16--Request for Information (RFI) for the Improved Data Modem (IDM)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY: 1. INTRODUCTION: This announcement constitutes an official RFI as defined in FAR 15.201(e) and DOES NOT constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP) or commitment the Government to issue RFP in the future. The Government is not seeking proposals and will NOT accept unsolicited proposals for this RFI. Responses to this RFI notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI is not a promise and provides no indication that the Government will consider or contract for the responses. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Nor does its issuance obligate or restrict the Government to any particular acquisition approach. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to pursue any course of action described herein. Respondents are advised the Government will NOT pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI shall be borne solely at the interested party's expense. All submissions will be become Government property and will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on FedBizOps website. It is the responsibility of the potential responders to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this RFI. 2. PURPOSE: The purpose of this RFI is to identify sources that can perform manufacturing, hardware and software engineering services: aerospace ruggedized hardware manufacturing; embedded software development; software modification; hardware and software testing; systems engineering; hardware engineering; configuration management; and quality management. 3. IDM BACKGROUND: The IDM is an aviation based multi-channel receive and transmit terminal that interoperates with other digital message systems by processing Variable Message Format (VMF) and Air Force Applications Program Development (AFAPD) messages with their associated procedural communications protocols. The IDM supports VMF message traffic on the Tactical Internet (TI) and Private Network (PN). The IDM supports AFAPD messages on the PN. The IDM provides the essential routing and gateway functionality necessary to support seamless data communication Combat Net Radio (CNR) systems and across multiple tactical networks simultaneously. The IDM provides a means to participate in Joint Battle Command-Platform/Aviation (JBC-P/A) communications through the exchange of digital Command and Control (C2) and Situational Awareness (SA) data. The IDM also supports PN communications providing connectivity across Army Aviation platforms and connectivity with digital ground systems. The IDM has the following physical specifications: a. Dimensions of 5.32 inches W x 7.42 inches H x 9.03 inches L. b. Weight of 15 pounds. c. No greater than 75 watts of power. The IDM performance characteristics are as follows: a. Perform from -40 to 85o C b. Perform from 0 to 20,000 feet c. Comply with Environmental conditions IAW MIL-STD-810E d. Comply with Vibration requirements IAW MIL-STD-810E, Method 514.5 and 516.5, Procedure I. e. Comply with Electromagnetic and Power requirements IAW ADS-37A-PRF, MIL-STD-461, and MIL-STD-704A-E f. Airworthy qualified g. DO-178 compliant software 4. REQUESTED INFORMATION: For this RFI, requesters need to provide the following information related to past performance on efforts of complexity levels similar to that of the IDM as identified by the characteristics in paragraph 3 above: i. MANUFACTURING: a. Past performance data of manufacturing aerospace ruggedized hardware. b. Description of manufacturing process including: (i) Manufacturing facility (ii) Approach to manufacturing (iii) First Article Testing (iv) Production Acceptance Testing (v) Storage for Hardware (HW) awaiting shipment ii. ENGINEERING SERVICES: a. Past performance data of software engineering. b. Description of system engineering activities including: (i) Requirements management (ii) Quality assurance processes (iii) Configuration Management (CM) processes c. Description of approach to HW engineering addressing: (i) Design practices (ii) CM specific to HW (iii) HW quality assurance (iv) Design verification testing d. Description of approach to Software (SW) development/modification including: (i) SW planning (ii) Requirements analysis (iii) SW design (iv) SW coding (v) SW build processes (vi) SW evaluation and test planning (vii) SW test scripting (viii) SW formal qualification testing iii. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: a. Description of approach to developing and executing program requirements IAW a schedule. b. Description of management approach to resource leveling to execute contractual requirements. c. Description of management approach to identify and fill key positions that demonstrate ability to meet contractual delivery schedules . d. Description of approach to managing key processes critical to the execution of contractual requirements, including: (i) Program Management (ii) Logistics Management (iii) Business Management 5. RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS AND FORMAT: All interested parties are invited to respond to this RFI by submitting a white paper of no more than twenty (20) one-sided pages. The size of the submittal should not exceed 5 MB. All submitted white papers shall follow the outline below and be provided in Microsoft (MS) Word Office 2007 compatible format or Adobe PDF format and should be free of all computer viruses. Submission shall be capable of being printed on 8.5x11 inch paper with one inch margin (top, bottom, left, and right) and no smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font. Line spacing shall be set no less than single space. White paper format is as follows: 1. TITLE PAGE to include the following: a. Company or organization name and complete mailing address (City/State/Zip). b. Company web's page URL, if any. c. Point of Contact (name, title, phone, and e-mail address). d. CAGE Code and NAICS Code e. Based on this NAICS Code, Business Size (i.e. large, small disadvantaged, veteran owned, woman owned, etc.) f. Business Information for any teaming or joint venture partners (i) Teaming/Joint Venture Company name and complete mailing address. (ii) CAGE Code and NAICS code (iii) Based on the NAICS code, business size (e.g., small, 8(a), women-owned, hub-zone, SDB, Service-Disabled Veteran-owned). g. A statement as to whether your company (including any teaming or joint venture partners) ownership is domestic or foreign (if foreign, please indicate country of ownership. 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3. TECHNICAL CONTENT 4. COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION INFORMATION a. Technical Competencies relevant to this RFI b. Certifications relevant to this RFI Proprietary information should be minimized and must be clearly marked as such. The Government shall not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages, for any proprietary information not properly identified. White papers shall not contain data that are classified or limited by International Traffic and Arms Regulation (ITAR). Submitted information may be incorporated in subsequent Government publications. 6. REVIEW PROCESS: The Government will review white papers to assess the responder's ability to meet the requirements identified by the characteristics in paragraph 3 of this RFI. The responses will not be scored and/or ranked. White paper that fail to comply with the instructions in paragraph 5, or present ideas not pertinent to subject, may not be reviewed. Hard copies of attachment posted on FedBizOps will not be made available. The white papers will be reviewed by USG personnel and their support contractors. To be reviewed, the statement quote mark Releasable to USG Agencies and their supporting Contractors for Review Only quote mark must accompany any propriety submission. All information provided will be adequately protected. Material from respondent white papers, with the exception of identified propriety information, may be incorporated into future program documentation. 7. DISCUSSIONS: Based on the responses, the Government reserves the right to request further clarification to enhance our understanding of the white paper submitted. If the Government has additional questions or needs information following the review of the white paper submitted, respondent may be contacted and asked to provide information. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability, especially any development and certification risks. 8. RESPONSE DEADLINE: Submissions of white papers are due no later than 4:00 pm Central Standard Tims (CST) on 29 APRIL 2015. White papers shall be submitted electronically via the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) Safe Access and File Exchange website (https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe/). Use the following distribution email address as prompted by the site: contact@example.gov. No hard copy or fax responses will be accepted. If a late submittal is received, acceptance of such will be at the discretion of the Government. 9. QUESTIONS OR REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION: All questions relating to this RFI shall be submitted shall be sent via email to Army Contracting Command-Redstone (ACC-RSA) point of contact (POC) Leslie Duncan, Contract Specialist, email address: contact@example.gov. No telephone calls will be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. In order to facilitate a timely response, it is preferred that any questions or requests for clarification be received by 4:00 pm CST on 20 APRIL 2015. Responses to the questions received will be answered and posted on this FedBizOpps website. The Government reserves the right to not address questions received after 5:00 pm CST on 24 APRIL 2015. 10. POST SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Responses submitted in response to this RFI will not be returned. The Government is under no obligation to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. There is no guarantee that any submission in response to this RFI will result in a Government program. The Government may or may not use any responses to this RFI as a basis for a subsequent project. The information submitted in response to this RFI may be used to help the Government further define its requirements. If the Government develops a program that addresses any submitted or similar topic, the resulting procurement will address technology and business specific requirements as defined by the Government to achieve the required objectives. Any projects developed from the RFI responses may be the subject of a subsequent acquisition; any such subsequent acquisition will be publicized accordingly. Responders to this RFI will have no competitive advantage in receiving any awards related to the submitted topic area. Proposers who do not submit a response to this RFI will not be prohibited from submitting a concept paper if a formal broad agency announcement is published at some point in the future. In order to protect the integrity of any possible future acquisition, no additional information other than the information contained in this RFI will be provided. In addition, no appointments for presentations will be accepted.