SOURCES SOUGHT
58 -- Integrate and Install SATCOM - IPEC RFI
- Notice Date
- 5/2/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 517410
— Satellite Telecommunications
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFLCMC - Hanscom, 9 Eglin Street, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, 01731, United States
- ZIP Code
- 01731
- Solicitation Number
- R2367
- Archive Date
- 6/17/2014
- Point of Contact
- Scott Maitland, Phone: 781-225-4503, Brad Jones, Phone: 781-225-4889
- E-Mail Address
-
scott.maitland@hanscom.af.mil, bradford.jones.2@us.af.mil
(scott.maitland@hanscom.af.mil, bradford.jones.2@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- IPEC RFI Solicitation Number: R2367 Notice Type: Sources Sought Synopsis: Request for Information 1.0 Description The Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) in support of the AFLCMC/HBSG office is seeking information from an interested contractor to provide medium bandwidth Internet Protocol based satellite communications capability as described in Section 2, for the AWACS platform. This is a request for Information (RFI) as defined in FAR 15.201(e). This RFI is issued for the purpose of conducting market research. Respondents to this RFI should provide information on their ability to integrate and install a commercial SATCOM capability on a legacy military platform. 2.0 Description of Requirements The medium bandwidth Internet Protocol (IP) based satellite communications program entails installation of an Inmarsat BGAN service system to provide beyond line of sight (BLOS) SIPRNet connectivity on the AWACS platform to enable receipt of Air Tasking Order/Air Combat Order (ATO/ACO) updates, e-mail exchanges (to include attachments), and chat (XMPP and mIRC). The system is intended to replace the Secure Iridium Chat (SIC) system for chat while retaining the SIC as a back-up. The candidate solution is to permanently install an Inmarsat Swift Broadband 200 (SB200) system on all AWACS, and provide a limited number of roll-on/off network equipment kits (that plug into the SB200 system). To facilitate quick installation on the aircraft, the AWACS SATCOM Antenna Adapter Plate, which currently has two Iridium blade antennas installed, will be redesigned to replace one Iridium antenna with an omni-directional, low-gain Inmarsat SB200 blade antenna. The RF electronics for the one Iridium antenna, which are located inside the fuselage underneath the adapter plate, could also be replaced in order to accommodate colocation of the Inmarsat antenna and associated antenna interface equipment. The SIC adjunct computers and displays will be repurposed for displaying coalition chat when not being used for Iridium operations. The intended system should allow the mission crew access to chat and SIPRNet e-mail at their Operator Work Stations (OWS) while minimizing modifications to the AWACS mission system software and hardware. The AWACS Mission Crew should be able to download ATO/ACO files up to 200KBs in size within four (4) minutes from download initiation and transferred to the AWACS Mission Computing System within 1 minute after download. The Iridium antennas are used by the (SIC) system on AWACS aircrafts and the SIC system must be able to use the one remaining Iridium antenna when the Inmarsat SB200 system is not in use. AWACS intends to use the Airborne Network GIG Interface (ANGI) or a leased Ground / Network Entry Point to connect to SIPRNet over Inmarsat. 2.1 The contractor shall be capable of successfully of integrating and installing the communications and networking equipment without the need of the government furnishing any AWACS documents such as platform specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), structural data, and drawings. Address how this can be accomplished and the risk(s) to successfully accomplishing the program under this constraint. 2.1 The contractor shall have demonstrable experience in installing a suite of communications and networking equipment on board a legacy platform. This encompasses all necessary EMI/EMC assessment and mitigation, as well as assessing and addressing size, weight and power constraints. 2.2 The contractor shall have demonstrable experience in installing a suite of communications and networking equipment on board a legacy platform. This encompasses all necessary Electromagnetic Interference/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMI/EMC) assessment and mitigation, as well as assessing and addressing size, weight and power constraints. 2.3 The contractor shall be capable of redesigning the TNC/SIC antenna plate to accommodate the TNC/SIC antenna and Inmarsat antenna. 2.4 The contractor shall be capable of addressing platform co-site issues that may arise from the introduction of the Inmarsat system and/or proposed communications and networking equipment. 2.5 The contractor shall have demonstrable experience in supporting the government in the airworthiness certification of resultant platform modifications. This entails the necessary analyses, testing and collection of artifacts to prove platform airworthiness 2.6 The contractor shall be capable of developing system installation technical orders (TOs) for government usage to support fleet retrofit by the government and/or other contractor entity. 2.7 The contractor shall be capable of analyzing impacts to existing AWACS systems and making any necessary changes to affected TOs to include AWACS flight performance TOs. 3.0 Responses 3.1 Respondents to this RFI should provide capability statements as qualified prospective vendors capable of providing the services that support all of the aforementioned objectives. The total number of pages for responses shall not exceed seven (7) 8.5x11 inch, single spaces, single sided pages in length using Calibri 12pt font. Please send responses to this RFI electronically to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Scott Maitland, at Scott.Maitland@us.af.mil within thirty (30) days after publication of this announcement. Please submit all questions, in reference to this RFI, in writing via email to Scott.Maitland@us.af.mil. 3.2 SUPPORT CONTRACTORS The Government has Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) contracts to provide support to the AWACS program and other programs in the vicinity. The Government has contracted with Quantech Services, Inc. to receive Professional Acquisition Support Services (PASS). The Government has contracted with Jacobs Technology, Inc. to receive Engineering and Technology Acquisition Support Services (ETASS). The Government has contracted with Tecolote Research, Inc. to receive Specialized Cost Services (SCS). The Government's contract with each A&AS service provider prohibits unauthorized dissemination of data to which the company or its employees have access. 3.3 FFRDC SUPPORT The Government intends to utilize personnel from the following Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) to support Government Engineering and contract management efforts: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA. FFRDCs have entered into contractual arrangements with the Government to provide specialized engineering services to specific Government and program office activities. To support the Government program, The MITRE Corporation may be required to review Contractor proposals and/or the progress of the Contractor's technical efforts and exchange information on the various technical areas involved. The MITRE Corporation has agreed not to disclose proprietary information to unauthorized personnel, and not to compete with a profit seeking concern. 3.4 Respondents shall provide the following business information: Company Name: Address: Point of Contact: CAGE Code: Phone Number: E-mail Address: Web Page URL: North American Industry Classification System (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 Owned Small Business (Yes / No) Central Contractor Registration (CCR) (Yes / No) (*) If you answered yes, please explain whether your company would be capable of meeting the requirements of FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting. 4.0 Summary This RFI does not constitute an Invitation for Bids (IFB), Request for Proposal, Request for Quote (RFQ), nor does this issuance restrict the Government's acquisition approach. Any information received is considered market research and may be utilized by the Air Force in developing its acquisition strategy. This market research will be used to assess the availability and adequacy of potential sources. The Government will not respond or conduct formal or informal briefings to vendors or respondents to this RFI. The Government does not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submission of information being requested/received, nor reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this RFI. THIS RFI IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS RFI, AND RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE ARE NOT OFFERS AND CANNOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO FORM A BINDING CONTRACT. RESPONSES TO THIS RFI WILL NOT BE RETURNED. SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DESIRE TO PURSUE THIS CAPABILITY, A SEPARATE SYNOPSIS AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) WILL BE ISSUED.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/ESC/R2367/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: TBD, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, 01731, United States
- Zip Code: 01731
- Zip Code: 01731
- Record
- SN03355485-W 20140504/140502234245-c4532e3f861a1970a92a26c080ae6057 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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