Improved Solar Optical Observation Network (ISOON) Telescope

This notice is a sources sought for completing and fielding an Improved Solar Optical Observation Network (ISOON) telescope. The government anticipates eventually awarding a contract with cost plus fixed fee CLINS and CLINs for material and travel. The performance period is anticipated to be seventeen months. Contract type and performance period may be adjusted based on the results of the market research, eventual negotiations, and/or contract award date. The anticipated award date for this contract is 15 March 2011. ARINC Engineering Services, LLC is the current contractor. The Weather Sustainment Division is performing a market survey to determine if there are other interested and qualified firms having the capabilities described below. The contract will provide rapid, high quality engineering/technical services to modify, document, integrate, and test the ISOON telescope. In addition, the contractor will be required to relocate the ISOON from Sacramento Peak at Sunspot, NM to Kirtland AFB, NM and provide both organizational and depot level spares. Interested contractors are invited to submit a Statement of Capability (SOC) addressing the ability to satisfy the above requirements to Mr. Gary Simpson at gary.simpson@peterson.af.mil and Mr. Chris Seaman at christopher.seaman.ctr@peterson.af.mil. All responses are due no later than 4:00 pm (MST) on 3 January 2011 and must conform to 8.5 x 11-inch pages, font no smaller than 12-point, 1" margins and a maximum of 20 pages. The statement of capability must include the following information: 1) Company name, mailing address, points of contact, and telephone numbers; 2) Business size classification (large, small, or other); 3) In-depth comprehension of solar observing; 4) Solar optics experience, to include interaction and in-depth knowledge of optical components; 5) Experience with Fabry Perot Interferometers, to include acceptance testing and characterizing them ; 6) Ability to satisfy the Government's performance requirements described above. The SOC must be completely unclassified. All responsible sources may submit a SOC. Persons/entities debarred and/or suspended will not be considered, therefore are not requested to respond. Any information submitted in response to this sources sought is strictly voluntary, however, response to this sources sought will be used to determine if a competitive field exists. Response from small and small disadvantaged business is encouraged. The small business size standard for NAICS 541712 is 1000 employees.. All SOCs will be evaluated fairly and with consistency. The Government will review SOCs to determine recency and relevancy. Recency is considered to be the same or similar work within the past 3 years; relevancy is considered to be work within the field described above or similar technologies. The Government may confirm quality of past performance. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this announcement. All data received in response to this sources sought that are marked as corporate or proprietary information will be fully protected from release outside the Government. Government contract employees may be utilized to review any documents submitted in response to this action, Non Disclosure Agreements have been filed with the Government. The Government will not reimburse any cost associated with submitting information in response to this Request for Information, nor shall any costs be allowed on any Government contract. Mr. James Gill, USAF AFSPC SMC/PK is the Ombudsman and has been appointed to address concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The Ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the program director or Contracting Officer, but communicates Contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. Interested parties are invited to call him at (310) 653-1789.