EEAAD_Questions_and_Answers_29_January_2019.pdf

Questions (Q) and Answers (A) 29 January 2019

1. Question. Are we expected to provide pricing for the CDRL CLINs?

Answer. Yes, the Offeror must provide pricing information for the CDRL CLINs.

2. Question. Once the contract is awarded, how soon will it be expected to receive the CDRL documents by?

Answer. The delivery schedule for all CDRLs are specified in each document.

3. Question. Could you elaborate on what the expectations are for the data rights?

Answer. Government Purpose data rights will only be procured to conduct configuration management and to develop tactics, training, and procedures (TTP). Procured data rights will not be used for qualifying other vendors or development of other systems. Data rights sought for configuration management are the minimal amount required to establish a baseline configuration and conduct configuration management of hardware and software (e.g. top level drawings with part numbers for components such as the processing unit, cutters, batteries, etc.). The Government is also seeking an architecture or logic diagram outlining the activation criteria and recording of flight data.

4. Question. Since the amount of potential Data Right information that we might provide is not determined, it is impossible to create a price for option CLIN 2003.

Answer. Updates to the language in C-4.5.3.4 and the response to question 3 should be used as guidance for determining pricing of the data rights

5. Question. If it is determined that 5 units need purchased for DV testing, what will the expected number of days ARO be for delivery? We will need adequate time to furnish the units.

Answer. The 5 units for DV testing will be required 30 days ARO per L-4.7

6. Question. What will the DV testing consist of?

Answer. DV testing is outlined in L-4.2 and M-5.1

7. Integrated Master Plan (IMP) and Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) – Pg. 33, C-4.1

Question. It says that the contractor needs to develop the EEAAD in accordance with these documents, but how is that possible when we have already developed the EEAAD?

Answer. The IMS and IMP are requirements for the overall EEAAD program. The Government anticipates that the only development that may take place would be a result of feedback provided during testing.

8. Quality Management – Pg. 62, C-8

Question. Some of the requirements in this section seem to be intrusive.

Answer. The Quality Management language specified in C-8 is standard language utilized for many systems in the PM SCIE portfolio of products.

9. First Production Lot (FPL) – Pg. 66, E-1.2

Question. Is the FPL sample size of 10 part of the 30 for Validation Testing?

Answer. The FPL will only apply to EEAAD systems produced under the first lot of the Production CLIN 2001.

10. Deliveries or Performance – Pg. 70-71, Section F

Question. Will the delivery dates and quantities for this section be provided in the non-draft

RFP?

Answer. Updated language will be provided for Section F when the RFP is posted.

11. Pg. 83, (ii)(A)

Question. It says the contractor shall implement NIST SP 800-171 no later than Dec. 31, 2017.

Answer. See DFARS 252.204.7012

12. Question. Will past EEAAD testing be considered when awarding the contract? Our impression is that it seems a bit backwards to award the contract and then pursue testing.

Answer. Results from previous Government testing on EEAAD systems may be submitted in addition to the offeror’s proprietary test data, however, all responses will be scored independently. Any offeror that did not participate in previous Government testing will not be penalized. The base contract is being awarded for the proposal that presents the best value to the Government. Formal testing conducted by the Army Test and Evaluation Command must still be completed on the EEAAD system prior to approval

13. Question. Can copies of CDRLs be provided?

Answer. CDRLs were posted on 25 JAN 19

14. Question. What are forecasted volumes for Full Rate Production on Systems and Spares in Delivery Orders for Options 2 thru 6?

Answer. Overall ceiling of the IDIQ is 49M

15. Question. CLIN 0025 refers to EEAADs with 2-pin cutters. Section C-3.2 System Performance Requirements does not specify a 2-pin cutter. Additionally, RA-1 Technical Manual TM 10- 1670-335-23&P (10 December 2014) WP 0012 does not use second cutter or specify need of 2-pin cutter in installation instruction.

Answer. This language is being updated to state 1-pin cutter.

16. For KPP 2. Activation. Objective states: turn off data collection automatically after activation.

Question. Is this to be taken as an immediate action by the EEAAD after cutter firing?

a. What is a reasonable delay time after activation?

b. Would detection of ground landing after activation be acceptable? This would enable recording of remaining descent to ground.

Answer. The combat developer for the EEAAD did not state a preference for this objective requirement. It is at the Offeror’s discretion to determine the delay after activation. It is acceptable to utilize detection of ground landing as the criteria for turning off data collection.

17. KSA 1. Reading of Information. Objective states: allow flight and maintenance data to be read at the unit level by maintainer/rigger only by U.S. Army fielded equipment. Use of the word “only” implies significant security in hardware and/or software differing significantly from industry day wording.

Question. Is the government looking for a deterrent to data access (e.g. unique physical connector and/or software license control)?

Answer. Yes the Government wishes to restrict access to only those entities that will be fielded EEAAD systems through Army procurement (i.e. Army and sister services’ units that are fielded EEAAD)

a. Can the gov’t further define this requirement?

Answer. The software and/or hardware necessary to utilize EEAAD flight data will not be sold or provided to foreign or commercial entities.

b. What jump data is required to be restricted in access?

Answer. All data recorded by the EEAAD will be restricted in access.

c. Will AAD’s LCD screen data be considered data that needs restriction after a jump?

Answer. No the LCD screen itself will not be considered data that must be restricted. This restriction applies to the flight data recorded and stored within the EEAAD.

18. Question. APA 3 – Size. Request NDA and drawing Package.

Answer. NDA will be provided with RFP and drawing package will be provided when NDA is signed and returned to program/contracting office.

19. APA 6 – Maintenance.

Question. Is this requirement for alerts at the maintainer/rigger level?

Answer. The alert must be displayed to any user that attempts to utilize the EEAAD

a. Will maintenance alerts displayed during flight data transfer be acceptable?

Answer. Alert during flight data transfer is acceptable, however, an in-unit alert is desired due to differences in unit SOPs dictating when flight data transfer will occur.

20. C-3.3.7 Soldier Survivability. Risk of detections.

Question. Can gov’t further define what increase risk of detection is?

Answer. An increased risk of detection is defined as an increase in the optical, auditory, or electromagnetic signature of the parachutist when compared to the baseline EAAD system.

The EEAAD system cannot emit any EM signal that can be detected when in the operational mode.

a. The EEAAD has a small display LED that may flash while system is active. Does Gov’t have details on light output that is considered an increased risk of detection?

Answer. The combat developer has not specified a maximum light output for the EEAAD. Due to the location of the EEAAD display light on the RA-1, and the additional lights worn by the parachutist, active light should not be a factor but additional masking should be available.

b. Will a technique to cover or mask the LED in high risk situations satisfy this requirement?

Answer. A technique to cover or mask the LED when operationally required will satisfy this requirement.

21. C-4.4.4 Cyber Security.

Question. What is the assigned Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) level assigned by Authorizing Activity?

Answer. An IT device or system’s CIA levels are not “assigned”, but determined through a self-evaluation process involving a joint effort between the Government and the IT development (EEAAD team). The military leader, i.e. the Information System Owner (ISO) (Product Manager SCIE) provides a recommendation to the Authorizing Official (Program Executive Officer Soldier) CIA levels that appropriately balance protection of the EEAAD, its information, Soldier, program, and reputation in support or enhancement of the

Soldier’s mission against the “potential adverse impact on an organization should certain events occur which jeopardize the information and information systems needed by the organization to accomplish its assigned mission, protect its assets, fulfill its legal responsibilities, maintain its day-to-day functions, and protect individuals”.

REFERENCE: Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 199 (Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems), February 2004.

Determining the CIA levels is accomplished using guidance from FIPS-199, NIST SP 800-60, and CNSSI 1253 (REF. 1a, 1c & 1d).

The determination process culminates in a CIA memo for the AO’s concurrence.

22. Question. What is the expected timing of the 3rd party Security Contractor Assessor– Validator (SCA-V) audit after contract award?

Answer. First, a few corrections. It is an Army approved, Civilian led, Security “Control” Assessment (SCA) team (auditors). Not a commercial 3rd party. Second, it is possible that a SCA team is not required if the EEAAD or associated computers does NOT involve transmission, reception or transfer of signals over Army networks, or it is determined that none of the CIA impact levels reach High impact. Third, if a SCA team is required a rough estimate would be three months. That includes a SCA pre-assessment visit and provision of findings, a month for the EEAAD team to mitigate those findings, and a return validation visit by the SCA-V team. Last, much of the “time” involved mitigating security controls is dependent on the mutual cooperation, speed and knowledge of the Government and IT developer, i.e. EEAAD team.

23. Question. Will Gov’t be assessing sub-tier development partners?

Answer. With regard to SCAs, it depends on the IT device and systems involved, signal flow and boundary.

24. Question. What if those sub-tier development partner’s efforts are part of COTS items?

Answer. Supply Chain risk concerns and desire for information, control of program and system information in the IT developer’s and sub-tier developer’s workforce and workplace are security concerns. (REF. f, NIST SP 800-171).

25. Question. Will COTS product data be considered confidential or controlled data if included in the system offer?

Answer. If COTS product data is already in the public domain then it would likely not be considered “confidential” (which is a commercial term). However, combining COTS with Government modifications or standards, for example, to include quantities produced should be “controlled” data.

26. Question. To what extend will accounting software be included in the requirements?

Answer. The Government does not currently anticipate that accounting software needs to be included in the requirements. However, Government information needs to be controlled. Some supporting evidence or information that the IT developer is or will control that information is beneficial. For example, if the IT developer is using an Internet-based accounting or foreign accounting software or does not know, this information should be communicated to the Government.

27. Question. What level of encryption will be required on confidential or controlled data?

Answer. The Government anticipates that this will be determined after an initial assessment of the selected EEAAD system.

28. Question. How will a compliance plan and implementation timeline be accommodated in the contract?

Answer. The Government will develop a compliance plan and implementation timeline with the selected offeror upon review of the initial submission of the Risk and Security Governance Report.

29. C-4.4.5 Applicable Documents

Question. DFARs listed state as applicable for delivery of technical data products, will these only be applied if government exercises option CLIN 2003 to buy data rights?

Answer. The requirements of section C-4.4 apply to the EEAAD program and are not associated with data rights sought by the Government or the exercise of the associated

CLIN.

30. L-3 Proposal content. 40 page limit on Volume I – Technical Approach.

Question. Design and test data presented in Volume and as attachments may exceed page limit. Request additional pages, 100 pages.

Answer. Test and other supporting data are excepted from the 40 page limit of Volume I.

31. Data Rights

Question. CLIN 2003 is for Data rights in the first option year of full rate production, does gov’t intend to only purchase that year?

Answer. Yes, if the Government wishes to procure the data rights this option will be exercised only in the first year of production.

a. If Gov’t seeks options to execute in other option years as indicated in C4.5.3.6 will there be a separate contract, bid, and proposal?

Answer. The RFP language for C-4.5.3.6 is being updated to remove the last sentence.

32. Question. It says that Stepladder pricing does not apply to the Base effort, but CLIN 0025 and 1001 says “Offers shall complete the Economic Pricing Discount Section, Stepladder Pricing, which will constitute the pricing proposal of this CLIN” Please clarify if VT and OT EEAADs are required to be Discounted or not as quantities are very low.

Answer. EEAADs for testing are not required to be discounted. This language will be removed from the two CLINs.

33. Question. CLIN 1003: Contractor shall provide two (2) of any hardware components needed for Flight Data Download. Does the contractor need to provide PCs (laptops), USB cables, Etc, or just any specialty equipment not otherwise standard COTS?

Answer. The government will provide the laptop. The contractor must supply any other hardware needed for flight data download to include cables.

34. Question. C-3.2.8 KSA 5 Hardware and Software: Is the government asking for the hardware and software required to interface with the EEAAD and download the data files, as well as custom jump data analysis software, or will the gov use COTS data analysis software (like Matlab, or even Excel) at the gov’s expense? If the gov desires custom jump data analysis software, beyond that which is needed to download the raw jump data files from the EEAAD, then a separate CLIN for the custom jump data analysis software would be needed so it can be quoted as a separate item.

Answer. The EEAAD must be provided with software that fulfills all requirements specified in KSA 5 (download, read, format, and visualize data). The Government will not utilize COTS data analysis software; these functions must be included in the EEAAD software. The Government does not intend to purchase this software separately from the EEAAD, therefore system pricing should be adjusted accordingly.

35. Question. Part of the initial evaluation will be how useful the recorded data is in the context of an incident investigation. How will the gov make that evaluation? Will the gov be using COTs data analysis software, or will the offers be required to create a demonstration data analysis method and demonstrate to the gov what information can be extracted from the raw data?

Answer. The evaluation of the proposed EEAAD being used for incident investigation will be completed using the Offeror’s provided software and specified analysis method. The personnel that will participate in this evaluation will be Government representatives that have been involved in previous incident investigations.

36. Question. C-3.2.11 APA3 – Size. Is the pocket that the processing unit shall fit into made from Spandex or other wise elastic consistent with a Cypres pouch?

Answer. The processing unit pocket utilizes an elastic material. This is specified in drawing 11- 1-7558.

37. Question. C-3.2.14 APA 14 – Calculator for setting Virtual DZ System. This is based on the Cypres method of offsetting DZ elevations. What if the proposed EEAAD uses traditional aeronautical QNH and MSL DZ elevations and a calculator is not required?

Answer. If the proposed EEAAD system does not require the user to complete calculations for inputting virtual DZ settings, this requirement is not applicable and should be stated as such in the proposal.

38. Question. C-3.2.3 KPP 3 – Maximum no-fire is specified as 180 mA. We believe the requirement should be stated as 180 mA minimum. Please clarify.

Answer. The objective no-fire criteria is correctly stated as a maximum of 180mA current with a resistance between 1.2 and 1.8 ohms. This was provided by the combat developer of the EEAAD system.

39. Question. C-5.6.6 Special Packaging Instructions (SPI) The Contractor shall develop an SPI for each item classified as Special Group (Section 4.3). Where is Section 4.3 which talks about Special Group? It is not present in the RFP.

Answer. Section 4.3 refers to section C-5.6.4.3. This language will be amended in the final RFP draft.

40. Question. Is it desirable to include the cost of any manufacturer required maintenance and replacement batteries the purchase price?

Answer. Maintenance and replacement batteries should be priced out under the Spare Parts CLINs.