MODIFICATION
A -- Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) Support to Joint Improvised-Threat Agency (JIDA) “Defeat the Device” Initiatives
- Notice Date
- 10/20/2015
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC - APG - Natick (SPS), BLDG 1 KANSAS ST, Natick, Massachusetts, 01760-5011, United States
- ZIP Code
- 01760-5011
- Solicitation Number
- W911QY-16-R-DTDI
- Archive Date
- 11/21/2015
- Point of Contact
- Shawn P. Haubner, Phone: 5082336167
- E-Mail Address
-
shawn.p.haubner.civ@mail.mil
(shawn.p.haubner.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Revised RFI below: SYNOPSIS This is a Request for Information (RFI) for planning purposes only, as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201e. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The Government will NOT pay for information and materials received in response to this RFI and is no way obligated by the information received. This notice is for market research purposes only to obtain information regarding (1) the availability and capability of all qualified performer sources, (2) including small businesses; HUB Zone small businesses; service-disabled small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; small disadvantaged businesses; and universities and educational institutions, (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for the proposed acquisition. The applicable NAICS Code is 541712 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology). Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method for the rapid execution of Joint Improvised Threat Agency-Initiatives. BACKGROUND Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Battle Management Directorate, Force Protection Division, Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Section and Army Contracting Command- Aberdeen Proving Ground- Natick Contracting Division supports the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency (JIDA) (formerly JIEDDO) in their mission to counter improvised threats with tactical responsiveness and anticipatory acquisition in support of Combatant Commanders' efforts to prepare for, and react to, battlefield surprise in support of counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, and other related mission areas including Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED). JIDA develops and delivers capabilities within three to 24 months. JIDA currently has three primary Lines of Operations (LOOs): Attack the Network, Defeat the Device, and Train the Force. The Defeat the Device LOO is further comprised of three (3) distinct capability areas: Detect Systems, Neutralize Systems, and Mitigate Systems. The Detection Systems capability area seeks to identify IEDs and/or the people operating them before they detonate. Detect ground systems; seek to detect person-borne, vehicle-borne and buried IEDs, as well as suspicious activity associated with IED emplacement. These systems include persistent threat detection, persistent group surveillance systems and handheld/ airborne ground-penetrating radar systems. Detect air systems allow the warfighter to better predict where and how the enemy is employing IEDs and reveal the nature and location of enemy IED networks through aerial detection. The Neutralize Systems capability area uses technological solutions to deny the enemy the ability to trigger IEDs. Systems such as ultra-light weight reconnaissance robots and line charges provide warfighters the capability to identify and neutralize IED systems before they detonate. The Mitigate Systems capability area seeks to minimize effects of IED blasts on people, equipment and facilities by pre-detonation and providing standoff distances. This is done through JIDA-funded counter-IED initiatives such as mine rollers, ground detection and armor protection. Rollers mitigate the effects of victim-operated IEDs by pre-detonating them from a safe distance, thus reducing casualties and vehicle damage. Historically, the C-IED Section has been assigned execution authority over the following detection technology areas: • Small Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) Synthetic Aperture Radars • Small SWaP Multi and Hyper Spectral Near Visible Infrared (VISNIR), Short Wave Infrared (SWIR), and Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) sensors • Integration of sensors on small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) • Standoff detection of Personnel Borne IEDS (PBIEDs) • Entry Control Point (ECP) PBIED Detection • Handheld IED Detection • Vehicle Bourne IED (VBIED) Detection The JIDA requirements process timeline which approves initiatives is normally 30 days. The acquisition community is then directed to obligate the funds and begin executing a solution within 60 days. Most often, the final solution to an initiative is required in less than 12 months. In some situations, a suitable technology or group of technologies is already in development through existing Department of Defense contracts. In these scenarios, the acquisition community is able to rapidly obligate and execute JIDA initiatives without additional programmatic risk to their schedules. However, in other situations an existing contract vehicle with appropriate scope does not exist, which introduces an unacceptable level of risk to initiative schedules. OBJECTIVES The objective of this RFI is to gather information that will assist in the determination of a suitable acquisition solution for a Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) to begin initiative execution within the JIDA driven 60 day requirement where an appropriate contracting alternative does not already exist. Equally important is the need to ensure rapid delivery of effective initiative solutions. The QRC must also be affordable; thereby ensuring the initiative funding is applied to the technical solutions to the greatest extent possible. QRC is very different from traditional acquisition. Technical requirements for traditional acquisition actions are typically well defined and documented. QRC requirements are driven by battlefield surprise; therefore it is not possible to accurately predict technical requirements until the need is realized. These needs then require immediate solutions; therefore the C-IED Section is pursuing a QRC capability to be prepared for immediate execution enabling immediate response to battlefield surprises. It is also important to recognize there is not a single family of products or technologies that can solve these warfighting needs. Therefore it is important this QRC capability is supported by a vendor(s) with knowledge of the mission area and of current and emerging technologies with the ability to deliver them quickly. The intent of this RFI is not to gain information on the products available, but to gain information on industry's ability to identify, develop or acquire, and deliver suitable solutions to "battlefield surprise" initiatives expeditiously and efficiently. The C-IED Section is currently considering a small IDIQ contract vehicle for this mission area: under $10M in ceiling with a 24-36 month period of performance. This approach is being considered to allow for rapid contracting, enable immediate execution of initiatives while more suitable acquisition strategies are pursued for longer term or higher cost initiatives, and enable the government to replace the QRC quickly if warfighting needs increase, or if contractor performance is not adequate. This strategy is subject to change based on feedback from this RFI. Initiatives can include feasibility studies; Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities; prototyping, Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) procurement, modification of COTS technology, integration, and operational assessment. Though specific technical requirements cannot be predicted, the mission areas in the Defeat the Device LOO are expected to include: • Surface and subsurface emplaced IEDs • Home Made Explosive materials (e.g. Ammonium Nitrate, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate, Potassium Chlorate, Urea Nitrate (etc.) • Ground and Air Vehicle Bourne IEDs • Personnel Bourne IEDs Respondents are invited to provide materials related to their capabilities to fulfill ANY OR ALL of the inquiries listed above. Respondents should provide responses whether their level of interest and current capability is to fulfill the entire scope of the effort, or a limited aspect of the effort, such as teaming as a subcontractor with another firm. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS All written responses must be received by November 6, 2015 at 3:00 PM EST. Submissions should: (1) use Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF); (2) be sent to Shawn Haubner at shawn.p.haubner.civ@mail.mil (3) be minimum 11 font on 8.5" X 11" paper; (4) be complete, sufficiently detailed, and organized in a manner that tracks to the information requested in this RFI; (5) include a single organization point of contact with name, title, address, telephone, fax numbers, and e-mail address(es); and (6) not exceed 15 single sided pages in total (not including cover page and cover letter). Material that is advertisement only in nature is not desired. The Government will retain comments and information received in response to this RFI. Proprietary information should be identified as Company Proprietary and will be protected if appropriately marked. Do not use Government Security classification markings. Responses should include patent rights and/or licensure information for any data, product or technology that may be used to accomplish a proposed solution. Please indicate preference as to whether or not any future development rights would be shared with the Government if a partnership were to develop. Questions regarding this RFI should be submitted to Shawn Haubner at shawn.p.haubner.civ@mail.mil no later than 24 hours prior to the end date. DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response hereto. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. This notice does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation or to award a contract. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to the respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation which may be published in the future. POINT OF CONTACT Mr. Shawn Haubner Contract Specialist Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground-Natick Contracting Division, 100 Medway Rd, Milford, MA 01757 shawn.p.haubner.civ@mail.mil
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