T6 COMBS IV SSS.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER (AFLCMC)

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE OKLAHOMA

3 March 2022

CONTRACTOR OPERATED AND MAINTAINED BASE SUPPLY

(COMBS) SERVICES FOR THE T-6A/B/D TEXAN II AIRCRAFT

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION

WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE.

This Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) is in support of Market Research being conducted by the United States Air Force to identify potential sources and to determine if this effort can be competitive or a Small Business Set-Aside. This is not a Request for Proposal, Solicitation, or an indication that a contractual commitment will exist for this requirement. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market research. No funds are available for the information requested.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB) is requesting information in support of Market Research to identify potential sources for the effort listed below. The Government will use this information to determine the best future acquisition strategy for this procurement, inclusive of the need to do an Industry Day.

The proposed North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code is 488190, “Other Support Activities for Air Transportation”, which has a corresponding Standard of $35M. The Government is interested in all businesses to include, Large Businesses, Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Business 8(a)'s, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, HUBzone Businesses, and Women- Owned Small Businesses.

DESCRIPTION:

The Contractor Operated and Maintained Base Supply (COMBS) services contractor shall be capable of furnishing Supply Chain Management (SCM) services to support 739 T-6A/B/D Texan II Aircraft (T- 6A/B/D) for the United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy (USN), and United States Army (USA) at the following Operating Locations: Columbus AFB MS, Laughlin AFB TX, Randolph AFB TX, Sheppard AFB TX, Vance AFB OK, USAF Combat Systems Officer (CSO) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola FL, NAS Whiting Field TX, NAS Corpus Christi TX, USN Naval Flight Officer (NFO) at Pensacola FL, NAS Patuxent River MD, U.S. Army Aviation Flight Test Directorate (AFTD) Redstone Arsenal AL, as well as the following Depot Location: Fleet Readiness Center South East (FRCSE) NAS Jacksonville FL.

This aircraft fleet is maintained using commercial manuals and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) processes. The parts repair, facilities and labor must be compliant with the FAA regulations and U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army requirements as outlined in the draft PWS. Contractors must establish Associate Contracting Agreement (ACA) or necessary working relationships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in order to access necessary data to support the fleet and allow the Contractor to maintain engines, accessories and repairable assets such that the FAA certification is not compromised.

The COMBS services provider will be responsible for providing supply support in the form of serviceable

FAA certified material and support equipment to the maintenance provider in support of Air Education & Training Command (AETC), Chief of Naval Air and Training (CNATRA) and United States Army Flight Test Directorate (USA/FTD) daily flying mission as outlined in the draft PWS. The T-6 fleet is primarily supported by Government Furnished Property (GFP). The contractor will be required to augment GFP with Contractor Furnished Property (CFP) for any additional needed parts. The USG anticipates providing a GFP list with the future RFP.

The full spectrum of transparent SCM services will support safe, flyable aircraft to meet users’ daily flight schedule consistent with Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial sector best practices in procuring, producing, and delivering products and services to customers. These SCM activities include, but are not limited to, managing supply and demand, sourcing parts, assembly, disposal, warehousing and inventory tracking, order entry and order management, distribution across all channels, and delivery to the customer.

Listed below are the number of T-6A/B/D by location the contractor will be responsible for supporting:

Air Force Navy Army Columbus 99 Corpus Christi 97 Redstone 4 Laughlin 103 Whiting Field 147 Pensacola 24 Pensacola 43 Randolph 41 Pax River 6 Sheppard 76

Vance 99

TOTAL 442 TOTAL 293 TOTAL 4

An Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract is contemplated.

A five-year base contract plus the potential of 1 five-year option period, or a five-year base contract plus the potential of 1 three-year option period and 2 one-year incentive option periods are considered.

The anticipated categories of work include, but are not limited to the following:

- COMBS Services and Program Management

- COMBS Program Management – Detachment Support

- Off-Station Support

- Support Equipment

- Price Per Flight Hour

- Overhaul – Major Time Change Items (Engines, Propellers, Landing Gear)

- Beyond Fair Wear and Tear (BFWT) and Depot Maintenance Material Support (DMMS)

- Data

- Contract Transition

- Travel

- Additional Material and Equipment

Anticipated Schedule:

Industry Day May 2022 RFP Release October 2022 Proposals Due December 2022 Award November 2023

Transition-In Start Date November 2023 Full Performance Begins May 2024

Interested parties with the capacity to supply this requirement, please provide a capability statement addressing the following areas for your company and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

PART I: BUSINESS INFORMATION

- Company Name and Address

- Cage Code & DUNS Number

- Company business size by NAICS Code 488190

- Small Business Type(s) (if applicable)

- Point of Contact (to include phone number and email address)

- Web page URL

PART II: CONTRACTOR CAPABILITIES

The Government is seeking industry input on questions provided.

All interested parties should send responses, questions and/or comments to the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO), Mr. Ethan Welton at ethan.welton@us.af.mil. Please identify in your response a representative to support potential USG inquiries and/or requests for clarification. Marketing materials are considered an insufficient response to this SSS. All responses must be received no later than 4:00PM CST, 4 April 2022. Oral submissions of information are not acceptable. Any responses involving teaming agreements should delineate between the work accomplished by the prime and the work accomplished by the teaming partners.

1. Is your company interested in performing as a Prime or as a Subcontractor?

2. What previous experience does your company have with United States Government (USG) contracts?

i. What contract types do you have experience with (i.e. Cost Type or Fixed Price)?

ii. Has your company ever used Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) for payments?

iii. Has your company ever participated in a USG source selection competition?

3. Briefly describe similar services offered to the Government and to commercial customers over the past three years (if applicable)

4. If you are a small business interested in proposing on this requirement and you are not registered under this NAICS 488190, would you be able to register your company in this NAICS in order to participate?

5. If you are a small business interested in being the Prime are you able to comply with FAR clause 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting as shown below?

(e) Limitations on subcontracting. By submission of an offer and execution of a contract, the Contractor agrees that in performance of a contract assigned a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for—

(1)Services (except construction), it will not pay more than 50 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the prime contractor's 50 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. When a contract includes both services and supplies, the 50 percent limitation shall apply only to the service portion of the contract;

Similarly situated entity, as used in this clause, means a first-tier subcontractor, including an independent contractor, that—

(1) Has the same small business program status as that which qualified the prime contractor for the award (e.g., for a small business set-aside contract, any small business concern, without regard to its socioeconomic status); and

(2) Is considered small for the size standard under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract.

6. If this effort is not set-aside for small business, small business utilization will be considered.

Request that large and small businesses provide a reasonable expectation for small business utilization as a percent of total contract value. Please provide supporting rationale for the recommended percentage.

7. Detail past teaming arrangements (i.e., partnering, joint ventures, etc.) with large businesses

8. Does your company have experience working requirements that include both contracted (vendor) and organic (USG) maintenance activities?

9. Does your company have an approved accounting system?

10. The USG is contemplating awarding between an eight (8) and ten (10) year contract. If an 8 year contract is selected, clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, is anticipated to be included.

i. What advantages/disadvantages do you realize regarding this length of contract?

ii. Can your company propose a Firm Fixed Price for this effort?

iii. This requirement is for a flying hour program, where all material needed to support the aircraft will be priced per hour flown per aircraft. The selected contractor will then only bill actual hours flown. Is your company capable of pricing in this fashion?

iv. Can your company provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) price estimate for this effort?

11. The JPATS fleet is comprised of commercial derivative aircraft and rotable parts and all material must be repaired IAW FAA processes and procedures. Can you meet this requirement?

12. Does your company have an Associate Contracting Agreement (ACA), other legal agreement, or necessary working relationships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)/required vendors Textron Aviation Defense and Pratt & Whitney Canada?

13. The scope and magnitude of this effort will be significant, explain how your prices, quality and delivery will remain competitive with respect to the possibility for needing to raise large amounts of capital in order to carry large inventory and vendor payments prior to USG reimbursement.

14. Your company will be required to provide Maintenance Liaisons in Maintenance Operations Centers at a minimum of 2 locations in performance of this contract. If your company does not have Maintenance Liaisons on staff, what is your plan to meet the requirement?

15. Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) issues will likely occur during this effort:

i. Does your company have experience supporting DMSMS issues?

16. Does your company currently have an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system?

17. What does industry consider appropriate and value added COMBS metrics for evaluating performance?

18. As outlined above, the USG is considering the inclusion of incentive options. Will these incentives motivate your company to perform? Are there other types of incentives (i.e. cost, schedule, or performance, etc…) that would be better suited to motivate your company?

19. The USG is considering a 180 transition period. Is this enough time for your company? Could your company transition in less than 180 days?

20. How can industry ensure keeping stock on shelves during contract transition periods?

21. How would your company handle procurement of spares/parts/equipment potentially needed on day one of full COMBS performance, which typically takes longer than what the transition period provides for?

Provide any recommendations and/or concerns in writing (email preferred).

Questions with responses to this synopsis will be posted through SAM.gov