Joint System Integration Laboratory Branch; Research, Development, Integration, Experimentation, Test and Evaluation and Operation of RQ-7 Shadow Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and associated subsystems and support equipment

This is a notice of intent to award a contract on a sole source basis. This notice serves as a synopsis as required by FAR 5.101 and FAR 5.201. The U.S. Army Contracting Command-Redstone (ACC-R), Redstone Arsenal, AL, 35898, intends to award a two year sole source Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF), Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract with Textron Systems (TS), 124 Industry Lane, Hunt Valley, MD, 21030-3342, CAGE Code 97384, for an estimated 346,000 engineering and technical service labor hours and associated material, travel, and other direct costs that are required to support the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Aviation and Missile Center (CCDC AvMC); Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration (S3I) Directorate, Joint Systems Integration Laboratory (JSIL) with Research, Development, Integration, Experimentation, Test and Evaluation and Operation of TS RQ-7 Shadow Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and its derivatives including associated subsystems and support equipment. Sole source award will be made under the authority 10 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)(B) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(B) - "For DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, services may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of follow-on contracts for the continued provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements." TS is the sole source Prime Item Developer and Systems Integrator of these UASs systems and subsystems, making them uniquely qualified to provide the highly specialized services required to accomplish research, development, integration, test, sustainment, and operation activities relating to TS UASs. The unique requirements for advanced military software/hardware development for existing UASs preclude utilization of commercial services; therefore, FAR Part 12 will not be utilized. The primary place of performance will be S3I Directorate's JSIL located on Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898. This notice of intent to negotiate a sole source contract is not a request for competitive proposals. Telephone or facsimile inquires and/or responses will not be accepted. This is not a formal notice of solicitation. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.203(a); the solicitation will be issued no sooner than 15 days from the date of this publication and will be provided upon request (ref. FAR 5.102(e)). Solicitation requests are to be submitted by email to Eric W. Rogers, Contract Specialist, at eric.w.rogers3.civ@mail.mil. Solicitation requests will be processed within two business days of receipt of request or the release of the solicitation whichever is later. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement or proposal, which shall be considered by the agency. Submissions shall be directed to Eric W. Rogers, Contract Specialist, at eric.w.rogers3.civ@mail.mil, and must be received within 45 days of this publication date (ref. FAR 5.203(e)). This date is subject to change and will be updated accordingly. All submissions shall be considered. The work to be performed under this contract is considered experimental in nature for which there is no established test and evaluation plan at this time. The purpose of this contract is to gain an understanding of the technical challenges associated with initial technology integration involving TS UASs and, in particular, the RQ-7 Shadow and other TS UAS products and the Universal Ground Control Station (UGCS) weapon system, as well as to support the establishment of performance baseline for those technologies that are successfully integrated. The contractor will perform engineering and technical services required to support the S3I Directorate and its customers in the development, integration and operational employment of all versions of the RQ-7 Shadow UAS and all its support equipment. Capabilities include modeling, simulation and training systems and modules in support to the systems, processes, capabilities and integrated joint, components and allied tactics, techniques and procedures. The contractor shall provide engineering and technical services required to install, operate, disseminate payload products, maintain, and integrate new technical capabilities, obsolescence, interoperability and Post Production Software Sustainment (PPSS). Tasks will involve support of the UAS RQ-7 Shadow and all support equipment to include the UGCS, Universal Ground Data Terminal (UGDT), and One System Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT). The required period of performance is 24 months with performance up to the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level. This acquisition is intended to support the mission of the Army Futures Command and its subordinate Army CCDC AvMC in integrating the future operational environment threat and technologies to develop and deliver future force requirements, designing future force organization and delivering material capabilities. Following integration of the system into the RQ-7 Shadow UAS, the contractor shall provide UAS engineering and technical services necessary to accomplish: a. Aerodynamic modeling and simulation b. Information assurance (IA) assessments c. Flight worthiness and safety of flight analysis and certifications d. Test, analysis and evaluation necessary to allow extensive flight testing, anddemonstration of the new payload capability at Government test range. However, due tocurrent operational requirements for tactical UAS and the limited availability of Shadowtactical UAS assets to support the test payload integration, analysis, ground test,evaluation and flight demonstration tasks, the contractor performing the integration maybe required to provide a contractor owned/contractor operated RQ-7 Shadow UAS orground support equipment to accomplish this effort. e. Continuity of the current RQ-7 Shadow UAS Government Tactical equipment tointerface with and be interoperable with U.S. Intelligence System(s) supportingProcessing, Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) equipment following completion ofthe Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) payload technology integration effort. Responsible sources must present their experience in these areas as they directly relate to the RQ-7 Shadow UAS, UGCS, UGDT, and OSRVT. Furthermore, responsible sources must have access to, and provide supporting documentation thereto, proprietary technical data rights associated with the RQ-7 Shadow, UGCS, UGDT, and OSRVT. Sources failing to provide this documentation will be considered unresponsive and will not be considered.