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Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS)/Request for Information (RFI)

E-3 RADAR and NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEMS SUSTAINMENT ENGINEERING and TECHNICAL SUPPORT (NuGETS) Follow-on Contract

The Government is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) to industry for the identification of potential sources of supply/services to provide non-personal services engineering and technical support to the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

This RFI/SSS is in support of market research being conducted by the United States Air Force (USAF) to identify capable potential sources. The USAF, through the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) is conducting market research to identify potential business sources interested in providing non-personal engineering and technical tasks/services support of E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar systems, software, and associated training equipment manufactured by Northrup Grumman.

The Contractor shall provide engineering services for the sustainment of the AN/APY-1/2 radar systems (including the airframe and avionics components, mechanical systems, electrical systems, subsystems and their components) onboard the USAF E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers identified in table below. This PWS describes the system engineering requirements for the aircraft models listed below:

United States Air Force (USAF): E-3B, E-3G

Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF): E-767

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): E-3A

Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF): E-3

Chile (CI): E-3D

French Republic (FR): E-3F

This draft PWS also describes the system engineering and software support services for the E-3 Global Positioning System (GPS) Integrated Navigation System (GINS) Integrated Test Facility (GITF) located in the Avionics Integrated Support Facility (AISF) in Building 3220 at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB) and E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Integration and Test Support (AITS) Lab Sustainment at Northrop Grumman facility in Baltimore, MD.

The support will involve providing non-personal engineering and technical tasks/services that directly impacts the efficiency of aircraft operations, flight safety, airworthiness, and mission performance capability for the E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar systems of USAF and the FMS customers, which is a highly modified Boeing 707 commercial derivative airframe. Interested parties must possess or be able to obtain the necessary engineering data, data rights, manufacturing, software source code, and knowledge and expertise to perform and manage multiple major subsystem developments, hardware/software programs, and related integration activities. Additionally, the source must possess any necessary license agreements with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to obtain rights to all required data, including military specific modifications. The Government does not have access to the technical data. The support will require analyzing, categorizing, and reporting E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar systems/subsystem/support system engineering and technical recommendations to include detailed design engineering, maintenance engineering and repair development, systems engineering, technical analyses, drawing and source data maintenance/updates, flight safety analyses, reliability/maintainability analyses, liaison engineering support, accident investigation, engineering feasibility studies and Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) susceptibility issues.

The information in this notice is based on current information available to date. This information is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. Industry responses to this SSS/ RFI will be utilized pursuant to FAR Part 15.201 in support of Market Research to identify potential sources.

The proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541330, which has a corresponding size standard of $41.5 Million for Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons. The Government will use this information to determine the best acquisition strategy for this procurement. The Government is interested in all businesses to include: Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, Hubzone Businesses, and Women-Owned Small Businesses. Prospective sources are also requested to identify if they are a certified approved source on the GSA OASIS contract.

Each vendor responding to this SSS, must be able to demonstrate its capability to provide non-personal engineering and technical tasks/services to the E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar systems platform.

EXAMPLE CAPABILITIES STATEMENT:

Companies interested in responding may submit a capability statement to include the following information and/or documentation that demonstrate technical capability in the 23 areas listed below. These areas are considered critical for achieving successful technical performance. Include in your company’s description/documentation (for each area below), whether your company has performed as a prime or as a subcontractor; and identify the projected personnel planned/proposed to work this project have at least three years of recent experience.

1. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s experience to include technical expertise, financial capability, equipment and infrastructure, and personnel resources that are required in providing non-personal engineering and technical tasks/services support to the E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar systems platform.

2. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and ability to gather, compile, and analyze data by providing radar systems engineering expertise to engineering inquiries relating to basic design information, flight test data, original qualification tasks, performance, reliability, survivability and vulnerability, information assurance, electrical/electronic systems, and other potential problem areas where Contractor engineering experience and/or information is required for sustaining engineering initiatives performed by the Government.

3. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and ability to perform data queries which provide sufficient Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) and failure data to allow Government Engineers and Equipment Specialists to perform assigned tasks.

4. (CRITICAL) Describe you company’s ability to generate and provide formal written notification to the Government for E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 when problems are identified during new product development, production, when a situation is known only within the engineering community, or a safety issue is identified, specifying the problem statement and a recommended course of action.

5. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and experience in coordinating submittals, projects, and initiatives with other 707 aircraft users including E-8, E3 Aircraft models listed in PWS Para 1.0 to identify commonality, cost savings, and advocate joint ventures to capitalize on project savings for all users.

6. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s ability for transfer of authorized Defense Services under the FMS program as outlined in the Draft PWS.

7. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and ability to participate and support by providing detailed analysis summaries of activities and issues regarding the E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar system platform similar to the E-3 Product Improvement Working Group (PIWG), System Safety Group (SSG), and 707 Users Group meetings.

8. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and ability to conduct Program Management Review (PMR) and monthly status review meetings to examine the status of the contract to include detailed information (such as individual EST spend plans, current cost and schedule status, potential problem areas, etc.) to allow a thorough understanding of the overall status of contracted services and to gather briefings from meeting speakers and compile into a format in compliance with a Government approved template.

9. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s ability to develop and deliver software updates to the Government for use in the E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar system for the continued use, performance, deficiency resolution, or improvement of the system. Software shall be delivered in the correct media and configuration for direct use on the E-3 AWACS system, laboratory, simulators, and repair facilities and will follow correct CPIN requirements as outlined in Draft PWS.

10. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and experience providing engineering/technical support to assist the E-3 Program Manager in maintaining a proactive and effective E-3 AWACS Weapons System for all electrical, communications and E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar system, subsystems, equipment and components of the aircraft related to E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar system component hardware/ software/ firmware in investigating an air vehicle and its mission equipment groups for Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) susceptibility issues to include suitable substitutes, recommendations for redesign, and suggested life-of-type buy quantities.

11. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and ability to provide estimated costs for the recommended Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) resolution alternative.

12. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s experience and method(s) of analysis to assess whether a USAF air vehicle’s DMSMS issue will hinder system performance if not mitigated.

13. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s ability to develop and submit a Quality Control Plan (QCP) to ensure the requirements of the contract are performed in accordance with established standards by developing and implementing procedures to identify, prevent, correct and ensure non-recurrence of defective services.

14. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge of and ability to comply with all applicable federal, state, European (i.e. REACH), and local laws, regulations, and requirements regarding environmental protection and safety requirements.

15. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s knowledge and ability to acquire and maintain the required Facility Clearance for the protection and storage of classified information. This includes having to have access to classified information only at another contractor’s facility or a Government activity.

16. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s ability to provide technical support of Engineering Change Proposals (ECP) to review and assess proposed use of substitute parts and provide formal notification to identify the Change Proposal if a substitute part is identified and detect and update associated technical data and drawings that are impacted by the change proposal.

17. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s proprietary and limited rights information agreements with the Original Equipment Manufacturers for all design, engineering, qualification, test and reliability and configuration data to include the E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar systems, subsystems, their related components, and ground/flight software code installed in the E-3 AWACS aircraft.

18. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s ability to prepare and deliver OEM technical data to include printed pages of data, Joint Engineering Data Management Information & Control System (JEDMICS) compatible formats, and digitally calibrated un-dimensioned drawings.

19. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s ability to maintain a data, document, and file repository that contains all E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar system “as delivered” drawings, all E-3 AWACS AN/APY-1/2 radar system commodity item drawings for items supplied, copies of applicable aircraft drawings, and all Time Compliance Technical Orders (TCTOs), modifications, and technical analysis documents, reports, specifications, and all approved Notices of Revision (NOR) developed and used during the execution of this contract.

20. (CRITICAL) Describe your company’s ability to provide liaison and remote Depot and Field-level support to troubleshoot and mitigate issues by analyzing and assisting in the disposition of Engineering Technical Assistance Request (ETAR) (AFMC Form 202), Non-Conformance Report (NCR) or method to disposition technical issues outside of available technical data generated during aircraft maintenance activities.

21. (CRITICAL) List RELEVANT Government and/or commercial contracts that demonstrate the capabilities described in this RFI, with the following information:

a. Contract number and description of services.

b. Contracting officers' names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

c. Program managers', project leads', and/or technical leads' names, addresses, telephone numbers and lists of tasks performed for these personnel.

22. (CRITICAL) All Contractor personnel will be required to have a completed favorable National Agency Check Inquiry (NACI). Contractor personnel shall be required to obtain Common Access Cards (CACs) for the purpose of encryption and physical and digital identification for logical and physical access to government information.

23. (CRITICAL) Has your company completed the requirements for access to Export Controlled information using the DLA Joint Certification Program in accordance with DODD 5230.25, “Withholding of Unclassified Technical Data and Technology from Public Disclosure,” and Canadian Technical Data Control Regulations.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONSE:

1. Submit a 12-page (maximum) paper in the following format and including the following company information:

•• Page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches; foldouts are permitted but will be assessed towards total page count.

•• Pages shall be single-spaced. The font shall be Times New Roman and the font size shall be no less than twelve (12). Use at least 1-inch margins on the top and bottom and 1-inch side margins.

•• Capability statements need to address fully the 27 technical areas identified above.

•• Responses shall also include information regarding the following:

(1) The level of contractor's interest (likelihood of submitting a proposal as a prime contractor)

(2) Address potential teaming arrangement if likely to submit a proposal.

(3) If a teaming arrangement is considered, describe tasks the prime would perform versus tasks the subcontractor would perform.

2. Interested parties should submit a capabilities package, with a cover letter, that is brief and concise, yet clearly demonstrates ability to meet the stated requirements with sufficiently qualified personnel. Provide qualification information (type and duration of employee experience relevant to the requirements) and the level of involvement (prime or sub-contractor) and time periods for work on similar projects. The capabilities package should clearly present evidence that the interested party is fully capable of providing the required services and as such may contain any information that the interested party feels is relevant.

3. Submit the following company information:

•• Company name and address.

•• Point of Contact for questions and/or clarification.

•• CAGE Code and UEI Number

•• Telephone number, fax number, and email address.

•• Web Page URL.

•• If proposing as a prime and considering the type of technical capability required for this work, would your company alone be capable of performing 50 percent of the work for this requirement? At least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern

•• Identify the risk areas associated with this effort and how those risks could be mitigated

•• North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code. The NAICS Codes determined appropriate for this acquisition are 541330.

•• Based on the above NAICS Code, state whether your company is:

• Small Business (Yes / No)


• Woman Owned Small Business (Yes / No)


• Small Disadvantaged Business (Yes / No)


• 8(a) Certified (Yes / No)


• HUBZone Certified (Yes / No)


• Veteran Owned Small Business (Yes / No)


• Service Disabled Veteran Small Business (Yes / No)


• Central Contractor Registration (CCR). (Yes / No)


• A statement as to whether your company is domestically or foreign owned (if foreign, please indicate the country of ownership).

•• Can your company prime a team composed of a sufficient number of large and small subcontractors to perform this contract in an efficient, cost effective manner while meeting contract requirements? Please explain.

••• Does your company currently have a DCAA approved accounting system?

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