Request for Information - LAW Simulator

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION NAVSEA - PMS 317 Description THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI), AS DEFINED IN FAR 15.201(e),_IS SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, REQUEST FOR QUOTE, OR AS AN OBLIGATION OR COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTRACT FOR ANY SUPPLY OR SERVICE. THERE WILL NOT BE A SOLICITATION, SPECIFICATIONS, OR DRAWINGS AVAILABLE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY OR MAY NOT TRANSLATE INTO AN ACTUAL PROCUREMENT(S) IN FUTURE YEARS. THERE IS NO FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 15.201(e) RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE ARE NOT OFFERS AND CANNOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO FORM A BINDING CONTRACT. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT AT THIS TIME SEEKING PROPOSALS AND WILL NOT ACCEPT UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS. RESPONDENTS ARE ADVISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION OR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS INCURRED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI; ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING TO THIS RFI WILL BE SOLELY AT THE RESPONDENT'S EXPENSE. Background 2.1 The Navy is issuing this RFI as a means of conducting market research to identify the interest and resources to support a simulator in support of the new Light Amphibious Warship (LAW). The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in support of PMS 317 is seeking information on how an interested contractor could provide a simulator for the training of Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) crews to conduct beaching evolution training and crew proficiency. LAW will be able to conduct beaching operations in support of Naval and United States Marine Corps (USMC) missions in a variety of geographic locations around the world. The primary functions of the LAW are force maneuver and force closure, including operating into small, undeveloped ports and beaches. Secondary functions may include force sustainment and reconnaissance. The LAW will be between 200-400ft in length and crewed by a Threshold of forty (40) Navy personnel and an Objective equaling the Threshold plus SWaP-C for future unmanned operability upgrades (an additional twenty-one (21) personnel) per the Draft Capabilities Development Document (CDD) dated 25 April 2021. NAVSEA PMS 317 is the Program Office of Record for this proposed ACAT 1B program. PMS 317 is expecting delivery of the first LAW in FY 2026 and has identified a need for a simulator to train the crews in beaching evolutions (a skill set that has not been used in the Navy on mid-size vessels since the LST's, which ended service in the late 90's). 2.2 Business sensitive data may be marked as - proprietary, where such proprietary marking is justified by the Contractor and approved by the Government. Any proprietary or sensitive business data provided by the Contractor via a deliverable must be marked appropriately and will not be shared with other industry participants. 2.3 The Contractor shall not assert any claim, in any jurisdiction, including but not limited to trademark infringement, based on rights the Contractor believes it has in the term(s) Light Amphibious Warship, LAW, Landing Ship Medium, and LSM (the "Designation(s)"), against the Government or others authorized by the Government to use the Designation(s) (including the word(s), name, symbol, or design). The Contractor may not use the Designation(s) (including the word(s), name, symbol, or design) alone or in combination with other words or numbers without prior written permission from the Government. 2.3.1 The Government is providing the Designation(s) to the Contractor for use in connection with, and only in connection with, the activities relating to the manufacture, production, distribution, use, and packaging of the products and services identified under this RFI. The Contractor shall not use the Designations for any other purpose without the prior written permission of the Contracting Officer. 2.32 The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer of any intent it might have to assert rights in, or file an application to register, any one of the Designation(s) in any jurisdiction. Any such notification shall be in writing and shall identify the Designation(s) (including the word(s), name, symbol, or design), provide a statement as to its intended use(s) in commerce, and list the particular classes of goods or services in which registration will be sought. 2.3.3 The Contractor shall ensure that any use of the Designation(s) by contractor will inure to the benefit of the Government. 2.3.4 The Contractor acknowledges that these obligations with respect to the Designation(s) shall survive the expiration, completion, closeout, or termination of this RFI. Requested Information, NAVSEA PMS 317 is seeking information from industry on the availability of simulators that could be used for the training of LAW crews in beaching evolutions. The Navy is interested in full motion, partial motion and non-motion options. The simulators should be capable of supporting a variety of environmental conditions, configurable to support various training evolutions including operating in a surf zone. The surf zone environmental conditions, including, but not limited to, wave height, wind speed, beach coefficient of friction, beach slope, current speed, and current direction, should be able to be altered to simulate beaching the ship in different conditions. The platforms should have the ability to simulate a variety of dynamic performance characteristics of the LAW, including changing displacement and balance. The LAW will be capable of operations in sea states up to and including sea state 7 and the simulators should reflect this. The trainer will be capable of simulating operational speeds up to 20kts. For all simulator types (Full motion, partial motion and non-motion) the simulator should support the necessary number of students / instructors to effectively mirror the bridge crew of LAW. For planning purposes, the latest estimate of the bridge crew during Condition I equates to approximately 10 sailors, with potential for future growth or reduction. Responses 4.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper. 4.2 White papers in Microsoft Word for Office 2000 compatible format are due no later than 14 July 2021, by 1200 PST. Responses will be comprised of two sections and submitted via e-mail only to Daniel.antoon@navy.mi and troy.w.balk.civ@us.navy.mill. Responses may include infographics such as photographs, charts, schematics, or other information prevalent to the white paper (but should still not exceed the 7 page limit for Section 2). Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 4.3. The number of pages in Section 1 of the white paper shall not be included in the 7 page limitation, i.e., the 7 page limitation applies only to Section 2 of the white paper. Section 1 of the white paper shall provide administrative information, and shall include the following as a minimum. 4.3.1. Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. 4.3.2. Recommended contracting strategy. 4.3.3. Either 1) copies of executed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with the contractors supporting NAVSEA and NAVSEA supported PEOs and DRPMs in technical evaluations or 2) a statement that the respondee will not allow the Government to release its proprietary data to the Government support contractors. In the absence of either of the foregoing, the Government will assume that the respondee does NOT agree to the release of its submission to Government support contractors. 4.3.4. Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541512, Computer Systems Design Services. - Small business concern means a concern, including its affiliates, which is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for 3 or more complete fiscal years means the annual average gross revenue of the concern taken for the last 3 fiscal years. Annual receipts of a concern that has been in business for less than 3 complete fiscal years means its total receipts for the period it has been in business, divided by the number of weeks including fractions of a week that it has been in business, and multiplied by 52. Respondees are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only. Additional standards and conditions apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at http://www.arnet.gov. 4.3.5. The facility security clearance of the offeror. 4.4 Section 2 of the white paper shall answer the issues addressed in Section 3 of this RFI and shall be limited to 7 pages. Specific focus should be given the central request, information on the availability of simulator(s) that could be used for the training of LAW crews in beaching evolutions. 5.0 Industry Discussions NAVSEA representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks. 6.0 Questions Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Daniel Antoon via email at Daniel.antoon@navy.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted and questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 14 July 2021, 1200 EST will be answered. . 7.0 Summary THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide a simulator for LAW. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Navy has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.