Geophysical Instrumentation Testbeds (GIT II)

                                                                                         SOURCES SOUGHT

1.  Description

1.1  The Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) is conducting Market Research for the qualification, operation and maintenance, training, and documentation of the AFTAC and OL-BW Geophysical Instrumentation Testbeds (GIT).  This Sources Sought is one of the elements of the Government’s Market Research and will be used to determine the acquisition approach and, if needed, to determine sub-contracting goals.  Therefore, if the contractor’s company has the capabilities to participate as a contractor/subcontractor, please provide that information.  Please email the Project Manager, Mr. James Neely at james.neely.1@us.af.mil and provide company CAGE Code which will be verified using the Industrial Security Facilities Database (ISFD).

 1.2  The Sources Sought Notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP),Request for Quote (RFQ) or an Invitation for Bid (IFB). The Government may use the information obtained from responses to this notice in determining its acquisition approach, but the issuance of this notice does not restrict the Government acquisition approach. 

1.3  Interested firms should submit information as to the capabilities, capacity and experience to meet the requirements set forth in the Performance Work Statement document. Firms should state if there is interest to participate as a prime contractor or sub-contractor.  Subcontracting information will assist the Government to determine subcontracting goals.

1.4  The capabilities package should describe relevant contract experience provided to Government and commercial customers related to the qualification, operation and maintenance, training, and documentation of the GIT.  Include a reference to the contract number, magnitude, place of performance and points of contact for each example provided (name of the point of contact, mailing address, e-mail, telephone number, fax number and the company’s web page (if applicable).  Submitted information shall be UNCLASSIFIED.

1.5  The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for this requirement is 541715 “Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences”. The corresponding Small Business size standard in number of employees is 1,000.

2.0  Information

Security Requirements: This is an unclassified effort. The contract employees shall be US citizens and able to access a military installation.

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

AFTAC/709th SAG/DDZ

ATTN: Mr. James P. Neely

10989 South Patrick Drive

Patrick SFB, FL 32925-3002

3.0  Requested Information

3.1  Capabilities statement package (no more than ten pages) demonstrating the ability to perform qualification, operation and maintenance, training, and documentation of the GIT, which meet the requirements listed in the Performance Work Statement document.  Your capability statement shall also provide administrative information, and shall include the following at a minimum:

3.2  Name (point of contact), mailing address, e-mail, telephone number, fax number and company’s web site (if applicable). 

3.3  The facility security clearance of the offeror.

3.4  Firms responding must state whether they are a Small Business (SB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HUBZone Small Business (HSB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), Historically Black College or University or Minority Institution (HBCU/MI), an 8(a) firm, an Indian Tribe or Alaskan Native Corporation or a large business based on the size standards in Para 1.5 above.

3.5  Large businesses must describe how they can provide small business subcontracting opportunities in performance of this contract.  The Government’s goal is to develop small businesses to become more competitive in future AFTAC requirements. 

4.0  Responses

4.1  Please submit your capabilities packages to AMIC DET 2, OL-A, via email: jessica.olaechea@us.af.mil  and danny.austin.3@us.af.mil.  Responses must be submitted no later than 4 P.M., Eastern Daylight Savings Time on 5 May 2025.  No facsimile responses will be accepted.  The Government will not award a contract solely on the basis of this Sources Sought, nor will it reimburse the contractor for any costs associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice.

4.2  Responses shall be limited to 10 pages.  Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED.  To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information.  Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

4.3  It is the submitter’s sole responsibility to verify the package was delivered or the e-file was received and can be viewed.

5.0  Industry Discussions

AFTAC representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors.  Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of offeror capability to meet the technical requirements.    

6.0  OMBUDSMAN 5352.201-9101 (OCT 2019)

(a)   An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern.

(b)   Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions).

(c)   If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, the interested party may contact the ombudsman, Deputy Director of Contracting, AFICC/KC(OL-ACC), 114 Thompson Street, Bldg. 586, Room 129, Langley AFB, VA, 23665, telephone 757-764-5372 (DSN 574-5372). Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/DRU/SMC ombudsman level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2395, facsimile number (571) 256-2431.

(d)   The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency.

(e)   Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the contracting officer.

(End of clause)

7.0  Questions

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing, on or before 1 May 2025, via e-mail to the Contracting POCs stated in Para 4.1 above.  Verbal questions will NOT be accepted.  Questions will be answered by posting answers on the SAM.gov website.  Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information.  The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 4:00 P.M., Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT) on 1 May 2025 will be answered.

8.0  Summary

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT to identify potential prime contractors or sub-contractors that can perform qualification, operation and maintenance, training, and documentation of the GIT. The information provided in this announcement is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. AFTAC has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed and release of this Sources Sought should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.