HQ Electronic System Center, Directorate of Airborne Warning and Control Systems, (AWK), Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2115

16 -- FOLLOW-ON PRODUCTION OF RSIP GROUP A KITS AND GROUP B RADAR KITS POC Contact Tracy Sheehan, 718-377-5705/Contracting Officer, Karen M. Stone, 718-377-5730 WEB: ESC Business Opportunities Web Page, http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil. E-MAIL: Click Here to E-mail the POC, stonek@hanscom.af.mil. FOLLOW-ON PRODUCTION OF RSIP GROUP A KITS AND GROUP B RADAR KITS. This is a sources sought synopsis. The Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) Program Office seeks potential prime contractors for the RSIP Follow-On Production acquisition. The purpose of the acquisition is to complete the production effort initiated under an ongoing production contract (F19268-95-C-0041) with The Boeing Company (Boeing). In 1989, the Government awarded prime contracts to Westinghouse Electric Corporation (WEC) and Boeing to develop and test the first major modification to the E-3 AWACS radar system since its original fielding in the mid-1970s. WEC developed and delivered the E-3 Radar set (Group B kit). Boeing developed and delivered the Group A kit and integrated the kits into the E-3. The kits improve radar sensitivity/electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) performance, radar performance monitoring and control, and reliability/maintainability (R&M) for the AWACS program. In 1996, the Government awarded a sole source prime contract to Boeing to procure thirteen (13) RSIP Group A and B kits. The RSIP Follow-On Production acquisition will procure an additional eighteen (18) RSIP Group A and B kits. The Follow-On Production acquisition delivery schedule must correspond with the current production schedule in order to maintain the established installation schedule. In addition, the contract will require continued contractor support for software maintenance. The contract may also require the contractor to redesign hardware and software as a result of Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS), without degrading system performance. The Government anticipates contract award in Fiscal year (FY) 2000. The proposed contract, with options, will extend through FY 2005 with the following delivery schedule: 3 Group A/B kits in FY 2002, 5 Group A/B kits in FY 2003, 5 Group A/B kits in FY 2004 and 5 Group A/B kits in FY 2005. The intent of this sources sought synopsis is to identify potential prime contractors. Sources interested in being the prime contractor shall submit two (2) copies of a qualification package to ESC/AWK, 3 Eglin St., Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2100, Attn: Ms. Tracy Sheehan. Responses must be received NLT 30 days after the date of this publication. The qualification package should not exceed more than ten (10) one-sided pages and meet the following screening criteria: (a) Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the current AWACS radar, the AWACS radar as modified by the RSIP upgrade, and other AWACS on-board systems, (b) Demonstrate past experience building and integrating radar systems into airframes, including the RSIP radar system, (c) Demonstrate ability to redesign the RSIP radar system hardware and software without degrading the performance of any AWACS system, (d) Demonstrate ability to maintain real-time RSIP radar control, signal processing, and data processing software, test software, and offline data reduction and analysis software, (e) Demonstrate ability to plan and conduct flight acceptance tests for an airborne radar, (f) Demonstrate capability, and have the facilities, to adequately verify and test the first production kits and any redesign effort. Interested offerors who respond with their intention to be a prime contractor will be evaluated against the above screening criteria. Firms considered by the Government to be highly qualified as a prime contractor will be contacted by the PCO and a list of such firms will be made available on the Hanscom Electronic RFP Bulletin Board (HERBB) http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil under "Biz Opportunities" and "RSIP Follow-On Production Contract." Please note that HERBB will be the primary source of information for the RSIP Follow-On acquisition. Interested parties should check for updates frequently and subscribe to the HERBB update service for the "RSIP Follow-On Production Contract." Those not meeting the screening criteria will be afforded an opportunity to receive the Government's rationale and provide additional information. The Government will solicit those firms meeting the screening criteria in this synopsis to become actively involved in building the solicitation documents. These documents will include, but are not limited to, the Statement of Objectives, incentive strategies, evaluation criteria for award, and evaluation standards. If the number of firms who identify themselves as potential primes in response to this sources sought prove to be excessive, the Government may decide to conduct a pre-qualification effort in order to realize a manageable number of firms deemed best qualified to procure the RSIP kits. The timeframe currently planned to "jointly" develop this solicitation package will commence with the establishment of a manageable number of best qualified firms and is expected to continue for approximately 3 months. The Government may allow a selective number of proposed subcontractors to participate with their proposed prime contractor in this document developing exercise. Any interested firm initially judged to be unqualified as a prime will be provided a copy of the solicitation upon request. Any offer submitted by such a firm will be evaluated without prejudice. 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 an U.S. or foreign-owned firm. Also, identify your SIC and size standard. 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 not reimburse the contractor for any costs associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice. 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. Please direct any question on the RSIP Follow-On Production acquisition to Jerry Howard, Program Lead, (781) 377-5876, or Karen Stone, Contracting Officer, (781) 377-5730. See Note 26. Posted 11/04/98 (D-SN268473). (0308)

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