Architecture and Systems Engineering (ASE) Modeling and Simulation (M&S) and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Request for Information (RFI)

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

PORTFOLIO ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE FOR COMMAND, CONTROL, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BATTLE MANAGEMENT (C3BM) ARCHITECTURE AND SYSTEM ENGINEERING (ASE)

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE OHIO

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/SOURCE SOUGHT SYNOPSIS RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

THIS IS A NOTICE OF A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. IT IS NOT A SOLICITATION NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED.

DISCLAIMER

This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI) for the purpose of determining market capability of sources or obtaining information for the Department of the Air Force (DAF). It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), a Request for Quote (RFQ) or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services discussed in this notice.

Any information submitted by respondents to this notice is strictly voluntary. Any formal solicitation that may subsequently be issued will be announced separately through SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of any potential respondent to monitor SAM.gov for additional information pertaining to this topic.

The Government intends to review responses to this RFI for acquisition planning, market research, and requirement development purposes.

2.0 BACKGROUND

The Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) for Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management (PAE C3BM) is a Department of the Air Force organization located at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. However, they have multiple supporting locations across the continental United States (CONUS).

PAE C3BM is responsible for the acquisition and delivery of the DAF BATTLE NETWORK, an integrated system-of-systems that connect sensors, effectors, and logistics systems to provide better situational awareness and faster decision-making for the joint force. 

This network is the Air Force's contribution to the broader Department of War (DoW) initiative of Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2). 

The Architecture and Systems Engineering (ASE) group within PAE C3BM is the lead for designing and engineering the DAF BATTLE NETWORK. 

This division drives mission integration to enable warfighter capabilities, supports decision-making with operational analysis and solid engineering design, and leads stakeholder communities for integrated capability delivery. 

The ASE group is a collaborative effort with the Air Force Research Laboratory's Integrated Capabilities Directorate and Space Systems Command's Space Systems Integration Office. 

The group is comprised of specialized teams, each dedicated to a specific operational domain: maritime, air, space, homeland defense, electronic warfare (EW) and other key domains. A key aspect of ASE's work is to identify critical mission needs and determine how different weapon systems can collaborate to achieve objectives, ensuring the DAF BATTLE NETWORK directly supports warfighter needs.

3.0 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Respondents shall submit individual responses that address all the questions identified in paragraph 4.0, Questions for Industry. Each submittal shall include company mailing address, a point of contact (name, title, phone number, e-mail), and CAGE code. If not registered with a CAGE code, respondents shall provide a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number. If the contractor does not have a SAM registration, the company should detail its intent to obtain this information.

Submittals shall include company nation of incorporation, large business, small business, small-disadvantaged business, SBA 8(a) small disadvantage business, woman-owned small business, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, or Hub Zone small business as defined by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this acquisition is, 541330 and the estimated amount is approximately $37 million for a two-year period of performance.

Submittals shall be delivered NLT 4 FEB 2026, 4:00 PM EST. Responses received after the requested date may not be considered nor assessed.

If proprietary information is submitted, it shall be portion marked, by paragraph, to clearly identify proprietary information. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Respondent’s submittals that include data that they do not want disclosed to the public, nor used by the Government for other than RFI evaluation purposes, shall be marked with a legend conforming to 48 C.F.R. § 52.215-1(e).

1. Submittals shall not exceed 20 total pages in length: single-sided, single-spaced, and no smaller than Arial or Times New Roman size 10 font. This page limitation does not include supplemental tables, figures, illustrations, diagrams, charts, or simulation data. Supplemental data shall not exceed an additional 10 total pages (single-sided, single-spaced, Arial size 10 font) in length. Links are highly encouraged for digital information used in supplements.
2. All responses shall be delivered in PDF format and emailed to the following individuals:
   1. Ms. Melissa Droeske, Contracting Officer, AFLCMC/C3AK, melissa.droeske@us.af.mil
   2. Kaitlyn Adamson, Program Manager, AFRL/RSAE; AFLCMC/C3A, kaitlyn.adamson@us.af.mil
   3. Sylvia Laravie, Business Manager, AFRL/RSAE, AFLCMC/C3A, sylvia.laravie@us.af.mil

The subject line of the email shall read: “C3BM ASE Support Response by (Company Name)”

                    Introductory and/or summary information may be included in respondent’s submittals in accordance with the page limitations identified in Section 3.0.

4.0. QUESTIONS TO INDUSTRY

Corporate Experience and Capabilities

• Overall Experience: Describe your company's overall experience in providing systems engineering, architecture, and technical support to Department of War (DoW) or other federal agencies on programs of similar scope and complexity.
• Past Performance: Provide specific examples of up to three relevant contracts from the last five years. For each, describe the customer, the scope of work, the contract value, and how the effort relates to the capabilities described in this RFI.
• Personnel: Describe the qualifications, certifications, and clearance levels of the key personnel who would be assigned to this effort.
• Facilities: Describe your facility capabilities, including any cleared labs, simulation environments, or integration facilities that would be utilized to support this work.

Modeling and Simulation (M&S) and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

• M&S Approach: Describe your approach to developing and utilizing Modeling and Simulation (M&S) environments for system performance analysis, mission-level effectiveness studies, and trade-space exploration.
• M&S Tools: What specific M&S tools, platforms, and frameworks (e.g., AFSIM, STK, MATLAB/Simulink) is your team proficient in?
• MBSE Proficiency: Describe your company's proficiency in applying Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies (e.g., SysML, UPDM) and tools (e.g., Cameo, Sparx EA) to create, manage, and integrate complex system-of-systems models.
• Digital Engineering Example: Provide an example of a project where you successfully implemented a "digital thread" to connect and maintain consistency across various engineering artifacts (e.g., requirements, architecture, analysis, test).
• How much experience do you have working on different cloud computing platforms, including DAF CloudWorks, CloudONE, and Special Access Program (SAP) Enterprise IT as a Service (SEITaaS) or similar platforms?
• What previous work have you done to scale out IDEs for major programs and can you describe the effort?
• What work in MBSE have you performed in meeting mission engineering processes?
• Have you created MBSE products that are able to be worked on Multi-level Security systems?  Provide an example. 

Technology Exploration and Architecture Demonstration

• Technology Identification: Describe your methodology for identifying, assessing the maturity of (e.g., Technology Readiness Level), and recommending emerging technologies relevant to C3BM and CJADC2.
• Architecture Development: Provide examples of how you have designed and demonstrated novel system architectures. How did you measure the performance and mission impact of these architectures?
• Integration Experience: What is your experience in integrating new third-party technologies (both hardware and software) into existing or developmental government architectures? Describe the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
• Sensor Orchestration: What is your experience in synchronizing multi-faceted sensors into a data fusion centers?  How have you joined multi-phenomenology to synchronize ground and space-based sensors?  What have been your challenges and describe what you consider to be a critical gap? 
• Space Intel: How do you use AI/ML in Space Domain Analysis and differentiate routine intel from emerging?  What years of intel and specialization do you possess and how have you design and developed key solutions?  Provide a specific example.   

Evaluation Event Management

• Event Management Approach: Describe your company's comprehensive approach to the planning, management, execution, and analysis of technology and architecture evaluation events (e.g., demonstrations, experiments, "plug-fests").
• Defining Success: Detail your process for working with stakeholders to establish event objectives, measures of performance (MOPs), and clear success criteria.
• Data Collection and Analysis: What methodologies and tools do you employ for data collection, post-event analysis, and the reporting of findings to government leadership?
• Event Management Example: Provide an example of a large-scale evaluation event you managed. Detail your specific role, the number of participants, the complexity of the setup, and the event's final outcome.

Security

• Can your company support work at multiple classification levels to include Secret/NOFORN (S/NF), Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI), and SAP Networks?
• What workspaces do you have available to work at these classification levels?
• Do you have access to government systems (i.e. NIPR, SIPR, JWICS, CORE, SIC)?
• Do you have appropriately cleared staff to work at these various classification level?
• Is there an expertise with DevSecOps at those classification levels?

Miscellaneous

• What work have you done implementing JIRA and Confluence workflows to help drive efficiencies in business practices?
• Do you have experience creating OKR workflows through JIRA or similar platform? Can you describe that work

5.0 SUBMISSION REVIEW

The information provided will be used by the Department of the Air Force (DAF), PAE C3BM, Architecture and System Engineering (ASE) team and administrative support contractors to ascertain Industry interest and capabilities to participate in the PAE C3BM and AFRL ASE system engineering and architecture management and development.

After receipt of responses, the Government may have follow-on contact with submitters. The Government will archive all submitted material for future review as needed.

Interested parties should continue to monitor SAM.gov for any follow-on RFI or other announcements which will be published for any future actions relating to this RFI.

If you have any questions regarding this request for information, please direct them in writing to Ms. Melissa Droeske, AFLCMC/C3AK,  melissa.droeske@us.af.mil.