Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, 9500 MacArthur Blvd., West Bethesda, MD 20817-5700

A -- EVALUATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE USMC SMALL UNIT RIVERINE CRAFT (SURC) PROGRAM DUE 040299 POC Contracting Officer:Faith L. Ferris, 301-227-3602, Contract Specialist Douglas Smith, 301-227-1640 DESC: The Marine Corps Systems Command and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD), are soliciting white papers and operational craft for technical assessments in support of the concept exploration phase of the Small Unit Riverine Craft (SURC) program. The SURC, as a Marine Corps acquisition, will begin development in Fiscal Year 2000 and begin fielding in 2003, with approximately 75 craft to be procured. The intent of this effort is to perform conceptual and technical demonstrations to assess the feasibility of commercial and near-commercial items in support of the SURC requirement. White paper preparation and evaluation criteria are contained separately in this announcement. Failure to be selected for the technical demonstration does not preclude any offerer from participating in future MARCORSYSCOM competition for the SURC. SUBMISSIONS under this program being sought: The Government is soliciting white papers followed by an available craft for a Government operational assessment (per contractor) to assess how the bidder's notional craft could meet the SURC requirements. Selected bidders will be required to provide a craft and one representative at the government test facility AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT (see Bailment Agreement for further details) for the duration of the one-week test period. White papers shall be submitted in accordance with specific technical information requested and described below. The Government will perform (at its cost) a one-week assessment on each delivered craft. Testing will be performed at NSWC-CD-DET. Norfolk test facility at Ft. Monroe in Hampton, VA, between the dates of May 3,1999 and July 23,1999. Following the Government exploration and assessment period, individual test reports documenting the results and conclusions will be generated and provided to each individual contractor. It is not intended to release test data to any entity (excluding appropriate Government agencies) other than the contractor providing the test craft. Program description and supplemental information including the actual test procedure and Bailment Agreement are available electronically at the SURC Web Site at http://www.boats.dt.navy.mil/SURC. This information will only be available electronically. Interested parties can participate and compete in the evaluation by submitting a white paper describing the notional craft to be provided for Government evaluation. White papers that cannot be accompanied by a craft submission in accordance with the scheduled test period are not desired and will not be evaluated. More than one submission per vendor is allowed. Each white paper shall include: 1) Summary, 2) Completed Technical Characteristics Forms (blank forms will be posted on the SURC web site), 3) Power curves for engine and propulsor, 4) Information sheets on propulsion system (catalog cuts, etc.), 5) Pictures/ Drawings of craft (electronic format preferred), 6) Signed copy of Bailment agreement, 7) Key craft features/characteristics/outfit, 8) A description of how the contractor can fulfill production quantities for this program and provide history/evidence that supports this, 9) List of available options, and 10) A description of the process for incorporating non-standard options. Format shall be: 8.5 by 11 inch paper, single spaced, type size no smaller than 10 point (including type in graphics and charts), and printed on one side with sequentially numbered pages. An original and 5 copies of each white paper shall be submitted. White Papers with commitment to provide a craft for Government assessment should be received at the office location specified below by 2:00 PM local time, 2 Apr 99, for consideration for assessment at Government expense. Only Unclassified White Papers shall be submitted, and they shall be submitted to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Code 3323, Attn: Douglas Smith, 9500 MacArthur Blvd., West Bethesda, MD 20817-5700. White Paper submissions will be evaluated only after the closing date. They will then be ranked for determination offirst choice, second choice, etc., at which point the Government will contact the selected vendors for mutually agreeable test periods. White Papers with craft commitment submitted after that date are welcome, but will only be considered if another craft drops out of the evaluation cycle and there are no other craft on the waiting list. The Government will assess as many craft as possible (7-9 planned), but is not committed to test any craft. Only those vendors whose craft has participated in the evaluation process will receive test data, and will only receive data on their particular craft. The Government intends to utilize collected data in performance of follow-on source selection for Phase II. GENERAL INFORMATION AND EVALUATION CRITERIA: Evaluation of each white paper submission will be performed using the following criteria listed in descending order of importance 1) the availability of one craft, trailer, and representative for assessment purposes, 2) the potential for the offeror's concept to meet USMC requirements, capabilities and need, 3) overall operational and technical merit, 4) the offeror's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques or unique combination of these which are integral factors for achieving the proposed objectives. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not commit the Government to pay for the preparation of any white paper costs related to this announcement. Offerors are advised that only the Contracting Officer is legally authorized to commit the Government to a contract. Any questions regarding this solicitation may be submitted to the following persons: Contractual: Douglas Smith (smithdm1@nswccd.navy.mil), (301) 227-1640, fax 301-227-3638, Program: Maj. Mike O'Hara, oharam@quantico.usmc.mil, (703) 784-2006 ext. 2728, fax 703-784-5842 Boat Evaluation: Jason Marshall, MarshallJt@nswccd.navy.mil, (757) 686-7331, fax 757-686-7557. Technical: Mike Byerly, ByerlyMS@nswccd.navy.mil, (301) 227-4221, fax 301-227-4389 Posted 03/08/99 (W-SN306058). (0067)

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