LPO Support

The government seeks to award a continued support bridge contract to ensure stability of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center mission. A competitive contract was awarded to Exelis, Inc., 2560 Huntington Ave #200, Alexandria, VA 22303-1404 (FA9453-09-D-0380) on September 30, 2009 to provide Nuclear Stockpile and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, High Yield Explosive (CBRNE) technical studies for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC), Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB), New Mexico 87117. This contract contained two task orders for which continuing support is needed: Task Order 20, Material Solution Analysis for the Long Range Standoff : Milestone A Preparation; and Task Order 31, CBRNE Lead Project Officer Support. The contract ordering period expired on September 29, 2014 and the last remaining task orders issued under the contract will expire on September 29, 2015. The acquisition of a Lead Project Officer (LPO) Support contract is currently underway with an expected award date on or about December 2015. The current position of the AFNWC is to issue a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract to Exelis Inc. to continue the scope of these current task orders to provide for uninterrupted mission-critical services until the new LPO Support contract can be awarded. The period of performance for this contract is anticipated to be 6 months. Future efforts are anticipated to be procured competitively. AFNWC/NCW is the primary technical and programmatic office for the coordination of nuclear weapon activities between the Air Force (AF) and the National Nuclear Security Administration-Department of Energy (NNSA-DOE). In addition to being responsible for the sustainment of current AF nuclear weapons, they are also responsible for leading life extension programs (LEPs) for the full spectrum of weapons under their purview. LEPs generally follow the 6.X process for nuclear weapon refurbishment but may also be subject to the rules of the DoD 5000 series acquisitions guidelines for some specific programs. Because of the requirements imposed by both of these processes, along with the daily requirements of sustainment, the AFNWC/NCW produces hundreds of technical reports, technical briefings, and technical documents with both classified and unclassified information that are critical to the successful operation of the AF nuclear enterprise each year. Lead Project Officers (LPO) shall provide technical and analytical support for warhead studies, Project Officer Group (POG) meetings, Project Officer Meetings (POMs), Life Extension Program (LEP) meetings, subgroup meetings, Nuclear Weapons Council Standing Safety Committee (NWCSSC) Action Officer and Principals' presentations and meetings, and other nuclear acquisition program meetings and assist the AFNWC/NCW with technical responses to management and the Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC), DoD, DOE, and Congress at the request of AFNWC/NCW. This support shall also include producing meeting announcements, capturing action items, decisions, discussion points, and providing minutes. This support requires technical expertise, subject matter expertise (SME), and may require research to generate technical inputs and provide support for answering action items. There will be approximately 112 meetings per year associated with the sustainment of current AF nuclear systems and other new acquisition programs (12 POMs/100 Subgroups). In addition, LPOs shall participate and assist in the acquisition and integration planning, coordination and execution of specification requirements, design reviews, technical interchange meetings, program management reviews and other events and documents related to nuclear stockpile stewardship. They shall support the Phase 6.X Studies for modification and life extension of current stockpile. Specific documentation for this task includes but is not limited to both Phase 6.1 and 6.2 Reports and the Weapon System Enterprise Metrics reports and distribution of technical documents to the offices/personnel identified in the document's distribution list. The Air Force will conduct a Materiel Solution Analysis (MSA) for the Long Range Standoff (LRSO) capability/system leading up to Milestone A. This analysis will be in concert with NNSA, USSTRATCOM, and the other LRSO acquisition stakeholders. This analysis includes LRSO Project Officers Group (POG) activities to provide warhead concept refinement and requirements maturation. It also includes LRSO Weapon System Team (WST) activities to refine and mature concepts and requirements for the overall LRSO weapon system. The MSA activities support development of a future standoff weapon approach suggested in the Airborne Strategic Deterrent (ABSD) Capabilities-Based Assessment (CBA). The LRSO program is required to fill relevant capability gaps identified in the ABSD Initial Capabilities Document (ICD). The LRSO Materiel Solution Analysis Milestone A preparation study activities will facilitate completion of the LRSO AoA, including - briefing out' the AoA findings and iterating final refinement of the AoA Report. The MSA will build upon the data and findings developed and reported by the LRSO AoA. The study activities will support Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) decisions to proceed with the appropriate phases of the LRSO warhead development as well as the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) Milestone A review of the LRSO materiel approach. The contractor requires a Top Secret and associated facility clearances for classified and closed work area(s) with classified computers and the required equipment for a SIPRNet connection at the contractor's facilities. Without this sole source contract, a competitive effort initiated in the near term would result in a gap in coverage, plus additional spin-up time for the new contractor to gain required familiarization of the requirements necessary to carry out the missions. This acquisition does not assume the incumbent contractor is the only contractor who can perform these services, only that there are no contractors, at this time, who are capable of performing these highly specialized services without unacceptable delays. Alternatives that were considered include: 1. Suspension of Contract Support. The support services provided by the CBRNE contractor are ongoing and critical to mission accomplishment. Suspension of these services would cause major disruption to the AFNWC mission. Therefore, this alternative is not viable. 2. Use of In-House Resources. AFNWC relies heavily on highly technical, subject matter expertise of the contractor. AFNWC lacks sufficient manpower, technical expertise, and resources to perform the required services. 3. Start a Competitive Procurement. AFNWC currently has a competitive procurement underway that will not be awarded until December 2015. This is not a viable alternative for meeting the immediate need. If you are interested in performing this effort, please provide a Statement of Capability (SOC) specifically addressing the government's concerns and technical requirements. SOCs shall be unclassified and limited to 10 pages, single spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font. SOCs shall be submitted NLT 12 August 2015, 4:00 p.m. (MDT) to the Contracting Officer identified below, and shall be identified with "Response to Special Notice LPO072915". All information submitted shall support the offeror's capability to provide the services required, and shall be furnished at no cost or obligation to the Government. Responses must be in writing and must provide clear and concise documentation indicating an offeror's bona fide capability to provide these services without a break in service or a negative impact to the mission of the AFNWC. Verbal responses are not acceptable and will not be considered. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to capture updated market research on offerors who can immediately and successfully meet the stated requirements. This notice is NOT a request for competitive proposals. Requests for copies of a solicitation in response to this notice will not be acknowledged or honored. All responses received by the due date will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Contracting Office Address: AFNWC/PZIE; 8500 Gibson Blvd SE; Bldg 20202, Rm 219; Kirtland AFB NM 87117 Place of Performance: Kirtland AFB NM Primary Point of Contact: Jennifer Wilterdink, Contracting Officer, 505-846-5705 or jennifer.wilterdink@us.af.mil Secondary Point of Contact: Honey Smalls, Contracting Officer, 505-846-4579 or honey.smalls@us.af.mil Alternate Point of Contact: Ron Saville, Contracting Officer, 505-263-7199 or ronald.saville@us.af.mil