Night Eagle Operations and Sustainment Support

The Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Grounds (Belvoir Division) is seeking sources on behalf of the CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD). NVESD is contemplating award of a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) type modification to contract W909MY-15-C-0031. This extension would be for a period of two (2) months with one two-month option period. This contract was awarded to support the ongoing operations and maintenance of the Night Eagle (NE) program. NVESD has developed and deployed an initial capability called NE in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS). The system was developed by SAIC (now operating as Leidos) and is currently supported in Afghanistan by Leidos. This extension addresses the continued support of the deployed NE system which consists of two (2) highly modified contractor owned aircraft and associated sensor/communication systems, two (2) ground stations, a CONUS system integration laboratory, a CONUS training facility and up to 30 continuously deployed personnel with SECRET or higher security clearances from September 2017 through December 2017. Additional system infrastructure consists of an aircraft shelter, CONEX containers and aircraft ground support equipment. The Night Eagle aircraft are contractor-owned and operated. Night Eagle prime mission equipment includes multiple software configuration items for which the Government does not have data rights. Any interested parties would be required to provide all of the necessary equipment, personnel and technical/logistical support on 25 September 2017 to continue support6 without any interruption ongoing OCONUS counter-IED operations. NVESD is seeking additional sources with the necessary technical expertise, equipment, training infrastructure and personnel to enable them to provide NVESD seamless, un-interrupted support to the NE program for a two (2) month period of performance (25 September 2017 through 25 November 2017) with an option for an additional two (2) months of support (26 November through 25 January 2018). The services to be provided by the contractor include the ability to manage/maintain the current NE system hardware & software configuration, ability to design and integrate system upgrades, conduct system maintenance, repair system components, manage all CONUS and OCONUS logistics requirements, and conduct flight operations as directed to continue uninterrupted OCONUS operations of the NE system. When requested, the contractor shall also be capable of providing CONUS aircraft flight services (supply appropriate airframe/sensor/communication systems, provide flight test engineers and ground support personnel) in support of U.S. Army testing of NE system upgraded capabilities. Interested parties who have the ability to satisfy the above requirements should submit a white paper, not to exceed 10 pages, discussing your company's ability to meet the above requirements and answers to the below questions Please include a discussion of any commercially available solutions which your company can provide. The response specifically, in addition to the technical capabilities of the company, needs to include the company's plan to ensure continued services with no transition period starting on 25 September 2017 to include the plan for successful deployment of the staff necessary to operate and maintain the NE systems with the appropriate security clearances. Responses should be submitted no later than close of business on 22 August 2017. Responses should be emailed to contact@example.gov. The subject of the mail message shall be: W909MY-17-R-NVNE, Market Research Response, Your Company's Name. All questions of a technical nature should be addressed to Ms. Monika Herdlick, NE Project Manager, at contact@example.gov. All contractual questions should be addressed to Ms. Shahaadah Nalls, Contract Specialist, at contact@example.gov. NO TELEPHONIC QUESTIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. The above information is provided for information only and is not a Request for Proposal or announcement of a solicitation. This Request for Information does not constitute an invitation for bid or Request for Proposal, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a contract or order. The Government will not pay for any effort expended or any material provided in response to this announcement nor will the government return any data provided. It is desirable that data be received with unlimited rights to the Government. However, we recognize that proprietary data may be included with the information provided. If so, clearly mark such proprietary information and clearly separate it from the unrestricted information as an addendum. Product or Service Code; RS425 1. A point of contact information to include: company name, contact name, company address, website (if available), contact phone number, and contact email address, Cage Code and Duns Number 2. Statement as to whether or not your company is considered a small or large business. If your company is a small business, please indicate any socioeconomic classification (8(a), Woman-Owned, Veteran-Owned and Operated, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Operated business, or HUB-Zone) that applies. 3. If you identify your company as a Small Business or any of the SB subcategories as stipulated in Question # 2, then is your company interested in a prime contract for the above requirement? 4. Does your company possess the capabilities to provide the entire range of services called for in the attached draft PWS? ______ YES _______ NO 5. If you answered YES to Question # 4, please provide specific capabilities and examples for how your company can provide these services. 6. If you answered NO to Question # 4, please list what services in the PWS your company can provide? Please provide specific capabilities and examples. 7. Please provide details regarding proposed joint ventures, teaming arrangements, strategic alliances, or other business arrangements to satisfy requirements of the PWS. Offerors are encouraged to identify teams, indicating each team member's size based upon the NAICS code of the work that the team member may be doing. 8. Is your company currently providing similar services to another government agency (you may also include contract #s for government) or other non-government customer? If so, please identify the agency or non-government customer. If you are unwilling to share your customer's identity, please address whether your company offers the same or similar services commercially 9. Has your Company performed this type of effort or similar type effort (to include size and complexity) in the past, if so provide Contract Number , Point of Contact (POC), e-mail address, phone number, and a brief description of your direct support of the effort? 10. What are the core competencies of your employees that would support the requirements of the PWS? Also, provide the total number of individuals currently employed by your company that are capable of supporting the requirements in the PWS. 11. Do all the employees that would support this PWS have a SECRET Clearance or higher? 12. Does your firm possess an approved Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system? 13. If you are a small business how do you select your partners and/or subcontractors? (they don't have to tell you which companies just define how they select them) 14. Please provide details of your company's expertise in conducting airborne optical change detection. Include capabilities in a. gimbal command/control b. metadata stamping c. imagery alignment d. data link transmission e. post-mission data processing/product generations