Loren Data's SAM Daily™

SAMDAILY.US - ISSUE OF AUGUST 15, 2020 SAM #6834
SOURCES SOUGHT

J -- U.S. Army Aviation Rotary Wing Flight Training Simulation Services Request for Information/Market Research

Notice Date

8/13/2020 1:44:30 PM
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

561990 — All Other Support Services
 

Contracting Office

W6QK ACC-ORLANDO ORLANDO FL 32826-3224 USA
 

ZIP Code

32826-3224
 

Solicitation Number

W900KK
 

Response Due

9/14/2020 1:00:00 PM
 

Archive Date

09/29/2020
 

Point of Contact

Laura Parsons, Phone: 4073808036
 

E-Mail Address

laura.l.parsons.civ@mail.mil
(laura.l.parsons.civ@mail.mil)
 

Description

Project: U.S. Army Aviation Rotary Wing Flight Training Simulation Services Notice Type: Request for Information/Market Research GENERAL INFORMATION: Intro: This is the third RFI released for Army rotary wing simulation services following the closing of the second RFI in 1QFY18. As a result of industry feedback to two Requests for Information and One-On-One Sessions, the Government discerned that industry partners believed major modifications or new requirements in the scope of effort would be necessary in order to be competitive.� Additionally, industry desired a 20-year POP in order to recoup the large, up front capital investment required to build and house various simulators. Given the content of the original feedback from industry, in 2QFY19 the Government released an Notice of Intent (NOI) to Sole Source � Flight School XXI (FSXXI) Next to allow industry the opportunity to present clear and convincing evidence that a competition would be advantageous to the Government. The Government received no industry responses to the NOI that presented any alternative approaches to the Sole-Source action that would support the Government pursuit of a competitive action. This RFI is intended to provide further detail and update the Government on potential opportunities that have emerged within industry that would create significant advantage to the Government to pursue a competitive action to fulfill this requirement. This RFI asks that each respondent to provide additional information on their organization�s capabilities, potential opportunities, and a plan of action to fulfill this requirement. Background: Ft. Rucker, AL is the home of the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE), which leads the Army�s Flight School XXI (FSXXI) program, the main training program for all Army rotary wing aviators. Nearly forty percent of flight training is conducted through the use of the advanced simulation devices found at Ft. Rucker�s contractor-owned helicopter simulations facility, the largest of its kind in the world. Currently simulation services for FSXXI are provided under a long-term (19.5 year period of performance), contractor-provided simulation services contract. This contract provides simulation services for TH-67 and UH-72A Training Helicopter Virtual Simulators; UH-60A/L, UH-60M, and CH-47F Advanced Aircraft Virtual Simulators; and UH-60A/L, UH-60M, AH-64D, and CH47D Reconfigurable Collective Training Devices (RCTD). Additionally, it provides a training support/management oversight capability. Each simulator training device is owned, operated and maintained by the contractor. The number, type, functionality, fidelity and availability of the flight simulators meet the needs of student loads, training schedules, and individual/crew and collective training requirements prescribed by the USAACE. Brief Description: The U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), Product Lead TADSS Support Operations (PL TSO), PdL Turn Key Training Services (PdL TKTS) is conducting market research to refine the Acquisition Strategy for training approaches/solutions in support of a follow on simulation services contract. Each respondent to this inquiry shall provide a short summation for what they envision will be necessary to develop, operate, maintain, upgrade, and support flight simulation training for the Army Aviation Flight School XXI (FSXXI) curriculum. This simulation effort will support the training of FSXXI students conducting Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) training, graduate-level pilot training, collective training, and Professional Military Education (PME) in both training helicopter and advanced rotary-wing platform simulators. Beginning no later than 01 April 2023, the contractor shall be responsible for providing a seamless continuation of simulation capabilities to support USAACE�s annual throughput of approximately 3,900 flight students. These simulation capabilities shall include a sufficient number of UH-72A Virtual Simulators (VS) to support FSXXI Phase I Primary Core and foreign military advanced Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) training. Additionally, these capabilities shall include a sufficient number of UH-60L/M, CH-47F, and AH-64D/E Advanced Aircraft Virtual Simulators (AAVS) to support FSXXI Phase II Advanced Track, graduate flight, PME, refresher, and Active Component/Reserve Component (AC/RC) sustainment training. Each training device shall support individual/crew task training to standard without negative habit transfer to live-aircraft training in accordance with IERW course requirements and the FSXXI curriculum. The contractor shall also be responsible to provide simulation capabilities to support collective, combined arms, and joint training. Each collective training device shall have the ability to support UH-60L/M/V, CH-47F, and AH-64D/E platform configurations. Additionally, collective training device functionality and fidelity (including motion cues); visual system; training environment; interoperability [including Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T)]; and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities shall support individual/crew, collective, combined arms, and joint training requirements. These requirements include training individual/crew and collective tasks to standard in accordance with aircrew training manuals (ATM) and mission training plans (MTP). A multi-function training staff is required to manage, support, schedule, operate, maintain, and upgrade the UH-72A VS, the AAVS, and their associated facilities; develop training support packages (TSPs) and associated training scenario generation tools; develop tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP); develop combined arms training strategies (CATS); and provide training support in terms of battle master, semi-automated forces, role play, and instructor/operator activities. ACQUISITION STRATEGY PLANNING INFORMATION: Contract Vehicle: Based on industry feedback during previous market research RFI�s and NOI, the Government anticipates awarding a sole source contract to the current incumbent. This is contingent� upon results of the current market research update RFI providing evidence that indicates other Industry partners are able to meet the requirements as outlined in 1-5 in the section below, with a performance start date of 01 April 2023, and have a desire to compete for a 12-year POP, Firm Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery, Requirements contract. � Contract Type: The contract will be Firm Fixed Price (FFP) with provisions to award the Contractor additional periods of performance through an Award Term incentive. � The contract Period of Performance will be 12 years, with the total base and option years to be determined after market research is finalized and supported by the approved Service Acquisition Strategy Plan. � Approximate Funding: Funds will be appropriated using Operation and Maintenance Army (OMA) funding with an annual amount T.B.D. � North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): NAICS code being considered for this effort is 561990.� NAICS is the standard used by federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.��� � �RESPONSES REQUESTED: � Contractors shall submit responses to the RFI to the Technical and Contracts POC no later than 4:00 PM EST on Monday, September 14, 2020, indicating a plan of action for how they would provide flight training simulation services in the event the Government determined to pursue a course of action as detailed below. Please outline your response in a written format that best conveys your proposed strategy. At a minimum, include the following considerations in your plan of action and include time-lines and charts as necessary. Additional details are encouraged as they will allow the Government to better assess the Contractor�s ability to provide the required services. � Government/Contractor relationship � The Government intends to pursue strictly a Contractor Owned-Contractor Operated simulation services contract where the Contractor is responsible for providing and maintaining all training capabilities with the appropriate functionality and fidelity to conduct individual/crew and collective training for initial entry, graduate level and professional military education rotary wing pilot training. � The Government does not intend to provide any Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and will require the Contractor to develop or acquire, operate, maintain and upgrade the simulator devices as necessary to maintain a high (T.B.D) operational availability rate and timely concurrency with live airframes. � Training � Training is conducted 5 days a week (Monday � Friday) from 0600 � 2400. The Government must have the ability to conduct individual/crew and collective training events simultaneously. Weekend training will be required on an as needed basis, expected at 20 weekends annually. � Plans that result in proposing 24 hour operations are not expected or desired. � A single training period for 1 instructor and 2 students is 3 hours. � Capabilities should enable the training of approximately 3,900 aviators per year. � 1300 initial entry rotary wing pilots conducting training in high fidelity/full motion UH-72A platforms. � 1200 graduate level pilots conducting training in high fidelity/full motion UH-72, UH-60, CH-47 and AH-64 platforms. � 1400 professional military education students conducting collective training events in UH-60, CH-47 and AH-64 platforms. � The Government does not require the contractor to provide instructors. The Government only requires the ability to train its students in Contractor owned/leased and provided devices located in a Contractor owned/leased, maintained, and operated facility. � Simulator devices � The number of simulator devices provided by the Contractor is determined by the Contractor and is based on the Contractor�s analysis of approved USAACE POI and annual throughput numbers. � The Government requires the following simulated aircraft types: � High fidelity/full motion devices � UH-72As for initial entry common core and instrument training � UH-60L/M for initial entry advanced airframe and graduate level pilot training � CH-47F for initial entry advanced airframe and graduate level pilot training � AH-64D/E for initial entry advanced airframe and graduate level pilot training � Network capable and linkable devices for collective training events and Manned-unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) Levels 1-4 training that support the following aircraft types: � UH-60L/M � CH-47F � AH-64D/E Cockpit Procedures Trainers UH-72A � Contractors shall provide a proposed simulator fielding strategy (Purchase\Lease\Develop) with consideration for simulator accreditation testing. � Facilities � The Contractor shall provide information on its facility development plan. The requirement for this effort is that facilities will be located within 10 miles of Fort Rucker, AL. � Where will the facility be located?� Does the contractor own a current facility, or will you have to acquire or build it? � The contractor is responsible to transport the students from Fort Rucker to the simulation facility.� What modes of transportation will be employed? � How long does the contractor anticipate it will take to acquire facilities or build new facilities? � There is potential to conduct a limited amount of training in Government owned facilities on Ft. Rucker. For example, services for collective training and aircraft start-up and shut-down procedures are currently conducted in Contractor owned devices in Government owned facilities. � Schedule � Provide a services implementation schedule highlighting key milestones with a target date for FOC on 01 April 2023. If that target date cannot be achieved, provide a NLT FOC date. � Include: � Proposed Contract Award � Facility development/acquisition time-frame � Date that Government use of facilities is anticipated � Initial Operational Capability (IOC) � 30% of training capability available � FOC � 100% of training capability available Contractors shall identify, based on the information provided, competitive barriers and proposed resolutions to improve the competitive environment.� Additionally, Contractors shall acknowledge each of the following and address whether they would submit a competitive proposal understanding these aspects of the acquisition: ����� The Government does not anticipate new requirements or technologies for the duration Rotary Wing Flight Training Simulation Services contract outside of existing platform concurrency upgrades.� � �The Government requires FOC by 1 April 2023, to include a fully operational facility within 10 miles of Ft. Rucker, Alabama. � The Government anticipates awarding a 12-year contract. � Contractors are invited to send brochures, briefings, multi-media presentations, catalogs or other information describing capabilities. � All responses to this notice shall include the following: Company Name, address, contracting and technical Points of Contact to include telephone numbers and email addresses; DUNS number, CAGE code, TIN and Small Business Size Status with any applicable socio-economic status such as Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), 8(a), etc. as it relates to the NAICS code 561990, for this effort. Small businesses are asked to indicate interest in participating as the prime contractor or as a subcontractor. Each page should have a header containing the company name, page number and date. � Respondents are reminded to properly mark any proprietary information.� All Contractors that have previously responded to the first and second RFIs are requested to respond again in order for the Government to accurately gauge Industry interest. � �DISCLAIMER:� THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION is for Market Research purposes only and is being used as an instrument to identify potential sources that can provide the capabilities described within this notice. The information provided in this notice is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. This notice does not constitute an Invitation for Bids (IFB) or a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not a commitment by the U.S. Government to procure subject services. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this notification. The Government will use the information received to determine its acquisition strategy. Additionally, all submissions become government property and will not be returned. No basis for a claim against the Government shall arise as a result from a response to this RFI. � Contracts POC: Laura Parsons, (407) 380-8036, laura.l.parsons.civ@mail.mil � Technical POC: Michael Kilcrease, (334) 255-6748, michael.a.kilcrease4.civ@mail.mil � Contracting Office Address: U.S. Army Contracting Command - Orlando, 12211 Science Drive, Orlando, FL 32826-3224 � Technical POC Address: Building 5101 Night Hawk Street, Fort Rucker, AL 36362 � Place of Performance: Ft. Rucker, AL 36362
 

Web Link

SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/55aff8ee98a0415baeffd31bd55eb88c/view)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Fort Rucker, AL 36362, USA

Zip Code: 36362

Country: USA
 

Record

SN05757563-F 20200815/200813230205 (samdaily.us)
 

Source

SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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