Active

Contract Opportunity

Contract Opportunity Type: Sources Sought

Department: Department of Defense

Sub-tier: Department of the Air Force

Major Command: Air Force Materiel Command

Sub-Command: Air Force Lifecycle Management Center

Office: C-130 Tactical Airlift AFLCMC/WLNM

Solicitation Number: C130_1

Date Issued: 05 March 2024

Response Date: 30 days after issuance

Inactive Policy: 15 days after the response date

NAICS Code: 334511

Synopsis:

1. Notice: This is a Sources Sought. While industry sources are requested to provide full and comprehensive responses to the questionnaire, all information is voluntary, and the Government will not reimburse sources in any way for responses provided. Likewise, a company’s participation in the market research via the Contractor Capability Survey does not obligate the Government to enter into any contractual agreement, either formally or informally with a company.

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3:

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this market research or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205- 18, Bid and proposal costs, of the FAR.

(b) Although "proposal" and "offeror" are used in this Sources Sought Synopsis, your response will be treated as informational only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) This Sources Sought is issued for the purpose of market research.

If you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company's capability in meeting the requirements listed below. Failure to provide documentation may result in the Government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities. Copies of the submitted information may be reproduced for Government review. Please do not provide classified information in your response.

The purpose of this Sources Sought is to conduct market research in support of the United States Air Force (USAF) requirement for replacement of the existing C-130H Station Keeping Equipment (SKE), also known as Formation Position System (FPS). Possible applications of information gathered include but are not limited to determining if a contract for the replacement FPS can be awarded using competitive procedures, determining if opportunities for small business participation in a contract for FPS exist, aiding development of the acquisition strategy, constructing a Government Cost Estimate, and finalizing FPS contract requirements.

2. Requirement: This notice seeks to identify potential sources and to obtain information from the market relevant to the USAF’s requirement to replace the FPS on 70 C-130H aircraft and to provide FPS training functionality on 11 C-130H training devices (Weapon System Trainers (WST) and Cockpit Procedural Trainers (CPT)). The anticipated scope of this effort is to replace the current AN/AN-169C FPS Coder/Decoder Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) and, if necessary, the FPS antennae. The scope would require a contractor to design, integrate, install, and support flight testing of the FPS replacement, to include support and full compliance with the USAF airworthiness certification processes.

A production effort will follow development. The Engineering Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase may be followed by a Production and Deployment (P&D) Phase with both potentially being awarded via a single contract. Both the EMD and P&D efforts will include a full complement of training and logistics activities. This effort will support USAF C-130H aircraft and trainers that have been modified with the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) Increment 2 upgrades before the FPS replacement equipment is installed.

The FPS creates an airborne network between formation aircraft to provide close formation flying in adverse weather in both operational and training scenarios. The core functions of the FPS are:

1. Setting up formation flying navigation


2. Onboard measurement and display of formation aircraft relative positions


3. Communication between aircraft for coordinated changes of formation flight path


4. Audio/visual alarm indications for formation collision avoidance

The C-130H FPS replacement must be interoperable with C-130J aircraft equipped with the Military Airborne Collision Avoidance System – Formation Rendezvous (MILACAS-FR) FPS. The C-130H FPS replacement should minimize impacts to existing C-130H aircraft systems. The FPS replacement will be expected to integrate with the C-130H AMP Increment 2 avionics including, but not limited to:

1. Analog interfaces to the physical FPS control and indication panels


2. Analog outputs for the display of own aircraft formation guidance cues and map displays of formation aircraft


3. Analog interfaces to the FPS antennae


4. Discrete outputs to the audio alarm system

3. Background: The current C-130H FPS, or SKE, must be replaced because it relies on Radio Frequencies (RFs) which conflict with recently auctioned bands for 5G use, and due to various Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS) issues. Two of the four FPS operational frequencies already overlap with 5G frequencies, and the remaining two frequencies may conflict with 5G frequencies in the future. Furthermore, a variety of DMS issues have halted production of the current C-130H FPS equipment. The Government fully operational targeted date is CY 2031, or earlier.

GOVERNMENT REQUEST: Interested contractors are invited to submit responses to the CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY QUESTIONNAIRE provided below.

1. The submissions must be limited to a maximum of thirty (30) pages in a searchable PDF format.


2. To ensure consideration, submissions must be made no later than 04 April 2024


3. If you have any questions or would like to submit your response, please send an email to Taylor Garland, Contracting Officer at taylor.garland@us.af.mil.


4. Attachments shall not exceed 10 MB per email. Respondents should indicate which portions, if any, of their response are proprietary and should mark them accordingly. Multiple emails are acceptable.

CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Company Information

Name:

Address:

CAGE Code:

Point of Contact:

Phone Number:

E-mail Address:

Web Page URL:

Applicable NAICS Code: 334511

Based on the above NAICS Code, state whether your company is:

• Large Business (Yes / No)


• Small Business (Yes / No)


• Woman Owned Small Business (Yes / No)


• Small Disadvantaged Business (Yes / No)


• 8(a) Certified (Yes / No)


• HUB Zone Certified (Yes / No)


• Veteran Owned Small Business (Yes / No)


• Service Disabled Veteran Small Business (Yes / No)


• Central Contractor Registration (CCR) (Yes / No)


• A statement as to whether your company is domestically or foreign owned (if foreign, please indicate the country of ownership)


• If a Small Business (SB, WOSB, SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, VOSB, SDVOSB), please explain whether your company would be capable of meeting the requirements of FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting

1. Capability Survey Questions

1. What contract type would your company recommend for this effort? Please provide a brief rationale for the recommendation. What contract incentives would accelerate the development timeline?


2. Schedule Estimation: Provide a moderate risk schedule for the replacement of 70 C-130H FPS aircraft and the update of 11 C-130H training devices. The schedule should begin in FY25 and identify the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) phase and the Production and Deployment (P&D) phase.


3. Identify your top five risks and provide recommended mitigation efforts (EMD and P&D) to accomplish this program.


4. Identify your capabilities and processes for Earned Value Management (EVM) in project management.


5. Please provide your capabilities in Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Digital Thread (DT) development and management. Describe how those capabilities would be applied to this program.

1. Financial Information
   
   
   
   
   1. Please provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate for this work. Please provide a breakdown of the ROM costs into development, integration, test services, group A&B kits, data/technical orders, peculiar support equipment, installation, and training components. Please note that the USAF will treat your cost estimates as proprietary data and will not share them with anyone except those who have signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) in an Advisory and Assistance Service role with the Government.
   
   
   
   

1. General Capability Information

1. Describe the capabilities of your company and the nature of the goods and/or services you provide. Include a description of your staff composition and management structure.


2. Describe your company's experience on military transport aircraft projects similar in complexity to this requirement. Include a brief description of the work performed, period of performance, and agency/organization supported.


3. Describe your company's capabilities and experience in generating technical data and Electronic Technical Manuals (ETMs). Identify what software programs are utilized to generate these data products and what formats are available for delivered items.


4. If this effort is not set-aside for small business, small business utilization will be considered. Please provide the expected small business utilization as a percent of total contract value and supporting rationale.


5. If a company is capable of meeting some, but not all, of the consolidated requirements stated in this Sources Sought, please provide a response that explains the requirements that you are capable of meeting.


6. Provide a summary of your capability and experience in design, development, manufacture and test of avionics systems and integration into USAF aircraft.


7. Describe your experience in obtaining airworthiness compliance including experience with USAF projects using Airworthiness Bulletin (AWB) 150A.


8. Provide your experience with Department of Defense (DoD) Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) programs and milestones.


9. Provide any anticipated teaming arrangements, along with a description of similar services offered to the Government and commercial customers for the past five years. Please delineate between the work that will be accomplished by the prime and the work that will be accomplished by the teaming partners.


10. Describe your familiarity with Robins Air Force Base Technical Orders (TO). Provide examples.

1. Solution Information

1. Describe your preliminary hardware solution and suggested approach for integrating it onto the aircraft. Please include a top-level system diagram.


2. If you were to propose a Non-Developmental Item (NDI) solution, describe the environmental qualification standards of the equipment.


3. Describe your approach to minimize or eliminate impacts to existing C-130H systems.


4. Describe your approach to customize your FPS solution to the C-130H FPS.


5. Discuss the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of your proposed solution technologies.


6. Describe any anticipated changes to primary aircraft structure.


7. How would installation of new hardware and/or software be accomplished, e.g. field retrofit, depot, etc.?


8. Please provide a brief description of the expected development activities, including a proposed schedule that encompasses flight testing and necessary certifications.


9. Please describe the formation flying navigation performance that can be achieved with your recommended design solution.


10. Please discuss the system software architecture and the expected level of software development.


11. Please provide your anticipated data rights approach.


12. Please discuss the development or modification of training systems and your approach to Type 1 training for Air Reserve Component (ARC) aircrew and maintenance personnel.


13. Please discuss any known or anticipated DMS issues on your proposed system and your ability to address them.


14. What Government Furnished Information (GFI) or Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) would be required to implement your solution? Do you anticipate the need for special tooling for your solution?


15. Please provide any additional information that would aid in completing a more complete assessment of your company's ability to satisfy this requirement.

1. Commerciality Questions

1. Do you consider the requirements to be commercial (see FAR Part 2 definitions)? Please provide supporting rationale (based on the FAR Part 2 definition).


2. Describe your standard warranty and return process for goods and services furnished to the Government for items similar in nature to this requirement.


3. Please discuss your recommended sustainment approach for both hardware and software (i.e., organic (Department of Defense Depot Maintenance Facilities), Interim Contractor Support (ICS), Contractor Logistics Support (CLS), etc.).


4. Please provide your experience with Public/Private Partnerships.

Attachments/Links