Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Code 257, 12350 Research Parkway, Orlando, Fl 32826-3224

A -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI); ARMY LIVE TRAINING INSTRUMENTATION (LTI)PRODUCT LINE DEVELOPMENT SOL n/a DUE 042600 POC Paul Rhodes, Contracting Officer, (407)380-4869, or Felicia Kolb, Contract Specialist, (407)380-4221 WEB: click here for LTI info from LTI industry days on 31, http://www.stricom.army.mil/PRODUCTS/LTI/. E-MAIL: Paul Rhodes, Contracting Officer -or- Felicia Kolb,, Paul_Rhodes@stricom.army.mil -or- Felicia_Kolb@stricom.army.mil. The Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM) is seeking industry's comments, recommendations and ideas for innovative approaches for its LTI product line development acquisition strategy and subsequent preparation of its LTI solicitation Request For Proposal (RFP). GENERAL INFORMATION: STRICOM is chartered to technically integrate common requirements and has identified several factors driving the need to develop a Live Training Instrumentation (LTI) product line. Driving factors include: (1) similar ORD functional requirements for both aging instrumentation systems (ISs) and future objective instrumentation systems (OISs); (2) interoperability requirements within these ISs to virtual and constructive simulations, and to C4I systems; (3) shrinking budgets for development and supportability of the OISs; and (4) maturity of the product line development process. The Army is currently developing its acquisition strategy and Request for Proposal to procure the LTI, to include designand development of the core domain architecture -- the Common Training Instrumentation Architecture (CTIA). Work to define the CTIA system/software architecture is on-going through a BAA contract with the Applied Research Laboratory -- University of Texas (ARL:UT), Austin Texas. The Army's initial strategy focused on developing the National Training Center Objective Instrumentation System (NTC-OIS) to establish a common LTI baseline. Because of the long range benefits to the Army, the evolved strategy now includes all future live training ISs/OISs within a common LTI product line that is built upon the CTIA. LTI applications will include instrumentation systems for the Maneuver Combat Training Centers, Homestation Instrumented Training Systems (HITS), Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT), and Digital MultiPurpose Range Complexes (DMPRC). The evolving LTI acquisition and supportability strategy must address comprehensive LTI needs in order to do more with less. The current program structure fordeveloping the LTI and CTIA is available on the LTI homepage: http://www.stricom.army.mil/PRODUCTS/LTI/. This program structure reflects current Army priorities for developing and fielding each of the LTI product line applications. The Army hosted a LTI industry day in Orlando, FL on 31 August and 1 September, 1999 in order to share the many complexities of the LTI product line with industry representatives. LTI information presented during that conference is available on the LTI homepage: http://www.stricom.army.mil/PRODUCTS/LTI/. The LTI homepage includes a link to the ARL:UT CTIA homepage for information about the core architecture requirements. STRICOM hosted an industry conference on 10 February 2000 at which the command announced its intent to establish a STRICOM Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Omnibus Contract (STOC). The STOC is intended to be the principal contract vehicle for all future command acquisitions. Additional information on this initiative is available on the STOC homepage:http://www.stricom.army.mil/INDUSTRY/STOC/. SPECIFIC INFORMATION INTERESTS: The Army is presently considering several approaches to development of the LTI/CTIA and desires industry input on these and alternative strategies. Strategies being considered are (1) separate competitions for CTIA and each OIS product, (2) a single competition for LTI and CTIA with OIS product options, (3) Government development of the CTIA with competition for the OIS products, (4) contracting development of the CTIA and/or each of the OIS applications through the STRICOM Omnibus Contract. There are several issues to consider in selecting an appropriate acquisition strategy: (1) What is the best approach for contracting development, upgrade, and sustainment of the CTIA and what, if any, constraints should be placed on the CTIA contractor with regard to prime contractors for OIS products? (2) The DMPRC program begins fielding systems before the CTIA will be available. Does industry have an interim Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) DMPRC-IS solution that could be reasonably transitioned to a CTIA-based OIS? (3) Are there alternative strategies for developing the CTIA and OIS products that could meet or exceed current schedule requirements while also mitigating cost, schedule performance and supportability risks? (4) Are there better approaches to developing the LTI product line than are depicted in the current program structure (provided on the LTI homepage)? (5) Should the CTIA design and development acquisition and/or the follow-on OIS application development acquisitions be contracted through the STOC? Respondents are asked to specifically address the advantages, disadvantages and risks associated with each of the contracting approaches being considered, to include the possibility of LTI and CTIA acquisitions being part of STRICOM's omnibus contracting initiative. Also provide your over arching strategy for the supportability of the LTI when fielded under each of these contracting approaches. Respondents may also discuss any other acquisition strategies or issues they believe are related to this RFI, and that may impact the Government's plans to acquire the CTIA and OIS products. Responses should be provided not later than Wednesday, April 26, 2000 Responses should be in the form of white papers and not exceed a total of twenty five (25) pages in length, including drawings, charts, and graphs. Responses should include comments/recommendations on the acquisition strategies and related issues as well as suggestions for alternative LTI and CTIA strategies. See the LTI homepage cited above for additional LTI/CTIA information. See the STOC homepage cited above for more information about the omnibus IDIQ contracting initiative. All information relating to this requirement will be posted and updated at the LTI/CTIA web site. Responses should be sent to Paul_Rhodes@stricom.army.mil and Felicia_Kolb@stricom.army.mil. This announcement is a request for information only and does not obligate the Government in any way. This is not a formal request for proposal. Response to this request is on a voluntary basis and failure to respond will not impact any future acquisitions. Respondents may request face-to-face discussions with the LTI team regarding their respective submissions, if desired. Posted 04/04/00 (W-SN440934). (0095)

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