Air Services Support for Flight Test Preparation & Flight Testing

The Naval Surface Warfare Center - Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) is conducting market research to determine industry capability and interest through a sources sought announcement for science and technology equipment to include a UH-1H helicopter or equivalent (with possible use of other type rotary aircraft or small fixed wing aircraft), a flight crew, pre-test sensor and support equipment integration, and periodic flight testing support. Flight tests will principally be at Eglin AFB, Fort Walton Beach FL, areas near Tyndall AFB Panama City FL, or over Gulf of Mexico test ranges FL but may occur in other locations both around the continental United States and outside the continental United States. The DRAFT Key Requirements/Tasks (listed below) for the Air Services Support for Flight Test Preparation & Flight Testing included with this Sources Sought Announcement specifies the requirements for the Contractor level of effort. The incumbent is Coastal Helicopters'7424 Coastal Drive, Panama City, FL 32404'and their Cage Code is 0PX50. The anticipated contract will be an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract with provision for firm fixed price delivery orders. The contract period of performance will be for five (5) years, 12-month base period with 4 twelve month option periods. The Government anticipates a single award The NAICS code is 488190. SBA Size Standard is $35M. FSC is 1520. NOTE: THIS NOTICE IS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. Responses must include the following: (1) Describe capability of performance as related to draft Key Requirements/Tasks; (2) Provide name and address of firm; (3) Indicate size of business including average annual revenue for past three years, number of employees, and status: Large, Small, Small Disadvantaged, 8 (a), Women-Owned, HUB-Zone, Veteran- Owned and/or Service-Disabled-Veteran-Owned Business; (4) Represent ownership including Country of Ownership, System for award Management (SAM) information, and DUNS Number if available; (5) Include number of years in business; and (6) Provide two points of contact including: name, title, phone and e-mail address (7) Does your company have a satisfactory performance record for the type of work required? Please provide examples of relevant and recent (within three years) past performance (8) Does your company have the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operation controls and technical skills or ability to obtain them? There is no specific format or outline submittals must follow. Summaries should be no longer than 15 pages in length. All summaries should be emailed to the Contract Specialist at michael.hornberger@navy.mil by 4:00 PM CST, 16 April 2021. THIS SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, OR ANY FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION REQUESTS. RESPONDENTS WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED OF THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION. THE GOVERNMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CONSIDER A SET-ASIDE BASED ON RESPONSES HERETO. This market survey closes on 16 April 2021 at 4:00 PM CST. Summary List of Key Requirements/Tasks Provide approved and ready-to-fly platforms, to support Naval sponsored flight testing as required to assess integrated sensor systems, in and around Panama City, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico Joint Test Range Complex, other DOD test ranges such as Tyndall AFB and Eglin AFB, at other Continental United States (CONUS) locations, and at other Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) locations to include, but not limited to, a modified Bell helicopter which must be modified with an installed Pylon Hardpoint Kits (407-854-001 L/H and 407-854-002 R/H) approved through the FAA, a Bell 407 helicopter, a Bell UH-1H Huey helicopter, a Sikorsky UH60 helicopter, a Bell 206L helicopter, and Bell 206B helicopter, a Cessna 172 (or equivalent) fixed-wing platform, and various Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, especially Quad-type Copters (1 to 200 lb. payload capacity). All platforms shall be provided with qualified flight crews familiar with DOD range operations, ground crews, test support crews, target delivery and installation, and platform on-site fueling and maintenance and all required insurances (liability as minimum) for all onboard passengers, and a minimum of two pilots for any nighttime or over-water operations for all test events at any location. Provide a support facility with a heliport and a hangar located within a 30 mile radius from NSWC PCD to support local flying and repair/maintenance, facilitate speedy communications during local testing, and minimize government travel expenses. The facilities shall also accommodate all phases of testing to include planning & coordination, test related meetings, indoor and outdoor test hardware preparation and checkouts, indoor and outdoor test setups and data measurements, system hardware integration and removal, system operational checks, air-worthiness measurements, pre-flight activities, briefings, Command Center Base-of-Operations, target preparations, test execution & data collection, cleanup and storage, data processing and analysis, support hardware fabrications, shipping, transportation, and handling of equipment and supplies (local and long distance), storage/containers locally or non-locally for mission essential equipment, as required to support testing at any location. Provide indoor facilities use, tools, power equipment, fuel, power, clean-room, certified forklifts, delivery trucks, cranes, and other general support tools or equipment along with certified operators and ground labor for equipment handling of up to one ton and also support both indoor and outdoor Class IV laser operations for hardware modifications/checkouts and laser power measurements. Both indoor and outdoor areas shall have secure access and an outdoor range area of at least 1500 in length and 250 in width (located adjacent to indoor local hanger and capable of supporting ground-based target field setups) to support testing. Additionally, other nearby local-area land and water (ponds) range/field areas with controllable access to support quick-check field setups and data collections over both land and water areas. Maintain applicable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 133 External Load Operator and Part 135 on Demand, Intrastate, VFR, 9 Passengers or less, Single Pilot Certifications in good standing for the period of performance of the contract and provide the rapid acquisition of all required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordination/approvals/paperwork and associated flight clearance approvals along with any other required commercial or governmental approvals to include all required measurements, drawings, data package products, and general documentation for all platforms/systems (existing and new) for engineering checkouts, hardware fixes, in-between system changes, quick repairs, and final operational use. Provide and maintain a licensed and insured FAA Part 145 repair facility (space, labor, and materials) at the local area heliport facility of sufficient size to support indoor platforms/systems integration, checkout, repair, and all regularly required maintenance, inspections, and approvals as well as rapid system hardware changes, platform changes, quick support equipment fabrication, and general support hardware changes in order to facilitate daily around-the-clock operations without weather delays and allow for expedited (one-day-turnaround) of helicopter repairs in order to maintain day-to-day test operations. Provide for rapid real-time on-site, or in the field, response to fabrication, modification, or repair of required support structures, equipment, targets, protection from freezing and overheating, electrical problems, system hardware rearrangements, and supply of spare parts in order to maintain testing schedules and rapid machine-shop turnaround of structural modifications which meet required aircraft mechanical structures requirements and FAA approvals. Pre-test sensor hardware checkout, integration and installation, operational ground checks, pre-test flight checks, safety of flight checks, data collection flights, hardware/software aircraft interfacing, aircraft system interfacing to Provide required support (management/technical/engineering/drafting/execution) for the completed design/drawing/fabrication/build/modification/procurement/refurbishment/mounting/interfacing/integration/installation/water-proofing of unique scientific equipment, internal & external racks/pods, specialized enclosures, and support structures to all platforms (internal/external/thru-the-skin) regarding mechanical, electrical, power/distribution systems, internal and external wiring, connectors, frames, brackets, struts, cradles, hook-harnesses, hell-hole fit around, strapping and securing of setups, vibration damping for loading and vibration isolation, electronic racks, power sources and power distribution subsystems, specialized sensor pod structures, specialized weapons socket kits/arms/adapters, specialty support frames, cables/connectors/switches, relays, inverters, special vibration isolation mounts, extended skid operation, alternate power plant capabilities such as externally flown generators, battery sources or additional turbines, specialized landing platforms, test targets, anchors, rigging, target support hardware, communication, Global Positioning System (GPS), tracking/navigation/mapping coverage, real-time datalinks, antennas, seat hot-mike communications, power supplies/inverters/busses, and VHF/UHF/SATCOM radios, and other unique requirements, all in compliance with FAA and other regulations/safety requirements to meet all flight worthiness/readiness certifications and to ensure no testing delays. Provide representatives to attend all required planning operational briefings and support International Trafficking in Arms Representative (ITAR) requirements and to support management oversight, technical assistance, pilot guidance, and general oversight related to operations and safety for all platforms and all testing. Provide a portable hangar capability to temporarily house smaller aircraft when at remote sites. Provide capability for either government or contractor passengers on-board both pre-flight and during flights to support sensor operations, photography or videography, measurements, and project documentation. Accommodate constantly changing mission schedules/requirements including delays and short notice re-starts while maintaining aircraft availability and without incurring additional costs to the government unless testing was started. Act as the Design Engineering Representative (DER) and Designated Air Worthiness (DAR) official for all required work and maintain all required air worthiness, air operations, air crew, and air platform FAA certifications, licenses, and documentation for flight approvals and execution at any location, including government controlled airspaces and provide Airframe & Power plant (A&P) Inspection Authority (IA) for all platforms in accordance with FAA rules.