FBO_Announcement_-_29_December_2016.docx

Solicitation Number: W56HZV-16-R-0244 Notice Type: Special Notice; Market Survey Posting Date: 30 December 2016 Services Classification Code: AC42 -- R&D- Defense System: Tank/Automotive (Applied Research/Exploratory Development) Procurement Activity: Army Contracting Command – Warren

1. Purpose The United States Government (USG) intends to pursue a Firm Fixed Price development contract, based on the low technical risk reflected in Industry white paper responses to the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) Sources Sought posted 14 July 2016. Given this contract approach, the USG requests Industry to provide updated white paper responses that identify risks pertaining to cost, schedule, and performance. This notice does not constitute an Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal and is not to be construed as a solicitation, and no award shall be made on the basis of this notice. There is no formal solicitation available at this time, no solicitation will be issued against this notice, and this request for information does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation.

2. Background The Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA) approved the Army’s Combat Vehicle Modernization Strategy (CVMS) in April 2015 to include funding in POM 17-21 for the MPF Program. An Army Requirements Oversight Council (AROC) was conducted on 17 June 2016 with the decision to proceed with a request for Materiel Development Decision (MDD) and start the planning process towards the commencement of an Analysis of Alternatives (AOA). The acquisition strategy will focus on NDI vehicles with minimal to moderate modifications. The responses received from this Market Survey will help inform the AOA and MPF Capabilities Development Document (CDD).

3. General Information Participation in this effort is strictly voluntary with no obligation incurred by the United States Government (USG). The USG will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. However, this presents an important opportunity for Industry to influence the development of requirements, and the full range of other elements supporting the acquisition strategy for this program. Participation in this market survey is strictly voluntary and the U.S. Government will not reimburse contractors for any cost incurred for its participation in this market survey. All information is to be submitted at no cost or obligation to the Government.

4. Program Update Intent The updated white paper submissions will be utilized to determine if the current MPF requirements can be met with a low to moderate risk program that modifies an existing vehicle under a Firm Fixed Price development contract.

5. Requesting Information Type (FOUO) and Classified FOUO and Classified Information relevant to MPF Requirements are available to interested participants, for the purpose of updating white papers. Please refer to the previous FBO announcements dated 14 July 2016 and 08 December 2016 for instructions on how to obtain information supporting this announcement.

6. Proprietary Information The USG acknowledges its obligations under the Federal Acquisition Regulation 3.104-4 to protect confidential information provided to the Government (18 U.S.C. §1905). Pursuant to this statute, the USG is willing to accept any trade secrets or proprietary restrictions placed upon qualifying data forwarded in response to this survey and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure, subject to the following:

· Qualifying data must be clearly marked PROPRIETARY and be accompanied by an explanatory text so that the Government is clearly notified as to exactly what data so qualifies.

· 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.

· 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 USG is not obligated to protect unmarked data. Nor is the Government obligated for like data in possession of third parties or for data which is afterwards placed in the public domain by the contractor or by third parties through no fault of the USG. Should the USG need to reproduce the protected data for distribution purposes between Government offices, all such data will be reproduced with restrictive legends in place.

Support Contractors:

The Government sometimes uses support contractors in evaluating responses. Consequently, responses that contain proprietary information may receive only limited or no consideration since the Respondent’s marking of data as “PROPRIETARY” will preclude disclosure of same outside the Government and therefore will preclude disclosure to these support contractors assisting the evaluation effort. The Government will use its best efforts to evaluate those responses that contain proprietary information without using support contractors consistent with the resources available.

7. Submission Schedule 06 February 2017 – Updated white paper submissions in response to section 9 are due.

For all formal submissions, comments, or concerns to this announcement please contact:

Steve Roberts Email Address: stephen.w.roberts20.civ@mail.mil and Natalie Casinelli Email Address: natalie.l.casinelli.civ@mail.mil and Jamie Barnett Email Address: jamie.l.barnett8.civ@mail.mil

8. Instructions for Responding to this Announcement Administrative Instructions for responding to this announcement can be found in section 8 of the sources sought dated 14 July. Responses will be UNCLASS//FOUO and classified SECRET Classified responses should be submitted separately from the UNCLASS/FOUO responses.

A. Classified Response: Industry intent to respond needs to be communicated to Steve Roberts (Stephen.w.roberts20.civ@mail.mil) no later than 31 January 2017, and the USG will provide instructions on how to submit classified responses.

B. FOUO Response: Responses should be submitted no later than 1700 hours on 06 February 2017 to Natalie Casinelli (natalie.l.casinelli.civ@mail.mil), Jamie Barnett (jamie.l.barnett8.civ@mail.mil), and Stephen Roberts (stephen.w.roberts20.civ@mail.mil).

9. Questions White paper responses should be made against the FOUO and classified SECRET set of requirements.

1. Have you ever been awarded a contract from the USG as a Prime Contractor to develop or produce a ground combat vehicle?

2. Assuming a Fixed Price contract where all threshold requirements need to be met within a 3-4 year Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) for a development program, and a total EMD contract value in one of two ranges $100M to $200M and $200M to $300M, do you believe you could modify your existing platform, and develop a production-ready design to achieve these requirements? In each contract value range, please explain with rationale your ability to meet requirements, what requirements would not be met, and what additional capability you could provide.

a. Please update Attachment 01 (FOUO) “Vehicle Characteristics” that was submitted in response to the 14 July Sources Sought. A SECRET version of Attachment 01 can be submitted to identify capabilities against the classified CDD requirements for lethality and survivability/force protection. Alternatively, the contractor may submit comments against the classified CDD in a format of their choosing.

b. What modifications would need to be made to your platform to meet these requirements?

c. What are the tech readiness and integration risks associated with your design approach?

d. What requirements do you believe conflict with each other? Please describe which requirements and why.

e. Are there any singular requirements that you see as high risk to meet and why?

f. What is the USG not asking for that may be a missed opportunity in this solution space?

3. Are there specific requirements which, if adjusted, will allow you to offer a design which might benefit the USG through an accelerated schedule, enhanced capability, and/or reduced cost and risk?

4. Assuming a Fixed Price contract type, please provide with supporting rationale and assumptions, an estimated EMD phase schedule with cost and estimated unit manufacturing cost.