Request for Information (RFI) Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Air Force Ground Support System (GSS)/Ground Entry Station (GES)

Air Force Ground Support System (GSS)/Ground Entry Station (GES)

Multiple Award Contract (MAC)

Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)

Request for Information (RFI)

April 2022

Section I. Background

This is a Request for Information. The Air Force Material Command (AFMC), Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/Hanscom Networks Aerial International Programs (AFLCMC/HNAI), is seeking vendor capability information in support of market research being conducted by Hanscom Network Aerial International Programs (HNAI).

The AF Ground Support System (GSS) is a tool in the class of Tactical Exercises that supports ground-based operations and training for Link 16 activities.  The GSS is a stand-alone, terminal equipped ground station that will support flight operation and training through specialized capabilities. The Ground Entry Station (GES) serves as a Link 16 Tactical Data Link (TDL) communications node operating within a ground-based infrastructure.  

The Government’s intent is to create a multiple award contract (MAC), indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) for the procurement of hardware, sustainment, services, training and spares to the GSS and GES systems. The Government intends to use the MAC IDIQ Contract vehicle to develop and acquire hardware, sustainment, software, services, training and spares for the GSS/GES systems that cannot be acquired via other means, such as a commercial software/hardware product or non-developmental item. To that end, the Government will assess capability statements in accordance with (IAW) the requirements set forth in Section 2 of this RFI notification.

Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI neither constitutes a Request for Proposal (RFP), nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach.  This RFI should not be construed as a commitment by the government for any purpose. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. The government will not reimburse contractors for any cost associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice.

     1.  MAC IDIQ Minimum Requirements:

The goal is to award a MAC IDIQ contract that will address the following HNAI Strategic themes:

• Agile Integration of New Ground Support System/Ground Entry Station Systems
• Agile Improvement for Information Sharing, Integration & Interoperability
• Agile Implementation of Tactical Data Link Analysis/Fusion Capabilities
• Agile Infrastructure Improvements to Existing HNAI Embedded Systems

     2.  Typical requirements may involve, but no limited to, the following: 

• Multi-MIDS operations
• Distributed User Interface over a secure GSS WAN
• MIDS-JTRS compatibility
• GPS Technology evolution
• Remote terminal control
• J-Voice and VoIP capabilities from the Remote Unit workstations
• Multi-Host operations
• Upgrades for Link 22, VMF and forwarding features
• Upgrades for JREAP-C data transfer
• HMI upgrades to improve data interpretation
• Interface to include Radar Plot data
• Line of Sight (LOS) displays
• Infusion of terrain height information from DTED sources into ground objects
• Improved Cyber-centric updates and administrative features
• System compliance with cybersecurity best practices including but not limited to STIG compliance
• Multi-Lingual Link 16 Baselines

See attachment #1 for the basic minimum hardware configuration components and Capability Matrix Sets.

Section II: Instructions to Respondents

If your company is interested in submitting information related to this acquisition, please note the following timeline and instructions.

Timeline

RFI Release:  April 7, 2022

Information Packages Due:  May 7, 2022

Instructions

1. If your company decides to respond to this RFI, please complete the questions below with typed response and email to the Contracting Officer, Jared Fay, jared.fay@us.af.mil, (312-845-0614). Please use read and delivery receipts.
    
2. Professional management of your company’s proprietary information is our priority, please contact the Contracting Officer with any concerns.
    
3. Interested companies shall submit responses below, tailored to the requirements on 8 ½” x 11” pages with the font no smaller than 10 point. Any supporting literature from your organization must be identified as such and explain what it supports.
    
4. Email submissions either directly to the Contracting Officer or via DoD-Safe are encourage. If another medium such as a CD or printed literature is used, please send them to:

Jared R. Fay

Contracting Officer

5 Eglin St.Building 1624

Hanscom AFB, MA 01731

1. Please note that FedBizOps will be the primary source of information for this acquisition. Interested parties should check for updates frequently and subscribe to the FedBizOps update service for the latest information.
    
2. Any further questions regarding this RFI shall be directed to the Contracting, Mr. Jared Fay, via email at jared.fay@us.af.mil, or by phone at (312-845-0614).

 

Section III:

The Government requests a response to the following questions: [i]

1. Please provide the following business information for your company and for any teaming or joint venture partners:
   • Company Name
   • Address
   • Point of Contact
   • CAGE Code
   • Phone Number
   • E-mail Address
   • Web Page URL
   • Based on the North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code 541512, Computer System Design Services size standard of 1500 employees, 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- Owned Small Business (Yes/No)

                                    - System for Award Management (SAM) (Yes/No)*

2. The Government is considering the use of NAICS Code 542512, Computer System Design Services. Based on this, do you consider this code a good fit for the type of work described above? What would be the size of your business under this NAICS Code?

3. The Government is considering a full and open competition. Are you likely to consider participating in future acquisition events as a prime for this effort? Under NAICS code 542512, this may become a small business set-aside, thus, will your organization still be eligible as a prime? If you are a large business, how likely would you consider teaming with a small business?

4. Describe your company’s ability to process and obtain/maintain Secret cleared personnel and level facility in accordance with Industrial Security Manual (DoD 5220.22M).

5. Please provide any relevant examples of experience with contributing code and using code to any open source hardware/software project.

6. What is your company’s experience in working with external test organizations?

7. Describe your company’s capabilities and experience in simultaneously staffing multiple (up to five) agile development teams (comprised of computer programmers, scrum masters, technical writers, and/or engineers) to support highly technical projects in the areas.

8. Describe your company’s experience with DoD or IC PKI and the requirement to PKI-enable applications.

9. Describe up to two examples showing relevant experience performance efforts in value, size, and scope to those capabilities identified in question #9 within the last five years.

10. Is your company capable of responding to multiple simultaneous TO/DO RFPs (e/g 4 TO Responses, 4 DO Responses; 30 day response time; 28 per year)?

11. Describe your company's experience and/or capabilities providing on-call telephone assistance and on-site response for troubleshooting and sustaining GES/GSS Equipment.

12. Describe your company's approach to providing parts supply/support for GES/GSS systems.

13. Describe your technicians'/engineers' access to technical data or authority referenced when troubleshooting/repairing GES/GSS systems.

14. Does your organization or company provide any hardware or software warranties for your products/work? 

15.  Describe your field service capabilities for inspecting, maintaining, calibrating, and repairing existing GES/GSS systems, both hardware and software, to solve maintenance and support problems in a depot maintenance environment.

16. Describe your capabilities and experience in developing/modifying repair or maintenance procedures. Include associated upgrade of technical orders and preparation of new technical orders.

a. State the types of diagnostic and troubleshooting tools utilized for efforts such as this.

17.  Describe your process for maintaining inventory records and reporting on-hand/work-in process balances and repair status to your customers.

18. Discuss your process for addressing any fit, form, and or function issues that may arise out of this effort.

19. Describe your standard warranty and return process for services furnished to the Government for items similar in nature to this requirement.

20. Describe your standard warranty process for services/parts provided to the Government for requirements similar in nature to this requirement.

21. Discuss company’s sustainment packages that could be available to countries. At the minimum

would be US phone support (help desk) during country working hours.

* All interested contractors must be registered in SAM in order to be eligible for award of Government contracts.