SURFACE PROGRAM DIRECTORATE TRAINING SYSTEM SUPPORT SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ACQUISITION BACKGROUND The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) has a requirement for an effort to procure, test, and refine prototype vibrational and mechanical shock load attenuating seating systems for integration into air, sea, or ground military vehicles that shall use a Magnetorheological (MR) fluid based dampening system. Prototypes delivered under the projected contract will be used to support a wide range of investigational engineering tests designed to fully explore the capability of MR fluid as the baseline attenuating medium. Prototypes must be able to demonstrate and sustain acceptable performance characteristics over a long period of exposure to severe environments that exist on air, sea, and ground military vehicles. Tests are to include both laboratory and in-vehicle demonstration testing. The Government's intention is to submit prototype systems to a battery of rigorous tests that will allow the Government engineers to determine the suitability of magnetorheological-based damping systems for long-term use (years of service life) onboard the military vessels. Viability tests will include both laboratory and in-vehicle demonstration testing. For this reason, prototype systems submitted for consideration under this effort should have a level of technical maturity associated with a Technology Readiness Level of 5 or greater and already be integrated into an existing military seating system of interest. ELIGIBILITY The appropriate Product Service Code (PSC) is AD23. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541712 with an Employee Size Standard of 1,500. DISCLAIMER THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. ACQUISITION APPROACH The Government anticipates awarding a sole source IDIQ contract to support this effort. Any offeror believing it can fulfill the requirement detailed in the attached DRAFT Statement of Work may submit a written response which shall be considered by the agency. The written response shall reference solicitation number N00421-16-R-0029 and provide a capability statement that clearly indicates the firm's experience, assets, background, and ability to perform the required work. All offerors must be registered in the Systems for Award Management (SAM) database at the following website: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. ESTIMATED DOLLAR VALUE The total estimated cost for all products procured under the resultant contract is $9.8M. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION As part of previous contract awards, the Government has sponsored the development and testing of magnetorheological (MR) fluid-based damping systems intended to reduce the transmission of vibrational and mechanical shock loads into seated occupants. In early developmental tests, damping systems utilizing MR fluid have shown a degree of performance that warrants additional, more robust testing in order to fully characterize the military utility of such systems. The Government is interested in conducting a wide range of engineering tests on MR fluid-based systems. The work to be undertaken as part of this contract award is intended to allow the Government to: - Conduct engineering tests that thoroughly investigate the utility of applying MR fluid-based damping systems to seating systems that reside on military vehicles. - Ascertain if the current, moderately mature, damping systems can obtain a higher Technology readiness level. - Discovery any failure modes associated with applying this technology to military vessels. Successful conclusion of this effort will result in the demonstration that MR Fluid-based damping systems can be integrated onto military vessels, and that acceptable performance characteristics can be maintained over a sustained and prolonged exposure to the environmental conditions that exist onboard various air, land, and sea vessels. SUBMISSION DETAILS (CABILITIES STATEMENT) Interested businesses shall submit responses electronically to the Contract Specialist, Sabana Moore-Barnes, in Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) at Sabana.moore@navy.mil no later than 9:00 am Eastern Standard Time on 24 August 2016. No phone or email solicitations with regard to the status of the RFP will be accepted prior to its release. Specific details will be provided in a solicitation which will be posted at https://www.fbo.gov/. Be advised that periodic access to the website is essential for obtaining updated documentation and the latest information regarding this procurement. All data received in response to this source sought, marked or designated as corporate or proprietary, will be fully protected from release outside the Government. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. Classified material SHALL NOT be submitted. Interested Businesses should submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten (10) one-sided, 8.5x11inch pages in length with font no smaller than 10 point) demonstrating the ability to perform the services listed in this notice and draft PBSOW. Vendor responses shall include the following administrative information: 1. Company Name, Company Address, and Points of Contact including name, telephone number, fax number, and email address. 2.Respondents to this notice also must indicate whether they are a large business or qualify as a Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), HUBZone Small Business (HUBZone), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), or Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Concern. 3. Company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office location(s), DUNS number, and a statement regarding current small/large business status. 4. Prior/current corporate experience performing efforts of similar size and scope within the last three years, including contract number, organization supported indication of whether as a prime or subcontractor, contract values, Government point of contact with current telephone number, and a brief description of how the referenced contract relates to the services described herein. 5. Resources available such as corporate management and currently employed personnel to be assigned to tasks under this effort to include professional qualifications, specific experience of such personnel, and the ability to have personnel located at the city specified. 6. Statement regarding capability to obtain the required industrial security clearances for personnel. 7. Company's ability to perform more than 50% of the work 8. Company's ability to begin performance upon contract award. All responses must be sufficient to permit agency analysis to establish bona fide capability to meet requirements. Primary Point of Contact: Sabana Moore-Barnes, Contract Specialist, Sabana.Moore@navy.mil Fax: (301) 995-0557 Secondary Point of Contact: Sotanya Rushing, Contract Specialist Sotanya.Rushing@navy.mil Fax: (301) 995-0309 Contracting Office Address: Department of the Navy Naval Air Systems Command/Naval Air Station 22473 Millstone Rd., B505 Patuxent River, MD 20670-1604 United States
