Lean Services Architecture (LSA) Improvements Project

This announcement constitutes a Sources Sought Synopsis (market survey). This is not a request for quote (RFQ) or a request for proposal (RFP). This announcement is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, implied or otherwise, to issue a solicitation or award a contract. The Government will not pay for any cost incurred in responding to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this Sources Sought synopsis shall be voluntary. This Sources Sought Notice is for Market Research purposes only. The information submitted in response to the Sources Sought Notice will not be utilized to determine vendor standing in any future/potential Request for Quote/Request for Proposal, nor will it be utilized to determine if a vendor is qualified to submit a Request for Quote/Request for Proposal for any future/potential requirement. The notice and the information received shall not be used to determine how well respondents can perform a requirement, which can only be evaluated in response to a solicitation. Vendors will not receive formal notification or feedback on any information submitted in this Sources Sought request. All future/proposed submissions/solicitations requirements solicited on a Government Point of Entry will be evaluated independent of any information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Notice. No vendor will be provided information on solicitations issued on a Government Point of Entry based on this Sources Sought request. This Sources Sought Notice is relative to the NAICS code 541715. The Small Business size standard for this NAICS code is 1,000 Employees. Large and Small Businesses are invited to answer this market survey to determine market capabilities. The Government is conducting market research and identifying, as potential sources, companies that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the requirements as specified in the attached Statement of Objectives (SOO). PROJECT DETAILS: This project builds upon a previous project effort evaluate the UK MoD LSA for fielding. This included USSOCOM SOF AT&L, OSD Foreign Comparative Test, AFSOC, SOFWERX, and multiple vendors. This project's activities include refining, configuring, and testing specific improvements made within the open standards and vendor tools since the completion of the last project evaluation. The last project identified specific LSA shortfalls which will be evaluated against in this project. The LSA improvements will be evaluated in a lab setting, via ground testing, and then in-flight within the following operational scenarios: 1. [S-1] Aircraft sensor video deconfliction and dissemination to ground nodes; planned nodes. 2. [S-2] Aircraft sensor video deconfliction and dissemination to ground nodes; not planned nodes. There are multiple project objectives. These will help determine if LSA improvements will be beneficial to special operations (SO). Specific project objectives are to: - [O-1] Evaluate LSA concepts by designing a LSA to support the project's scenarios. This includes evaluating the following: o [O-1-1] Automated video sensor services discovery, automated transceiver configuration, and automated dissemination of services between planned an aircraft node and two different ground team planned and not planned nodes. o [O-1-2] Automated video sensor services discovery, automated transceiver configuration, and deconfliction of services between two different aircraft planned and not planned nodes. o [O-1-3] Ability to automatically segregate data flow between participants based on identity and a set of planned operating procedures. - [O-1-2] Evaluate LSA standards, architecture, and tool set improvements against the identified shortfalls. o [O-1-2-1] Demonstrate backwards/forwards lean services/messaging compatibility to ensure systems with different versions of lean services can interoperate. o [O-1-2-2] Demonstrate external node dynamic network discovery and ability to handle non-preplanned participants. o [O-1-2-3] Demonstrate store-and-forward Decentralized Operating Procedures (DOP) updates to remote or powered down network participants. o [O-1-2-4] Demonstrate the ability to work within operational multicast networks and address remote nodes when responding to multicast messages. o [O-1-2-5] Demonstrate the ability to handle lossy communications environments. o [O-1-2-6] Demonstrate improved message polymorphism to reduce messaging. - [O-2] Evaluate improvements to commercial-off-the-shelf software tools used to develop, manage, and execute a LSA and its associated services. This includes: o [O-2-1] Use the improved tools to develop and implement: ? [O-2-1] Service definitions and schemas. ? [O-2-2] Node configurations. ? [O-2-3] Decentralized operating procedures (DOP). ? [O-2-4] Information boundary verification rules (BVR). ? [O-2-5] System adapters. ? [O-2-6] Services discovery and operations across nodes. o [O-2-2] Evaluate the tools against the following previously identified shortfalls: ? [O-2-2-1] Improved variable type checking. ? [O-2-2-2] Improve support for enumerations. ? [O-2-2-3] Improved LSA middleware error messaging and crash logging. ? [O-2-2-4] Reduced deployment footprint; less than 800MB. ? [O-2-2-5] Code generator configuration saving. ? [O-2-2-6] Improved C++ support. - [O-3] Re-evaluate the ease and speed LS adapters can be developed. - [O-5] Assess and recommend whether or not the improved LSA would be effective, efficient, and affordable for implementation and sustainment. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners: 1. Company/Institute Name 2. Address 3. Point of Contact 4. CAGE Code 5. Phone Number 6. E-mail Address 7. Web Page URL All prospective contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database to be awarded a DoD contract. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this action is 541715, size standard 1,000. 2. If you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company's capability in meeting these requirements. Failure to provide documentation may result in the government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities. If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/ capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, etc.). 3. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research. 4. Questions relative to this market survey should be addressed via email to Allegra Z. Harris (1SOCONS/PKC), Allegra.Harris@us.af.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. 5. Firms responding to this announcement should indicate their size, particularly if they are a small disadvantaged business, a socially and economically disadvantaged business, a woman-owned business, a service disabled veteran-owned small business, a HUB zone small business concern, and should also indicate if the firm is foreign-owned. In accordance with AFFARS Clause 5352.201-9101, the Ombudsman is Lt Col Tina Benivegna, 427 Cody Avenue, Bldg 90333, Hurlburt Field, FL 32544-5407, Phone: (850) 884-3990, FAX: (850) 884-2476, e-mail: tina.benivegna@us.af.mil. Existence of the Ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the program director or the contracting officer. Accordingly, the Ombudsman does not participate in the preparation of solicitations, the evaluation of proposals or the source selection process and, therefore, for routine matters on individual solicitations, please contact the buyer at the telephone number listed herein. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. Any questions regarding this acquisition should be directed to the Contract Specialist, Allegra Harris at Allegra.Harris@us.af.mil. RESPONSE FORMAT INSTRUCTIONS: All email correspondence shall contain a subject line that reads "LEAN SERVICES ARCHITECTURE RFI". Attachments with files ending in .zip or .exe are not allowable and will be deleted. Ensure only .pdf, .doc, or .xls documents are attached to email. Submit responses electronically to Allegra.Harris@us.af.mil. Responses must be limited to ten pages (8.5 x 11) in length (Times New Roman 12pt font). The response cover page is not included in the ten page count, but each page after the cover counts. Any pages beyond the cover and ten page limit will not be considered. Response should be submitted no later than (15) fifteen calendar days from the publication date of this notice. This request may not directly lead to a Request for Quotation/Proposal. Deadline for submission is 2:00PM CDT, 12 September 2019. RESPONSE DEADLINE: 2:00PM CDT, 12 September 2019 WHERE TO SEND RESPONSES: ALLEGRA Z. HARRIS Allegra.Harris@us.af.mil (850) 884-1260 ERIC L. MOSS Eric.moss.1@us.af.mil (850) 884-1261 OTHER INFORMATION: When and if released, the solicitation will be posted to the Federal Business Opportunities web site (www.fbo.gov).