MODIFICATION
R -- Request for Information - Minuteman Nuclear Safety Cross-Check Analysis/Performance Analysis and Technical Evaluation (NSCCA/PATE), and Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V)
- Notice Date
- 3/12/2012
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Hill AFB OO-ALC, OO-ALC/PKXB, 6038 Aspen Ave (Bldg 1289), Hill AFB, Utah, 84056
- ZIP Code
- 84056
- Solicitation Number
- NSCCA-PATE2013
- Archive Date
- 11/15/2011
- Point of Contact
- Miranda Pippin, Phone: 8017770130, Gena B. Black, Phone: 8017773115
- E-Mail Address
-
miranda.pippin@hill.af.mil, gena.black@hill.af.mil
(miranda.pippin@hill.af.mil, gena.black@hill.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request for Information Title: Minuteman Nuclear Safety Cross-Check Analysis/Performance Analysis and Technical Evaluation/Independent Verification and Validation (NSCCA/PATE/IV&V) 9 Mar 2012 Program Description: This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI). The following information is provided to assist the Air Force in conducting market research of industry to identify sources that meet Air Force requirements. This is neither a request for proposal nor an invitation for bid. There will be no reimbursement for the information provided. The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Systems Directorate (ICBMSD) is seeking to identify sources qualified to perform Nuclear Safety Cross-Check Analysis/Performance Analysis and Technical Evaluation/Independent Verification and Validation (NSCCA/PATE/ IV&V) for Minuteman III software and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) firmware, specifically contractors with nuclear certified software testing and analysis experience and broad knowledge of ICBM nuclear certified software. NSCCA - Develop or select a software tool to detect self-modification or modification of ancillary programs. (AFMAN 91-119) PATE - Process to ensure software component functions are complete, correct, testable, and traceable to end-item requirements. The purpose of PATE is to analyze and test the software design and implementation to determine that it is an efficient and technically valid approach. IV&V - Check the design and code (if available) for any indication of self-modification. (AFMAN 91-119) The overall objective of this effort is to maintain the nuclear safety and security of the United States Air Force (USAF) ICBM weapon system. Engineering services performed would directly and indirectly support nuclear design certification of ICBM weapon system software: • Independently analyze the changes, and resultant software, produced by the development or modification of any nuclear critical or nuclear certified software to ensure there is no degradation to the nuclear surety of the ICBM weapon system. Requires maintaining awareness and compliance with Air Force Safety Center requirements and other standards applicable to NSCCA and IV&V software reviews. (Perform NSCCA and IV&V.) o Nuclear Weapons Surety is the materiel, personnel, and procedures that contribute to the safety, security, reliability, and control of nuclear weapons, thus assuring no nuclear accidents, incidents, unauthorized use, or degradation in performance. • Independently analyze and test software design and implementation to determine that it is an efficient and technically valid approach. (Perform PATE.) • Perform appropriate nuclear surety tasks and analyses, document the results of these analyses, and generate the necessary products to achieve nuclear certification. (Generate nuclear certification reports.) • Complete organizational and financial Independence from the software development organizations is required. RFI Questions: The following list of questions should be answered as it relates to your organization, not including what is currently subcontracted. Responses should be kept to the approximate length identified in the parenthesis after each question using Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman 12 point font with a one inch top, bottom, and edge margins. Please limit responses to no more than 8 pages not including cover sheet and letter. 1. Describe relevant techniques and experience performing software analyses, testing, walkthroughs and certifications that prove/ensure the software system conforms to the approved requirements, approved design, does not contain any unknown, unnecessary, inadvertent, or malicious design nor malicious code, and support the notion that your techniques and experience are directly related to the Air Force definitions of NSCCA/PATE/ and IV&V, as well as the current status of any and all tools which supported these activities. (~ 1 page) 2. Identify experience working with similar systems and review efforts, and the relevance of these systems/efforts to the software functions of nuclear weapon system, with particular interest in support for the Minuteman III weapon system. (~ 1 page) 3. How many Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (not double counted) personnel do you currently employ with MM III ICBM weapon system knowledge and what is the specific nature and extent of this knowledge? How many FTE personnel do you currently employ with NSCCA/PATE/ IV&V experience and what is the nature and extent of their experience? Does your company have any relevant experience working with other nuclear weapon system/delivery systems that would directly correlate to ICBMs? If your company is lacking experience in these areas, how would you obtain such experience? (~ 1/2 page) 4. How would you structure your workforce and measure performance to ensure thoroughness of such reviews and ensure confidence in your company's recommendation to certify software for use in nuclear applications? (~ 1 page) 5. Describe your experience developing and maintaining relevant tools, test beds, and historical databases (databases to track discrepancy reports, decision criteria, etc.). (~ 1/2 page) 6. Describe your testing environment to include processes and hardware that are in place to allow processing and analysis of sensitive and classified material. This includes internal handling and processing of information as well as ensuring isolation from non-authorized personnel and locations. (~ 1 page) 7. Identify efforts within your company, software development or otherwise, which might pose conflicts of interest and how your company could resolve such concerns. If applicable, describe how your company has previously satisfied requirements for independence and avoidance of conflicts of interest. (~ 1/2 page) 8. Describe your ability to provide Continuous Engineering Services at OO-ALC to maintain and support the Strategic Missile Integration Complex (SMIC) located at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. (~ 1/2 pages) a. The SMIC provides a test environment for system integration and operational testing of changes, modifications, and upgrades to the ICBM weapon system. The SMIC allows the ICBMSD to perform system test and anomaly investigations without affecting the alert status of the fielded weapon system. Furthermore, it provides in-depth analysis and test capability with specialized test equipment for the ICBM weapon system. 9. Describe your ability to provide Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for the Operation Plan (OPLAN), the Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting (REACT) VAX, and the Strategic War Planning System interface located at the 20AF, 625th Strategic Targeting Operations Squadron (STOS) at Offutt Air Force Base, NE. (~ 1/2 pages) a. The OPLAN is the military's interpretation of the president's nuclear guidance. 10. What risks do you foresee during performance of the above tasks, to include risks during initiation of the effort? How would you suggest mitigating these risks? (~ 1/2 page) 11. Finally, please provide any recommendations, questions, or concerns regarding this effort. Firms responding to this announcement are asked to include company name, cage code, point of contact, address and indicate whether they are a small business, 8(a) concern, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, or woman-owned small business. Disclaimer: This RFI does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or any obligation on behalf of the Government. The responses to this RFI are not an offer and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. No contract award will be made on the basis of this RFI. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this RFI, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information. Vendor participation is not a promise of future business with the Government. Any information provided in response to this RFI will be used for informational purposes only and will not be returned. All proprietary information should be clearly marked as such. All information submitted by respondents to this RFI, including appropriately marked proprietary information, will be safeguarded and protected from unauthorized disclosure. Contracting Office Address: AFNWC/PKMA 1614 Dogwood Ave (Bldg 1258, Rm 25) Hill AFB, Utah 84056 Primary Point of Contact: Miranda Pippin Contract Specialist Miranda.Pippin@hill.af.mil Phone: 801-777-0130 Secondary Point of Contact: Gena Black Contracting Officer Gena.Black@hill.af.mil Phone: 801-777-3115
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