Next Generation System Security Solution (NGS3)

Request for Information  

Mission: Start the Next Generation System Security Solution (NGS3) 

DISCLAIMER: Information described in this RFI is restricted from disclosure based on export control.

RFI PURPOSE 

The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program Office (PEO IWS 4.0), through the Integrated Combat System (ICS) Program Office (PEO IWS X) is responsible for delivering a System Security (SS) solution that integrates within the ICS infrastructure across an ever-evolving Foreign Customer portfolio. NGS3 will support the PEO’s objective to align the organization, processes, and resources to develop a common, tailorable System Security Solution that will fit within the ICS Combat System to drive efficiency, increase the speed of delivery, and increase the system quality across all ICS platforms.

The NGS3 program will deliver a Hardware and Software solution integrated within the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) suite providing a SECURE Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Hardware solution. That solution shall include but not be limited to a Distributed Architecture (DA), a hardened hardware solution, hardened hypervisor, and a System Root of Trust (SROT) providing a chain of security that extends to Critical Program Information (CPI) throughout the Combat System.

Critical Program Information (CPI) includes applications, capabilities, processes, end-items, elements, or components critical to a military system or network mission effectiveness, and technology that would reduce the U.S. technological advantage if unintentionally released. It is incumbent upon the United States Navy and its stakeholders to protect CPI from our adversaries to maintain warfighter technological advantage and maintain operational effectiveness of DoD capabilities.

In order to perform these duties, the Government is looking for relevant companies that have developed products, capabilities, or software that have adhered to DoD instructions 5200.47E and 5200.39 as described in the DoD Anti-Tamper (AT) Technical Implementation Guidebook (TIG), (Classified Secret), 30 July 2016. The latest classified AT TIG can be obtained from your DoD Component Office of Primary Responsibilities (OPR) for AT or send an SIPR email to An Nguyen, an.t.nguyen3@navy.smil.mil, and Jordan Tubbs, jordan.tubbs@Navy.smil.mil.  Please note that this may also include the draft AT Framework Guidance currently in development by the AT Executive Agent.

Relevant companies shall also be able to support the following:

• Complying with any applicable export control restrictions, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR).
• Maintain capability to support Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs) that are classified SECRET.
• Maintain facilities, information systems, and personnel as required to adhere to the Anti-Tamper Security Classification Guide (SCG) dated 30 July 2020.
  • This includes the restriction that only US persons may participate in engineering activities related to this effort.

RFI Response

Interested companies should provide a response on or before 31 May 2024, 5:00PM EDT, describing/identifying their products, capabilities, or computer programs that comply with 5200.47E, 5200.39, AT TIG, and export control authorities and how they meet these requirements. The submission should include one electronic (virus scanned and free of malware) copy sent via e-mail to Angela Garais, angela.c.garais.civ@us.navy.mil, and Stephanie Little, stephanie.m.little6.civ@us.navy.mil. Please include the RFI title in the subject of the e-mail. Submissions shall be type-written for clarity in Microsoft Word or searchable Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF).

Interested companies that wish to respond but cannot provide an unclassified response should contact An Nguyen, an.t.nguyen3@navy.smil.mil, and Jordan Tubbs, jordan.tubbs@Navy.smil.mil, to arrange delivery of a classified response. If you provide a classified response, please provide an unclassified email to Stephanie Little, stephanie.m.little6.civ@us.navy.mil and Angela Garais, angela.c.garais.civ@us.navy.mil, stating your company’s name and date that you provided the classified response.

Please provide company name, address, DUNS number, CAGE code, tax identification number, designated representative name(s) and point of contact, including phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

If a small business, identify type of small business (e.g. 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned (SDVOSB), economically disadvantaged women-owned (EDWOSB), or women-owned (WOSB)).

Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked.  To aid the Government in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information and label it as such for appropriate handling by the Government.  Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response. All information received that includes proprietary markings will be handled in accordance with applicable statutes and regulations.  An acknowledgement of receipt will be provided for all responses received.  If you do not receive an acknowledgement within two working days, please notify the points of contact listed in this notice.  Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.  Respondents that include their submissions data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose, or to be used by the Government except for RFI response consideration purposes, shall include in their submissions:

1. Mark the title page with the following legend:  This response includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed – in whole or in part – for any purpose other than to consider this response.  The data subject to this restriction are contained in sheets [insert numbers or other identification of sheets]; and
2. Mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following legend:  Use or disclosure of data contained in on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this submission.

CLASSIFIED RESPONSES, EXCHANGES, AND CLASSIFIED Q&A

Due to the classification considerations, certain information cannot be provided in this document. In order to provide this information and facilitate further discussion with interested parties, there will be a classified Q&A session. The date, time, and location of the classified Q&A are to be determined.

Interested companies that wish to respond but cannot provide an unclassified response should contact An Nguyen, an.t.nguyen3@navy.smil.mil, and Jordan Tubbs, jordan.tubbs@Navy.smil.mil, to arrange delivery of a classified response. If you provide a classified response, please provide an unclassified email to Stephanie Little, stephanie.m.little6.civ@us.navy.mil, and Angela Garais, angela.c.garais.civ@us.navy.mil, stating your company and date that you provided the classified response.

Prior to Q&A, an email of additional questions will be provided to companies that the Government believes provided products, capabilities, or software that fit the requirements listed above. Complete response to the email of additional questions is expected no later than two (2) weeks after the Q&A session.

If the response to this RFI or additional questions is classified, please reach out to An Nguyen, an.t.nguyen3@navy.smil.mil, and Jordan Tubbs, jordan.tubbs@Navy.smil.mil for further information.

Additionally, for parties that cannot attend the Q&A session, there will be an opportunity to receive the Q&A minutes after the event. Please reach out to Stephanie Little, stephanie.m.little6.civ@us.navy.mil, and Angela Garais, angela.c.garais.civ@us.navy.mil for further details. Note that the Q&A minutes will be classified and only parties capable of receiving and storing such information will receive it.

DISCLOSURE:

This notice is not a request for proposals and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation; it does not constitute a solicitation or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Navy is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The information provided in this RFI is preliminary and does not reflect approved Government specifications. The Government will not reimburse the cost of any submission or other expense in response to this RFI – the entire cost of any submission or other expense will be at the sole expense of the source submitting the information. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Respondents

Failure to respond to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued. If a solicitation is issued, it may be synopsized on the System for Award Management (SAM) website at (SAM.gov). The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. It is the responsibility of potential respondents to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The information requested by this RFI will be used within the U.S. Government to facilitate decision making and may be used in the development of the acquisition strategy and any future requests for proposals. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any information provided by industry to the Government as a result of this RFI is voluntary.

Respondents are advised that ManTech, Technomics, Herren, and 2Mi third party support contractors providing support to the PEO IWS X program, may assist the Government in its review of responses received under this notice and therefore may have access to the submitted material. Respondent shall provide notification on its cover page if the Respondent does not consent to the use of the aforementioned contractors. Unless otherwise stated by the Respondent, a submission received in response to this notice constitutes a Respondent’s consent for the Government to disclose all information provided in the Respondent’s submission to the above-mentioned third-party support contractors for the purposes of the Trade Secrets Act.