J--Littoral Combat Ships Planning Yard Design Services

This is a modification to remove reference made to Attachment 2 noted in the sources sought notice previously posted on 10 September 2012. This is a sources sought announcement in anticipation of a potential Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Class support procurement. The Naval Sea Systems Command is conducting market research to determine industry capability and interest in the Planning Yard Design Services. The LCS Planning Yard services include, but not limited to: technical and engineering support services, including operations planning; system analysis; maintenance, repair, material support; alteration design and planning; logistics support; and training support. The Naval Sea Systems Command is especially interested in determining small business capability and interest in performing class design support services on LCS ships. These activities will begin at contract award (anticipated September 2013), and continuing for a period of performance of five years: one year plus four one-year options. NAVSEA intends to pursue for procurement availability in the following types of planning yard support services: Operating Cycle Integration Program Management; Work Integration Package Engineering; Type Commander (TYCOM) response; rotatable equipment pool inventory management; Ship Configuration Logistics Support Information System (SCLSIS) support; Configuration Data Management (CDM); Research Engineering and Modeling; Provisioned Items Order; cost and feasibility studies, Integrated Planning Yard (IPY) Material Support; Provisioning Technical Documentation; Naval Ships Engineering Drawing Repository (NSEDR) system input and data management; interface and coordination with Regional Maintenance Centers RMCs and Fleet entities; design alteration and modification development, review and tracing; and managing related class Ship Selected Record Documents (SSRD) and Hull Mechanical and Electrical (HM &E) engineering standardization efforts. Additionally, unique to the LCS Sustainment Strategy, the Planning Yard will support Preventative and Planned Maintenance System (PMS) item development and scheduling. This contract will apply to both LCS ship variants, and will be awarded to a prime contractor for a base plus four one-year options. The Government has provided the following information as an attachment to this sources sought announcement: 1. The draft solicitation statement of work. Interested companies should submit, on company letterhead, a notice of interest including the name, telephone number, mailing address, and e-mail address of one point of contact to Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Attn: Mr. Alvin Hill (SEA 024), Ms. Michaella Easley (SEA 024), and CDR Jonathan Gray (SEA 024). Please scan your letter of interest and e-mail it to contact@example.gov, contact@example.gov, and contact@example.gov with LCS Planning Yard Sources Sought Response in the subject field. The notice of interest should include a brief description of your company and its capabilities as they relate to the requirements set forth on this announcement, and answer the following specific questions. Please limit your response to no more than 15 pages. 1. Is your company a small or large business as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA)? 2. How many employees does your company have? 3. Does your company have a website? If so, what is your company’s website address? 4. Does your company have adequate financial resources to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain them? As part of your answer to this question, please answer the following sub-questions. a. Please describe the financial requirements you expect that your company would have as you stand up the necessary workforce and production materials to complete the contract, and how you'll meet the contract’s correspondent cash flow requirements. b. Please provide a cash flow statement that will show the sources and uses of funds necessary to complete this contract, in concert with all of your company’s other financial commitments. As part of this cash flow statement, please identify the expected maximum amount of sales outstanding that your company expects you would need to be able to finance prior to reimbursement by the Government. c. Please explain where the sources of cash flow will come from (be it from Government invoice payments, internal cash reserves, or external financing such as issuing new debt or selling equity). Please demonstrate the extent of your company's current access to credit and your company’s capacity for future credit in terms of unencumbered physical assets. Please tell us the amount of cash and other liquid assets your company has on hand to use as working capital to meet the contract’s cash flow requirements. Please describe how your sources of cash and credit will sufficiently meet your cash flow requirements in concert with other sources. d. Please explain all the assumptions underlying this cash flow statement. e. Please discuss your current and future expected financial obligations (in terms of outstanding and future expected liabilities) and your company’s ability to meet them. Please discuss any risks that might inhibit your company’s ability to meet these requirements and how your company is working to mitigate those risks. 5. Will your company, given all provided information, be able to comply with the required or proposed delivery or performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing commercial and governmental business commitments? 6. Does your company have a performance record for work similar to work sought here? If so, please provide examples of recent performance within the past three years. 7. Does your company have the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills, or the ability to obtain them (including, as appropriate, such elements as production control procedures, property control systems, quality assurance measures, and safety programs applicable to materials to be produced or services to be performed by the prospective contractor and subcontractors)? 8. Does your company have the necessary production, construction, and technical equipment and facilities, or the ability to obtain them? As part of your answer to this question, please answer the following sub-questions. 9. Strategic Planning/Program Management. Strategic Planning/Program Management plays a critical role in sustainment contracts due to the overlap of planning events, and inter-availabilities (both Continuous (CM) and Emergent (EM) Maintenance Availabilities, and for homeported, visiting, and deployed LCS Class ships that could require repair/maintenance at short notice. The contractor plays an important role in the planning maintenance and modernization of the surface Navy. This contract is considered a partnership between the Navy and the prime. The contractor is expected to become a subject matter expert on the applicable ships. What is your company’s experience/strategy in managing/executing several comprehensive/technically challenging planning yard activities simultaneously? 10. Surge Capacity. The prime is expected to have surge capacity due to flex in operational schedules of the Navy. Every ship could require short notice repair/maintenance while deployed anywhere in the world, which would require the contractor personnel to travel to remote locations in support. It is not uncommon for primes to have teaming partners to handle such needs. In other words, management responsiveness is essential for success as prime. What is your company’s strategy for surge/emergent requirements and accomplishing them? 11. Integration. Integration strategy is a key role of the prime contractor. The prime is expected to work with the Navy In-service Engineering Agents (Government and Contractor) and databases as well as different vendors, subcontractors and customers to ensure successful execution of planning yard support, as well as the ability to provide a high quality product through sound Engineering practices, technical expertise and program management. The prime will need to integrate schedules with the LCS maintenance provider and customers such as Type Commander(s), LCS Squadron(s), Naval Sea Systems Command, ship’s force, etc. All work must be properly scheduled and managed. This requirement mandates a sound plan for managing subcontracts as well. What is your company’s integration strategy, especially in regard to managing subcontractors? 12. Accounting Methodology. Sound financial tools and practices such as a certified accounting system, EVMS reporting, interface/approval with DCAA and approved purchasing systems are required to adequately provide proper billing to the Navy. The accounting system would show the breakout of direct, indirect and overhead charges. In addition, the accounting system would be used to manage the business with vendors as required. While it is important to have an integrated schedule; it is equally important to have cost controls in place. The contractor will submit timely invoices/vouchers to the Navy by Contract Line Item (CLIN), Contract Subline Item (SLIN), and ACRN level. Cost of performance shall be segregated, accumulated, and invoiced to the appropriate ACRN categories. What certified accounting system and other best practice accounting methodology does your company currently use? 13. Given the complexity of the work described in this sources sought, which includes attachment 1 describe your company’s historical experience completing work of this complexity or briefly describe how your company would be capable of meeting the requirements described herein as of contract award. 14. Given the complexity of the work described in this announcement, does your company plan to submit a proposal in response to the anticipated solicitation for planning yard services of LCS Class ships? Information provided shall be treated as Business Sensitive or confidential to the responder, exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act. All information shall be provided free of charge to the Government. NAVSEA may request further information regarding the capabilities of respondents to meet the requirements set forth in the Announcement. This sources sought announcement is released in accordance with FAR 15.201. This sources sought announcement is not a request for proposal. The purpose of this sources sought announcement is to gather information from the market place. Information provided in response to this sources sought announcement will not be considered an Offer by the responding contractor and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. No telephone inquiries will be accepted and requests for solicitation packages will not be granted, as a solicitation has not been prepared at this time. When to Submit: Responses are requested by 2PM Eastern Time, 17 September 2012. Notice Regarding Solicitation: Please note that this synopsis is for information purposes and to identify potential sources. This notice does not constitute an Invitation for Bid or Request for Proposal, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government of any kind. Other: The Government will not pay for any effort expended or any material provided in response to this announcement or any follow up information requests, nor will the Government return any data provided. Future information, if any, will be posted at the website for FBO and NECO, the same sites where this announcement is posted. Contracting Officer Address: N00024 NAVAL SEA SYSTEMS COMMAND, DC 1333 Isaac Hull Ave SE, Washington Navy Yard, DC Point of Contact: Mr. Alvin Hill (SEA 024), contact@example.gov, Ms. Michaella Easley (SEA 024), contact@example.gov, and CDR Jonathan Gray (SEA 024), contact@example.gov .