Replacement Survivable Flight Data Recorder (CSFDR)

This Sources Sought notice is on behalf of USAF AFMC 501 ACSS/GFLA seeking to obtain information on existing industry capability to provide a non-developmental form, fit, function-ready, Crash Survivable Flight Data Recorder (CSFDR) capable of immediate F-16 flight testing. The CSFDR system must include the SAU, Signal Acquisition Unit, and CSMU, Crash Survivable Memory Unit. CSFDR must be compatible with F-16 Block 25, 30, 32, 40, 42, 50 and 52. Fleet status and subsequent need dates preclude any research and development approaches beyond software interface with intended aircraft configurations. The configuration proposed must have completed full F-16 qualification to include but not limited to safety of flight, environmental, EMI, salt/fog, altitude/temperature and vibration. Current USAF F-16 CSFDR is unsupportable. A portion of the fleet could be replaced quickly with some possibility of follow on buys. The government is interested in existing industry assets/capability that meet current technical requirements, Critical Item Development Specification 16ZF050E; solutions with existing software, which may require tailoring, do not preclude interested parties from responding. Interested parties must be capable of addressing safety of flight and full qualification for integration into the F-16 aircraft in accordance with Critical Item Development Specification 16ZF050E. This is meant to be a direct replacement for SAU P/N 160333-08-01 or P/N 160333-09-01or P/N 160333.10.1 and CSMU P/N 167252-02-02 or P/N:167252-02-03 or P/N:169961-09-01. The contractor must have a facility that is capable of receiving and storing government equipment, and that includes security classification up to and including SECRET. Responses must include: (1) Executive summary up to 2 pages (2) Separate technical description/parameters of proposed existing CSFDR asset up to 25 pages to include MTBF and other pertinent sustainment footprint information (3) Ability of 25 number of assets to meet need date for scheduled testing and any manufacturing lead time away for production of the assets (4) Any known diminishing manufacturing issues with proposed CSFDR (5) Estimate of time to provide any software tailoring and proposed code/data rights of software tailoring to all air craft blocks (6) Management and business approach. up to 10 pages (7) Technical and business points of contact with technical acumen and company authority to answer any questions to company submission. (8) Any OCI issues with proposed qualification contractor (9) Experience contracting with USG; Immediate notification responses to this RFI shall be submitted via email to brent.michelson@hill.af.mil no later than COB 9 Dec 2009. Evaluation/review: The government is only looking for assets that are currently available for production and that meet Critical Item Development Specification 16ZF050E. Software tailoring for USAF configurations will be considered. Hardware that is not currently tested and qualified for F-16 will not be considered. Contractor questions regarding this RFI should be submitted via electronic mail (email) and no telephone inquiries will be accepted. Only email requests received directly from the requester are acceptable. Due to schedule constraints E-mail response to this RFI is required. CONTRACTORS This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB); it is only to obtain market capabilities/industry comments and is to be used for informational purposes only. Your answers are intended to be used to help construct our acquisition strategy and may be used to structure the Government's RFP. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) OR TO OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED. This notice does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. This notice is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this note or the Government's use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor's input resulting from this notice. Responses to this notice will not be returned. Whatever information is provided in response to this notice may be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for determining how to proceed. The information provided may be utilized by or combined with other submissions to assist the AF in developing its acquisition strategy, Statement of Objectives or Performance Specifications. Any proprietary information that is submitted may be used in establishing requirements but specific information will be safeguarded as proprietary. Proprietary or classified submissions should be marked appropriately. Please note: Submissions may be viewed by non-Government personnel. The Government may utilize A&AS technical services provided by SAIC in evaluation of responses. Please contact the Buyer/PCO for Organizational Conflict of Interest Inter-Company Agreement contact information.