Modeling & Simulation Software Development, Operation & Sustainment

This sources sought synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government reimburse any costs associated with the submission of information in response to this notice. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. As stipulated in FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are NOT considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. There is no solicitation package available at this time. The decision to solicit for a contract shall be solely within the Government's discretion. Respondents will not be notified individually of the results of any Government assessments. The Government may use the information obtained from responses to this notice in determining its acquisition approach, but the issuance of this notice does not restrict the Government's acquisition approach. The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any input as a result of this notice. Not responding to this sources sought does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued. Small Businesses are encouraged to provide responses to this sources sought in order to assist the Air Force Nuclear Center (AFNWC) in determining potential levels of capability and competition available in the industry, as well as helping to determine the potential for a set-aside. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor the Sam.gov site for additional information pertaining to this sources sought. 1. Description of Effort: AFNWC is currently considering, a single award contract for modeling, simulation, testing, and analysis of nuclear weapon effect to Air Force (AF) weapons systems. It is anticipated that the contract will consist of both cost-reimbursement and firm-fixed-price CLINs, but may be adjusted as a result of information obtained in this action. The contract is estimated to be funded with both research and development (R&D) and operations and maintenance (O&M) appropriations. This acquisition would provide contractor support in performance of studies, analyses, and the development of analytical models and/or databases to address Nuclear and Non-Nuclear Weapon System Survivability to Nuclear Weapons Effects. Under this acquisition, the Contractor will design, develop, adapt, and execute mathematical, statistical, econometric, and other analytical methods/techniques to address the acquisition and sustainment, to include development and testing, of nuclear weapon systems and support equipment with regards to survivability to nuclear weapons effects in various environments. Under this acquisition, the contractor would advise the Government on system survivability as it pertains to either materiel solutions and/or logistics and tactics, techniques and procedures. These weapons systems may include: mission essential assets, delivery systems or platforms, associated support systems, equipment, facilities, personnel, command and control links, and supporting logistical infrastructure. General work services anticipated under this acquisition would include: (1) Program Management; (2) Performance and support of work to address Nuclear Weapons System Surety; (3) Development, operation, analysis, and sustainment of modeling and simulation tools; (4) Evaluation of legacy coding; and (5) Specialized expertise to meet requirements described in 3.6.2-3.6.12 of the PWS. In addition to general work service, this acquisition includes modeling and simulation functions in assessment of (1) Nuclear and Non-Nuclear Weapon System Survivability to Nuclear Weapon Effects; (2) Nuclear Effects Testing and Evaluation; and (3) Nuclear Weapons System Survivability. Offerors should demonstrate the ability to provide subject matter expertise (SME) in the below listed areas of anticipated service. Applicable, and of importance to each, is the ability of offerors to understand, caluclate, substantiate, report and explain the underlying Physics for each category. These areas include; Specialized expertise and project management capability to plan and control the execution of the highly detailed Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect Survivability, and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety Modeling and Simulation tools. Modeling and simulation expertise in support of Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect Survivability and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety M&S tools assessment and analysis. Engineering expertise in conjunction with the utilization of COTS/GOTS and software tools and system, software, and information systems engineering processes to ensure Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect Survivability and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety M&S tools captures information needed to meet requirements to develop nuclear survivability and system hardness data. Offerors will need to have the cability to evaluate legacy codes and emerging technologies which support Modeling and Simulation analysis of Nuclear and Non-Nuclear Weapon System Survivability. Technical expertise in developing automated tools focused on assessing nuclear system survivability, surety, and hardness. The successful offeror would evaluate Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect Survivability and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety M&S tools requirements as a means of assessing both efficiencies, survivability, surety, and vulnerabilities. System Engineering expertise in support of Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety M&S tools modeling and simulation requirements. Efforts would consist of developing Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect Survivability, and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety M&S tools components focused on augmenting test/evaluation through the use of data to include, but not limited to, test data, material property data, nuclear output data, and scenarios. Additionally, effort would include the development of Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect Survivability, and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety M&S tools to support customers with life cycle management and the development of modeling and simulation plans for life cycle execution. Software Engineering Expertise to participate in the architecture development, design, implementation., and upgrading of Nuclear Weapon Environment generation and System Survivability M&S Tools. Development and design of M&S tools includes the processing and inclusion of effects data, either legacy or newly acquired by AFNWC or outside agencies when accessible. The performance requirements are defined in paragraph 3.0 of the attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS). Be aware that the attached draft PWS may be subject to change. 2. Request for Statement of Capability (SOC): All SOCs shall be UNCLASSIFIED. Disclosure of proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED and SEGREGATED. The SOC is limited to 10 pages, single spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font. a. Capabilities: Submitted SOC shall demonstrate offeror's ability and experience for the following: i. Expertise with modeling and simulation of weapons systems and delivery platforms is preferred. Please provide confirmation and a description detailing your organization's experience with modeling and simulation of weapons systems and delivery platforms. If your organization does not have weapons experience, please explain how your organization's experience would be applicable to the draft PWS. ii. Expertise in the area of systems and software engineering for the purpose of developing modeling and simulation to test and evaluate data for developing Nuclear Weapons System Survivability, Nuclear Weapons Effect Survivability, and Nuclear Weapons Systems Surety. If your organization does not have weapons experience, please explain how your organization's experience would be applicable to the draft PWS. iii. Experience and demonstrated ability to provide subject matter expertise (SME) in the areas of Physics in support of all areas as required in sections 3.6.1-.3.6.5 of the PWS. iv. The Contractor shall be proficient in, at a minimum, the following programming languages: COBOL, FORTRAN, C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, LabVIEW, Data Access Language, Structured Query Language, Visual Basic, and VBScript; applications: MATLAB, LabVIEW, Oracle's Virtual Box, Abaqus; and operating systems: Linux/Unix, Macintosh, Microsoft, and RHEL clone. v. Appraised at Level 3 or higher for Capability Maturity Model (CMM), Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), or CMMI Development using the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI) (Method A) by an SEI-authorized lead appraiser, or comparable documented systems engineering processes, vi. Contractor follows documented system engineering processes for requirements management; configuration management; development of specifications; definition and illustration of architectures and interfaces; design; test and evaluation/verification and validation; deployment and maintenance. vii. Confirm that your organization currently has the appropriate facility clearance and cleared personnel who can perform the effort. Per section 4.2.2 of the draft PWS, the Contractor shall possess and maintain a current Top Secret (TS) Facility Clearance for designated positions. Note personnel must have DOD TOP SECRET with the ability to be read into Restricted Data category (S/RD), Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information (CNWDI), NATO Secret/ATOMAL and Special Programs. viii. Identify any potential organizational conflict of interests (just a short statement on the potential issues is required). b. Company information: The SOC shall include the following business information: i. Company POC, telephone number and email address ii. CAGE code iii. Size status under NAICS 541511 (size standard $30.0M); please state status as: Large Business (LB); Small Business (SB); Historically Underutilized Business Zone SB (HUBZone); Veteran-Owned SB (VOSB); Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned SB (SDVOSB); 8(a) Certified SB; Women-Owned SB (WOSB)/Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB); and/or Historically Black College or University iv. If a small business, can your company serve as a prime? c. Additional Market Research Questions: i. If applicable, recommended GSA Schedule Contract Number and what Special Item Number(s) (SIN) under which potential work could be proposed. ii. If applicable, other government contracts under which this work can be performed. Please include contract number, name, and Government POC, including email address and phone number. iii. If applicable, propose a more appropriate NAICS code and/or PSC. Please include your rationale on why it would be more appropriate. iv. Do you have any recommendations and/or concerns with the draft PWS (eg. performance requirements, skill sets required, management)? v. Are there any additional skill sets that you believe should also be required to support the scope of work defined in the PWS? vi. If you are a Large Business responding to this sources sought, briefly explain where within the PWS you would potentially utilize small businesses to fulfill requirements. 3. Restrictions: AFNWC is authorized to exclude all foreign participation at the prime contractor level for subject procurement. Foreign participation is prohibited at the prime contractor level. U.S. based offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the PWS tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s). Offerors are advised FNs proposed to perform may be restricted under U.S. Export Control Laws due to the nature of the technical data. RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "Export-controlled". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the ITAR, 22 C.F.R. Parts 120 - 130 or the EAR, 15 C.F.R. Parts 710 - 774. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an unclassified award resulting from this topic only if they are designated as a U.S. Person, as defined by 22 CFR - 120.15, or if bidder is able to obtain an export license through the Department of State or Department of Commerce. Foreign Citizens designated as U.S. Persons are not permitted to perform work under a classified award. Foreign citizens will at no time be allowed to work on Air Force installations.