Request For Information for Flyaway Broadcast System (FABS) Material Handling System (FMHS)

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Special Communication Requirements Division (SCRD) is surveying the commercial vendor community for all interested parties for information in regard to the Flyaway Broadcast System (FABS) Material Handling System (FMHS). The Flyaway Broadcast System (FABS) Material Handling System (FMHS) is a light weight material handling device that is capable of lifting and loading equipment into High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV), Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV), and commercial style vehicles such as Pickup trucks or Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV). This Draft Specification defines the preliminary requirements for a FMHS, the environment in which it will operate, and its interface interchangeability characteristics. It also identifies the criteria for verifying compliance with this specification. A Non-Developmental Items/Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) equipment is the acquisition goal for the FMHS. The FMHS is unclassified. The proposed contract will be on a firm fixed price basis, and will allow for ordering agency negotiations or contain schedule reductions for large quantity orders. The contract will also include price adjustment clauses, which allow vendors to unilaterally lower pricing for a specific order, grouping of orders, or specific period of time. All items will be contained in the priced Schedule of Supplies/Services within the contract. THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP), BUT RATHER A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) from industry that will allow the Government to identify interested sources capable of meeting the requirements as stated in this synopsis. The government is interested in industry's comments on the proposed requirements within the attached Statement Of Work (SOW). There is no commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, make an award, or be responsible for any monies expended by any interested parties in support of the effort mentioned above. Interested parties are requested to submit their comments to the proposed requirements within the SOW. Vendors are requested to provide a capabilities statement of no more than 10 pages in length that demonstrates the respondent's ability to meet the requirements as specified herein. The Government is interested in receiving vendors commercial published price lists for items they believe meet the need in this RFI. The Government is also interested in lead-time, current stock level, material warranty, support, and cross-reference information. All data received in response to this RFI, marked or designated as corporate or proprietary, will be fully protected from release outside the Government. Failure to respond to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future associated RFP that may be issued. Information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit or award a contract. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website: www.fbo.gov. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any follow-on information. All responses, including capability statements, shall be submitted no later than 3:30 PM EST, 4 March 2009. Responses shall be submitted electronically to the designated Contract Specialist, Robert Battaglia, in Microsoft Word format or Portable Document Format (PDF) at the following email address: contact@example.gov Please submit any questions regarding this synopsis to Robert Battaglia via email at contact@example.gov. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this sources sought.