Unmanned Surface Vehicle Family of Systems Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity

Only one response is necessary for this announcement. 

This notice is for market research purposes only and does NOT constitute a request for proposal.  This notice shall not be construed as a contract, a promise to contract, or as a commitment of any kind by the Government.  The Government is NOT seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals. Failure to respond to this Request for Information (RFI) does not preclude participation in any future Request for Proposal (RFP), if any is issued. If an RFP is issued, it will be synopsized on https://www.sam.gov.

This Sources Sought/RFI notice is issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants, Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406).  PMS 406, through the NAVSEA Contracts Department (SEA 02), established an Independent Delivery-Independent Quantity Multiple Award Contract (IDIQ-MAC) marketplace for the procurement of supplies and services in support of the Unmanned Surface Vehicle/Vessel Family of Systems (USV FoS), initially awarding forty (40) MACs to wide range of Industry partners in February 2020.  The stated intent of PMS 406 and SEA 02 was to periodically evaluate the need to offer on-ramps for additional Industry partners over the USV FoS IDIQ-MAC’s Period of Performance (five (5) year base period, with an additional five (5) year ordering period option). 

The USV FoS IDIQ-MAC was intended for and is currently being used to solicit under fair competition procedures among the qualified IDIQ-MAC holders for Task and Delivery Orders for a variety of supplies and services in support of unmanned systems and platforms in the maritime domain.  Orders to date have included various design and integration studies, combat systems ship integration activities, and payload development and integration efforts.  The Navy is currently pursuing various unmanned sustainment support efforts as well, and planning is ongoing for other unmanned technology development efforts.

The purpose and intent of this RFI is to gauge interest in additional companies to potentially pursue access to the USV FoS IDIQ-MAC pool of awardees.  The overall IDIQ-MAC pool of awardees were originally awarded access into six Functional Areas (note: full scope language available in original solicitation, posted publicly on sam.gov):

1. Payloads

Payloads are components that are carried by the USV exclusive of what is necessary for basic operation, transit, and navigation. Payloads interface with the USV, augmenting the USV to complete a mission. Payloads may include towed sonars, data recorders, payload controllers, and signal processors. This functional area may include cross-domain payloads also applicable to unmanned air vehicles or unmanned underwater vehicles.

2. Non-Payload Sensors

Non-Payload Sensors are organic to the USV and required for basic operation of the USV. Non-Payload sensors may include forward look sonar, transducers, hydrophones, Automatic Identification System (AIS), imaging, radar, transponders, Conductivity, Temperature & Depth (CTD), sub-bottom profiler, Doppler velocity log, Global Positioning System (GPS), and altimeters. Non-Payload sensors may include cross-domain sensors also applicable to unmanned air vehicles or unmanned underwater vehicles.

3. Mission Support Systems

Mission Support Systems provide for physical, electrical, and/or data interfaces to Payload Systems. Mission Support includes payload launch and recovery systems to facilitate payload operation and/or mission conduct.

4. Autonomy and Vehicle Control Systems

Autonomy Systems enable the USV to independently develop and select among different courses of action to achieve goals based on the USV’s knowledge and understanding of the situation. Vehicle Control Systems are the systems which enable the USV to monitor and conduct the mission. Autonomy and Vehicle Control Systems may include cross-domain solutions also applicable to unmanned air vehicles or unmanned underwater vehicles.

5. Ashore and Host Platform Elements

Ashore and host platform elements are the systems and subsystems that enable a USV to interface, launch, and recover from an ashore and/or host platform. Ashore and host platform elements may include launch and recovery hardware, data interface systems, hardware interface systems, electrical interface systems, local command and control, energy system charging/refueling equipment, onboard storage equipment, maintenance equipment, and tendering for a USV. Communication elements are the system and sub-systems which enable a USV to communicate with the host platform elements or payload elements. Elements may include radios, cross-domain solutions, enclosures, power supplies and associated software/firmware required for communications. Ashore and Host Platform Elements may include cross-domain solutions also applicable to unmanned air vehicles or unmanned underwater vehicles.

6. Logistics and Sustainment

Logistics and Sustainment Activities consist of providing services that are required for optimal performance of the USVs, payloads, Payload Deliver Systems (PDS), and related components throughout the program lifecycle. Logistics and Sustainment activities may include cross-domain solutions also applicable to unmanned air vehicles or unmanned underwater vehicles.

The Navy is requesting Industry feedback from companies that may be interested in responding to a competitive solicitation if one were offered and publicly released.  Specific information of interest to the Navy include short and concise responses to the following questions:

• Would you be interested in submitting a competitive proposal in response to an “on-ramp” USV FoS IDIQ-MAC solicitation, if one were offered?
• If so, which Functional Area or Areas would you most likely propose to?  NOTE: Offerors, if a solicitation is released, would be permitted to propose to as many Functional Areas as desired.
• Are you a current prime contractor or subcontractor on a DoD contract, or more specifically on a contract with SEA 02?  Are you performing in support of any unmanned platform, payload or other related technology or system areas?
• Do you qualify as a small business?
• Do you have a current Facility Clearance at the SECRET level?

For those interested, submit responses to the NAVSEA Contracting Points of Contact (POC) listed below:

Respondents should provide the following information with their response:

• Company name, address, and ZIP code
• Company CAGE, UEI, DUNS number
• Cognizant Defense Security Service (DSS) Security Office name, address, and ZIP code
• Business Website
• Business size status (i.e., SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, SDB, WOSB, LB)
• Number of employees
• Employee classification level
• Facility classification level
• Two POCs with Name, Title, Phone Number, Email Address

The desired format for submissions is white paper or similar narrative (company’s format). Submissions shall be in Microsoft Word and/or searchable Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) to include all tables, charts, and diagrams. In order to be considered in this market survey, your response shall be submitted electronically and must be received on or before 19 Dec 2022. RFI responses shall be sent via electronic mail to the following addresses:

TO: Ms. Cassandra Brese, cassandra.j.brese.civ@us.navy.mil

CC: Mr. Daniel Kough, daniel.w.kough2.civ@us.navy.mil

SUBJECT LINE: USV FoS IDIQ-MAC RFI Response (insert name of company)

Companies are encouraged to submit prior to the closing date. Inclusion of a delivery receipt with an email submission will be the only indication of successful receipt of RFI Response. File size is limited to 12MB per email and companies are solely responsible for ensuring their email size does not exceed the 12MB limitation. File sizes larger than 12MB and .zip file extensions will be stripped by the Navy email system. Modifications, amendments, or withdrawal of RFI Response should be made to the above email addresses. One email is acceptable as long as it does not exceed 12MB. If it exceeds 12MB, companies may separate their submission among multiple emails and should number them email 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3, etc.

NO CLASSIFIED MATERIAL SHALL BE SUBMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. To aid the Government in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information.  Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.  Respondents shall mark any data included in its submissions that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose.