N00024-26-R-5406_CIWS FY26-29 Sources Sought

SOURCES SOUGHT FOR THE MK 15 CLOSE-IN WEAPON SYSTEM

In accordance with FAR Part 10 – Market Research, this sources sought notice is being issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), on behalf of the Terminal Defense Systems, Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) 11.0. This sources sought notice is intended for planning purposes only in order to determine industry interest and capability. This notice does not  constitute a Request for Proposal. The Government is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals.  This notice should not be construed as a contract, a promise to contract, or a commitment of any kind by the Government. Requests for solicitation will not receive a response. All information is to be submitted at no cost or obligation to the U.S. Government. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement or any follow-up information requests. The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any input as a result of this market survey. The U.S. Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this survey. If a formal solicitation is generated at a later date, a solicitation notice will be published.

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the following U.S. Government POCs:

• Ms. Brittany Burton, +1 (555) 000-0000, contact@example.gov  
• Ms. Toni Wagenbrenner, +1 (555) 000-0000, contact@example.gov

Verbal questions will NOT be accepted.

Description:

NAVSEA is conducting a market research survey through this sources sought notice to identify potential sources, within the National Technical Industrial Base (NTIB), United States, and Canada, capable of manufacturing MK 15 Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS).  Potential sources must have personnel trained, skilled, and experienced in handling CIWS.

MK15 CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-flying, high-speed maneuvering anti-ship missile threats that have penetrated all other defenses.  The CIWS is an integral element of the Fleet Defense In-Depth concept and the Ship Self-Defense Program.  Operating either autonomously or integrated with a combat system, it is an automatic terminal defense weapon system designed to detect, track, engage, and destroy anti-ship missile threats penetrating outer defense envelopes.  CIWS consists of three (3) variants: 

1. Phalanx, which utilizes a six-barrel Gatlin gun;
2. Land based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS); and
3. SeaRAM, which replaces the six-barrel Gatlin gun with an eleven-round Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) guide. 

CIWS is currently installed on United States Navy (USN) and United States Coast Guard (USCG) ships and is also in use in foreign navies. The Phalanx CIWS weapon systems are also being installed on low-boy trailers with self-contained diesel electric power and cooling water.  This configuration of the Phalanx CIWS is the MK 15 MOD 29 LPWS. The manufacture of the CIWS includes the procurement, manufacture, or overhaul of all components. The units shall be satisfactorily tested prior to completion or delivery. Sources should be capable of supplying the entire quantity of CIWS systems under Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract(s) spanning four (4) years from Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 through FY29.

The following estimated yearly quantity requirements are subject to change:

Fiscal Year                                                                           FY26            FY27           FY28           FY29

1. Block 1 Bsl 0 to Block 1 B                                                3                  6                    3               3

Bsl 2 Upgrade & Conversion                                                           

2. Phalanx Overhaul                                                              5                 12                 7                 7

3. LPWS Overhaul                                                                   5                  3                  3                 3

Total Quantity                                                                         13                21                13              13

Drawings:

Top level drawings for the MK 15 CIWS are being provided.  The drawings associated with the MK 15 are designated under Distribution Statement D for limited distribution, restricting its release on the Internet.  The drawings contain technical data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C., Sec 2751, et seq.) or the Export Control Reform Act of 2018  (Title 50, U.S.C., Chapter 58, Sec. 4801-4852). . Violations of these export laws are subject to severe criminal penalties. This technical data can only be disseminated in accordance with the provisions of DoD Directive 5230.25. Respondents must be registered with the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Office to obtain a copy of any drawings (see www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/ for instructions and information). After receipt of required certification, requests must be submitted via email for drawings to Mr. Jason Yeker, contact@example.gov with Ms. Brittany Burton and Ms. Toni Wagenbrenner on copy. The request must include Cage Code, company name, address, phone, email address, and point of contact. Drawings will either be sent via encrypted e-mail or DoD Safe.  Please allow three (3) business days for delivery.

MARKET SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR INTERESTED PRODUCERS OF THE MK 15 CLOSE-IN WEAPON SYSTEM

Instructions:

Please complete this Market Survey Questionnaire no later than 17 October 2025. This survey questionnaire is not a procurement action and is simply an inquiry for interest.  There will be no compensation by the Government for your response to this questionnaire.  Please reference the survey question number with each response.

1. Identify your current Business Structure:
   1. Name of company – include a contact person's name, technical person’s name, company address, telephone number, email address, CAGE code or Duns Number.
   2. Company size – verify as either Large, Foreign, Small, Small Disadvantaged, 8(a), Woman-Owned Small Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone Concern, Veteran-Owned Small Business, or Service-Disabled Small Business.
   3. Identify whether you are interested in the acquisition as a prime contractor or subcontractor.
   4. If a Small Business Manufacturer, provide information as to how you or your joint venture intends to be compliant with FAR Clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting.
   5. Describe your parent company and subsidiaries (if applicable) – include corporate evolution, fiscal stability and other relevant factors.
   6. If your organization does not have adequate resources (technical, manufacturing, personnel, etc.) available, identify what type of sub-tier vendors or subcontractors your organization would partner with and the time frame for creating any business relationship.
2. Identify your organization's facilities, equipment, success stories, unique capabilities, environmental concerns, customer service/satisfaction, storage, shipping, and receiving for producing the Mk 15 CIWS.
3. Identify your organization's current and previous experiences with similar system buys.  Your answer should address the following:
   1. What Government and commercial contracts/items/production lines and period of production?
   2. Whether or not the contracts have been satisfied?
   3. Who are the Customers and what are the quantities produced?
   4. What was the maximum monthly production rate, both concurrent and stand-alone?
4. Identify current major manufacturing processes, critical skills and equipment, quality control practices/systems and how they relate to producing the MK 15 CIWS.
5. Identify current production capabilities of the integrator and component suppliers to meet the desired quantities. Your answers should address the following:
   1. What are your current production rate capabilities and what capabilities must be developed?
   2. What capabilities would be subcontracted?
      1. If you intend to leverage the current Industrial Base, please detail your experience in managing multiple vendors/schedules/products of similar complexity.
      2. If you intend to establish a new Industrial Base, please detail similar efforts of complexity with associated challenges/successes.
   3. What are your organization’s historical experiences with process or component outsourcing?
   4. What is your organization’s projected schedule for long lead materials and time frames to begin deliveries?
6. Identify your organization's quality system and your organization's contractor's quality philosophy. Furthermore, identify your organization's experience in critical defect inspection, implementation of the latest Government requirement on critical defects clause, past quality deficiency reports and Statistical Process Control (SPC) requirements.  If your responses include capabilities being subcontracted, identify and detail your organization's system for flow down of quality requirements to subcontractors as well as to vendors.
7. Identify your organization’s rate flexibility.  Your answer should include your maximum production rate attainable, minimum sustaining rate, and minimum order quantity.
8. Survey to include an outline of the contractor’s Safety Program Plan.
9. Survey to include an outline of the contractor’s Configuration Management Plan.
10. Survey to include an outline of the company’s Quality Plan.
11. Identify organizational capability to support Product Improvement Programs (PIPs) including engineering expertise. Examples of previous efforts to address material availability and design for automated PIPs are expressly sought.
12. Identify your organization’s ability to test MK15 CIWS Assemblies and sub-assemblies for First Article Tests (FAT), Lot Acceptance Tests (LAT), and engineering tests.
13. Identify potential component sub-vendors and their location. On any potential foreign sourced components, include a detailed statement on the benefit of the foreign supply solution.
14. Identify your organization’s and any potential team members’ personnel experience with the manufacture and assembly of similar and related weapon systems such as the MK15 CIWS.

All responding sources must email their response submissions no later than 17 October 2025 to:

1. Ms. Toni Wagenbrenner, CIWS Production and Acquisition Manager   

               Email: contact@example.gov

               Phone: +1 (555) 000-0000

2. Ms. Brittany Burton, Contracting Officer

               Email: contact@example.gov

               Phone: +1 (555) 000-0000

Information submitted in response to this sources sought notice will become the property of the United States Government. Submitters should properly mark their responses with the appropriate restrictive markings. Information that is proprietary or competition-sensitive may be protected from disclosure under the public records law only if properly labeled as such. Submissions should not exceed 10 pages.