MODIFICATION
59 -- Request for Information for GPS Military-code (M-code) capable Handheld Receiver
- Notice Date
- 10/19/2017
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 334220
— Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Space Command, SMC - Space and Missile Systems Center, 483 North Aviation Blvd, El Segundo, California, 90245-2808
- ZIP Code
- 90245-2808
- Solicitation Number
- 17-095
- Archive Date
- 11/11/2017
- Point of Contact
- Dominicke A. Ybarra, Phone: 3106532499, Dominicke A. Ybarra, Phone: 3106532499
- E-Mail Address
-
Dominicke.Ybarra@us.af.mil, Dominicke.Ybarra@us.af.mil
(Dominicke.Ybarra@us.af.mil, Dominicke.Ybarra@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Global Positioning System Directorate (SMC/GP) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to identify potential sources for a GPS Military-code (M-code) capable Handheld receiver for the Department of Defense (DoD). The RFI is intended to review the industrial base and determine whether capabilities currently exist to meet DoD needs for a GPS Handheld as a military GPS receiver. This receiver would incorporate M-code for its operations, use industry technologies available today, and require security certification, security approval, and compatibility certification by the GPS Directorate prior to its use in operational missions. Procurements to support U.S. and Allied warfighters are anticipated in the future, with desired per unit cost being $2,500 or less. For example, the Department of the Navy (DoN) anticipates procurement of approximately 32,000 GPS Handhelds for the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The expected annual production rate for the purposes of this RFI is between 2,600 and 5,200 units per year. There is a potential for procuring additional Handhelds (tens of thousands) that may be procured by other DoD Services, plus U.S. allies as Foreign Military Sales. The GPS Handheld is intended to be used as a standalone device for both mobile dismounted use and vehicle mounted use. Currently, the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) (fielded today) fulfills this purpose providing Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) security architecture technology. DAGR supports dual frequency (L1/L2) acquisition and tracking of GPS C/A and P(Y) signals, provides a moving map display, and is reliable in extreme operational environments. With over 500,000 DAGRs fielded, it is designated for combat operations by DoD Services as a primary and alternate GPS source. Additionally, the DAGR provides enhanced protection against jammers and was the first GPS Handheld in the U.S. to include SAASM security architecture technology. The Air Force Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Increment 1 (Inc 1) program has worked with multiple vendors to develop M-code capable GPS receiver cards in two physical form factors, Small Serial Interface (SSI) and Standard Electronics Module-Format E (SEM-E), to support testing and integration of M-code capable systems into a select number of lead platforms from each of the DoD Services. The Inc 1 M-code receiver developers are L3T, Raytheon and RCI. The MGUE Increment 2 (Inc 2) program is intended to advance the development of receiver technology to additional applications, including M-code capable GPS Handhelds. The Government will use this market research to better understand the potential GPS Handheld providers' technical development plans and business cases in order to plan for a possible acquisition. Responding parties are requested to submit the following: I - Statement of Capability Interested respondents shall provide a Statement of Capability (SOC) that describes a strategy and approach to designing, developing, testing and manufacturing a GPS Handheld receiver. Interested companies need to address the following questions as they relate to the following topics: - Overview of systems design including considerations on Human Factors / User Interface / User Experience - Development plan including prototyping (if applicable) - Test strategy including prototype testing (if applicable) - Manufacturing plan including production capacity per year - Partnerships and teaming arrangements to include source(s) of M-code technology - Schedule including major deliverables (e.g., prototype, production ready unit) with risk options - Developmental, manufacturing and labor costs II - Response to Government Questionnaire Use the information provided above as context to answer the following questions. Answers may be provided as part of the SOC or may be provided separately. •1 Technical •1.1 Indicate the extent to which your product meets the Draft MGUE Handheld Technical Requirements Document (TRD) (e.g., Y-code and future M-code Pseudolites in sections 3.2.1.1.5 and 3.2.1.1.6) with minimal development effort. Where more than minimal development effort is necessary, identify minor and major modifications necessary to produce a GPS Handheld that is fully compliant to the draft MGUE Handheld TRD. •1.2 What Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) activities would need to be performed to satisfy the draft MGUE Handheld TRD requirements? Identify requirements that drive each activity. •1.3 A power budget for the GPS Handheld, including power consumption of major components and a summary of minor components. •1.4 The draft MGUE Handheld TRD, section 3.3, indicates 19 hours battery life while in continuous mode. In addition to showing compliance to those requirements, also provide: •1.4.1 Compliance using 4 type AA LiFeS 2 batteries •1.4.2 Recommend easily procurable battery types (usually commercially available) which may have higher capacity, less weight, etc. Include the corresponding battery life for each type. •1.4.3 If the 19-hour battery life requirement cannot be met with 4 type AA LiFeS 2 batteries then: •1.4.3.1 Recommend alternative uses of the M-code technology operating modes to meet 19 hours of battery life while maximizing continuous tracking time. •1.4.3.2 Recommend other operational conditions/modes/requirements trades which allow 19 hours of battery life while maintaining continuous tracking time (e.g., screen-on time, screen brightness, screen color vs. monochrome, power management). •1.5 Provide a comparison of options to integrate military GPS receiver components (e.g., application specific integrated circuit) into a GPS Handheld end item. Address the potential benefits and concerns of the MSI form factor described in the Miniature Serial Interface (MSI) RFI #17-048 (https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFSC/SMCSMSC/17-048/listing.html) and discuss how the MSI form factor could be leveraged in other "handheld" variants. (e.g., tactical radios, laser range finders) •1.6 How do you intend to use available commercial and military personal device technology to build the Handheld? •2 Business Case and Strategy •2.1 For NRE development, provide a top-level cost of effort (with NRE elements and resulting per unit cost) consistent with the SOC and technical approach. Identify the cost drivers and offer solutions to minimize costs to the Government. •2.2 Provide estimates for quantity vs. unit cost and price, and how these may vary with various levels of NRE investments. Assuming a target price of $2,500 per GPS Handheld unit, what minimum production quantity will create a viable business case for you (or pay back your NRE cost), and what are the assumptions for the rationale? Provide unit cost, your cost-sharing investment NRE, and the Government's NRE for quantities of 30,000, 50,000, 70,000, 90,000, and 110,000 units given the production rates of 2,600 to 5,200 units/year. •2.3 What business conditions are necessary for you to enter the GPS M-code Handheld market? What recommended action(s) could the Government take to improve these conditions? •2.4 The Government desires to minimize its NRE investment. What cost-sharing arrangements can you recommend? Provide pros and cons to such approaches, and state any major assumptions and constraints. •2.5 What is the expected return on investment of your contribution towards NRE, contractor fees, and (if applicable) projections on new GPS Handheld market capture? Be as specific as possible. What is the payback period? •3 Risk •3.1 Identify cost, schedule, and technical risks. For each risk, propose a mitigation strategy. RFI Responses: Interested responsible sources should submit their responses by 1700 Pacific Time on 20 October 2017 (45 days after release). Responses shall be 8.5" x 11" pages with 1" margins, and 12-point font (Arial or Times New Roman). Pages must be numbered and documents submitted electronically as Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat. The information provided may or may not result in further action. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this information or otherwise pay for the information requested. The draft Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) Handheld Technical Requirements Document (TRD), CI-MGUE_HH-880, can be obtained from the Procurement Contracting Officer, Dominicke Ybarra at Dominicke.Ybarra. @us.af.mil The RFI response will be evaluated solely for the purpose of refining the Government's understanding described above and to refine the Government's acquisition approach. Consequently, the Government is primarily interested in responsible sources providing information indicating how that source can meet the Government's needs. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. Responses from small business and small, disadvantaged business firms are highly encouraged. A responding firm should indicate if it is a small business, a socially and economically disadvantaged business, an 8(a) firm, a historically black college or university, or a minority institution. A determination of whether there are sufficient sources within industry to go forward with recommendations to conduct a restricted acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Submit RFI responses electronically to the Procurement Contracting Officer, Dominicke Ybarra at Dominicke.Ybarra @us.af.mil, (310) 653-2499, 483 N. Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles AFB, CA 90245-2808. This notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). There has been no decision to develop an RFP for the effort in this RFI. Information herein is based on the best information available at the time of publication, is subject to revision, and is not binding on the Government. The Government will not recognize any costs associated with the production and submission of the RFI response. The Air Force has entered into contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, Canyon Consulting, Stellar Solutions, MITRE Corporation, Tecolote Research, Engility, Lokahi, and the Aerospace Corporation. These companies support the Air Force program office. Respondents are hereby notified that all responses will be provided to the Government's support contractors for their services to the U.S. Air Force. If a respondent does not wish to have any of those companies review its response, or requires those companies to enter into a non-disclosure agreement with it prior to SMC/GP releasing that response to those companies, the respondent shall clearly state. An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, Contracting Officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern. Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, or recommendations to the Contracting Officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes. If resolution cannot be made by the Contracting Officer, the interested party may contact the ombudsman, Ms. Olalani Kamakau, SMC/PK, olalani.kamakau@us.af.mil, (310) 653-1185, 483 N. Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles AFB, CA 90245-2808. The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency. Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of information, verify due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer.
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- SN04717429-W 20171021/171019230741-342f7eab0b19838736e99e6019270eee (fbodaily.com)
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