Maritime, Patrol, and Reconnaissance Aircraft (PMA-290) Search and Rescue (SAR) kit

1.0 Description 1.1 The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in support of the Maritime, Patrol, and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office- PMA-290 is seeking information on how an interested contractor could fulfill the requirement for a Search and Rescue (SAR) kit that could be deployed from a P-8A Poseidon Aircraft. 1.2 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Navy is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondees are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement. 2.0 Background PMA290 is soliciting information on industry's capacity to fulfil a joint US Navy (USN) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue (SAR) Kit requirement for integration in the P-8A weapons bay. The SAR kit will be employed from the P-8A weapons bay with an employment envelope ranging from 100ft/185KCAS to 500ft/200KCAS (threshold) and 1500ft/340KCAS (objective) with carriage through the entire P-8A envelope (Max 41,000ft/0.82M). The kit will be required to interface with the BRU-75/A, a 14in hook pneumatically powered bomb rack and will be limited to a circular diameter of 16in, and length of 115in. To support integration with the P-8A, the mass properties of the SAR kit are bounded to Not to Exceed 1000 lbs. The SAR kit must be capable of supporting 10 (threshold) to 20 (objective) people with an integral survival kit. Sample contents of the survival kit include those in Table 1. Signal Flag 3 Signal Flares First Aid Kit Raft Repair Kit Sea Dye Marker 2-cell flashlight w/ Batteries Signal Mirror Food Rations 1 Water Rations 2 Signal Whistle Utility Knife Sponge Survival Manual Magnetic Compass 75ft Retaining Line Sea Water Desalting kit 2 Paddles Fishing Kit Radar Reflector 3 Emergency Locator Transmitter 4 Batteries SAR Radio 5 Anti-chap lipstick sunscreen Goggles Space Blanket Insect Repellent Cyalume Stick 1: Minimum 2 days at 1,000 calories/day/person for raft capacity 2: 1 Pint/person for raft capacity 3: Reflector may be an integral component of the raft 4: COSPAS-SARSAT compatible 5: International SAR Frequency compatible 2.1 Planned Production: Production is expected to support inventory requirements for both USN and RAAF operations. A minimum production quantity estimated at 100 kits will be required to support initial operating capability of a RAAF P-8A squadron in FY18. Follow on replenishment and sustainment of the inventory is expected. 2.2 Delivery Period: Kit Delivery will be required to support testing starting in FY16. 2.3 Limitations: The kit must be compatible with carriage and employment from the P-8A weapons bay and must support search and rescue personnel recovery meeting the requirements detailed in section 2.0. 3.0 Requested Information The Program office is interested in answers to the following questions: - 1. What non-developmental off the shelf solutions are currently available from the respondent which can be integrated into the P-8A weapons bay without adaptation? - 2. What non-developmental off the shelf solutions are currently available from the respondent which could be adapted to interface with the P-8A weapons bay? - 3. What developmental solutions, executable within a 12 month period of performance are available to meet the requirements? - 4. Describe past performance, experience, and knowledge base supporting detailed assessment and qualification of military hardware. - 5. What is the manufacturing throughput capacity of the respondent to provide kits? - 6. What is the manufacturing capacity of the respondent to adapt kits to include aircraft interface components? 4.0 Responses 4.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper. 4.2 White papers in Microsoft Office 2007 compatible format are due no later 17 March 2014. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail to Alexandra Laigle at Alexandra.laigle@navy.mil. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The responses provided will be reviewed by members of the P-8A program office which includes Australian nationals in order to support the joint evaluation of the requirement. These individuals will include both military and civilian personnel supporting the PMA-290 P-8A Joint Program Office. 4.3. Section 1 of the white paper shall provide administrative information, and shall include the following as a minimum: 4.3.1. Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. 4.3.2. Recommended Contracting Strategy. 4.3.3. Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 336413, "Other aircraft part and auxiliary equipment manufacturing". This U.S. industry comprises establishment primarily engaged in (1) manufacturing aircraft parts or auxiliary equipment (except engines and aircraft fluid power subassemblies) and/or (2) developing and making prototypes of aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment. These establishments often install the system and train and support users of the system. "Small business concern" means a concern, including its affiliates that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, averaging no more than $25.5 million in annual receipts. Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for 3 or more complete fiscal years means the annual average gross revenue of the concern taken for the last 3 fiscal years. Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for less than 3 complete fiscal years means its total receipts for the period it has been in business, divided by the number of weeks including fractions of a week that it has been in business, and multiplied by 52. Respondees are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only. Additional standards and conditions apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at http://www.arnet.gov. 4.4 Section 2 of the white paper shall answer the issues addressed in Section 3 of this RFI. 5.0 Industry Discussions NAVAIR representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks. 6.0 Questions Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to Alexandra Laigle at Alexandra.laigle@navy.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. 7.0 Summary THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide a Search and Rescue Kit for the P-8A Aircraft. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Navy has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.