HQ Electronic Systems Center, Surveillance and Control Systems, (ESC/TNK), 51 Schilling Circle, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2802

K -- REGION/SECTOR AIR OPERATIONS CENTER (R/SAOC) MODERNIZATION PROGRAM POC Ms Lisa Marie C. Clark, Contracting Director, 617-377-7215. The Electronic Systems Center (ESC) of the Air Force Materiel Command intends to issue a competitive Request For Proposal (RFP) for the Region/Sector Air Operations Center (R/SAOC) Modernization Program. This solicitation consists of providing communications and sensors enhancements to five (5) operations control centers, as described in the Sources Sought Solicitation published 16 July, 1996. The R/SAOC Modernization Program, a bi-national program between the United States and Canada, will replace the existing computers and displays providing: (1) expanded processing capacities, (2) an open, extensible architecture conforming to industry standards, (3) non-developmental items (NDI) to the largest extent possible, to include commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and government off-the-shelf (GOTS) hardware and software, and/or new developed software that is modular in structure and portable between hardware platforms, and (4) an increased capacity to interface with additional sensors, command and control centers, law enforcement agencies, weather data sources, and flight plan data sources. The R/SAOC system will be a Theater Battle Management Core System (TBMCS) application and will evolve to Defense Information Infrastructure (DII) Common Operating Environment (COE) compliance. The new R/SAOC computer system will improve system performance, increase reliability and maintainability, and decrease life cycle costs. The offeror will provide development, integration, documentation, installation, training, test, and support activities involved with modernizing the R/SAOC System. It is envisioned that an extensive amount of COTS and existing GOTS software will be used. This will require porting, developing, and/or integrating software in the Ada programming language (and other languages, as appropriate (e.g., FORTRAN, C, C++)). Additionally, it is envisioned that the R/SAOC functionality will be incrementally demonstrated and tested at the Integration and Testing Facility (ITF) before being installed and tested at the contractor's development facility. Offerors must demonstrate and/or show expertise to the maximum extent possible in the following areas: a. system architectures intended for real-time, high-availability applications, b. extensive air defense domain knowledge (e.g., detailed knowledge of air defense tracking, identification, weapons control, data link communications, and system track management algorithms, etc.), firms should provide information on previous air defense programs they have worked on within the last ten years, c. knowledge of TBMCS and DII COE architectures and capabilities, d. knowledge of applicable military data link communications and protocols, e. knowledge of full communications service (FCS), f. developing, modifying, maintaining, documenting, integrating, and managing extensive time-critical software-intensive programs with a preponderance of COTS and GOTS components, g. (e.g., minimum Capability Maturity Matrix (CMM) rating of level 3 or equivalent international standard as determined by an independent evaluator), h. extensive porting of software modules across hardware platforms, i. extensive integration of COTS and GOTS software modules, j. experience in rapid prototyping of man-machine interfaces incorporating customer/user interaction, k. adequate development, production, training, and secure test facilities, l. experience with formal risk management, providing examples of how risk was evaluated, mitigated after it was identified, and tracked, m. assessment of COTS software components intended for real-time, high availability applications, n. demonstrated experience with fielding and testing air defense or command and control systems while maintaining continuity of current operations at multiple sites, o. experience in managing a program of similar complexity to schedule and cost constraints, p. documentation for training, operations, and maintenance of delivered equipment, q. demonstrated capability of supporting systems which include COTS (software and hardware) and GOTS software components, COTS systems, and r. lead system integration experience with foreign contractor involvement. The period of performance is anticipated to be five years. Contract award is anticipated in March 1997. ESC reserves the right not to award a contract. The release of RFP F19628-96-R-0035 is projected to be on or about 15 October 1996. Firms interested in receiving an electronic or paper copy must submit a written request to Capt Agustin E. Velez, ESC/TNK, 51 Schilling Circle, Bldg 1302F, Hanscom AFB, MA, 01731-2802. Proposals will be due thirty (30) days from issuance of the RFP. Otherwise, all RFP documentation will be available for access/retrieval on the Hanscom Electronic RFP Bulletin Board (HERBB) at http://herbb.hanscom.af.mil. The Contracting Officer will issue written notification to interested parties who responded in writing to this Notice of Contract Action prior to formal release of the RFP. Any timely responses will be evaluated without prejudice. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The purpose of the Ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the program director or Contracting Officer, but to communicate contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. Interested parties are invited to call Dr. Philip Panzarella, ESC/CD, at (617) 377-5527. This synopsis does not constitute an IFB or RFP and is not to be construed as a commitment by the government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or otherwise pay for information solicited. (0281)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0034 19961008\K-0001.SOL)