Market Research - Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance Software Development

Synopsis: 1.0 Introduction: In January 2007, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded a competitive contract, N00178-04-D-4080 M801, to ManTech Systems Engineering Corporation for the design, development, modification and support of Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance (MFOQA) Government software. In January 2008, NAVAIR awarded a competitive contract, N00019-08-C-0029, to BGI-LLC for modifications to the commercially available Flight Visualization and Data Analysis (FVDA) computer software program, to be included as a module and embedded in the Government-developed MFOQA common framework software. In May 2012, NAVAIR awarded sole source contract to ManTech, N00019-12-C-0081, to complete the design, development, and modification of the MFOQA Government software. In April 2014, NAVAIR awarded sole source contract, N00019-14-C-0019, to BGI-LLC to complete the design, development, and modification of the FVDA component of the MFOQA Government software. These contracts are being utilized to complete development of the baseline MFOQA software for use on Navy Fixed and Rotary Wing aircraft, specifically F/A-18C-F, EA-18G, MH-60R/S, CH-53E/K, MH-53E, AH-1Z and UH-1Y Type/Model/Series (TMS) aircraft. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as an invitation for bid, request for quotation, Request for Proposal (RFP), or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services, nor will the Government pay for information solicited hereunder. All parties may respond to this notice regardless of the degree of participation with the previous solicitation. Responses to this notice are voluntary and will be treated as information only. The Government does not anticipate that a comprehensive response to this Sources Sought Notice will contain CLASSIFIED information. If a CLASSIFIED response is required, contact the Government point of contact for further instruction. Not responding to this Sources Sought Notice does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any are issued. If a solicitation is released, a synopsis will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website (https://www.fbo.gov). The Government is interested in determining the capabilities that exist in the market place to tailor the baseline MFOQA software, see enclosure 1 for details, for additional Navy and Marine Corps platforms. The Government intends to award a Cost Plus Fixed Fee/Firm Fixed Price (CPFF/FFP) contract. The Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) effort will be CPFF and the Software Support Activity (SSA) effort will be FFP. The Government plans to award a base year contract to add one platform TMS as well as 4 options to add additional platform TMS. The expectation is to award the contract to one prime vendor who will be responsible for the NRE effort as well as the SSA effort. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes and Product and Service Codes (PSCs) listed in Paragraph 5.0, "Additional Information," may also be applicable to this Sources Sought Notice. 2.0 Background: MFOQA is an ACAT IVM program under the management of NAVAIR Program Manager Air (PMA) 209. MFOQA includes an unclassified and a classified non-networked capability that will be implemented in several phases. Phase 1 includes F/A-18C-F and EA-18G aircraft, and Phase 2 includes the MH-60R/S, CH-53E/K, MH-53E, AH-1Z, and UH-1Y. Future Phases, 3 through 7, will be utilized to incorporate additional platforms as well as correct any deficiencies found in previous software versions. The MFOQA system operates across the range of Naval flight operations. The MFOQA system uses flight data that is recorded on each flight by existing data recording systems and downloaded to existing ground stations. The flight data is then imported into MFOQA and processed for four primary purposes: (1) post-mission aircrew debrief, (2) flight data analysis, (3) aircraft maintenance and troubleshooting, and (4) mishap investigation. The goal of MFOQA is to improve readiness while identifying, quantifying, trending, and monitoring activities which could result in a mishap. MFOQA software is hosted on existing computer systems and networks such as Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI), Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN), and Outside Continental United States (OCONUS) Navy Enterprise Network (ONE-Net). The baseline MFOQA software consists of three main components: Common Framework (CF), FVDA, and Core and Configurable Event Detection Module (CCEDM). The interfaces between the components are defined to ensure maximum efficiency in software execution and are depicted in Enclosure 1. The CF is the front end user interface that performs flight processing into the repository, flight indexing, execution of event processing, flight association with Navy and Marine Corps Aircrew Readiness information, listing of flights in the repository, and hand-off to the FVDA and CCEDM modules. The CF is developed in the C# programming language. A critical sub-component to the CF is the Data Reader. The Data Reader translates the raw flight data into a common format for use by the MFOQA components (CF, FVDA, and CCEDM). The data reader is developed in the C# programming language. The FVDA consists of three sub-components: Debrief 3-D (D3D), Data Interpretation Service Engine (DISE), and MapGen. The D3D provides aircrew with a visual debriefing capability by presenting a dynamic, three-dimensional representation of a recorded flight. Type-specific aircraft models are generated for each participant aircraft and are displayed with accurate geographic and relative positions of all participant aircraft and other scenario features. DISE is a computation/analysis engine that provides users with a robust and extendable set of debriefing and analysis capabilities. The DISE application is a collection of one or more custom controls that provide capabilities to the debrief and/or data analysis environment. MapGen is a toolkit that enables users to build maps, terrain backgrounds and charts from a variety of sources for any location in the world to be displayed in the FVDA. The CCEDM is Government Furnished Information that performs event detection and statistical data analysis during routine flight data processing. The proposed effort will be to tailor the CF and FVDA components of the baseline MFOQA software product and integrate the GFI CCEDM component to work with new platforms while retaining backwards compatibility with platforms incorporated in previous phases. The vendor will be expected to perform software development activities using Agile processes. Agile software development promotes adaptive planning, evolutionary development and delivery, a time-boxed iterative approach, and encourages rapid and flexible response to change. Agile enables requirements and solutions to evolve through collaboration between the vendor and the Government customer. The focus is on incrementally delivering working software capabilities which are approved by the Government customer in 2-4 week cycles. The vendor will be required to update program documentation as the software is tailored and released. This documentation might include, but is not limited to, the Software Requirement Specification, Interface Requirement Specification, Software Development Plan, Interface Design Document, Software Product Specification, Software Version Description, Software Test Plans, and any applicable training documentation. A full technical data package will be released if, and when, an RFP is released. All development and test activities are expected to be unclassified. In addition to the software changes produced through the NRE effort, the vendor would also act as a SSA by responding to help desk requests for analysis or evaluation of trouble tickets, develop patches or updates to resolve trouble reports, any and all software configuration management, any and all software technical data documentation management, and user support. The Government's goals for this specific effort, should this occur, in priority order, would be to: a) Award a CPFF/FFP contract for Phase 3 of MFOQA development with 4 options to develop MFOQA for additional platforms. These platforms may include T-45C, F-35B/C, P-8A, MV-22, KC-130J, C-2A, E-2C/D, and E-6B TMS. b) Develop software changes utilizing the Agile process for software development. 3.0 Requested Information: Respondents are requested to send the following information to Erica Finch via encrypted email at contact@example.gov or via phone at +1 (555) 000-0000. This information must be received 22 December 2014. Information requested: a) Company name, CAGE code, and DUNS number b) Business Size Status c) Company Address d) Company Point of Contact (Include phone number, fax number, email address) e) Abstract (1 page maximum) of capability available to meet the above parameters. Information requested in the Sources Sought response (Due 22 December 2014): a) Technical description of proposed software capability with information on current Agile processes. b) Operational, Technical and Service views which illustrate how your company's capabilities will be inserted into the current MFOQA software. Include required supporting verbiage. c) Information on how Government Information Assurance (IA) and Security requirements will be met, including development to Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) d) Classification Level of your company's capability e) Schedule for development, assuming biweekly sprint reviews, integration, test, and final software release of each platform. f) Risks anticipated as a result of the effort or contract type. Please limit responses to only the information requested. 4.0 Format Requirements: a) Information requested by the Government in this notice should be submitted (in Adobe or Microsoft Office 2010 compatible electronic format) no later than 11:59pm eastern time on 22 December 2014. b) Response should be provided in 12-point font on a single-sided, double-space page with 1 inch borders and should conform to the following page limits: Section 1. Technical Description of Capability, 2 Page Maximum 2. Reference Architecture, OV, TV, and SV 2 Page Maximum per each view (inclusive of supporting verbiage) 3. IA, Security, Classification, 1 Page Maximum 4. Schedule, 1 Page Maximum 5. Risks, 1 Page Maximum c) All responses to this notice must specify on the cover page of the response or in the transmittal letter submitted with the response, the company name, point of contact, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, email address, DUNS number, CAGE code, and business size status. d) Respondents are reminded to properly mark any proprietary information, and NAVAIR will control it as such. Do not send any classified information. e) Responses should be submitted to the contracting specialist; contact information provided below. f) All data submissions shall include electronic media and one hard copy. 5.0 Additional Information a)Any and all costs incurred in responding to this market research, shall be at the expense of the respective respondents. NAVAIR will not reimburse any costs incurred and will not be liable for any costs associated with responses to this market research. b)Government subject matter experts will review responses to this sources sought and Contracted Support Services (CSS) may provide assistance to the Government reviewers. Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) between CSS and NAVAIR are currently on file with the Government. Vendors shall provide their acknowledgement and approval to have CSS review any responses without execution of an NDA between the respondent and the CSS. Should your organization require a copy of the NDA between the Government and CSS, please forward your requests to contact@example.gov. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. c)The following NAICS codes may also be applicable to this notice: NAICS Code Description 541511 Professional, Scientific and Technical Services d)The following Classification codes may also be applicable to this solicitation: PSC Description K Modification of Equipment 070 Automatic Data Processing Equipment (including Firmware), Software, Supplies, and Support Equipment 6.0 Points of Contact PMA 209 MFOQA IPT: Susan Whitley IPT Lead contact@example.gov +1 (555) 000-0000 Contracting Office Address: Building 2272, Room 256 47123 Buse Road Unit IPT Patuxent River, Maryland 20670 United States Primary Point of Contact: Erica Finch Contracts Specialist contact@example.gov +1 (555) 000-0000 7.0 Summary THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, BUT RATHER A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE, and is being used as an instrument to identify potential sources that can provide the capabilities described under Paragraph 2.0 "Background". NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS EXIST AT THIS TIME. The Government encourages industry to respond to this notice even if you do not currently utilize the Agile process as the responses will assist the finalization of the requirements generation process. The information provided in this notice is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. The Government is not obligated to enter into negotiations with industry partners as a result of the responses to this notice. NAVAIR has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and the Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this sources sought. All cost associated with this sources sought will be solely at the expense of the respondents. Additionally, all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. No basis for a claim against the Government shall arise as a result from a response to this sources sought.