Request for Information (RFI) for Project Manager, Short and Intermediate Effectors for Layered Defense (SHIELD) Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2) Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) and Full Rate Production (FRP)

AMENDMENT 1: Q&A Attachment added. Synopsis: This is a request for information (RFI)/Sources Sought (SS) only. This RFI/SS does not constitute an invitation for bids (IFB), request for quotations (RFQ), or request for proposals (RFP). The U.S. Army Short and Intermediate Effectors for Layered Defense (SHIELD) Project Office is conducting market research to determine if there are potential sources with the capability to execute Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) and Full Rate Production (FRP) of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2) weapon system. The IFPC Inc 2 is a mobile, ground-based weapon system designed to defeat subsonic Cruise Missiles (CMs), Group 2/3 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Rockets, Artillery, and Mortars (RAM), and other aerial threats. The IFPC Inc 2 uses the proven AIM-9X missile. The U.S. Army's Sentinel radar serves as the IFPC Inc 2 sensor, while the U.S. Army's Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) provides IFPC Inc 2 mission command functionality and service, and joint connectivity to support the system's net-ready requirement. The IFPC Inc 2 provides 360-degree protection of critical fixed and semi-fixed assets, with the capability to engage simultaneous threats arriving from different azimuths. The U.S. Army will predominantly employ IFPC Inc 2 equipped forces in the operational support area, bridging the gap between tactical (e.g., Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD)) and strategic (e.g., Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot) Air and Missile Defense (AMD) forces. The USG intends to award a production contract in compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) in 3QFY24. This contract will include options for the IFPC Inc 2 LRIP and FRP, with additional options for training and fielding, contractor logistics support, and engineering services. The SHIELD Project Office will manage this contract. The USG currently plans to procure 24 IFPC LRIP Inc 2 units in FY24, 47 LRIP units in FY25, and begin FRP in FY26. Background: In FY24, the USG SHIELD Project Office plans to obtain a decision from the IFPC Inc 2 Milestone Decision Authority to proceed with the production and deployment phase of the IFPC Inc 2 program. The USG will conduct LRIP during this phase. The LRIP results in completion of manufacturing development to ensure adequate and efficient manufacturing capability. It also establishes an initial production base and establishes a gradual increase in production rate to allow for FRP upon completion of initial operational testing. The USG expects to proceed into LRIP based on the IFPC Inc 2 design the USG is developing under the Prototype OTA. Therefore, to reduce overall program schedule and cost risk, any proposed production solutions must be of equivalent design, configuration, and performance as developed under the current IFPC Inc 2 Prototype OTA effort. Any proposed material solution for this requirement must not result in substantial duplication of cost that the USG cannot recover through competition, nor result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the USG's requirements. The USG is unable to provide any technical data or specifications to enable industry response to this RFI/SS. The technical data package (TDP) for the current IFPC Inc 2 design is not available for this RFI. Requirements: Interested sources must demonstrate technical capability, corporate knowledge, and experience in providing hardware, facilities, equipment, technical expertise, planning, management, manufacturing, and testing efforts, to include incidental services, for producing the IFPC Inc 2 weapon system. The contractor shall provide all labor, materials, and engineering/technical support necessary for production hardware, system software, program management, system engineering, safety, hazardous material management, program protection, configuration management, integrated logistics support, spares management, quality assurance, production test support, training and fielding, and documentation in accordance with the USG's requirements for the IFPC Inc 2 production. This procurement includes access to classified information and requires the contractor to possess secure facilities approved to the SECRET level by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. Further, the Defense Contract Management Agency shall conduct a pre-award survey of the contractor's facilities to determine the capability to fulfill the requirements of the contract to minimize risk to the IFPC Inc 2 program. The USG invites interested firms capable of fulfilling the above-mentioned requirements to indicate interest by providing the following information to the contract specialist/point of contact (POC) listed below: Company name, company address, CAGE Code, point of contact, e-mail address, telephone number, and fax number. Business size (i.e., large, small disadvantaged, veteran owned, woman owned, etc.) Affirmation of cleared personnel and facilities. Experience and Expertise - A description of the company's experience in providing technical expertise, manufacturing and production expertise and facilities, logistical support, training and fielding, and other services as required to meet the IFPC Inc 2 requirements. Outline the company's experience in meeting contractual due dates for similar type efforts. Technical and Production Approach - A description of the technical and production approaches the company would use to meet the IFPC Inc 2 requirements outlined above. Outline the technical and production solutions, to include an estimate of schedule and associated cost required to execute the production and delivery of the LRIP units for this anticipated procurement. Provide an assessment of your Manufacturing Readiness Level to support production. All responses shall be unclassified. Clearly identify assumptions, including any assumed USG support. Clearly mark proprietary and restricted information. The experience and expertise description shall be no longer than five (5) pages. The technical and production approach description shall be no longer than 20 pages. The response date for this RFI is 30 calendar days from date of issuance of this notice. The USG shall not reimburse contractors or responders to this notice for any costs incurred in responding or any subsequent exchange of information. All responses shall be transmitted electronically to: Contract Specialist/POC: Ms. Katy Whiteneck, katy.e.whiteneck.civ@army.mil This RFI/SS is for planning purposes only and is not an IFB, RFQ or RFP. Additionally, there is no obligation on the part of the USG to acquire any products described in this RFI/SS. Response to this RFI/SS is voluntary, and the USG will treat responses only as information for the USG to consider. Respondents are not entitled to payment for direct or indirect costs incurred in responding to this RFI/SS. This RFI/SS does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter negotiations for award of a contract. The USG has not authorized, appropriated, or received any funding for the supplies or services described herein. The USG may use information provided in developing its acquisition strategy. Interested firms are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted, or competition sensitive information contained in the response. The USG will not pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI/SS. If the USG releases a solicitation for the supplies or services described herein, the USG will synopsize on sam.gov.