HSNR Modification Procurement and Integration

Contracting Office Address: Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command - Redstone, Air and Missile Defense Directorate, CCAM-SM-B; Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898, UNITED STATES Description of Action THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE AVAILABLE. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this request for information nor will the Government compensate the respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information for the Government. Any request for copies of solicitations will not be addressed since this is a request for information, not a request for proposal. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP. Any comments provided may or may not be included in a formal solicitation. The Government will not release any information marked with a proprietary legend received in response to this RFI to any firms, agencies or individuals outside the Government without written permission in accordance with the legend. Respondents may provide information on any currently available product or service that meets the Army's requirements. Format of Submissions/Point of Contact To be considered, responses to this RFI shall be submitted no later than 20 December, 2017 to: Terry Carter and Alisha R. King Building 5250 Martin Road Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898 Submissions or questions may also be sent electronically to: terry.carter5.civ@mail.mil and alisha.r.king.civ@mail.mil. All information in responses shall be unclassified. The response format shall be data files either emailed or on a CD. White papers shall be limited to twelve pages with two additional pages for technical drawings. Acknowledgment of receipt of white papers will not be made and white papers will not be returned. Data Requested Specifically, this announcement is looking for experience/expertise in the insertion of an improved secure communications capability for the existing Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (RAM) Warn system. RAM Warn's primary mission is to alert U.S. forces of enemy Indirect Fire (IDF) attacks. IDF attacks comprise a significant portion of all Soldier casualties. The current communications capability, which is comprised of a commercial wireless mesh net radio with in-line encryption devices, is facing obsolescence. The C-RAM Program Directorate seeks to modify the existing fielded RAM Warn Brigade Combat Team (BCT) architecture with an enhanced secure network communications capability that provides an embedded encryption feature, which reduces system footprint and physical security requirements, and simplifies training and setup procedures. This effort will require wireless radio modification kit production, integration of wireless radio modification kits into the existing RAM Warn BCT architecture, and functional/technical support, to include fielding and training of the system modification at the unit locations. Insertion of the enhanced secure network communications capability into the existing RAM Warn BCT architecture will require in-depth knowledge of the interfaces with the Army's Air Defense Airspace Management (ADAM) and Field Artillery Radars currently fielded. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) must possess the technical and engineering expertise to connect RAM Warn from the radars using wireless mesh net radios to the Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar Command and Control (C-RAM C2) capability in the ADAM at the Brigade Tactical Operations Center (BDE TOC). At the BDE TOC, the SMEs must be knowledgeable to configure the wireless mesh net radios with the C-RAM C2 such that the warn data, Point of Origin (POO) and Point of Impact (POI) is displayed on the C-RAM C2 screen. As such, properly collated/fused data within C-RAM C2 activates the warn towers and indoor nodes within the BCT's area of responsibility, alerting personnel of incoming Indirect Fire (IDF) threats. At the BDE TOC, C-RAM C2 must be configured such that the operator will be able to view the health and status of the wireless radio mesh network and take appropriate steps. At the Firefinder radars, the SMEs must be able to configure and integrate AN/TPQ-36, AN/TPQ-37, and AN/TPQ-53 radars and the mesh net radios. For the Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar, the SMEs must configure and integrate the mesh net radios. In all cases, the SMEs must complete the integration at the sensor end, and continue to array the mesh network until the link is established and operational with the BDE TOC C-RAM C2. Additionally, SME support is required to accomplish fielding and training support at the unit locations to include equipment inventory, property book transfer, delta Systems Integration and Check Out (SICO), and delta New Equipment Training (NET). SME support is also required for Information Assurance (IA)/Cybersecurity requirements in regards to system design and interfaces between RAM Warn, C-RAM C2 within the ADAM, and fielded radar systems. All SME personnel must have tactical operational knowledge of the RAM Warn hardware/software/firmware and associated software systems residing in the ADAM and/or Field Artillery Radars. Additionally, SME support is required to provide other functional services such as Configuration Management (CM), Data Management (DM), and Quality Assurance/Product Assurance (QA/PA). Support required for insertion of an enhanced secure network communications capability for RAM Warn includes the following major end item and subsystems: 1. Fielded Air Defense Airspace Management (ADAM) Cell. 2. Fielded Radars. 3. Fielded RAM Warn subsystems. Firms should identify their management approach in the identification and selection of personnel to provide the desired outcome. Initial training of personnel to perform the desired support will not be authorized on any resultant contract. All proprietary material should be clearly marked and will be held in the strictest confidence. At a minimum, the white paper shall address four areas: the submitter's expertise within the domain, the technical approach, personnel approach, and a summary of expertise and experience. Provide a statement on how the following key attributes will be met: 1. Personnel Availability - discuss the approach for identifying, recruiting and selecting personnel to provide the desired support. 2. Personnel Selection - discuss the approach, including prerequisite qualifications, for determining the selection of personnel to perform the desired support. Identify the experience and education attributes to be used in selecting personnel. 3. Key personnel - discuss approach for the identification of key personnel and defining their duties and responsibilities. 4. Assignment location - discuss the approach for identifying and selecting personnel with the necessary qualifications for assignments at multiple locations. 5. Management - discuss the management approach to be used to organize and control a system to provide the desired product and services. 6. Other Clients - discuss the major clients to whom you have provided similar products and support services, and whether you are working with clients presently regarding these type of products and services. 7. Experience - discuss past experience that would qualify the selected personnel to provide required product and services. 8. Describe how to accomplish what is required 30 days after contract award. Responses must include company name, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, mailing address, place of performance, and appropriate point of contact information. Responses must also identify themselves as a small or large business.