Advisory & Assistance Services

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION ISSUANCE. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. This RFI is issued for the purpose of developing a viable solicitation that will best communicate the Government's requirements to industry. Responses to this RFI are strictly voluntary and will not affect any corporation's ability to submit an offer if and when a solicitation is released. There is no bid package or solicitation document associated with this announcement. The requested information is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. No entitlement of payment by the government of direct or indirect costs or charges will arise as a result of the submission of contractor's information. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any improperly identified proprietary information. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. INTRODUCTION: The 311 HSW/PKAC, Brooks City-Base, TX, is planning to award Advisory and Assistance Services in support of the area of Human Systems Integration (HSI) expertise to accomplish concept mapping based on existing functional systems theory for the Air Force aeronautical, munitions, C4ISR, and space & missile enterprises. This RFI is issued to determine the capability of prospective contractors to provide comprehensive HSI services. These services include expertise in the HSI, human performance, concept mapping, and systems engineering. BACKGROUND: The Air Force requires a tool to assess Air Force weapons systems in requirements, acquisition, and sustainment as a method for saving the Air Force significant costs during the life cycle of systems while optimizing total system performance. A sound HSI assessment strategy puts the warfighter at the center of the Integrated Defense Acquisition, Technology, & Logistics Life Cycle Management Framework; thus, equipping the warfighter rather than manning the equipment. Early application of HSI leads to cost avoidance in terms of manpower, personnel, training, and human error. To achieve this requirement, the Air Force seeks business and industry familiar with DoD, application of HSI, and/or concept mapping. SCOPE: This request for information is directed to highly competitive potential prime contractors who can demonstrate the capability to provide HSI knowledge and experience and understand how the application of concept mapping benefits the requirements, acquisition, and sustainment processes while affecting total life cycle costs in the requirements, design, development, integration, fielding, and sustainment of weapons systems programs. The Government will use the information gathered in response to this RFI to refine the requirements and acquisition strategy for the following tasks: Generate weapons systems concept maps for the HSI Assessment Tool (AT) so that Human Performance assessments can be accomplished through application of the HSI process regardless of acquisition phase. Provide system analyst and/or operational research expertise, more than five years experience, in DoD weapons systems management to include: systems analysis of DoD and / or Air Force weapons systems, an understanding of the Integrated Defense Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Life Cycle Management Framework, weapons systems WBS, and weapons systems tech data. DATA SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: The Information package should include the following items: 1. Do you qualify under the 8(a) program? If you are a small business, do you also qualify under any of the sub-categories (small business, small disadvantaged business, woman-owned small business, HUBzone small business, service disabled veteran-owned small business or veteran-owned small business)? 2. What are your applicable NAICS codes? 3. Would you be interested in submitting a proposal considering the anticipated scope of work? If not, why? 4. Do you have sufficient experience in the anticipated scope that would allow the evaluator to assess your capability? If not, please explain. 5. What is the minimum and maximum dollar value project on which your firm would routinely consider submitting a proposal? 6. What maximum capacity of work can your firm reasonably manage while assuring effective program/project implementation and maintaining quality? 7. Are you aware of any DoD contracts dealing with similar tasks as those identified under the SCOPE Section? If so, provide the following: government POC, organization, phone number, email address, and contract number. 8. For Market Research purposes, please demonstrate your capability of being able to accomplish the tasks described under the SCOPE Section. Describe your qualifications, projects, and applicable experience. 9. Do you see any issues/problems with the tasks under the SCOPE Section? 10. Identify risks and provide risk mitigation strategies to the tasks identified under the SCOPE Section. 11. What are your plans to utilize and access Air Force weapons systems technical orders? 12. The resultant contract may include a cost-reimbursable basis line item. Does your company have an approved accounting system for cost type contracts? 13. Your comments / recommendations to achieve requirements described above. The information received will not obligate the Government in any manner nor will the Government reimburse contractors for any costs associated with submittal of the requested information. This request does not constitute an Invitation For Bid or a Request For Proposal. Request for proposals, if and when issued, will be available on the Internet at FedBizOpps.gov. As such, it is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any additional information. Central Contract Registration (CCR) will be mandatory for any resultant contract award. (See CCR website at www.ccr.gov). Responses to this RFI are due to the Contracting Officer, Thomas Griffin by Close of Business 23 May, 2008. Responses should include your company's name, address, telephone number, point of contact, and whether your company is a large or small business. Proprietary information should be clearly marked. Packages shall be delivered in electronic format. The electronic format may be in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) or compatible with Microsoft Office 2000 suite of software. All responses (capability/plan packages) must be emailed to juan.villarreal@brooks.af.mil or mail the CD/DVD to 311 HSW/PKAC, 2510 Kennedy Circle, Bldg 150, Brooks City-Base, TX 78235-5115, Attn: Juan A. Villarreal. Please refer all contracting questions regarding this RFI to the Contracting Officer listed above. The Contracting Officer, can be reached via telephone at (210) 536-4421. Please refer all technical questions to the technical point of contact, Ms. Kathi MacLeod at (210) 536-1279 and Mr. Gabriel Guerra at (210) 536-1107. 5352.201-9101 Ombudsman. OMBUDSMAN (AUG 2005) (a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the party to another official who can resolve the concern. (b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions). (c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, concerned parties may contact the Center/MAJCOM ombudsmen, Mr. Edward Noack, 3000 Sidney Brooks, Bldg 532, Brooks City-Base, TX 78235-5112, phone: 210-536-2319, fax: 210-536-6642, email: edward.noack@brooks.af.mil. Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the MAJCOM/DRU level, may be brought by the concerned party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (703) 588-7004, facsimile number (703) 588-1067. (d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency. (e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer. (End of clause) THIS ANNOUCEMENT IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION ISSUANCE. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. Please note that official information will be provided only by the Contracting Officer or the Contract Specialist. Any information received from other sources should not be relied upon as official.