SOURCES SOUGHT
16 -- eCASS Request For Information
- Notice Date
- 6/6/2007
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 336413
— Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Navy, Naval Air Systems Command, NAVAIR HQ, Building 2272 47123 Buse Road Unit IPT, Patuxent River, MD, 20670, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 20670
- Solicitation Number
- eCASS-RFI-A
- Response Due
- 7/25/2007
- Point of Contact
- Denise Lamb, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-757-5902, Fax 301-757-5956, - Cliff Stevens , Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 757-6882, Fax (301) 757-6902,
- E-Mail Address
-
denise.lamb@navy.mil, clifford.stevens@navy.mil
- Description
- This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI). THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP). Naval Air Systems Command, Aviation Support Equipment Program Office (PMA260) requests information which will serve as a market and technology survey to assist NAVAIR in developing its acquisition strategy for a full and open competition to develop a replacement system for the existing mainframe Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) AN/USM-636 (V) Test Station with a next generation test station, herein referred to as electronic Consolidated Automated Support System (eCASS). General Description: The CASS mission is to provide a common family of Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) for the purpose of performing automated avionics testing at Navy Intermediate (Ship and Shore) and Depot-Level maintenance sites. Current CASS test stations are approaching the end of their service life. The vision is that eCASS will include two station variants: 1) A Radio Frequency (RF) station comprised of digital, low frequency, power, control, radio frequency and communication subsystems and; 2) A Hybrid station capable of supporting CASS Electro-Optics (EO) test requirements by hosting the existing CASS EO3 console. The Hybrid station shall be a logistically common subset of the RF station tailored to support EO weapon system Test Program Sets (TPSs). The RF test station will be compatible for use with the existing CASS High Power Device Test Set (HPDTS) and the future Communications, Navigation, and Identification (CNI) Ancillary Set, currently under development. Existing and new CASS ancillary equipment shall be used with the two variants (Hybrid and RF) to meet the full range of testing currently performed on all CASS test station variants. eCASS shall be designed for shipboard use and shall be compliant with the draft eCASS specification and other applicable DoN documentation. eCASS shall be capable of supporting existing CASS Test Program Sets (TPSs) for approximately 2000 avionics components. The station shall be designed to minimize any changes to TPSs and to maintain or improve the fidelity of test, run-times, and performance. The offeror will be responsible for any TPS software processes and related tools required for migration to eCASS. The new test station shall have a compatibility mode that will emulate existing CASS station characteristics in order to maintain legacy CASS TPS performance and an eCASS mode that includes the full complement of station capabilities. The Government is defining its acquisition strategy to operationally field eCASS test stations to the warfighter to replace the existing CASS stations starting no later than CY15. The Request For Proposal (RFP) is anticipated to be issued in third (3rd) Quarter of Government Fiscal Year (GFY) 08 with an anticipated contract award in early second (2nd) Quarter of GFY 09. The contract type will be either Fixed Price, Cost Plus, or a combination of both. Based on our current understanding of industry capabilities a three-year System Development and Demonstration (SD&D) phase is projected to include qualification testing followed by Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) I & II builds. The anticipated quantities for the basic contract will include efforts to design, test and produce Two (2) Hybrid and Two (2) RF pre-production test stations primarily used for qualification testing. The anticipated LRIP I &II quantities may consist of Two to Four (2-4) Hybrid and Ten to Sixteen (10-16) RF test stations each to support TPS regression and operational testing. The Navy plans to separately award follow-on contract(s) for the remaining production quantity of Seventy to Eighty (70-80) Hybrid and Three Hundred to Three Hundred Twenty (300-320) RF test stations. Nominal schedule: -Industry day 09/2007 (Information to be provided via separate announcement); - RFP Release Third (3rd) Quarter of GFY08; -Contract award; - early Second (2nd) Quarter GFY09; - 3 year SD&D Phase; - 12-20 unit LRIP each in 2011 and 2012; - Operational Testing 2012-2013; - FRP 2014 (35-50 Stations/Year). Respondents are requested to provide information and comments on the available draft eCASS specification, and identify applicable risks dealing with this particular procurement contract type, Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) pricing, schedule, and risks to fulfilling such a program. Respondents are requested to provide a synopsis of their capabilities, facilities and relevant experience in the design, production and logistics support of military ATE. Respondents are requested to describe, comment, address, and provide information for the following areas as it pertains to eCASS: 1. Technical approach - high-level architecture to include power, control, subsystems communication, instrumentation, and mechanical design. 2. Design flexibility for accommodating different test executives and instrumentation form factors. 3. Projections, recommendations, and Design Considerations for System/subsystem reliability, maintainability, and supportability. 4. System self test and calibration methodology. 5. Identify legacy CASS TPS compatibility strategy and risk to existing TPSs. 6. System performance, cost, and schedule trade offs between targeting 100% TPS transportability vs. rehosting some TPSs into an eCASS environment. 7. Software and hardware approach for parallel test. 8. Software and hardware approach for TPS development and TPS sustainment. 9. Approach and recommendations on dual sourcing critical or high cost subsystems. 10. Identify CASS station critical attributes to minimize TPS compatibility risk and required schedule to accomplish station characterization. 11. What instruments, capabilities, functions are deemed the highest risk in the draft eCASS specification and for TPS compatibility requirements. 12. How employment of synthetic instrumentation can reduce TPS compatibility risk and/or increase test capabilities. 13. Provide electronic notes and comments on draft eCASS specification file using the track changes feature in MS Word 2003. 14. Methods to limit or minimize reliance upon actual TPSs and Units Under Test (UUTs) as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) during development. 15. Project required or recommended Government Furnished Property (GFP), Government Furnished Software (GFS), Government Furnished Information (GFI) and GFE. 16. Schedule projections to include revisions to the notional schedule. 17. Non-recurring and recurring unit cost projections and quantity cost break points. 18. Estimated life cycle of system, software, and subsystems. 19. Design considerations and logistics approach to support the life cycle and to mitigate obsolescence. 20. Ability of respondents to utilize existing technologies/designs to accelerate development and fielding schedules. 21. Modularity, to include the use of open systems architecture where feasible and affordable. 22. Approach to incorporate new test technologies required to support future weapon systems. 23. Technology and Manufacturing Readiness Levels -- Provide sufficient information with associated detail to allow the Government to judge technical risks for compliance in accordance with FY 06 Public Law 109-163, Section 801. This Public Law requires that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (AT&L) certify that before entry into Milestone B (which denotes entry into a System Design and Development Phase), the technology in the program has been demonstrated in a relevant environment. This equates to having a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 prior to a Milestone B decision for all critical technologies anticipated for use in the system/subsystems/components. The Government requests that responders provide their TRL assessment with supporting data for all critical technologies. Provide sufficient information with associated detail to allow the Government to judge manufacturing risks to satisfy a Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) of 6 in support of a Milestone B decision for all manufacturing processes anticipated for use in the system/subsystems/components. A MRL of 6 means the system/subsystem model or prototype has been tested in a relevant environment. Guidance for implementing MRL assessments is provided in TRA Desk book, May 05 (TRA Desk Book, Appendix I addresses MRLs and establishes the definitions and criteria for each level). Assessment of risk and technology and manufacturing readiness levels. The responders are requested to identify other critical technical technologies in addition to the ones previously listed for their technical concepts. The Government requests the responders to provide their MRL assessment with supporting data for all critical technologies. 24. Corporate Information: (a) A brief description of your company including, name and address of firm, ownership, year firm established, its size, major products, primary customer focus; (b) A discussion of your company's past experience and performance at designing and producing Military ATE; (c) Customer contracts, including Contracting Officer's and Technical points of contact names and telephone numbers in order for NAVAIR to validate statements; and (d) Any other corporate information respondents deem necessary to aid the Government in making an informed assessment. 25. Any other technical information deemed necessary to aid the Government. Responses: Request written responses be submitted no later than 2:00 p.m. on 23 Jul 07. Respondents to this RFI are requested to provide an unclassified point paper that addresses the topic areas listed in the body of this RFI and a redlined copy of the Government eCASS specification using the Microsoft Word track changes tool. All responses must be unclassified. Provide one hardcopy and one CD-ROM in Microsoft Office 2003 format. If including proprietary information in the response: (1) ensure proprietary information is marked appropriately; and, (2) identify disposition instructions. Responses will not be returned and no findings will be published for industry release nor will any industry debriefings be held. E-mailed submissions will not be accepted by NAVAIR. The Government will not reimburse any preparation costs. Any information that is not marked as proprietary will not be considered as proprietary and may be subject to disclosure to third parties. Non-Disclosure Agreements: Provided below is a list of PMA 260 support contractors expected to have access to the data provided by the respondents to this RFI as part of the response review. These contractors already have Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in place with the Government as a requirement of their function in supporting Government projects. If desired, respondents can request NDAs with these contractors directly. If additional contractors are to be utilized during the review, respondents will be notified so that the necessary agreements can be obtained, if required. Any markings on data should reflect that the information is releasable to these contractors. Failure to release response information to listed Government support agents may prevent its review. It is anticipated that employees from Eagle Systems, Inc., M&T Company, Wolfeware, Inc., and NetStar-1, Inc. will review the RFI responses. Contact information for these Companies is as follows: 1. Eagle Systems, Inc. 22560 Epic Drive California, MD 20619 Phone: (301)-863-2453 P.O.C. Lynda Johnson; - 2. M&T Company 2494 Ridgeway Blvd. Manchester, NJ 08759 (732)-657-5600 P.O.C. George Shelfer; - 3. Net Star-1, Inc. 9713 Key West Ave, Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20850 (240)-425-4200 P.O.C. John Wayne; - 4. Wolfeware, Inc. 1712 Broadwater Ct. Orange Park, Fl 32003 (904) 215-7156 P.O.C. Dan Wolfe; - Foreign Participation: This program will require a development effort in critical technologies/data that are not releasable to foreign firms. To participate, a foreign firm may be required to team with a U.S. firm that possesses a U.S. facility clearance with technologies/data safeguarding capabilities, inclusive of the authority to receive critical technology and/or data required to execute this program and subsequent product improvements. Any resultant contractor teaming or license agreements between U.S. firms and foreign firms, to include employment of foreign nationals by U.S. firms, shall be in accordance with current U.S. export laws, security requirements, and National Disclosure Policy, and shall require the prior approval of the contracting officer and foreign disclosure officer. The U.S. Government will provide foreign disclosure guidance to U.S. firms upon request. Point of Contact: Technical information (unclassified only) will be made available to potential respondents of the RFI upon request to Ms. Denise Lamb. Unclassified information available upon request includes: the eCASS draft specification, the CASS prime item specification, and TRA Desk book, May 05. Any request for technical information or questions about this RFI should be in writing and sent either by email or via letter to denise.lamb@navy.mil or to the following address: NAVAIRSYSCOMHQ, Contracts AIR-2.4.2.7.2, Attn: Denise Lamb, 47123 Buse Road, Building 2272, Suite 256, Patuxent River, MD 20670. Important Information: Unless otherwise stated herein, no additional written information is available and no formal RFPs or other solicitation regarding this announcement is currently available. Requests for these will be disregarded. There is no commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, to make an award or awards, or to be responsible for any monies expended by any interested parties before award of a contract for the effort mentioned above. Information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a contract. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in Fed Biz Opps (http://www.fedbizopps.gov). It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. The Government reserves the right to consider a small business or 8(a) set-aside based on responses hereto. NOTE: THIS NOTICE MAY HAVE POSTED ON FEDBIZOPPS ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (06-JUN-2007). IT ACTUALLY APPEARED OR REAPPEARED ON THE FEDBIZOPPS SYSTEM ON 04-SEP-2007, BUT REAPPEARED IN THE FTP FEED FOR THIS POSTING DATE. PLEASE CONTACT fbo.support@gsa.gov REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
- Web Link
-
Link to FedBizOpps document.
(http://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/NAVAIR/NAVAIRHQ/eCASS-RFI-A/listing.html)
- Record
- SN01394814-F 20070906/070904222854 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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