COTS/Non-Developmental Item (NDI) training system for the VMR2 Minehound handheld mine detector

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY This request for information (RFI) is issued for the purpose of soliciting from industry the availability of Commercial-Off-The Shelf (COTS) training systems for the Vallon VMR2 Minehound dual sensor handheld mine detector. Responses to this RFI are strictly voluntary and will be used solely for market research to determine the availability of training systems to improve VMR2 Minehound operator performance, associated recurring and non-recurring costs of those systems, sustainment requirements, and the presence of competition. 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 to payment by the Government of direct or indirect costs or charges will arise as a result of the submission of information in response to this RFI. 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. GENERAL INFORMATION. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) Program Manager Combat Support Systems (PM CSS) is seeking to identify sources capable of manufacturing a COTS/Non-Developmental Item (NDI) training system for the VMR2 Minehound handheld mine detector. This training system will be primary used by the Combat Engineer and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) communities. Currently, no less than 40 hours of entry-level training are devoted to developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for proper employment of the VMR2 Minehound. Once acquired, these skills remain highly perishable and require sustainment training to maintain proficiency. Proposed training systems must improve operator performance and aptitude with the system interfaces while concurrently supporting skills retention. The training system will also support entry-level and sustainment training by providing a flexible, effective, and accessible means to deliver instruction on fundamental operating principles of the system, build fluency on the mechanics (e.g. sweep form, sweep speed, pinpointing, etc.), as well as improve operator confidence. The training system should be mobile and transportable to provide training opportunities in garrison, underway aboard a naval vessel, or forward-deployed. Additionally, the training system must differentiate in a synthetic training environment how the Minehound responds to varying current and emerging explosive threats that are buried in typical soil conditions. Correspondingly, the training system must also be upgradeable to account for the changing complexity, dimensions, composition, etc. of emerging explosive threats. Last, the training system must record and provide feedback in a visual format that quantifies operator performance and indicates operator strengths and weaknesses to ensure clear understanding of current operator performance and recommend methods to improve performance. Sources capable of satisfying the above requirements should submit a response with capability statements and expressions of interest that provide the Government with sufficient information to determine actual capability. At a minimum, this information should include the following: (a) identification of your company or organization to include business size by NAICS and company CAGE code, (b) your company's or organization's assertion of its existing and available capability to meet the proposed requirements, (c) business, contracts, and/or marketing office points of contact information, (d) cost information, to include any recurring and sustainment costs, and (e) any additional information that may be useful to the successful procurement of the training system, if solicited. Those expressing interest shall adhere to a fifteen (15) page submission limit, plus commercial marketing information or web links and all should be submitted via mail to the below: Additional Info: Please provide your information via U.S. Mail NLT 21 February 2014 Contracting Office Address: Program Manager Combat Support Systems (PM CSS) Attn: Stasia Baker 2200 Lester Street Quantico, Virginia 22134-5010 Point of Contact(s): Contract Specialist - Ms. Stasia Baker, stasia.baker@usmc.mil and Jarrett Faulkner, jarrett.g.faulkner1@usmc.mil. This sources sought is the initiation of market research under Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and is not a Request for Proposals (RFP). No solicitation document exists at this time. Issuance of this notice does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure these items or to issue a solicitation. In addition, the Government is under no obligation to pay for information submitted in response to this notice, and responses to this notice cannot be accepted as offers.