GARDEM 2 RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, ENHANCEMENT & SUSTAINMENT FOR COMMAND AND CONTROL

1.  ACTION CODE: Request for Information (RFI)

2.  SOLICITATION NUMBER : FA8750-23-R-0500

3.   TITLE/SUBJECT:   GARDEM 2 RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, ENHANCEMENT & SUSTAINMENT

FOR COMMAND AND CONTROL

                                          

4.  CLASSIFICATION CODE : AC13

5.  NAICS CODE: 541511

6.  IS THIS A RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT ACTION?  No

7.  POSTING DATE: 06 JAN 2023

     RESPONSE DATE: 06 FEB 2023    

8.   POINT OF CONTACT.

Contracting:

Maryna Gena

Contracting Officer

AFRL/RIKF

(315) 330-2346

Maryna.Gena@us.af.mil

Frances Karas

Contract Specialist

AFRL/RIKF

(315) 330-2504

Frances.Karas@us.af.mil

Technical:

Michael Paul

AFRL/RIEBB

(315) 330-2329

Michael.Paul.22@us.af.mil

9.   DESCRIPTION  

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue a RFP in the future. Responses to this RFI may be used for market research purposes (e.g. to determine responsibility of potential offerors) and/or a possible small business set-aside determination. Both large business (LB) and  small business (SB) entities are invited to respond to this RFI. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Air Force is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on sam.gov website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

Submission of a response is voluntary. Respondents are advised that AFRL is under no obligation to provide feedback with respect to any information submitted under this RFI.

The Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate, Rome NY (AFRL/RI), has a requirement to perform research, development, prototyping, integration, testing, demonstration, deployment and maintenance of innovative technologies and concepts in support for Global Application Research, Development, Engineering and Maintenance (GARDEM) 2 software baselines. GARDEM2 provides Air Force, Department of Defense, Intelligence Community (IC) and other Federal Agencies with multi-service command and control (C2) / Space applications that provide strategy & planning, operational tasking, space-domain awareness, joint interoperability control/comms, long range kill chains, fires support and over the horizon operations capabilities. This effort will perform research and development, design, analysis, studies, engineering, integration, test, evaluation and operations and maintenance support for current and new users of the GARDEM2 C2 & Space software toolset.  Technical enhancements are needed to correct any identified shortcomings in the applications and to provide additional capabilities, features, processes, and documentation. The enhancements will extend GARDEM2 toolset functions and provide more effective and efficient capabilities to meet the needs of the users.  Due to real world events, rapid software releases are required to maximize our technological capabilities at current and future deployed sites worldwide.  Installation support will be needed to install the GARDEM2 toolset software and hardware, and train users at multiple sites throughout the world. Operations and maintenance actions will be needed to provide continued system maintenance to current customer sites and to the new sites after system installation.  In the course of performance, the contractor will interface with various DoD and Government agencies through visits and electronic means, and technical visits that will take place at various sites, worldwide.  Anticipated deliverables include software, hardware, and technical documentation.

Anticipated contract type - cost-plus-fixed-fee. Anticipated period of performance - sixty (60) months. Taking into consideration real world events constantly changing and unfolding, we presently contemplate the maximum order amount to be approximately $99,000,000.00.

Security Clearances: Taking into consideration real world events constantly changing and unfolding, we presently contemplate an estimated forty one (41) Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) with Top Secret/Special Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) access are required to perform the tasking under this contract immediately upon award.  These estimates are in addition to any unclassified positions that may be proposed. TS safeguarding capability will also be required.

No foreign participation is allowed.

A technical library relating to the subject area of this acquisition is available for review by potential offerors via DOD SAFE only.  Interested vendors may request a DOD SAFE Drop-Off of the technical library by contacting Michael Paul, 315-330-2329, e-mail: michael.paul.22@us.af.mil.  A DOD SAFE drop-off will be sent to interested parties every Monday morning until the RFI closes. Only one recipient per company will be allowed to receive the drop-off. The library contains technical data subject to export control.  Prior to review, potential offerors must submit a copy of an approved DD Form 2345, "Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement" (may be obtained at  https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/forms/dd/dd2345.pdf with instructions at Https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/J3LogisticOperations/FIC/JCP/J3_DDForm2345Instructions(Oct2022)_221005.pdf?ver=dLEK75KpKWRfj3e5wMI8BQ%3D%3D        ) along with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) from the Data Custodian designated on that form, authorizing access by whomever will be reviewing the library. This MOA will be provided by Michael Paul upon request to access this technical library. The form and MOA request along with the email address of the recipient can be emailed to: michael.paul.22@us.af.mil, at the time request for files is requested.

For further information on Certified Contractor Access List (CCAL), contact the Defense Logistics Agency at 1-877-352-2255 or on the web at https://www.dla.mil/Logistics-Operations/Services/JCP/.  It is the sole responsibility of the contractor to obtain an export license from the U.S. Department of State and to comply with the federal laws and regulations.  Questions concerning the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and export licensing must be directed to the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls and not the Air Force Program Manager, Contracting Office, or Air Force Foreign Disclosure Office. 

Responses to this RFI may be used for market research purposes and possible small business set-aside determination. Both large and small business organizations are invited to respond by email in a document not exceeding 15 pages.  Microsoft Word or PDF files are preferred. If the file size exceeds 10MB, please utilize the Department of Defense Safe Access File Exchange (SAFE) site at https://safe.apps.mil/ and follow up with an email stating a submission has been sent.  Please respond to the following items below, referencing the question number with each response:

1. Describe your organization’s ability to meet the technical requirements in the draft PWD (attached).  Please do not simply restate the technical requirements in your response.  Be sure to:
   1. Provide sufficient information and references to describe the majority level of knowledge and/or experience in each of the organizations listed in the PWD mission set and potential capabilities they may use.  This includes knowledge and/or experience of computer software systems in the following areas:
      1. Agile software development and project management practices
      2. Platform As A Service (PAAS) employment
      3. Data As A Service (DaaS)
      4. DoD Authorization and Assessment (A&A) procedures
      5. Workflow for military intelligence and operations reporting
      6. Multi-source, Multi-Intelligence (Multi-INT) disparate data fusion
      7. Military intelligence production and dissemination
      8. Data exploitation including trend and pattern detection
      9. Data visualization
      10. Data integration and curation
      11. Semantic search and faceted data navigation
      12. Data analysis
      13. Database schema manipulation
      14. Database replication
      15. User and maintenance training
      16. Deployments in operational military environments
      17. Cloud Based Deployment and Hosting
      18. Help desk activities
   2. Include a brief description of your organization’s quality control, risk management, and safety practices as they would be applied to this service.

1. Describe the experience and qualifications of personnel and other organizational resources that would be used to meet the technical requirements.  Provide information describing the level of knowledge and capabilities in the ISR domain.  Address the availability of personnel with security clearances, to include TS/SCI and Secret/Collateral and how your organization proposes fulfilling the remaining positions within the required time frames indicated above.

1. Identify up to three (3) previous or ongoing contracts / programs / efforts with Government, commercial, academic, or other customers performed within the last five (5) years which are relevant to the technical requirements.  Include a brief description of the work, an explanation of its relevance to the technical requirements, and the performance period, value, and current customer points of contact.

1. Indicate any factors concerning your organization’s ability to perform the technical requirements.   

1. Indicate if your organization intends to submit a proposal in the event that a RFP is issued for the attached technical requirements. 

1. Indicate whether your company is a foreign-owned/foreign-controlled firm and if you contemplate the use of foreign national employees on this effort.

1. Responses should identify any current or potential future regulatory and / or security concerns which could impact your company’s ability to perform on the upcoming effort.

1. Indicate if your organization belongs to any GWACs. If so, please list them.

1. Confirm that your organization’s business systems currently are adequate for performing a cost-type task order.

1. Identify any areas which likely would require subcontracting or a teaming arrangement. Also state if it would be necessary to subcontract or team with another prime contractor on the same contracting vehicle.

1. Address how your organization would meet the requirement of FAR 52.219-14 “Limitations on Subcontracting,” whereby at least 50% of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel must be expended for employees of the prime Contractor.

Questions concerning this RFI may be directed to the Contract Specialist, Frances Karas at 315-330-2504, frances.karas@us.af.mil and the Contracting Officer, Maryna Gena at 315-330-2346, Maryna.Gena@us.af.mil, Technical questions should be directed to Michael Paul at 315-330-2329, michael.paul.22@us.af.mil.  

Responses: All responses shall be submitted via e-mail to frances.karas@us.af.mil, maryna.gena@us.af.mil, and michael.paul.22@us.af.mil  by 3 PM (EST) 06 FEBRUARY 2023.

Attachment – Draft Performance Work Description (PWD) titled, “GARDEM 2 RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, ENHANCEMENT & SUSTAINMENT FOR COMMAND AND CONTROL.”

PLEASE SEE ADDITIONAL PWD ATTACHMENT

                                                                          Amendment 1

This is the same RFI that was posted previously on sam.gov from 06 JAN 2023 until 06 FEB 2023, the only update in this RFI is the para 1a, as the Government identified an error in the paragraph 1a and corrected it.