FY28-33 AEGIS Weapon System (AWS) MK99 Fire Control System (FCS) Mod X

UPDATE 8/22: Government responses to Industry Day questions held on 7/23. ________________________ UPDATE 6/27: The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWCCD), and Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS), will be hosting an Industry Day for its upcoming FY28-33 AEGIS Weapon Systems (AWS) MK99 Fire Control System (FCS) Mod X requirement on Tuesday, the 23rd of July 2024 at NSWCCD in Crane, IN.. The Industry Day will consist of an overview of AEGIS MK99 requirements which include the redesign, qualification and production of the below-deck equipment of the existing MK 99 FCS for new construction DDG 51 ships. There will also be a question and answer period. Additionally, attendees will be afforded the opportunity to have one-on-one breakout meetings with the requiring activity and SEA 02 contracts. The information provided is for planning purposes and is subject to change. Interested parties shall notify the Government of its intent to attend the industry day by 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Wednesday, 17 July 2024 via email to the point of contact listed in this posting. The email shall specify: The names, titles, and email addresses for all planned attendees Whether your interest in this requirement is as a prime or subcontractor Information required to support access to the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) (CAGE code and a copy of your DD 2345 if not already provided) Whether you would like your company name, cage code, and point of contact's information shared with all other attendees. If yes, please specify at least one POC from your company. Optional: Any initial questions/feedback you have or anything you would like addressed during the industry day for the Government to consider in advance of industry day ------------------------------------- INITIAL POSTING: This is a Request for Information (RFI) as defined in FAR 15.201(e). The Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) are conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess the capability to modernize and redesign components of the AEGIS Weapon System (AWS) MK99 Fire Control System (FCS), herein called MK99 Mod X FCS. The requirements include the redesign, qualification and production of the below-deck equipment of the existing MK 99 FCS for new construction DDG 51 ships procured in Fiscal Year (FY) 2028 to 2033. The below-deck equipment currently consists of: T1348/SPG Radar Transmitter, MK200 Mod 0/1 Director Controller, MK15 Mod 1 Data Converter Cabinets, and MK666 Continuous Wave Illuminator, Narrow Band Noise Test Set. The modernized and redesigned below-deck equipment requirements include the following: Design and qualification of a (a) solid-state transmitter to replace existing microwave tubes and (b) digital oscillator to replace the Stabilized Master Oscillator (STAMO) while maintaining or exceeding existing functionality and performance, Design of the below-deck equipment to maintain existing interfaces to the SPG-62/MK82 topside antenna and director as well as digitizing the FCS loop from the current antiquated analog MK200 system (largely unchanged since 1992), Design of the suite of below-deck equipment for retrofit to the existing Aegis fleet with minimal interface changes and minimal impacts to existing cables and ship services (i.e. power, cooling, electrical, etc.), and Capability to manufacture and deliver equipment that meets future new construction DDG 51 shipbuilding delivery dates, minimum production rate of one (1) below deck system every 4 months. The scope of work requires direct, or similar experience to, the design, qualification, life-cycle engineering, and production of the below-deck equipment for the AWS MK 99 Mod X FCS. Due to the nature of this requirement, prospective offerors must demonstrate the required level of design and technical expertise, a responsive and stable supplier base, as well as the ability to furnish and maintain the required engineering test sites, special test equipment, and special tooling necessary. The prospective offerors must also demonstrate the ability to develop and update a Technical Data Package (TDP). The anticipated contract will provide for estimated delivery of ten (10) MK 99 Mod X FCS below-deck equipment sets for new construction United States Navy (USN) DDG 51, with additional units possible for additional USN and international ship classes. Assuming a projected November 2025 award, prospective offerors shall provide a proposed schedule for the design, production, assembly, test, qualification, and delivery of a MK 99 Mod X FCS below-deck equipment Engineering Development Model (EDM) set. The completion date for the required EDM environmental qualification test is estimated for June 2029. Interested parties shall address the following in the RFI submission: 1. Company Information: a. Provide company name, address, DUNS number, NAICS Code, CAGE code, tax identification number, designated representative name(s) and point of contact, including phone numbers and e-mail addresses. b. Provide number of employees employed by company, and annual revenue/receipts for the last three (3) completed company fiscal years. c. Identify contracts within the last five (5) years with similar size and scope to the MK99 FCS below-deck equipment design and production requirements and provide brief overview of company responsibilities. d. Provide current clearance level and capabilities of personnel and facilities. e. If a small business, identify type of small business (e.g. 8(a), Hubzone, service-disabled veteran-owned, economically disadvantaged women-owned, or women-owned). 2. Required Experience and Performance Capability: a. Engineering, Design and System Qualification The Navy is interested in industry capabilities and experience in providing design through qualification for the MK99 Mod X FCS. To that end, industry responses shall describe prior experience in designing, prototyping, and full-rate production of a high power illumination system to interface with a mechanically steered director/antenna. Additionally, the responses should highlight engineering and qualification challenges overcome within their prior efforts. Industry should describe the role of Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to achieve a digital Technical Data Package (TDP) to enable the Navy to move into an easily maintained digital-based performance, design and production environment. Industry should identify prior experience in creating engineering artifacts needed to support the MK99 Mod X FCS development to include systems engineering approach, developing concept design documents, design and production design drawings, implementing standard mechanical and electrical interfaces, and approach to Product and Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) Drawings and Associated Lists. Industry should describe approaches to modular cabinet and system configurations that may enable a move towards hatchable and readily upgradable electronic systems for the future. Industry should describe prior working relationships with shipbuilders and/or shipyards to develop Interface Control Drawings (ICDs), Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs), and shipboard test schedules that will enable MK99 Mod X FCS installation in new construction and retrofit programs. Industry should describe prior efforts in Environmental Qualification Testing (EQT) planning and execution to qualify shipboard equipment for shock, vibration, power, airborne noise, electromagnetic interference, temperature, and humidity. As the Navy intends the redesign of the below deck equipment to be functionally equivalent or better than the current design, Industry should describe approaches and challenges required to: Interface with existing ship services (electrical, mechanical, cooling), Methods and techniques for interfacing with existing waveguides to the MK 99 director, and approaches for embedded test and calibration functionality to limit requirements for special test equipment (STE) to eliminate need for a dedicated test set (currently the MK666). Finally, Industry should provide experience in extending MBSE to meet the Navy's drive toward digital technical manuals and automated monitoring of the MK 99 Mod X FCS. Industry experience with embedded user and maintenance training interests the Navy to streamline future fleet and sailor training. b. Design for Retrofit of Existing MK99 FCS The Navy is interested in industry concepts and approaches that enable retrofit to existing MK99 FCS installations aboard DDG 51 Class ships, development and tactical sites, and international ships. The Navy is particularly interested in approaches that minimize requirements for wholesale cabinet rip-out and installation to include man-portable modular electronic components, hatchable equipment enclosure architectures, and mechanical/electrical compatibility with existing ship services and cables. c. Production Capability The Navy desires Industry to discuss prior production programs for systems similar in size and scope to the MK99 Mod X FCS below deck equipment. The Navy, facing significant impacts with supply chain from the COVID-19 pandemic, is interested in Industry's success in overcoming supply chain issues and prior successful efforts in mitigating supply chain issues through form-fit-function component selection and qualification. Industry should describe specific efforts and successes in supply chain management and quality assurance approaches to prevent introduction of counterfeit components into Navy systems. Industry should describe current production capacity available for this program and address any start-up challenges in delivering an EDM for qualification by June 2029 and subsequent deliveries every four (4) months. d. Contracts and Finances PEO IWS envisions a competitive solicitation involving the following contract types and seeks industry comments on alternatives to include performance or delivery schedule incentives. Cost plus fixed fee for engineering services and production of EDM for system qualification Firm fixed price material procurement Firm fixed price full-rate production orders The Navy is also keenly interested in industry experience with non-Federal Acquisition Regulation (non-FAR) based development and EDM contracting options that could reduce the development timeline for faster deployment of the MK 99 Mod X FCS. Finally, the Navy requests industry identify any financial terms and/or conditions required to satisfy the design, qualification and production of the MK99 Mod X FCS. 3. Barriers to Competition Please identify any obstacles to competition in the areas of engineering processes, production facilities, test facilities, or scope of work that would hinder or restrict the company's involvement in possible future competitive development efforts. In addition, the company should recommend solutions or mitigation paths for the Navy to overcome the obstacles. Background Technical Data on existing MK 99 FCS below-deck equipment Portions of the Navy's existing MK99 FCS space arrangement drawings and TDP are available to interested U.S. companies upon request and approval to support developing responses to this RFI. The space arrangement drawings and TDP are marked Distribution Statement D. To obtain GFI, interested companies shall provide a current copy of their approved DD Form 2345, Military Critical Technical Data Agreement verifying eligibility and authority to receive export controlled information. In addition, interested companies must complete the Government Furnished Information (GFI) Request Form - Attachment 1 and the Terms of Use Agreement - Attachment 2, attached to this RFI. The GFI Request Form, DD Form 2345, and the completed Terms of Use Agreement shall be submitted via email to the contracting officer, robert.j.larkin25.civ@us.navy.mil, and the contract specialist, kathleen.t.dwyer.civ@us.navy.mil. Please make the request within fifteen (15) days of this posting. Due to the size of the files, the files will be distributed via Reference Library link to approved parties. Once the Government has verified the submitted documents a secure download link will be provided to the designated company representative. NOTE: RFI responses are limited to 20 pages or less, 1 inch margins, and 10 point Times New Roman font or larger. Charts, graphs, or other images may be included and will be considered part of the 20 page limitation cited above. Industry shall possess a facility security clearance level of SECRET. The Navy is conducting market research to identify qualified and responsible sources that may be interested in the requirements described in this notice. This RFI is issued for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or a Request for Quote (RFQ). This RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Follow-up questions may be asked of responders for clarification, but this will not indicate a selection or preference. As such, the Government will not reimburse any costs associated with responding to this notice. Information submitted in response to this RFI will become the property of the United States Government. Submitters should properly mark their responses with the appropriate restrictive markings. Information that is proprietary or competition-sensitive may be protected from disclosure under the public records law only if properly labeled as such. RFI Responses: Interested companies should provide a response within 30 days of the RFI posting on SAM.gov. Responses should indicate enough detail so that potential Navy interest can be assessed. Each submission should include one electronic (virus scanned) copy sent via e-mail to the contracting officer, robert.j.larkin25.civ@us.navy.mil, and the contract specialist, kathleen.t.dwyer.civ@us.navy.mil. Acceptable formats include Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint files. Please include the RFI Title and RFI number in the subject of the e-mail. Questions regarding this RFI, the provided GFI, or the requested responses should be submitted with the Question Submittal Form - Attachment 3 and sent via email to the contracting officer, and the contract specialist listed above. Respondents are advised that Johns Hopkins Applied Physical Laboratory, Tech Marine-Business, Inc., Pioneering Evolution, LLC., and International Systems Management Corp., third party support contractors providing support to PEO IWS, may assist the government in its review of responses received under this notice and therefore may have access to the submitted material. These contractors have executed Non-Disclosure Agreements with the Department of the Navy. Respondent shall provide information on its cover page if the Respondent does not consent to the use of the aforementioned contractors. Unless otherwise stated by the Respondent, a submission received in response to this notice constitutes a Respondent's consent for the Government to disclose all information provided in the Respondent's submission to the above-mentioned third-party support contractors, for the purposes of the Trade Secrets Act.