RFI-MSV-L.doc

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

For

Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L) As

REPLACEMENT FOR THE LANDING CRAFT MECHANIZED (LCM-8)

8 May 2015

I. SYNOPSIS:

The US Army, Product Director, Army Watercraft Systems (PD AWS) intends to replace its fleet of Landing Craft Mechanized 8 Mod I and II (LCM-8) vessels with a vessel as described in emergent requirement development called the Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L)).

The MSV(L) is an Army waterborne platform that will provide land maneuver forces with operational agility through tactically synchronized, movement of combat-ready, tailored force elements. MSV(L) represents a modernization of current Army Watercraft capabilities as provided by the aging LCM-8 that adds new capabilities intended to meet the Army’s future tactical and operational movement and maneuver requirements. MSV(L) is intended to access austere entry points, degraded ports, and bare beaches without dependency on support ashore, in support of land maneuver support and/or maneuver sustainment operations. MSV(L) shall be capable of operating throughout the littoral operational environment, maneuvering in shallow coastal waters, narrow inland waterways and rivers in support of widely dispersed, tailored force elements, even in Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) environments.

The purpose of this RFI is to identify possible candidates for the MSV(L) as replacement for the aging LCM-8 fleet. This RFI is intended to gather industry input as it relates to the provided draft requirements documents and the Government affordability caps. In addition, input regarding whether the MSV(L) vessel can be manufactured within these parameters with or without trades. Industry responses to this updated RFI will influence the decision making process towards release of Request for Proposal (RFP).

No contract shall be awarded from this announcement. This is not a RFP or an announcement of a forthcoming solicitation nor does it imply or guarantee one shall be issued in the future. Also, it is not a request seeking contractors interested in being placed on a solicitation mailing list. Response to this questionnaire is voluntary and no reimbursement shall be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to the market survey and any follow-on information requests.

Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it shall be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website: https://www.fbo.gov. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the government.

II. BACKGROUND:

The LCM-8 has been in service since 1967. The vessel was originally procured with an expected Economic Useful Life (EUL) of 25 years (1992).

The LCM-8 is a shallow draft, multipurpose vessel that transports cargo, troops and vehicles from ship to shore or in retrograde movements with roll-on/roll-off capability for wheeled and tracked vehicles. It is also utilized in lighterage operations and multipurpose utility work in harbors.

Please note the following definitions:

· Length: The total length of the vessel in feet, stated in Length Between Perpendiculars (LBP) or Length at waterline (LWL),

· Beam: The extreme width of the vessel in feet

· Displacement: The weight of the total amount of water in long tons (LTONs) that the vessel displaces when afloat. Laden is heavily loaded or weighed down (with cargo) and unladen is not carrying a payload. Both laden and unladen have the full stores, fuel, water and equipment aboard.

· Deck Area: The total square footage of deck space available for loading equipment.

· Range: The distance a vessel can travel with one full load of fuel (stated in both Unladen (no cargo) and Laden (with cargo).

· Draft: The amount of hull underwater measured in feet when the vessel is afloat (stated in both unladen (no cargo) and laden (cargo) terms.).

· Sea State (SS): The general condition of the free surface on a large body of water—with respect to wind waves and swell—at a certain location and moment. A sea state is characterized by statistics, including the wave height, period, and power spectrum. All references to Sea State in this document shall be using the Beaufort Scale (Beaufort Wind Force Scale) and shall be referred to as SS and a numeral on that scale (i.e., Sea State 3= SS 3).

· Functional draft is the composite of three different facets: vessel draft, propulsor and bow draft and is defined as the minimum distance from the waterline to the lowest point of the vessel, and around the vessel, which allows the vessel to conduct full power operations.

· Short Tons: unit of mass equal to 2,000 pounds.

The existing fleet has the following characteristics:

· Length: 74 feet

· Beam: 21 feet

· Displacement: 58 LTONs (unladen); 111 LTONs (laden)

· Deck area: 620 square feet

· Range: 332 NM at 11 knots (unladen) one-way; 271 NM at 9 knots (laden) one-way

· Main propulsion engines: Type: Diesel Horsepower: 300 bhp @ 1800 rpm Fuel consumption; 21.5 gallons / 81.4 Liters per hour

· Draft: 3.5 feet (unladen); 5 feet (laden)

· Carries a crew of 6 enlisted (3 per shift for 24-hour operations)

· Equipped with navigation, communications, and electronic equipment

Current fleet consists of 38 LCM-8 MOD Is and 6 LCM-8 MOD IIs (command and control (C2) variant).

III. POTENTIAL REQUIREMENT:

1. Request DRAFT Army Technical Purchase Description (ATPD), at: https://www.fbo.gov/fedteds/W56HZV15R0187. Potential trades are annotated highlighted in yellow.

2. See DRAFT Statement of Work (SOW), attached.

3. See anticipated Production Schedule, attached.

4. See Payload Requirements Table, attached.

IV. INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRE:

Please answer all of the questions below. This is your opportunity to review the draft attached documents so that you can assess the requirements to the affordability parameters which will be discussed below. Responses to this market research questionnaire and any requests for clarifications should be sent via e-mail to: usarmy.detroit.acc.mbx.wrn-msvl-rfp@mail.mil. You are requested to put “Response to MSV(L) RFI” in the subject line of the e-mail.

Please submit your response no later than close of business 6 July 2015.

Any information that cannot be sent via email can be mailed on a CD to the following address:

Kim Nelson Army Contracting Command ATTN: CCTA-HBF-P, Mail Stop # 416 6501 E. 11 Mile Rd.

Warren, MI 48397-5000

Please Note: Reponses to this Request will not be returned, nor will detailed feedback be made available.

Proprietary Information. The United States Government (USG) acknowledges its obligations under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (18 U.S.C. §1905) to protect confidential information provided to the Government. Pursuant to this statute, the USG is willing to accept any trade secrets or proprietary restrictions placed upon data presented in response to this survey and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure, subject to the following:

· Data must be clearly marked PROPRIETARY and be accompanied by an explanatory text so that the Government is clearly notified on what data is proprietary.

· Mark only data that is truly confidential.

· Do not mark data that is already in the public domain or is already in possession of the USG or third parties on an unclassified basis. Do not submit any classified data in response to this market survey.

· Proprietary data transmitted electronically must have the PROPRIETARY legend on both the cover of the transmittal e-mail as well as at the beginning of the file. Proprietary information contained within the correspondence shall use the legends: “PROPRIETARY PORTION BEGINS” and “PROPRIETARY PORTION ENDS.”

Disclaimer: The Government is not responsible for the public disclosure of unmarked data received in response to this market survey. Accordingly, the potential offeror shall ensure that technical data provided in response to this market survey shall be appropriately marked (i.e. proprietary) to ensure proper Government handling of the data. Should the USG need to reproduce the protected data for distribution purposes between Government offices, all such data shall be reproduced with restrictive legends in place.

V. INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM INDUSTRY:

1. Manufacturer

a. Name: __________________________________________________________

b. Mailing Address:___________________________________________________

c. Website: _________________________________________________________

d. Location of Production:______________________________________________

2. Personnel Responding to RFI

a. Name: __________________________________________________________

b. Title: ____________________________________________________________

c. Company Responsibility/Position: _____________________________________

d. Telephone/Fax Numbers: ___________________________________________

e. E-Mail Address:____________________________________________________

f. Cage Code (if any):_________________________________________________

3. Business Type

a. Are you a large or small business? ____________________________ If a small business, are you:

1. Small disadvantaged___

2. 8(a)___

3. Hub Zone Small Business ____

4. Veteran-Owned___

5. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned ____

6. Woman Owned ____

b. List your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code(s). __________________________________________________

c. Is your company listed in System of Award Management (SAM)? ________________________________________________________

4. Cost

a. The current Average Unit Manufacturing Cost (AUMC) affordability caps identified below are expressed in Base Year Fiscal Year 16 Dollars (BYFY16). Please note that the AUMC includes the actual vessel plus all associated costs including out fitting and out rigging gear with Basic Issue Items (BII), On Board Spares List (OBSL), Special Tools and Test Equipment (STTE), Test Measurement Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE), Additional Authorized Items (AAL), and any Associated Items of Equipment (ASIOE). The AUMC DOES NOT include any technical manuals or technical data which will be funded as a separate item. In addition, the AUMC does not include the cost of the Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) as identified in the SOW.

- Prototype – 1 each - $17.6M each

- Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) – 4 each – $13.8M each

- Full Rate Production (FRP) – 32 each - $11.3M each

b. Outline and describe the top cost drivers from your design perspective and potential trade areas.

c. Describe your view of trades as highlighted in yellow in attached ATPD.

d. In order to meet the AUMC affordability caps identified in 4.a. above, will trades be required? If so, what requirements do you consider tradable and can you rank them in priority order?

e. Is your accounting system capable of segregating and reporting costs in the following Work Breakdown Structure reporting elements as described in MIL-STD-881C Appendix E: Sea Systems:

- Ship

-Hull Structure

- Propulsion Plant

- Electric Plant

- Command, Communications and Surveillance

- Auxiliary Systems

- Outfit and Furnishings

- Armament

- Total Ship Integration/Engineering

- Ship Assembly and Support Services

- System Engineering

- Program Management

- System Test and Evaluation

- Training

- Data

- Peculiar Support Equipment

- Common Support Equipment

- Operational/Site Activation

- Industrial Facilitates

- Initial spares and Repair Parts

f. If you cannot segregate and provide the reporting elements as listed above, what alternative reporting structure can you provide?

5. Contract Type: Government is considering a fixed price type contract for the entire effort.

a. Given your review of the draft documents and AUMC affordability caps, will you submit a proposal when the RFP is posted?

b. If so, would you prefer a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) or a Fixed Price Incentive (Firm Target) (FPI(F)) type contract?

6. Proposal Submission: If you do not anticipate submitting a proposal to the RFP, why not?

7. Summary Comments: Given your review of the draft documents, do you have any other comments?