seeking the following in response to this sources sought notice:

1. Have you designed, developed, and/or produced similar systems to the MH PDS? Provide examples and detail the similarities.

2. If applicable, how will your experience building similar systems influence the production of the MH PDS? What was the manufacturing capacity and timeline to build similar systems?

3. What is the timeframe for production of a build to print MH PDS using the provided Draft TDP, considering factors such as machine availability, labor capacity, and material availability?

4. How do you plan to address any obsolescence and/or supply chain disruptions during production of a MH PDS?

5. What are the primary complexity and cost drivers associated with the MH PDS as they relate to your approach? Estimate total rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimate using FY24 dollars for the build of one MH PDS. Please provide your basis for cost as follows: recurring and non-recurring costs (including design), and first unit production cost.

6. In production, what would be the optimal interval between deliveries of the MH PDS for your company? What are the different approaches that could be leveraged to accelerate delivery schedules?

7. Specify trade space issues/concerns between technical capability, cost, and schedule.

8. The Navy is interested in the production capacity and capability of industry. Please provide a budget exhibit to specify the following categories:

a. 1-8-5, or economical production rate - The quantity that can be produced with existing or planned plant capacity and tooling with one shift working 8 hours per day, 5 days per week.

b. Maximum production rate - The maximum quantity that can be produced with existing or planned tooling.

c. Initial manufacturing production lead-time (PLT) - The time required by contractor to produce an item if and when the initial contract is awarded.

d. Subcontracting efforts required to produce an item if and when the initial contract is awarded.

Availability of Attachments:

To request access to the Draft MH PDS TDP, please submit a completed Terms of Use Agreement (TOUA) for your company via email to the personnel identified in the Industry Response Section below. Please reference the name of your company and “N00024-24-R-6303 Document Access Request” (without quotes) in the subject line of the message. In the body of the email, provide the name and email address of a company individual who will receive a secure download link via DoD SAFE with the Draft MH PDS TDP.

The MH PDS Draft TDP is marked Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) with dissemination limited to DOD and DOD Contractors only. Only companies that satisfy the distribution/dissemination control may access this document.

Industry Response:

The desired format for submissions is white paper or similar narrative (company’s format). Submissions shall be in Microsoft Word and/or a searchable Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) to include all tables, charts, images, and diagrams. In order to be considered in this market survey, your response shall be submitted electronically and must be received on or before 29 November 2023. Responses to the sources sought notice shall be sent via e-mail to the following addresses:

TO: Mr. Zachary Cooper (Zachary.h.cooper2.civ@us.navy.mil) Ms. Amanda Saji (amanda.saji.civ@us.navy.mil) Mr. Shyam Anand (shyam.anand.civ@us.navy.mil) CC: Mr. Charles Wood (Charles.c.wood.civ@us.navy.mil) SUBJECT LINE: MH PDS Sources Sought Response (insert name of company)

Companies are encouraged to submit a response prior to the closing date. Inclusion of a delivery receipt with an email submission will be the only indication of successful receipt of the company’s response. File size is limited to 12MB per email and companies are solely responsible for ensuring their email size does not exceed the 12MB limitation. File sizes larger than 12MB and .zip file extensions will not be accepted. Modifications, amendments, or withdrawal of the company’s response following submission to the Navy should be made to the above email addresses. One email is acceptable as long as the e-mail does not exceed 12MB. If the e-mail exceeds 12MB, companies may separate their submission among multiple emails and should number them email 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3, etc.

NO CLASSIFIED MATERIAL SHALL BE SUBMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. To aid the Navy in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Respondents shall mark any data included in its submissions that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose.

Disclaimer and Important Notes:

Respondents are advised that Booz Allen Hamilton, in support of PMS420, may assist the Government in its review of responses received under this notice. Respondents shall provide notification on its cover page if it does not consent to the use of the aforementioned contractor. Unless otherwise stated by the respondent, a submission received to this Source Sought constitutes consent that the abovementioned contractor can have access to all information provided in the respondent's submission. The contractor will be accessing the information entirely for the purpose of assisting the Government’s review of responses received under this notice.

The Navy is conducting market research to identify qualified and responsible sources that may be interested in the requirements described in this notice. This sources sought notice is issued for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or a Request for Quote (RFQ). This sources sought notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. In accordance with FAR 15.201, responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. As such, the Government will not reimburse any costs associated with responding to this notice. Information submitted in response to this sources sought notice will become the property of the United States Government. Submitters should properly mark their responses with the appropriate restrictive markings. Information that is proprietary or competition sensitive will be protected from disclosure under the public records law only if properly labeled as such.

CUI 4