Request for Information

Question: I understand that RFI responses were due on 1 Feb. Is there any chance the Navy is still accepting responses?
Answer: Yes, the RFI date has been extended to 12/31/2019.

Question: If a company did not respond to the RFI, will they still be encouraged to bid when the RFP is eventually posted?

Answer: A response to the RFI is not required to submit a response to any potential future request for proposals.

Question: What is the approximate timeframe for the final RFP to be released?
Answer: Currently Unknown.

Question: Is this likely to be a small business set aside or set aside of any kind?

Answer: Currently unknown.

Question: Is there a Technical POC (perhaps from the Human Systems Research and Development Division) available to answer questions about the technical objectives of this effort?
Answer: The response to this question is available on FBO.

Question: When are we expected to receive feedback on submitted RFI responses for solicitation number: N00178-19-Q-3001.

Answer: After the closing date: 12/31/2019.

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This is a Request for Information by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). NSWCDD on behalf of the Integrated Combat Systems Department (V), Human Systems Research and Development Division (V13) is seeking information/ technical solutions for developing, testing, and validating virtual and augmented reality technologies. NSWCDD is interested in simulating environments that support human-in-the-loop human performance and ergonomic assessments. The primary focus of this RFI is solutions that will span Virtual (VR), Mixed (MR), and Augmented (AR) Reality techniques that combine computational models and physical mock-ups to form a VR, MR, and AR based prototyping environments that allows designers and users to achieve desired levels of perceptual (i.e. visual, auditory, and haptic feedback) and task fidelity. All Virtual (VR), Mixed (MR) and Augmented AR Reality, solutions or concepts provided should cite advantages and limitations, specifically addressing how they may provide significant: operational advantages, including usability of virtual design environments/ approaches, assessment of impacts of simulation fidelity on human performance results, and development and validation of design/human performance predictive models (e.g., Digital Human Modeling (DHM), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)) improvements.

This Request for Information (RFI) is published in accordance with FAR 15.201(e) and is for PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor should it be construed as such. Respondents are advised that NSWCDD is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. There shall be no basis for claims against the Government as a result of any information submitted in response to this RFI. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or reimburse RFI preparation costs incurred by any offeror when providing the information requested under this notice.

2.0 Technical Objectives:

Subsections below provide high level system requirements in order to facilitate appropriate questions and/or responses to this RFI.

2.1 Develop basic VR, MR, and AR Tools: Provide designers with basic ability to select, register, and configure/reconfigure one or more virtual environments and the associated physical mock-ups. Track up to 10 designers/participants.
2.2 Integrate Software Redirection Capabilities: Provide designers with the ability to integrate virtual environments as part of a networked Live, Virtual, and Constructive Simulation.
2.3 Conduct Experiments Evaluating Virtual Environments Fidelity and Computational Validity: Investigate the impact of using mixed prototyping on the accuracy and precision of human performance model predictions and findings.
2.4 Integrate Human Performance Computational Modeling Capabilities: Provide designers with an ability to get near real time feedback from human performance model predictions regarding systems designs and layouts (e.g., SALT scores) based on real time interaction. Allow objective and subjective data captured by system to be automatically formatted and entered into DHM and SEM tools.
2.5 Distributed Participation: Provide and investigate multiplayer networked capability that allows participants to participate remotely via PC based and/or AR/VR based portals, allowing observers and user bases to participate in an observational capacity remotely.

Responses must be submitted electronically to the following e-mail address: michael.p.butler2@navy.mil. All correspondence sent via email shall contain a subject line that reads Human Performance and Ergonomic Assessments RFI with the RFI number and the name of your organization. Attachments with files ending in .zip or .exe are not allowable and will not get through e-mail filters. Ensure only Portable Document Format (PDF) and Microsoft Office document formats are attached to your email. All other attachments may be deleted.

All communications with industry must be coordinated through the Contract Specialist, via e-mail at michael.p.butler2@navy.mil. If a solicitation is released at a future date, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) page located at http://www.fbo.gov.

The Government may consider meeting with or requesting additional information from potential sources following the market survey. Any results of any Government analysis will not be provided.

Required Submittal Format:

• All submitted information should be at the unclassified level

• 12 pg. Microsoft Office word document with an optional summary 12-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation

• Report with requested cost, schedule and technical details

• Label any information that is considered proprietary

• Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged in Microsoft or Adobe PDF format

• An offeror's response should include, but it should have at a minimum:
Company Name and Address

• Point of Contact (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Corporate POC (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Technical POC (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Cage Code

• NAICS Codes

• Business Size and Status

• Type of Small Business (if applicable, i.e. 8(a), woman-owned, HUB zone, etc.)

• Capability Statement

• Specific customers (for previous or similar contracts held)

• Other material (relevant to establishing core competencies of the firm)

NSWCDD may request further information regarding the capabilities of respondents to meet the requirements as deemed necessary. Eligible partners who may respond to this synopsis include companies, public and private foundations, non-profit organizations (including universities) and state or local government organizations.

NSWCDD requests offerors' initial responses NO LATER THAN 12:00 PM EST 31 December 2019; early submissions are fine and encouraged. It is the responsibility of any potential offeror to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The Government will not pay for any information received. Phone call responses will not be accepted. Information received shall be treated as Business Sensitive and will not be shared outside Government activities and agencies without permission of the provider. Any information supplied under this RFI shall be provided free of charge to the Government. All responses should be unclassified. Information and materials submitted in response to this request will NOT be returned.

If responses contain proprietary data, it shall be marked appropriately. It is the respondent's responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary data.

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Question: Can you clarify what the RFI means by "SALT Scores"?

Answer: SALT is a model called the Spatial Analysis Link Tool which is a type of Human Factors model. Anyone who responds does NOT have to specifically use the SALT tool as part of the approach, it is a "for example". The performer can recommend any number or variety of relevant human factors/human performance models which would address cognitive or physical aspects of an engineering design.

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This is a Request for Information by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). NSWCDD on behalf of the Integrated Combat Systems Department (V), Human Systems Research and Development Division (V13) is seeking information/ technical solutions for developing, testing, and validating virtual and augmented reality technologies. NSWCDD is interested in simulating environments that support human-in-the-loop human performance and ergonomic assessments. The primary focus of this RFI is solutions that will span Virtual (VR), Mixed (MR), and Augmented (AR) Reality techniques that combine computational models and physical mock-ups to form a VR, MR, and AR based prototyping environments that allows designers and users to achieve desired levels of perceptual (i.e. visual, auditory, and haptic feedback) and task fidelity. All Virtual (VR), Mixed (MR) and Augmented AR Reality, solutions or concepts provided should cite advantages and limitations, specifically addressing how they may provide significant: operational advantages, including usability of virtual design environments/ approaches, assessment of impacts of simulation fidelity on human performance results, and development and validation of design/human performance predictive models (e.g., Digital Human Modeling (DHM), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)) improvements.

This Request for Information (RFI) is published in accordance with FAR 15.201(e) and is for PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor should it be construed as such. Respondents are advised that NSWCDD is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. There shall be no basis for claims against the Government as a result of any information submitted in response to this RFI. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or reimburse RFI preparation costs incurred by any offeror when providing the information requested under this notice.

2.0 Technical Objectives:

Subsections below provide high level system requirements in order to facilitate appropriate questions and/or responses to this RFI.

2.1 Develop basic VR, MR, and AR Tools: Provide designers with basic ability to select, register, and configure/reconfigure one or more virtual environments and the associated physical mock-ups. Track up to 10 designers/participants.
2.2 Integrate Software Redirection Capabilities: Provide designers with the ability to integrate virtual environments as part of a networked Live, Virtual, and Constructive Simulation.
2.3 Conduct Experiments Evaluating Virtual Environments Fidelity and Computational Validity: Investigate the impact of using mixed prototyping on the accuracy and precision of human performance model predictions and findings.
2.4 Integrate Human Performance Computational Modeling Capabilities: Provide designers with an ability to get near real time feedback from human performance model predictions regarding systems designs and layouts (e.g., SALT scores) based on real time interaction. Allow objective and subjective data captured by system to be automatically formatted and entered into DHM and SEM tools.
2.5 Distributed Participation: Provide and investigate multiplayer networked capability that allows participants to participate remotely via PC based and/or AR/VR based portals, allowing observers and user bases to participate in an observational capacity remotely.

Responses must be submitted electronically to the following e-mail address: michael.p.butler2@navy.mil. All correspondence sent via email shall contain a subject line that reads Human Performance and Ergonomic Assessments RFI with the RFI number and the name of your organization. Attachments with files ending in .zip or .exe are not allowable and will not get through e-mail filters. Ensure only Portable Document Format (PDF) and Microsoft Office document formats are attached to your email. All other attachments may be deleted.

All communications with industry must be coordinated through the Contract Specialist, via e-mail at michael.p.butler2@navy.mil. If a solicitation is released at a future date, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) page located at http://www.fbo.gov.

The Government may consider meeting with or requesting additional information from potential sources following the market survey. Any results of any Government analysis will not be provided.

Required Submittal Format:

• All submitted information should be at the unclassified level

• 12 pg. Microsoft Office word document with an optional summary 12-slide Microsoft PowerPoint presentation

• Report with requested cost, schedule and technical details

• Label any information that is considered proprietary

• Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged in Microsoft or Adobe PDF format

• An offeror's response should include, but it should have at a minimum:
Company Name and Address

• Point of Contact (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Corporate POC (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Technical POC (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Cage Code

• NAICS Codes

• Business Size and Status

• Type of Small Business (if applicable, i.e. 8(a), woman-owned, HUB zone, etc.)

• Capability Statement

• Specific customers (for previous or similar contracts held)

• Other material (relevant to establishing core competencies of the firm)

NSWCDD may request further information regarding the capabilities of respondents to meet the requirements as deemed necessary. Eligible partners who may respond to this synopsis include companies, public and private foundations, non-profit organizations (including universities) and state or local government organizations.

NSWCDD requests offerors' initial responses NO LATER THAN 12:00 PM EST 1 February 2019; early submissions are fine and encouraged. It is the responsibility of any potential offeror to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The Government will not pay for any information received. Phone call responses will not be accepted. Information received shall be treated as Business Sensitive and will not be shared outside Government activities and agencies without permission of the provider. Any information supplied under this RFI shall be provided free of charge to the Government. All responses should be unclassified. Information and materials submitted in response to this request will NOT be returned.

If responses contain proprietary data, it shall be marked appropriately. It is the respondent's responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary data.

Added: Jan 04, 2019 7:43 am Modified: Jan 09, 2019 12:41 pmTrack Changes

question: Can you please confirm the format in which you would like RFI responses submitted? The FBO posting states that submissions should be Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, but the attachment states that the response is limited to 12 pages + a cover page. Can you please confirm that the Government is requesting a PowerPoint presentation that is 12 slides maximum in length (excluding a cover page), either submitted in its original PPt format or as a PDF?

answer: The format for the response has changed from a 12-page Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to a 12-page Microsoft Office word document, with an optional summary 12-slide PowerPoint presentation.

Question: In regards to the RFI "Virtual/Augmented Reality Technologies" (N00178-19-Q-3001), can I please get a clarification as to the format requested for the response? The FBO site lists a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and report with requested cost, schedule and technical details. Should the submittal be a PowerPoint presentation and a 12-page Word document; or is the desired format a 12-page annotated PowerPoint presentation with all requested items such as cost included in the presentation?

Answer: The format for the response has changed from a 12-page Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to a 12-page Microsoft Office word document, with an optional summary 12-slide PowerPoint presentation.

Question: Additionally, will there be opportunities for follow-on discussions with the program PM(s) prior to the RFP?
Answer: At this time, there will not be opportunities for follow-on discussions with the program PM(s) prior to the RFP.

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question: Can you please confirm the format in which you would like RFI responses submitted? The FBO posting states that submissions should be Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, but the attachment states that the response is limited to 12 pages + a cover page. Can you please confirm that the Government is requesting a PowerPoint presentation that is 12 slides maximum in length (excluding a cover page), either submitted in its original PPt format or as a PDF?

answer: Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged in Microsoft or Adobe PDF format. Microsoft PowerPoint is fine. And yes, 12 slides maximum in length(excluding a cover page).

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question: Can you please confirm the format in which you would like RFI responses submitted? The FBO posting states that submissions should be Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, but the attachment states that the response is limited to 12 pages + a cover page. Can you please confirm that the Government is requesting a PowerPoint presentation that is 12 slides maximum in length (excluding a cover page), either submitted in its original PPt format or as a PDF?

answer: Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged in Microsoft or Adobe PDF format. Jess, Microsoft PowerPoint is fine. And yes, 12 slides maximum in length(excluding a cover page). I hope this helped.

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This is a Request for Information by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). NSWCDD on behalf of the Integrated Combat Systems Department (V), Human Systems Research and Development Division (V13) is seeking information/ technical solutions for developing, testing, and validating virtual and augmented reality technologies. NSWCDD is interested in simulating environments that support human-in-the-loop human performance and ergonomic assessments. The primary focus of this RFI is solutions that will span Virtual (VR), Mixed (MR), and Augmented (AR) Reality techniques that combine computational models and physical mock-ups to form a VR, MR, and AR based prototyping environments that allows designers and users to achieve desired levels of perceptual (i.e. visual, auditory, and haptic feedback) and task fidelity. All Virtual (VR), Mixed (MR) and Augmented AR Reality, solutions or concepts provided should cite advantages and limitations, specifically addressing how they may provide significant: operational advantages, including usability of virtual design environments/ approaches, assessment of impacts of simulation fidelity on human performance results, and development and validation of design/human performance predictive models (e.g., Digital Human Modeling (DHM), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)) improvements.

This Request for Information (RFI) is published in accordance with FAR 15.201(e) and is for PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a commitment by the U.S. Government, nor should it be construed as such. Respondents are advised that NSWCDD is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. There shall be no basis for claims against the Government as a result of any information submitted in response to this RFI. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or reimburse RFI preparation costs incurred by any offeror when providing the information requested under this notice.

2.0 Technical Objectives:

Subsections below provide high level system requirements in order to facilitate appropriate questions and/or responses to this RFI.

2.1 Develop basic VR, MR, and AR Tools: Provide designers with basic ability to select, register, and configure/reconfigure one or more virtual environments and the associated physical mock-ups. Track up to 10 designers/participants.
2.2 Integrate Software Redirection Capabilities: Provide designers with the ability to integrate virtual environments as part of a networked Live, Virtual, and Constructive Simulation.
2.3 Conduct Experiments Evaluating Virtual Environments Fidelity and Computational Validity: Investigate the impact of using mixed prototyping on the accuracy and precision of human performance model predictions and findings.
2.4 Integrate Human Performance Computational Modeling Capabilities: Provide designers with an ability to get near real time feedback from human performance model predictions regarding systems designs and layouts (e.g., SALT scores) based on real time interaction. Allow objective and subjective data captured by system to be automatically formatted and entered into DHM and SEM tools.
2.5 Distributed Participation: Provide and investigate multiplayer networked capability that allows participants to participate remotely via PC based and/or AR/VR based portals, allowing observers and user bases to participate in an observational capacity remotely.

Responses must be submitted electronically to the following e-mail address: michael.p.butler2@navy.mil. All correspondence sent via email shall contain a subject line that reads Human Performance and Ergonomic Assessments RFI with the RFI number and the name of your organization. Attachments with files ending in .zip or .exe are not allowable and will not get through e-mail filters. Ensure only Portable Document Format (PDF) and Microsoft Office document formats are attached to your email. All other attachments may be deleted.

All communications with industry must be coordinated through the Contract Specialist, via e-mail at michael.p.butler2@navy.mil. If a solicitation is released at a future date, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) page located at http://www.fbo.gov.

The Government may consider meeting with or requesting additional information from potential sources following the market survey. Any results of any Government analysis will not be provided.

Required Submittal Format:

• All submitted information should be at the unclassified level

• Microsoft PowerPoint presentation

• Report with requested cost, schedule and technical details

• Label any information that is considered proprietary

• Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged in Microsoft or Adobe PDF format

• An offeror's response should include, but it should have at a minimum:
Company Name and Address

• Point of Contact (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Corporate POC (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Technical POC (to include phone/fax/e-mail)

• Cage Code

• NAICS Codes

• Business Size and Status

• Type of Small Business (if applicable, i.e. 8(a), woman-owned, HUB zone, etc.)

• Capability Statement

• Specific customers (for previous or similar contracts held)

• Other material (relevant to establishing core competencies of the firm)

NSWCDD may request further information regarding the capabilities of respondents to meet the requirements as deemed necessary. Eligible partners who may respond to this synopsis include companies, public and private foundations, non-profit organizations (including universities) and state or local government organizations.

NSWCDD requests offerors' initial responses NO LATER THAN 12:00 PM EST 1 February 2019; early submissions are fine and encouraged. It is the responsibility of any potential offeror to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The Government will not pay for any information received. Phone call responses will not be accepted. Information received shall be treated as Business Sensitive and will not be shared outside Government activities and agencies without permission of the provider. Any information supplied under this RFI shall be provided free of charge to the Government. All responses should be unclassified. Information and materials submitted in response to this request will NOT be returned.

If responses contain proprietary data, it shall be marked appropriately. It is the respondent's responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary data.

.