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

16 -- JOINT SURVEILLANCE TARGET ATTACK RADAR SYSTEM (JOINT STARS) COMPUTER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM RETROFIT POC Maj Ben Badami, Program Manager, ESC/JS1T, 781-377-9335, or Ms Katherine McIntyre, Contracting Officer, ESC/JSK 781-377-6743, or Ms. Mariah Houton, Contract Specialist, ESC/JSK, 781-377-6983. WEB: ESC Business Opportunities Web Page, http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil. E-MAIL: Click Here to E-mail the POC, houtonm@hanscom.af.mil. This synopsis is the second modification to record number 2157PR160030 issued 8/12/98 and revised on 12/03/98. This synopsis adds a minimal contracted effort for acquisition of initial spares for the CRP baseline. It is the Government's intent to award this acquisition, on a sole source basis, to Northrop Grumman Corporation, Electronics and Systems Integration Division, Surveillance and Battle Management Systems -- Melbourne, P.O. Box 9650, 2000 W. NASA Boulevard, Building 222, Melbourne, FL, 32902-9650. The Joint STARS Joint Program Office has a requirement to retrofit 10 operational E-8C production aircraft (Tail Numbers: 92-3289, 92-3290, 93-0597, 93-1097, 94-0284, 94-0285, 95-0122, 95-0121, 96-0042, and 96-0043) with the Computer Replacement Program (CRP) hardware and software baseline between 4th Qtr FY 99 and FY 05. CRP is currently undergoing Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) under the Joint STARS Follow-On Full Scale Development contract with Northrop Grumman and will replace the current Central Computers, Operator Work Stations, selected portions of the radar signal processor, the Local Area Network (LAN), and other peripheral equipment. Additionally, aircraft subsystem modifications to include the environmental control system, the electrical power system, and mounting provisions are being performed to accommodate the replaced equipment. EMD completion is scheduled for 30 April 2000. No CRP technical data will be available at the time of the Request for Proposal (RFP) release. Technical data describing the baseline configuration for the E-8C production aircraft systems will be available. The CRP retrofit contractor will be required to acquire and/or fabricate equipment, perform the retrofit on each operational E-8C production aircraft system, and conduct functional, system-level performance, and flight tests in accordance with the CRP System Acceptance Test Procedures, on each retrofitted E-8C production aircraft system in coordination with a Government test force. In addition, the CRP Retrofit contractor will be required to provide initial spares to support the Joint STARS fleet. The CRP retrofit contractor will be required to concurrently accomplish a Major Aircraft Inspection during each CRP Retrofit to reduce total aircraft downtime. Each of the 10 aircraft will require one Major Inspection during CRP Retrofit. The content of individual inspections can be found on the worldwide web at: http://contracting.robins.af.mil/jstars.ssi (see Major Work Card Packages for E-8 Aircraft.doc). Finally, the CRP retrofit contractor will be required to update and deliver modified technical documentation that includes automated technical manuals for each retrofitted E-8C production aircraft system. Interested firms should respond by indicating their capabilities to meet the following screening criteria: (a) possess or have the ability to obtain a US Secret level security clearance and provide a secure facility for E-8C aircraft system modification and test; (b) have demonstrated applicable experience in Boeing 707 or similar aircraft maintenance, modification, and design, installation, and retrofit of system upgrades, such as large-scale airborne radar, tactical voice and datalink communications, and avionics equipment; (c) have demonstrated applicable experience in understanding and testing physical and functional interfaces with advanced computational and operator workstation equipment including various types of data busses/LANs and associated recording devices; (d) have demonstrated applicable experience in system integration and system testing, including data recording, data reduction, flight testing and possess the ability to perform collaborative system testing with Government test force personnel; (e) have demonstrated applicable experience in performing retrofits on large aircraft systems including software loading using various PROM programming devices, developing retrofit instructions and installation kits, and updating final documentation packages to capture unique implemented system configurations to form the new production system baseline(s); (f) have demonstrated efficient subcontractor and vendor product acquisition management, and experience in customer interaction with Government acquisition program offices; (g) have demonstrated experience in updating extensive logistics support analysis (LSA) databases concurrent with associated complex retrofit efforts; (h) have demonstrated applicable experience in determining initial spares; and (i) have a thorough understanding of Joint STARS Systems, their integration and operation, or be able to obtain such understanding. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute an 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 this synopsis. Interested firms should submit a capabilities description to ESC/JS1T, Attn.: Maj Ben Badami, 75 Vandenberg Drive, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2119 before close of business 2 January 1998. Firms should indicate whether they are a large, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a) concern, or 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 the 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 early in the 3rd Qtr FY99. Anticipated contract start date is late in the 4th Qtr FY99. See Numbered Notes 22 and 26. Posted 12/21/98 (D-SN282368). 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