Open Technology and Agility for Innovation (OTAFI)

The purpose of Amendment No. 1 to the Solicitation is to incorporate Attachment No. 8 to the Solicitation, Consolidated Solicitation Questions and Answers, dated 30 March 2021. No other changes have been made. SOLICITATION FOR FA8750-21-R-9000 1. OVERVIEW (a) The purpose of this announcement is to solicit qualified offerors to submit proposals for the Air Force's Open Technology and Agility for Innovation (OTAFI) Other Transaction Agreement for Prototype (OTP). This effort aims to rapidly deliver new technology and capability to the Air Force by leveraging and enhancing the way Air Force weapons systems perform and provide agile adaption and integration of new capabilities. To achieve this aim, the Government is soliciting lead organizations (hereon referred to as the OT Lead) with the ability to manage competition, award, and administration of Project-Level Agreements with substantial involvement from nontraditional defense contractors. (b) The core objective of OTAFI is for the Recipient to perform a coordinated prototyping and testing program in conjunction with the Government that speeds the ability to rapidly prototype Government, industry and academia capabilities in the areas of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) by leveraging agile, responsive procurement methods. The Government will develop Mission Threads in collaboration with requiring activities, and capabilities will be evaluated and selected via white papers, proposals, and other approaches (e.g. Plug-Test). Plug-Tests are events where the Government will use a Government defined and implemented test protocol to test vendor solutions that resulted from a corresponding Plug-Fest as a means to identify a potential project to pursue. Plug-Fests are industry best practices for validating and verifying system interoperability within a particular enterprise. Participating vendors - plug their proposed solution into a standards-based, instrumented, technology - stack. When applied to an Information System, Plug-Fest participants are able to demonstrate their capabilities in live presentations or remotely from anywhere in the world enabling a virtual industry day. (c) The Government anticipates that OTAFI will be awarded as an Other Transaction Agreement for Prototype Projects (OTP), as authorized under Title 10 U.S.C. - 2371b. The form of the Agreement to be executed is similar to a FAR based IDIQ contract in that there will be one overarching Agreement between the Air Force and the successful entity. Under this Agreement, individual projects will be solicited, awarded and performed, with an approximate ceiling value of $499M, project ordering period of 60 months, and project performance allowed up to 24 months after project ordering end date. The OTP will have multiple Project-Level Orders (PLOs) awarded on a Firm Fixed Price basis. The increments and dollar threshold will be determined by each Mission Thread, with pricing based on the outcome of project-level competitions, conducted throughout the term of the Agreement. Despite the Firm Fixed Price nature of the Agreement, the successful Offeror will need to identify an accounting system that is capable of tracking the receipt and disbursement of Government funds. Upon successful completion of the Project-Level Agreements under a Project-Level Order, there could be potential for a sole-source, follow-on production OT or FAR contract. Follow-on production OT or FAR contracts will be determined on a project-by-project basis in accordance with the guidance provided in the Other Transactions Guide (OUSD (A&S)), 2018, applicable law, and policy. (d) The OT Lead's deliverables are expected to consist nearly entirely of reports, although it is possible that in unique situations the OT-lead could be responsible for the delivery of software, hardware, or technical data. Project-Level Performers will be expected to deliver technical solutions, consisting of software, hardware, and/or technical data. (e) Please submit your proposals on or before 16 April 2021. (f) Please address your responses to contact@example.gov and contact@example.gov 2. LIMITATIONS OF OTP AUTHORITY (a) Awards issued under the authority described in the previous section must be limited to prototype projects that are directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms. Systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the Department of Defense, or to improvement of platforms, systems, components or materials in use by the armed forces, and involve either: (1) significant involvement from one or more nontraditional defense contractors or nonprofit research institution; (2) all significant participants are small businesses, nontraditional defense contractors or nonprofit research institutions; or (3) greater than one-third of the cost of the project being born by non-federal sources. (In the absence of these conditions, an OTP may only be awarded based on determination by the Air Force Senior Procurement Executive that exceptional circumstances justify the use of an OTP.) (b) For purposes of these limitations, the following definitions apply: "Prototype" means a preliminary pilot, test, evaluation, demonstration, or agile development activity used to evaluate the technical or manufacturing feasibility or military utility of a particular technology, process, concept, end item, effect, or other discrete feature, and, by way of illustration, may involve: a proof of concept; a pilot; a novel application of commercial technologies for defense purposes; a creation, design, development, demonstration of technical or operational utility; or combinations of the foregoing, related to a prototype. - Prototype project means a proof of concept, model, reverse engineering to address obsolescence, pilot, novel application of commercial technologies for defense purposes, agile development activity, creation, design, development, demonstration of technical or operational utility, or combinations of the foregoing. A process, including a business process, may be the subject of a prototype project. Although assistance terms are generally not appropriate in OT agreements, ancillary work efforts that are necessary for completion of the prototype project, such as test site training or limited logistics support, may be included in prototype projects. A prototype may be physical, virtual, or conceptual in nature. A prototype project may be fully funded by DoD, jointly funded by multiple federal agencies, cost-shared, funded in whole or part by third parties, or involve a mutual commitment of resources other than an exchange of funds. - Directly Relevant. Under the authority of 10 U.S.C. - 2371b, prototype projects must be directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD, or to improvement of platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the armed forces. In this context, the phrase - directly relevant focuses on the agency determination of the direct relationship of the prototype project (as opposed to a tangential association) with the DoD mission. Non-traditional Defense contractor (NDC). An entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources by DoD for the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the DoD that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to section 1502 of title 41 and the regulations implementing such section (see 10 U.S.C. 2302(9)). Significant Extent - In evaluating the significance of expected NDC/nonprofit research institution participation, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. - 2371b(d)(1)(A), the Agreements Officer (AO) is expected to consider input from relevant technical advisors (Legal, Engineering, Program Management, Pricing, Logistics, etc.) in assessing the totality of the circumstances for each proposed prototype project before making an independent judgement as to the significance of expected NDC or nonprofit research institution participation Significant Involvement - in its role as a prime contractor, team member, subcontractor, lower tier vendor or supplier, or - intra-company business unit, one or more nontraditional defense contractors must be involved to a - significant extent. Significant contribution examples include: supplying new key technology or products; accomplishing a significant amount of the effort; causing a material reduction in the cost or schedule or increase in the performance of the work effort. 3. DOCUMENTS THAT ARE A PART OF THIS SOLICITATION PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENTS FOR THIS SOLICITATION Solicitation Letter, dated 16 March 2021 Model OTP Agreement, dated 18 February 2021, with Attachments 1 through 7 Instructions to Offerors and Evaluation Criteria, dated 17 February 2021 Recommended Processes and Practices for Open Technology and Agility for Innovation (OTAFI) dated 17 February 2021 Interested Parties List as of 25 January 2021 Consolidated Draft Solicitation Questions and Answers as of 26 January 2021 Representations and Certifications, dated 10 November 2020 Past Performance Survey, dated 10 November 2020 Consolidated Solicitation Questions and Answers as of 30 March 2021