Army National Guard Combat Readiness Exercise Program

This Sources Sought Notice is related to the previously posted Army National Guard eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) Program and Notice ID Number W900KKSSNARNGXCTC. Industry Day: April 23, 2025, 12809 Science Drive Orlando, FL 32826 Bldg. Partnership 4 Conference Rm 126, 9:00am- Noon Email reservation requests to: leatrice.j.frederick.civ@army.mil and alfonso.d.aldaz.civ@army.mil by April 21, 2025. Army Contracting Command-Orlando is seeking to identify sources capable of providing professional services in the form of program management, exercise control, limited instrumentation support, coordination of Battlefield Effects (BFE) and staff support to the Army National Guard's (ARNG) Combat Readiness Exercise (CRX) Program. The contractor shall provide: Program Management Exercise Control Instrumentation and Communication Battlefield Effects Emergent Threat Integration The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement. PROGRAM BACKGROUND The CRX Program is a critical initiative designed to enhance the readiness and operational effectiveness of ARNG Brigades. This program culminates home-station training strategies by delivering rigorous, integrated force-on-force training events that prepare Brigades for future readiness-building objectives or operational deployments. The CRX program supports the training of up to five Brigades annually across multiple regional home-station locations, with the capability to train two Brigades simultaneously within the same timeframe. Each 15-day rotation features a multi-echelon exercise, integrating sourced enablers, and focuses on achieving Brigade T-Level 3 (T3) proficiency through practical application at the Brigade and Battalion staff. The program is structured into two distinct models: CRX A, which focuses on Combat Training Center (CTC) bound units in training year two, and CRX B, which supports units in training year three. All rotations are conducted regionally within a fully instrumented Decisive Action Training Environment (DATE) to replicate the complexities of Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). These exercises evaluate everything from operational, tactical and leadership skills to staff processes, and the effectiveness of communication systems in a contested environment. Brigades are expected to execute Reception Staging Onward Movement, Integration (RSOI), Platoon Situational Tactical Exercises (STX), Leadership Training Program (LTP), Platoon and Company Field Training Exercise (FTX) with mission command at Echelon, Reverse Reception Staging Onward Movement, and Integration (RRSOI). The program is centered around five lines of effort: Rotational Design (RD), Operational Environment (OE), Instrumentation, Training Aids, Devices, Simulators, and Simulations (ITADSS), Operational Readiness, and Reporting (ORR). The contractor should have a thorough understanding of Infantry, Stryker, and Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) readiness, academics, Command Post Exercise (CPX), Field Training Exercise (FTX), Observer Coach/Trainer (OC/T), Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration (RSOI), Event Life Cycle (ELC) events, Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), Opposing Forces (OPFOR) integration, exercise reporting, readiness partner integration, rotational training unit selection, enablers, commodities, exercise capabilities, Distinguished Visitors (DV), and senior trainer role. Program Management. Provide the Army National Guard Collective Training (ARNG-TRC) branch with a high level of organization, strategic planning, and support to the CRX Program Manager. The ability to orchestrate numerous teams, resources, and logistics while adhering to a strict timeline necessitates a systematic and demanding approach. The Program Management Office (PMO) shall establish clear objectives, delineate roles and responsibilities, and create comprehensive workflows to ensure seamless operation throughout the ELC through the After-Action Reviews (AARs) culmination. Effective communication and availability to the CRX Program Manager is the core of managing such exercises, as it is essential to synchronize the efforts of cross-functional teams and external stakeholders. Risk management strategies must be identified and mitigated for potential issues before they escalate. Additionally, data-driven analysis is critical to decision-making and continuous process improvements to adapt to changing circumstances and optimize performance. A highly detailed quality control plan with feedback mechanisms will enable effective program management. Tools and technologies must be established to track real-time progress, ensuring tasks are executed on time to complete projects and objectives successfully. Specifically, the PMO shall provide real-time oversight through commander dashboards, equipment dashboards, rotational training unit readiness dashboards, and exercise dashboards. Provide the ARNG-TRC branch with high-level organization, strategic planning, and operational support to the CRX Program Manager. The execution of this mission demands exceptional coordination of teams, resources, and logistics within strict timelines, requiring a systematic and results-driven approach. The PMO shall establish clear objectives, define roles and responsibilities, and develop comprehensive workflows to ensure seamless operations throughout the Event Life Cycle, culminating in the delivery of AAR's. Central to this effort is maintaining effective communication and availability to the CRX Program Manager, ensuring synchronized efforts across cross-functional teams and external stakeholders. Proactive risk management will be essential, with strategies developed to identify and mitigate potential issues before they arise. Furthermore, data-driven analysis will underpin decision-making and continuous process improvements, enabling the program to adapt to changing circumstances and achieve optimal performance. A Management Information System (MIS) coupled with a detailed quality control plan, including robust feedback mechanisms, will be critical for successful program execution. Advanced tools and technologies must be implemented to provide real-time oversight and track progress effectively. These include commander dashboards, equipment dashboards, rotational training unit readiness dashboards, and exercise dashboards. By leveraging these capabilities, the PMO shall ensure timely task execution, operational efficiency, and achievement of program objectives. Exercise control. The contractor shall provide an exercise control system with dedicated teams for orchestrating realistic training scenarios, effect real-time adjustments, and provide oversight of all exercise objectives. These teams must oversee the entire ELC, typically 36 months, through current and subsequent year planning efforts. Exercise design and training scenarios shall be challenging to the Brigade while ensuring safety and compliance with the established rules of engagement during rotation execution. Must be able to balance structure and flexibility, allowing the Brigade to react to Live, Virtual, Constructive Integrating Architectures (LVC-IA) using threats and make decisions that align with the rotational training objectives. Ideally, the centralized system shall integrate video feeds and sensors that provide environmental conditions that trigger specific events. Optimal characteristics of the exercise control system are government solutions with Common Training Instrumentation Architecture (CTIA) compliance. Contractor teams must be able to monitor the progress of the Brigade and provide timely feedback. The system's core function will be to assist in the creation and development of AARs to evaluate performance and identify ways to improve training outcomes. The contractor teams must be able to monitor the training progress of the Brigade and provide timely feedback. Teams must be able to validate capabilities and readiness but also enhance operational cohesion and decision-making skills in a contested environment. The system must display rotational information (dashboards or windows) in near real-time. This information will allow for the management and re-direction of training resources as necessary to ensure rotational training objectives are satisfied. Due consideration should be given to the infrastructure and logistical requirements for the exercise control system requirements. Instrumentation and Communication. The contractor shall provide a basic tracking system for instrumentation purposes, including video integration capability to develop and assist in creating AARs products. The system will monitor the Brigade and its enablers in real-time with instrumentation requirements at select Staff Sergeant (SSG/E-6) leaders and above level. The ideal system should be able to integrate planning tools and communication platforms. Instrumentation capacity will support up to two Brigades simultaneously at disparate training locations. The contractor shall provide an administrative network for non-tactical communication between the rotation functional entities. The communication network focuses on safety considerations and administrative requirements throughout the rotation. Battlefield Effects. Simulate realistic battlefield effects within the rotation to create an immersive effect on the Brigade in a contested training environment. These effects must mimic the sights, sounds, and smells experienced during actual combat, psychologically conditioning and preparing the Brigade for future exercises or mobilizations. Teams should consider using controlled pyrotechnics and explosives to replicate ordinance detonations, smoke machines, or fog generators to recreate obscured visibility and sound systems that project the cacophony of gunfire, explosions, and vehicle movements. These effects must be coordinated with the exercise control team to support varying tactical scenarios, emphasizing realism while maintaining safe training parameters. Additional battlefield effects may include the integration of drones, cyber, electronic warfare effects, and nascent threat capabilities. Emergent Threat Integration. The contractor shall integrate emergent threats to prepare the Brigade for the dynamic environment. Current evolving threats, from cyber warfare and unmanned systems to hybrid warfare tactics and information operations, require a multidimensional approach to live, virtual, and constructive scenario planning. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: 1. All capability statements sent in response to this announcement must be submitted electronically (via email) to the Contract Specialist identified below. 2. Responses shall include documentation of technical expertise and capability in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary functional area expertise and experience to compete for this acquisition. Additionally, respondents shall include information on current customers using their system. Customer information shall consist of the Customer/Agency name, address, point of contact name and phone number, and number of users and locations fielded for that customer. 3. It is imperative that business concerns responding to this announcement articulate their capabilities clearly and adequately; if not capable of performing individual tasks or aspects of the functions described, describe the specific elements of the proposed requirement that would prevent or limit your capability to perform. 4. Can you provide a detailed overview of a recent example of your experience designing and facilitating large-scale collective training exercises for military organizations? 5. What is your approach to creating realistic and challenging training scenarios that accurately simulate force-on-force in contested operational environments? Please provide a recent example. 6. How do you ensure the safety and well-being of participants during the high-intensity and complex nature of these training exercises? Provide specific recent examples. 7. Could you describe how your exercises incorporate the latest military tactics, techniques, and procedures to provide up-to-date training for military personnel? Provide a recent example. 8. What measures do you take to assess and provide feedback on the effectiveness of the training and the performance of participants during these exercises? Include examples of providing a Common Operating Picture (COP) display for similar exercises. 9. How do you tailor your training exercises to accommodate varying skill levels and roles of participating organizations? Provide specific examples. 10. Describe how you have integrated technology such as simulations, virtual reality, and training enablers into your exercises to enhance learning and readiness. 11. Outline your logistics and planning process for managing and executing exercises, including detailed coordination with organizations, enablers, installations, and facilities. 12. How does your team scale and adapt training exercises to meet the evolving needs, size, and complexity of participating in organizations? 13. Provide examples or case studies where your training exercises have resulted in measurable organizational readiness and capabilities improvements. 14. What recent relevant performance (past five years) and current work experience does your company have in delivering programs of similar type, complexity, and scope? Include your role as a prime or subcontractor and your specific contributions. 15. How does your company's approach to managing functional areas increase efficiency, reduce costs, maintain high-quality training, and mitigate program risks? 16. What risk management strategies do you employ to proactively identify, mitigate, and resolve potential challenges during training exercises? 17. How does your company continuously utilize data-driven analysis and feedback to improve and optimize training programs? Provide examples of implemented improvements. 18. Describe your company's approach to After-Action Reviews (AARs) to ensure meaningful insights and actionable outcomes for participants. 19. What tools and technologies does your company leverage to provide real-time oversight and progress tracking, such as dashboards for commanders, equipment, readiness, and exercises? 20. How do you balance program efficiency with the need to create dynamic, realistic, and practical training environments? 21. How does your organization remain agile in responding to evolving training requirements or operational environment changes? 22. Describe your company's ability to manage concurrent training exercises at multiple regional locations and ensure seamless execution. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 23. Do you intend to submit a proposal if an Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued? If yes, would you propose as a prime contractor or subcontractor? 24. A statement indicating if your firm is a large or small business under NAICS code 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services); if small business, please indicate any applicable socio-economic status [i.e., 8a, Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), HUBZone, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)]. 25. If you plan on subcontracting to other companies in order to deliver technical capability, please provide details on exactly which tasks will be assigned to those subcontractors. *NOTE (LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING): If you are a small business interested in being the prime contractor for this effort, please be advised that FAR clause 52.219-14 (Limitations on Subcontracting) (DEVIATION 2021-O0008) was updated in September 2021. The current clause adds the definition of - Similarly Situated Entity and the 50% calculation for compliance with the clause. Small business prime contractors may now count - first tier subcontractor work performed by a - Similarly Situated Entity as if it were performed by the prime contractor itself. To assist in our market research and set-aside determination for this effort, if you are a small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize a - Similarly Situated Entity to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting requirements, please identify the name & Unique Entity ID/CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their SB size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding any planned - Similarly Situated Entity should be included in answering any questions outlined in the SSN in order to assist the Government's capability determination. 26. What methods does your company employ to ensure compliance with all government regulations and requirements during training exercises? 27. How does your organization develop and maintain strong partnerships with other stakeholders to enhance collaboration and coordination during exercises? 28. What innovative solutions or processes does your company bring to this program to improve outcomes, increase efficiency, or reduce costs? CONFIDENTIALITY: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary information in any resultant solicitation(s). DISCLAIMER: This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It shall not be considered an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Your response to this notice is strictly voluntary and will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise due to the contractor's submission of responses to this notice or the Government's use of such information. This Request for Information is not tied to any current request for proposal. Not responding to this notification does not preclude participation in any future request for proposal or other solicitation, if any is issued. The information provided in this notice is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this notice. Feedback and evaluation information will not be provided to any firm regarding their capability statements. 29. See Attch 1 CRX Question 29 in attachments