National Guard Bureau, Acquisition Contracting Division, NGB-AQC-I, 5109 Leesburg Pike, Suite 401-B, Falls Church, VA 22041-3201

69 -- TRAINING AIDS AND DEVICES Sol DAHA90-95-R-0000, Due 090695, POC Gloria Morales, Contracting Officer, 703-681-0604. The National Guard Bureau seeks planning and feasibility information from potential sources for contemplated acquisition of an Aviation Reconfigurable Manned Simulator (ARMS) for the Army National Guard (ARNG). Preliminary plans call for a three phase program. Phase I, which is currently in progress, includes ARNG development of a Aviation Simulation and Training Strategy (ASTS), Front End Analysis (FEA), Modified Training Effectiveness Analysis (TEA) Plan, Acquisition Plan, and RFP for ARMS protyping. Phase II, with possible RFP release in the Apr 96 time-frame, is to provide ARMS prototypes for proof of concept testing by the Government. Phase III, with possible RFP release in Apr 97 time -frame, is to acquire up to 36 (or more) production ARMS for delivery at designated ARNG training locations beginning in late 1997. The contemplated acquisition strategy for Phase II calls for full and open competition and selection of up to two ARMS prototype contractors (funds permitting). Contemplated acquisition strategy for Phase III entails another full and open competition and selection of one prime contractor for ARMS production, first article Government testing, and contractor logistics support. General ARMS requirements include the following: (a) non-motion based platform, (b) reconfigurable (within an 8-hour shift) to represent AII-64A, UII-60, CH-47D, OH-58D, UH-1. AH-1, C-12, C-23, and C-26 aircraft; (c) transportable (in vans) among various training sites; (d) compatible with existing facilities; (e) capable of training selected individual tasks, crew tasks, and collective/combined/joint tasks; (f) capable o joining various distributed training exercises such as Simulation Network (SIMNET), Brigade/Battalion Battle Simulation (BBS), and Janus; (f) capable of operating in a Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) environment, (g) capable of operating over the Defense Simulation Internet (DIS) (local and wide area networking capability); (h) maximum use of nondevelopmental commercial and government off-the-shelf hardware and software; (i) interoperable with other major Army simulation programs such as Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT), Battle Lab Reconfigurable Simulator (BLRSIM), and Close Combat tactical Trainer (CCTT); (j) appropriate fidelity (aircraft equivalency) for selected training tasks; (k) state-of-the-art visual system; (l) appropriate environmental, semi-automated forces, and terrain data bases; (m) instructor/opeator station(s) with mission scenario design, simulation control, and after action review (mission replay) capabilities; (n) open and flexible system architecture to allow aircraft concurrency upgrades and evolutionary product improvements; (o) initial unit production cost less than $1M each. All responsible sources for the contemplated Phase II and III effort are invited to send NGB-AQC-I descriptive literature on technical, cost, and schedule estimates for potential solutions to the ARMS requirements. Potential sources are also invited to comment on program risk/realism, concerns, and related issues to include but not be limited to candid answers to the following question: Please identify non-developmental item NDI), commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), and/or government off-the-shelf (GOTS) hardware and software available to support rapid prototyping (within three to five months after Phase 11 award). Do any potential sources have an existing training system that could serve as an ARMS prototype test bed? Please identify specific technical, cost, and schedule factors that drive program risk. How can the training capabilities and acquisition requirements be tailored and streamlined to reduce cost, schedule, and technical risks? Please address tradeoffs/ alternatives for implementing ARMS reconfigurability. Please address specific capabilities to allow aircraft configuration concurrency (e.g. direct rehosting of aircraft operational flight program software upgrades). Please discuss alternatives for open architecture and growth capability that allow cost effective evolutionary improvements to the initially fielded system. Individual responses to this request for information that contain company proprietary information must be marked in accordance with FAR 52.215-12. Such proprietary information will not be released outside the government (within the government' is defined to include evaluation on a ``need-to-know'' basis by participating technical and management assistance contractors under government contract who have signed appropriate non-disclosure and non-conflict of interest certificates). The government may revise its acquisition strategy and solicitation requirements based on industry responses. Responses are due not later than 60 days after date of publication of this notice. Submit responses in writing to Ms. Gloria Morales, Contracting Officer, NGB-AQC-I, Skyline VI, Suite 401 B, 5109 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3201. Telephone or telefax responses will not be accepted. In support of this request, NGB will hold an unclassified program information conference with industry on 6 September 1995 at the following location: Army National Guard Readiness Center, Command Conference Center, 111 S. George Mason Drive, Arlington, VA 22204-1382. The conference will convene promptly at 1000 hours and conclude by 1545 hours. Conference agenda follows Registration/Check-in (0900-1000), Convene Conference & Welcome (100-1005), Opening Remarks (1005-1010), Agenda Overview/Administration (1010-1020), ARMS Overview (1020-1115), Submit Written Questions to Government (1115-1200), Lunch Break (1200-1330), Reconvene Conference (1330-1340), Government Response to Questions (1340-1440), Closing Remarks/Adjournment (1440-1445). The government will provide an initial verbal response to questions during the conference, subject to time constraints. Formal written answers to questions submitted at the conference will be furnished to conference attendees within approximately two weeks after conference adjournment. Interested parties wishing to attend this conference must provide written notice of attendees (name, company, and social security number) to Ms. Morales at the above address within two weeks after publication of this notice. Attendance should be limited to one or two representatives per organization in order to meet conference room capacity constraints. This notice does not obligate the government to issue RFPs or award contracts for the subject ARMS efforts. (235)

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