Depot Level Support for the F/A-18 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP)

This announcement constitutes a Sources Sought for planning purposes. This is NOT a Request for Proposals (RFP). NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS EXIST AT THIS TIME. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and PMA265 have established the requirements baseline for the F/A-18 A/B/C/D Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). The intent of this SOURCES SOUGHT is to conduct market research to determine if commercial Depot Level Maintenance and Engineering support facilities are available to support the Government's SLEP requirements. Background: The F/A-18 A/B/C/D Service Life Assessment Program (SLAP) analyzed the airframe to determine if United States Navy (USN) life extension goals for the 634 aircraft fleet are achievable. Many of the locations analyzed had fatigue lives less than the USN goal of 10,000 Flight Hours (FH) and require inspections, repairs and modifications. The USN SLEP program is designed to introduce High Flight Hour (HFH) inspections, repairs and SLEP modifications to the F/A-18 A/B/C/D airframe. The USN currently conducts inspections of F/A-18 A/B/C/D aircraft as they reach 8,000 FH as required by the HFH bulletin suite. Numerous stand alone bulletins also exist to manage and maintain airframe structural integrity. It is anticipated that the scope of the HFH and stand alone inspections will be increased as a result of the SLEP Programs. Scope: In an effort to assess current industry capabilities, PMA265 has sponsored an Analysis of Options (AoO) to perform an Inspection, Repair and Modifications conceptual study looking at alternative Depot Level Maintenance and Engineering support solutions for as many as 30 aircraft per year. To support the AoO, a market survey is being conducted to obtain information regarding industry solutions to satisfy PMA265 requirements. As a top level summary of required Depot Level Maintenance support and sustainment capabilities, the Depot Level Maintenance support and sustainment should be capable of meeting the following requirements: Comprehensive disassembly, nondestructive testing, and inspection of forward, center, and aft fuselages, nacelles, inner wings, outer wings, vertical stabilators, Leading Edge Extensions (LEX), and aircraft systems / subsystems (including dynamic assemblies) and related aircraft components to assess severity of damage resulting from operational fatigue, the environment, maintenance, repair actions, and manufacturing defects. Aircraft systems / subsystems and related components include, but are not limited to: Landing, Arrestment and Catapult; Aircrew; Hydraulic; Avionics; Environmental Control; Flight Control; Fuel and Aerial Refueling; and Power Distribution / Electrical Power and Lighting. Rework of existing aviation end items, systems, and components; manufacture of items and component parts otherwise not available; and services functions which include aircraft systems testing, professional engineering, technology, and calibration services. Rework that is comprised of maintenance and modification functions: Maintenance functions are those functions required to maintain or restore the inherent designed service levels of performance, reliability, and material condition; they span complete rebuild through reclamation, refurbishment, overhaul, repair, replacement, adjustment, servicing, and replacement of system consumables. They also include inspection, calibration, and testing. Modification functions are those functions required to change or improve design levels of performance, reliability, and material condition. The term modification, as used, includes alteration, conversion, engineering change, modernization, etc. Engineering functions such as: Research and Development; System Engineering; Process Engineering; Modeling, Simulation, Stimulation, and Analysis; Prototyping, Pre-Production, and Fabrication; System Design Documentation and Technical Data Support; Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability; Human Factors, Performance, and Usability; System Safety; Interoperability, Test, and Evaluation; Measurement Facilities, Range, and Instrumentation; In-Service Engineering and Fleet Introduction; and Program Support. In-house engineering capabilities to provide Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) structural analysis, design, drafting, modeling, and manufacturing to support airframe life assessment, airframe repair development, and full life modifications of aircraft structural components such as bulkheads, nacelles, formers, longerons, webs, wing spars, ribs, fairings and skins. In-Service Engineering (ISE) Technical Support capabilities to provide, but not limited to, writing and developing Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) and Technical Directives (TDs), and developing and maintaining detailed retrofit drawings and source data packages. Mobile AUtomated Scanner (MAUS)-V (five) inspections, Non-Destructive Inspections (NDI), Hazardous Material Control and Management, Foreign Object Damage prevention, Tool Control, Corrosion Prevention and Control, Fuel Surveillance, Tire and Wheel maintenance, Launch and Recovery, Weight & Balance, aircraft paint, aircraft wash, removal and reinstallation of canopies, windscreens, ejection seats and engines, and Preservation protection (long and short term) sufficient to prevent corrosion, deterioration, or decay of a period of up to one year. Administrative actions that include but are not limited to: Aircraft Logs and Records entry / update, tracking and documenting flight hours, calendar time, component cycles, catapults, traps, total landings and all work performed on F/A-18 A/B/C/D aircraft, sub-assemblies, and components undergoing repair, modification, or overhaul as required. OPSEC protection for all classified and sensitive information. Security policy, procedures, and requirements for classified information are provided in DOD Manual 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM). Telecommunications security in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Clause 252.239-7016, as appropriate. Compliance with OPNAVINST 4790.2A w/ Change 2 (dated 10 November 2009) Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) and NAVAIR 00-25-300 Naval Air Systems Command Technical Directives System. Some companies may only have a portion of the potential solution. Responding parties must submit any questions in writing pertaining to this notice no later than 5:00 PM EST November 24, 2010 to Ms. Melanie Bateman at melanie.bateman@navy.mil and Ms. Mallory Roche at mallory.roche@navy.mil. The responses to any questions received by this date will be posted at: http://www.navair.navy.mil/doing business/open solicitations/. All Statements of interest should include the following additional data: 1. Company name, address, point of contact (POC), telephone number, fax number, email address to contact for any necessary clarification, to receive additional information, for additional data required by the analysis, and for information on any necessary non-disclosure agreements. 2. Company's business size, to include number of employees and number of years in the industry. 3. Applicable business size and/or socioeconomic statuses (i.e. Large Business, Small Business, Emerging Small Business, SBA Certified 8A Program Participant, SBA Certified HUB Zone Firm, Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Veteran Owned Business, Woman Owned Business). Note: Small businesses that possess the required capability are encouraged to submit responses to this notice. 4. Possible teaming arrangements and delineation between the work that will be accomplished by the prime and the work accomplished by teaming partners. 5. Description of company's concept(s) for meeting the top level required system capabilities listed at the beginning of this SOURCES SOUGHT. 6. Existing support and/or maintenance philosophies. 7. Description of type(s) of engineering work that is subcontracted. 8. Surge capability to provide a significant increase in support (e.g. rapidly identify, equip and employ resources) in the event of a surge in number, size, or complexity of projects. 9. Description of Depot Level Maintenance and Engineering support as well as Supply Chain sustainment experience on F/A-18 series aircraft, and existing customers. 10. Company's ability to manage and secure up to SECRET information. 11. Description of certified AS/ISO Quality standards. 12. Manufacturing capabilities. 13. Description of facilities and equipment possessed to be able to perform capabilities and functions listed at the beginning of this Sources Sought to include requirements for USN Common and / or Peculiar Support Equipment. 14. Experience with documentation of Aircraft Logs and Records entries / updates, and tracking and documenting flight related data such as Catapults, traps, Landings, etc. Send final responses to: Naval Air Systems Command, AIR 2.2.3.1.7, M. Roche Bldg 2272, Room 453 47123 Buse Road Patuxent River, MD 20670-1547 Responding parties are requested to provide one hardcopy, no more than 50 pages, and one CD ROM. The electronic copy of your response must be in Microsoft Word 2003 or Adobe Acrobat 8.0 readable format. Final responses to the above requested unclassified data must be received no later than 5:00 PM EST November 24, 2010. NOTE: Please limit your response to related efforts no older than the past 10 years. This Sources Sought is issued for the purpose of determining market interest, feasibility, and capability of sources and does not constitute an Invitation for Bids (IFB), a Request for Proposals (RFP), a Request for Quotes (RFQ) or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services contained in this notice. The Government is only seeking possible sources and information for the AoO and future needs. No solicitation document exists. However, respondents to this Sources Sought will not be excluded from consideration for contract participation in any potential follow-on activity. All information received in response to this notice that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to this notice will not be returned. No reimbursement will be made for any costs to provide, develop, or relay information in response to this announcement or any follow-up information requests. Information contained herein is based on the best information available at the time of publication, is subject to revision, and is not binding upon the Government. Availability of formal solicitation, if any will be announced under a separate Federal Business Opportunities announcement. If a reponse was sent in regards to Sources Sought N00019-10-P1-ZA176, no response is required.