HQ Electronic Systems Center (ESC), Directorate of Joint STARS Contracts (JSK), 75 Vandenberg Drive, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2119

J -- JOINT SURVEILLANCE TARGET ATTACK RADAR SYSTEM (JOINT STARS) GROUND SUPPORT SYSTEM (GSS) TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE DUE 051498 POC Maj. Susan Thibodeau, Program Manager, (781) 377-6841, thibodeaus@hanscom.af.mil; Ms. Carol Quinlan, Contracting Officer, (781) 377-3570, quinlanc@hanscom.af.mil WEB: N/A,. E-MAIL: Click Here to E-mail the POC, thibodeaus@hanscom.af.mil. This is a sources sought synopsis. The Joint STARS Program Office contemplates a contract for training and maintenance of the Joint STARS GSS to be conducted at Robins AFB, GA. This acquisition covers Joint STARS Mission Crew Initial Qualification Training (IQT) and Upgrade Training (UGT), to include courseware maintenance; Joint STARS Transportable Mission Support Subsystem (TMSS) Familiarization Training, including training material maintenance; and hardware and software maintenance of the Joint STARS GSS, consisting of fault detection/fault isolation and repair. Courseware and training material maintenance entails keeping the already developed IQT and UGT courseware and TMSS training materials concurrent with the latest Joint STARS baseline and developing new IQT and UGT courseware and TMSS training materials, when needed, to ensure baseline concurrency. This contract is anticipated to consist of two, six-month options for Mission Crew IQT and UGT; two, six-month options for TMSS Familiarization Training; and five, one-year options for GSS hardware and software maintenance. The first options for Mission Crew IQT and UGT, TMSS Familiarization Training, and GSS hardware and software maintenance will be exercised upon contract award. The Joint STARS Program Office is willing to entertain sources that are interested in some or all of the aforementioned tasks. The anticipated award date for this contract is the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 99. The Joint STARS Program Office is researching the market to determine if any sources are qualified to perform all of the aforementioned requirements for this contract. Interested sources should respond by indicating their capabilities to meet the following screening criteria: (a) possess or have the ability to obtain a Top Secret level security facility clearance; (b) demonstrate past experience in operational training of major airborne surveillance, battle management, and mission planing systems; (c) demonstrate past experience in the use and maintenance of simulators and scenarios for operational command and control training; (d) demonstrate past experience in maintaining and repairing a mix of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS), Government Off The Shelf (GOTS), and weapon system-specific hardware and software; and, (e) demonstrate past experience in keeping training, courseware, simulator scenarios, and training materials concurrent with weapon system baseline upgrades. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) nor does its issuance restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. The Government will solicit those firms meeting the screening criteria in the synopsis. Maj. Susan Thibodeau is the Program Manager, ESC/JS1R, (781) 377-6841, thibodeaus@hanscom.af.mil; and Ms. Carol Quinlan is the Contracting Officer, ESC/JSK, (781) 377-3570, quinlanc@hanscom.af.mil. Interested firms should submit two (2) copies of a capabilities description to ESC/JS1R; Attn: Maj. Susan Thibodeau; 75 Vandenberg Drive; Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2119 within fifteen (15) days of this publication. Firms should indicate whether they are a large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a) concern, women-owned small business, whether they qualify as socially or economically disadvantaged, and whether they are a U.S. or foreign-owned firm. An Ombudsman has been appointed to address concerns from interested firms during this phase of acquisition. The Ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the Program Director or Contracting Officer, but communicates contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government official. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The ESC Ombudsman is Col. Lee Hughes, ESC/CX, (781) 377-5106. The Ombudsman should be contacted only with issues or problems that have been brought previously to the attention of the Program Manager and/or Contracting Officer and could not be resolved satisfactorily at that level. Any interested firm initially judged to be unqualified will be provided a copy of the solicitation upon request. Any offer submitted by such a firm will be evaluated without prejudice. The Government anticipates the release of an RFP for this requirement in the third quarter of FY 98. The start date of GSS training and maintenance will be 1 January 1999. See Note 26. (0120)

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