Small Business Event: Joint Test and Evaluation (JT&E) Program

This is a combined Sources Sought / Request for Information, as well as an Industry Day Announcement. There will be no solicitation issued at this time. This posting is intended to further identify potential business sources with the resources, capabilities and experience required to provide engineering services to the Joint Test and Evaluation (JT&E) Program, as described below, and encourage teaming arrangements between companies with the required capabilities. A draft copy of the Performance Work Statement (PWS) for W91C9G-16-R-0001 and two (2) sample task orders are provided as attachments to this notice. This notice is being used for the purpose of determining market interest, availability and adequacy of potential business sources prior to establishing the method of acquisition and issuance of a Request for Proposal, including the use of any appropriate small business programs. All interested businesses are encouraged to respond; however, those businesses or joint ventures who responded to the previous RFI (W91C9G-14-A-JTE1) must clearly identify any information in their white paper that has been updated. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources as a result of this Sources Sought notice. Any information submitted by respondents to this Sources Sought is strictly voluntary. This notice is for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for bid or proposals, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the Federal Business Opportunities website located at http://www.fbo.gov for the release of any follow-on information. Information obtained from this notice will be reviewed to determine whether partial socioeconomic set aside(s) are feasible for performing the services identified herein. The anticipated NAICS code is: 541330, EXCEPTION: Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons, $38,500,000.00 size standard. The engineering services needed for this acquisition do not require performance by a licensed engineer, and are not appropriate for procurement using Brooks Act A-E procedures. The funding type to be utilized for this requirement is Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E). This is a follow-on effort for the Deputy Director, Air Warfare (AW), in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Director, Operational Test and Evaluation) (OSD (DOT&E)) to provide technical and engineering services to the JT&E Program. The OSD sponsors the JT&E Program to conduct tests and evaluations and provide information required by Congress, OSD, the Unified Commands, and Department of Defense (DOD) components relative to joint operations. Congress established the JT&E Program in 1972 after a Presidential Commission concluded that the DOD had no capability to conduct test and evaluation in a joint environment. The objective of a JT&E is to (a) assess Service system interoperability; (b) evaluate joint technical and operational concepts and recommend improvements; (c) validate testing methodologies that have multi-Service applications; (d) improve Modeling and Simulation (M&S) applications; (e) increase joint mission capability, using quantitative data for analysis; and (f) provide feedback to the acquisition and joint operations communities. The program is responsible for providing or obtaining technical and engineering analysis across the range of test activities. Test activities include test design; planning/execution and reporting. Specific activities include: test, engineering, planning; modeling and simulation, training, programming, data collection and analysis, hardware and software configuration and documentation, programming, integrated logistics functions, resource and program control, and development of briefings, test results, and technical reports. The JT&E process is composed of three separated but closely related activities: (a) the nomination, coordination and consideration of the nomination for inclusion in the JT&E Program; (b) a Joint Feasibility Study (JFS) determination of the need and feasibility of approved nominations; and (c) the chartered joint tests (JT) which are the execution of these approved nominations that show potential for significant improvements in joint military capabilities. This acquisition will include both the JFS and the JT portions of this process. Also included are Quick Reaction Tests (QRT), which are short duration (approximately one year) tests in response to Warfighter emergent requirements, and Tests and Evaluation (T&E) tasks, which provide T&E services to various military organizations. The JT&E Program requires technical and engineering analysis across the range of test activities to include the preparation of technical reports, test design and planning, field test activities, data collection, data processing and analysis, hardware and software configuration and documentation, programming, analysis of system performance and related data, modeling and simulation, training, instrumentation and facilities, integrated logistic functions, resource and program control. The majority of the JT work shall be performed in the three Joint Test Units located at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland and Suffolk, Virginia. QRT and T&E task work may be conducted at any site both CONUS and OCONUS as identified by the Government in the specific task orders. Although the current contract is unclassified, the project problem statements are classified; therefore, prime contractors are required to attend classified briefings prior to proposing on all task orders. Currently these classified briefings are conducted at least five (5) times annually, either at the JTU in Suffolk, VA or at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. All contract work is currently being provided by task orders awarded through four indefinite delivery contracts. The total capacity for the ten-year period on the current contracts, which ends January 07, 2017, is not to exceed $930 million. Companies who desire to participate in this market survey are encouraged to submit a white paper which supports the company's claim that it presently has the technology, qualifications, and capabilities and teaming arrangements to satisfy the objectives described above. The white paper should discuss the company's experience and ability to perform the services and include relevant subcontractors and discuss teaming arrangements that would be utilized to perform the work; and should include points of contact and DUNS number or CAGE code for the prime contractor. In addition, please state whether or not the company has a facility clearance (FCL) at the Top Secret level. The white paper should be prepared in MS Word or Adobe, limited to four pages, and submitted electronically to Phoebe.V.Fuller@usace.army.mil by 4:00 p.m. January 12, 2016. The company shall be responsible for any costs associated with preparing responses to this market research. All requests for further information must be made in writing or via email; telephone requests for additional information will not be honored. The government will review submissions as they are received. Interested parties shall submit their interest, responses to the Request for Information, certified business size (e.g. Large Business, or Small Business) in accordance with NAICS Code 541330, and questions regarding the upcoming acquisition of the JT&E Program via email to: Phoebe.V.Fuller@usace.army.mil. All contractor questions must be submitted via the aforementioned email address. Please note this Sources Sought/Request for Information posting expires on January 12, 2016 at 4:00pm (Central Time Zone). Place of Performance Address: US Army Corps of Engineers, ERDC Contracting Office ATTN: CEERD-CTS 3909 Halls Ferry Rd Vicksburg MS Postal Code: 39180 Country: US Request for Information: 1. Please identify concerns with the use of NAICS code 541330, including recommendation of alternate NAICS code and rationale. 2. Please identify inherent risks regarding this acquisition, which might affect small business participation. 3. Please identify concerns regarding teaming arrangements. 4. Please identify other contract vehicles you are aware of which provide non-materiel Joint Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) services. 5. Did you respond to the initial Sources Sought Notice (W91C9G-14-A-JTE1)? If not, why? 6. As a small business, would you rather perform under this proposed contract as a prime or subcontractor? Why? 7. As a small business prime contractor, would you be capable of meeting the Limitation on Subcontracting requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.219-14? 8. Please provide comments regarding the Performance Work Statement (PWS). 9. Please identify any barriers to small business with regard to a 10-year period of performance, versus a 5-year period of performance. 10. Please provide concerns regarding the proposed contract type of Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF). In addition, ERDC CT intends to conduct an Industry Day on January 14, 2016 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity (HECSA), 7701 Telegraph Road in Alexandria, VA 22315. The Government will present an overview brief of the requirement, followed with one-on-one side sessions. The one-on-one sessions shall be available only upon request. The purpose of the one-on-one sessions shall be for each company to present their capabilities and informal discussion of the program, to include any suggestions of how to structure the solicitation to enable greater competition. All interested offerors must register to attend the Industry Day via email to Phoebe Fuller (phoebe.v.fuller@usace.army.mil) no later than January 6, 2016. Required information is as follows: Company Name, Address, POC Name and Phone Number, CAGE Code, Business Size under NAICS 541330, Number of Attendees - including Names and Titles, and the offeror's interest in a one-on-one side session. All requests must be submitted via email. Registrants will receive additional information via email regarding access to HECSA. Any questions to be addressed during the Industry Day should be submitted with registration.