Reducible Height Gunner Protection Kit (RHGPK) RFI

Synopsis: This Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only and does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure these items or to issue a solicitation. This is the 2nd RFI issued for the Reducible Height Gunner Protection Kits (RHGPK) to conduct market research under FAR part 10 and is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). No solicitation document exists at this time. In addition, the Government is under no obligation to pay for information submitted in response to this RFI and cannot accept responses to this notice as offers. Vendors should clearly mark any information it considers proprietary as appropriate. The Government will hold in confidence any responses to this RFI indicating that information therein is proprietary or represents confidential business information. This RFI seeks industry information regarding the design, production, and sustainment of Reducible Height Gunner Protection Kits (RHGPK) on USMC armored tactical wheeled vehicles, including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), the Logistics Vehicle Systems Replacement (LVSR), and the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR). The Government's draft requirement is 140 Low Rate Initial Production units (LRIP) and 1,403 Full Rate Production (FRP) units, with deliveries beginning in FY 2021. The GPK allows the gunner to acquire targets, employ mounted crew-served infantry weapons from a protected vehicle position, and prevent gunner ejection during vehicle operation, accidents, or attacks. The system improves the force protection, survivability, and gunner effectiveness by reducing exposure to enemy fire. The current capability consists of the Marine Corps Transparent Armor Gunner's Shield (MCTAGS), Objective Gunner Protection Kit (OGPK), TOWGPK (TGPK), and Turret Gunner Restraint System (TGRS), each fielded separately in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. To improve the GPK's and associated tactical vehicle fleets' transportability, there is an emerging requirement for a RHGPK that would enable GPK-equipped vehicles to enter restricted height deck spaces aboard naval ships without removing the GPK. The RHGPK will restore significant deck space lost when installing the GPK, reduce unit preparation time before boarding naval ships, and enable vehicles employing infantry weapons to arrive at amphibious landing zones with a GPK ready for combat operations. Key capability attributes of RH-GPK include: - Provide exposed crewmembers with 360-degree protection against threats from fragmenting munitions, small arms fire, sniper fire, improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, and blunt force trauma. - Provide exposed crewmembers 360-degree visibility without rising above the RH-GPK's horizontal plane of protection and without degrading the crewmembers sensory awareness. - Compatible with a multitude of combat and tactical platforms, including the JLTV, LVSR, and MTVR with the M1114 Turret Ring Assembly. - Modifiable with additional accessories to enhance its capability, such as side view mirrors that allow the gunner to see behind the RHGPK, an overhead ballistic protection cover, an overhead concealment mechanism (e.g., soft cover/canopy), Telescopic Armor Gun Shield (TAGS), non-lethal weapon system attachments, ammunition storage provisions, mounts for the gunner's individual (secondary) weapons, and a gunner's restraint system. - Capable of 360-degree power traversing using a rechargeable battery system backed up with a manual hand crank or directly via the vehicle's onboard power system. - Reducible to 8- 4.5 inches in height in stowed configuration - Able to mount the M249, M240B, M2A1, and Mk19 crew served weapons. - Able to stow the gunner's personal weapon (e.g., M27, M16, M4) and additional magazines. - Capable of collapsing and rising using no more than two Marine operators and no special equipment or tools. Special equipment and tools are those not in the vehicle basic issue items or the fielding unit's general mechanics tool kit. The Government is also interested in obtaining the following information: - Vendors' accreditation and authorization to handle classified information. - Economical alternatives for a remote gunner capability while retaining situational awareness to include integration of video or image technology in the RHGPK. - Developmental or production-ready weight reduction efforts for the RHGPK. - Efforts to improve battery powered traversing unit's storage capacity, shelf life, and operational temperature. - Packaging requirements for the RHGPK while in shipboard storage. Vendors are encouraged to submit documentation of similar efforts to include contract number, scope, and magnitude of effort. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Parties interested in this requirement are encouraged to submit a brief Statement of Capabilities introducing their organization; a rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) and prototype schedule/lead times, LRIP and FRP quantities; and a response to the informational needs in this RFI. Commercial brochures, non-developmental brochures, or other responsive literature is also acceptable. The Government discourages submitting competition-sensitive or proprietary information as part of an RFI response. Vendors doing so, however, bear the sole responsibility for appropriately marking proprietary information. There is no page limit. Responses should include any advertising or marketing type information. Written responses can be in any format, but electronic media must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat formats. All responses and questions shall be sent electronically. Electronic media must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat formats. Any email over 6MB must be split into two separate emails due to the file size limitations of Government electronic mailboxes. Please submit questions regarding this RFI no later than 5 June, 4:00 P.M./1600h. Eastern Standard Time. RFI responses are due no later than 5 July 2018, 4:00 P.M./1600h. Eastern Standard Time to jaime.arias@usmc.mil. Information in the RFI response should include the vendor's name and address; a brief description of similar work the vendor performed; an applicable North American Industry Classification System code; and company point of contact, including a name, title, telephone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address. NOTICE - The Government may use non-government support contractors to assist in collecting and reviewing market information submitted in response to this RFI. Contractual organizational Conflict of Interest clauses and non-disclosure agreements bind these contractors to refrain from disclosing information they may access while performing their obligations to the Government.