SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Flexible Information Assurance Acquisition Tool (FIA2T) - Statement of Objectives
- Notice Date
- 7/23/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- 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
- FA8307-13-R-0031
- Archive Date
- 9/2/2013
- Point of Contact
- Hattie L. Peay, Phone: 210925-1264, Ralph M. Urias, Jr., Phone: 210-925-1072
- E-Mail Address
-
hattie.peay@us.af.mil, Ralph.Urias@us.af.mil
(hattie.peay@us.af.mil, Ralph.Urias@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- FIA2T Information Request and Instructios for Responses, Attachment 3 OMB Standard Occupational Classification, Attachment 4 FIA2T Draft Key Provisions, Attachment 2 FIA2T Statement of Objectives, Attachment 1 Sources Sought Synopsis Flexible Information Assurance Acquisition Tool (FIA2T) A Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract for Information Assurance Related Product Development Notice Number: Response Date: 19 August 2013 Issued by: AFLCMC/HNC Purpose: The Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks (C3I&N), AFLCMC/HN, is seeking information from industry regarding interest in, approaches to, and related risks associated with establishing a multiple award IDIQ contract for the development of cryptographic and information assurance (IA) solutions and systems. This contract will be known as the Flexible Information Assurance Acquisition Tool (FIA2T). This Sources Sought Synopsis should not be construed as a commitment by the Air Force to ultimately award a contract. Neither unsolicited proposals nor any other kinds of offers will be considered in response to the Sources Sought Synopsis. This Sources Sought Synopsis is in no way binding on the Government and the Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this request. Information submitted will be used to facilitate acquisition planning. If any information provided is considered proprietary to the submitter, it must be appropriately marked and will be handled accordingly by Government officials. The determination of an acquisition strategy, based in whole or in part upon comments submitted by interested parties in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis, is solely within the discretion of the Government. This sources sought synopsis is a follow up to CPSD Crypto IDIQ Acquisition RFI#1, CCIA_0207, released in Feb 2013. Acquisition Approach: AFLCMC/HNC is pursuing this activity as a means of streamlining the acquisition of future solutions in the areas outlined in the draft Statement of Objectives (SOO) (Attachment 1). The period of performance (PoP) for the entire contract is 10 years; with the initial 6 years available for awarding orders, and the final 4 years for completion of work. The total ceiling amount of the contract is anticipated to be approximately $470 million. Individual efforts can range from studies or assessments spanning a few months and a few hundred thousand dollars, to full Engineering Manufacturing Development work spanning several years and tens of millions of dollars. Contracts will be awarded on a competitive basis, emphasizing offerors' technical competence and past performance in the areas of work outlined in the SOO. Based upon scope of the requirements, historical data and current information, it is anticipated the number of awards will be 10 or more depending upon interest and strength of proposals. Awards are anticipated to contractors who demonstrate the ability to perform the required work. Delivery and task orders will be awarded competitively among contract holders, affording all contract awardees "fair opportunity" to compete for each order. Delivery and task order selection criteria will be tailored to the specifics of the order. The Government anticipates a streamlined order selection process that will leverage the past performance and technical capability demonstrated and evaluated as part of the basic contract award. Depending on the details of the work to be accomplished, this data may not be re-evaluated. Delivery and task order selection criteria are anticipated to emphasize cost and innovation, as well as past performance on delivery and task orders under this contract. This contract will include strong incentives for small business utilization. Both partial set asides and subcontracting incentives are being considered. The specifics will be shaped by the interest expressed in this activity, responses to questions in Attachment 3, and by the number and quality of responses to the eventual RFP. The Government will place orders on a competitive basis. For each order the Government will make a determination whether to conduct the competition 1) open to all contract holders, or 2) limited to small business contract holders. The Government is considering different approaches to the assignment of NAICS code(s) to this effort. Should the Government decide a single code is appropriate; a likely candidate is 541712, with or without exception B or C. If the Government decides multiple codes are more advantageous, the additional codes of interest include 334413, 334418, 334515, 334220, 334111, 334112, 334118, 336413, 336419, 541511, 541512, and 541519. Attachment 2 contains a draft table of how these codes could be used to create pools for use in setting aside work for small businesses, and for assigning credit for small business subcontracting. The Government is considering employing an "on-ramp / off-ramp" technique on this contract. On-ramps would allow the addition of contractors to the contract based on a Government assessment of the beneficial effect such addition could have on competition. Off-ramps would allow the Government to remove contractors from the contract based on poor performance. See Attachment 2 for additional information on how on/off ramps may be employed. Selection criteria for on-ramp opportunities would be the same as the criteria for the original contract awards. The Government anticipates annual internal reviews to determine whether or not to conduct an on-ramp competition or take any action to off-ramp contractors. Government management of awarded orders under this contract will include periodic performance assessments. Performance on tasks under this contract will be given significant weight in the evaluation of proposals for subsequent orders. Communication with Successful Awardees: Communication between Government and FIA2T contract holders is considered vital to achieving the quicker response times desired for award of task and delivery orders. Therefore, the following regular forums are planned once contracts are awarded: - Quarterly announcements to contract holders of anticipated future orders. - Biennial (twice a year) process reviews with contract holders to refine/revise processes. Format for these reviews is TBD, but may leverage on-line electronic means vice in-person conferences to minimize cost. Program Objectives: AFLCMC/HNC plans to establish a flexible multi-award contract vehicle tailored to current and future solutions within the portfolio. The contract will seek to foster innovation and competition to provide the Government with the best value IA solutions. HNC seeks to use this vehicle to provide the contractor base with greater insight into Government requirements and foster a more efficient contract initiation process. HNC will also use this vehicle to enhance opportunities for small business IA solution providers. The benefits HNC expects to achieve through this business approach include a reduction of overall cost to provide IA solutions to users. This reduction will come from the reduced cycle time between identification of a requirement and the award of a contract, standardization of processes and clear communication between the Government and contractors. Government overhead required to prepare, award, and manage delivery orders is also expected to be reduced. Clear communication of upcoming requirements and standard processes should allow for compressed response time for contractors to reply to delivery/task order Requests For Proposal (RFPs) and reduce or eliminate the need to enter into formal discussions and re-issue RFPs. HNC will leverage the data collected through the original contract award process to simplify the selection criteria for delivery and task orders while mitigating risk of delivery task award protests which result in delayed awards. The time required for the Government to evaluate proposals and manpower cost and response time in managing delivery orders are also expected to be reduced. Through this contract vehicle, HNC will seek innovative solutions to requirements stated in the DoD Cryptographic Modernization Initial Capabilities Document and the IA portions of related documents (e.g. DoD Information Enterprise Strategic Plan, NSA Commercial Solutions for Classified Capability Packages, Air Force Cyberspace Superiority Core Function Master Plan) as specified in individual delivery orders. HNC will leverage industry-driven advances in IA technologies and seek to increase technology readiness levels of specified information security and key management solutions. HNC will leverage commercial solutions and processes, and foster the development, maturation, and compliance with common specifications, standards and protocols and the use of open modular architectures - precluding proprietary solutions wherever possible. Plans: For industry planning purposes, the follow is a schedule of anticipated actions toward the award of this contract vehicle. The actions and dates below are best estimates as of the time of this announcement, and are subject to change. Nothing here shall be considered binding on the Government. • Following analysis of responses to this sources sought announcement, HNC plans to issue a draft RFP for industry review and comment in 1QFY14. • The final RFP for this contract vehicle will be released in the 2QFY14 timeframe for award, preferably without discussions, in the 4QFY14 timeframe. This contract will be the primary tool for contracts awarded to meet all future AFLCMC/HN requirements in the areas outlined in the Statement of Objectives (Attachment 1). Attachments: Attachment 1 - Draft Statement of Objectives Attachment 2 - Draft Key Contract Provisions Attachment 3 - Information Request and Instructions for Responses Attachment 4 - Labor Categories
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