Request for Information (RFI) - Project Manager, Short and Intermediate Effectors for Layered Defense Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Increment 4

***Please note, responses to all questions have been added to the Attachments section***

Request for Information

Project Manager, Short and Intermediate Effectors for Layered Defense Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Increment 4

THIS IS A RFI NOTICE ONLY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE IS SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES - IT DOES NOT CONSTITUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) OR A PROMISE TO ISSUE AN RFP IN THE FUTURE AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS ISSUED IN SUPPORT OF MARKET RESEARCH, TO GATHER INFORMATION, AND TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES.

This notice is published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10.002 and Subpart 15.201 and is a Request for Information (RFI) for conducting market research. All information received will be used for planning purposes only. This notice does not constitute an invitation for bid, a request for proposal, or a request for quote. The United States Government (USG) will not award a contract based on this notice and will not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with responses.

SYNOPSIS.

The US Army Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) Fires, Project Manager, Short and Intermediate Effectors for Layered Defense (SHIELD) is conducting research to identify potential interested sources and solutions with the capability to provide air defense capability to protect dismounted maneuver forces in the near, mid, and far terms. This capability is designated as Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) Increment 4. The capability will defeat and destroy unmanned aircraft systems groups 1-3 and rotary- wing and fixed-wing close support aircraft.

Divisional air defense capability supports dismounted maneuver to include joint forcible entry (JFE), mounted maneuver, and division rear formation fixed and semi-fixed assets (aviation, sustainment, fires brigades, divisional headquarters, etc.). The response to this RFI will focus on solutions that deliver air defense capability to support dismounted maneuver, JFE (C-130 transportable, air droppable, and sling load capable) and light mounted maneuver operations that are C-130 transportable and more robust than JFE solutions. The capability will defeat unmanned aircraft systems groups 1-3 and rotary-wing and fixed-wing close support aircraft.

The Army desires a Self-Loading Equipment Dock (SLED) or pallet-based system that is vehicle-agnostic, e.g. can be placed onto light army tactical vehicles such as the Infantry Squad Vehicle or Robotic Combat Vehicle variant system. The USG understands the constrained Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) on these vehicles and intends to explore systems with this RFI which are compatible with multiple/various vehicles. Solutions should incorporate modular design for subsystems and leverage Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) in hardware and software to maximize use of highly constrained SWaP resources.

USG is seeking information on different approaches to the materiel solution, from complete SLED- or pallet-based systems presently available for procurement to newly developed and producible systems/sub-systems. The USG is open to interim solutions with pathways which enable long-term goals of strong MOSA architecture and reconfigurability. USG's long-term goal is to obtain rights to a technical data package and intellectual property which best facilitates rapid development and system reconfigurability. USG intent is to leverage existing programs of record and other high-TRL components for the initial capability with intent to compete future capabilities in this reconfigurable system.

The Army Acquisition Objective will depend on capability and capacity of the materiel solution(s) and Total Army Analysis.

ADMINISTRATIVE.

Pursuant to FAR Section 15.2, this notice is being issued as a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not an offer and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. No contract award is intended because of this request. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal or a promise to issue a Request for Proposal in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. The Government Point of Contact will be Mr. Christopher Caputo, Contracting Officer, US Army Contracting Command-Redstone, and can be contacted via e-mail: Christopher.m.caputo.civ@army.mil. EMAIL ONLY, NO PHONE CALLS.

Per FAR 52.215-3, Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes:

            a.  The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, bid and proposal costs, of the FAR.

            b.  Although "proposal" and "offeror" may be used in this RFI, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

            c.  This solicitation is issued for the purpose of acquiring information to procure air defense capability to protect lightly armored Army forces in the near, mid, and far terms.

            d.  The Government is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this RFI.

M-SHORAD INCREMENT 4 OBJECTIVES.

1.  Cost: The M-SHORAD Increment 4 will be an affordable system for the US. Army. For this RFI, specific cost objectives are not specified. In an effort to obtain industry responses to this RFI quickly, detailed costs will be assessed later in the acquisition process. Any available cost information for potential M-SHORAD Increment 4 solutions is desired.

2.  Schedule: The Army requests the materiel developer provide candidate solutions that would deliver the M-SHORAD Increment 4 capabilities in the near- to mid-term (FY27-29).

3.  Desired Characteristics: Proposed solutions are not required to simultaneously meet all desired characteristics due to size, weight and power (SWAP) limitations. Reconfigurable solutions will be considered to enable delivery of desired characteristics.     

            a.  The Government requires a capability with intellectual property and data rights to enable the Government to affordably reconfigure and evolve as the mission and threat dictate, and these intellectual property rights must enable the government to have a "Right to Repair," of these systems within our maneuver formations.

            b.  Priority Performance Characteristics:

                 (1)  System should be interoperable with Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System for Maneuver (IBCS-Maneuver) Command and Control (C2), and/or other compatible C2 and supporting equipment for users to conduct engagements (e.g. optics, control panels etc.).

                 (2)  System software should enable independent operation of the suite of Inc 4 capabilities. Software should be capable of receiving C2 for increased system capability and situational awareness.

                 (3)  Reconfigurable SLED-mounted hardware should be tailorable to support various missions and effector load out; should utilize MOSA architecture; should be reconfigurable and loadable on standard Army infantry support vehicles; provide its own power for independent operation.

                 (4)  Capability to operate from vehicular platforms such as the ISV and/or robotic vehicles (e.g., small, lightweight, agile robotic vehicle), without requiring full integration into the vehicle systems is desired. The SLED may be carried by the vehicle, but it must maintain independent functionality. Vehicles must be returned to complete functionality after removal of the SLED.

            c.  Additional Performance characteristics

                 (1)  Capable of vehicle-mounted and dismounted operations.

                 (2)  Multiple modular effectors/sensors integrated on single SLED or pallet, capable of being reconfigured to meet different mission needs.

                 (a)  Kinetic effectors (e.g., Stinger/Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI), Coyote, Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), XM914 30mm cannon, 50 cal., M240 7.62mm)

                 (b)  Electronic warfare capability

                 (c)  Active and passive sensing combinations commensurate with weapon range(s)

                 (3)  Joint Forcible Entry capability desired: C-130 transportable, air droppable, and sling-load capable with no (or minimal) disassembly.

                 (4)  Network enabled/capable (i.e., early warning/cueing, etc.).

                 (5)  Human machine integration, which may include remote operation, robotics, Graphic User Interfaces (GUls), etc.

                 (6)  Artificial Intelligence (Al), machine learning, automated decision aids.

                 (7)  Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) model detailing the system and MOSA characteristics validation.

            d.  Testing, Support and Sustainment: At acquisition, the Army plans to conduct any additional necessary performance, safety, and security to support a material release. Testing will be addressed later in the acquisition process.

RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS.

Part A. Business Information:

Please provide the following information for your company and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

1. Company/Institute name
2. Address
3. Point of Contact
4. CAGE Code
5. DUNS Number
6. Phone Number
7. E-mail Address
8. Web page URL

State (Yes/No) whether your company qualifies as a Small Business, Woman Owned Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, 8(a) Certified, HUB Zone Certified, Veteran Owned Small Business, Service-Disabled Small Business, or Central Contractor Registration. Provide a statement describing your company as domestically or foreign owned (if foreign owned, please indicate country of ownership).

Part B. M-SHORAD Increment 4 Solution:

1. Describe the candidate solution(s) and how the solution meets the requirements and delivers the objectives outlined in this RFI. Please outline key performance capabilities of your solution. Provide realistic responses with respect to the anticipated SWaP constraints of SLED-based or a palletized system. If the candidate solution requires any changes to existing components of the candidate solution that are Programs of Record, describe the changes required.
2. Describe the top three risks you foresee in executing your solution(s). Discuss both technical and programmatic risks associated with your candidate solution, for development, integration, test, and production. Include any concerns with the Government's technical or schedule goals, along with suggestions to change the Government's approach or goals to reduce risk.
3. Describe your approach to modularity and open system architecture, including the approach to validating the modularity and architecture.
4. Describe how your solution meets the Intellectual property and data rights characteristics that will achieve the Government's intellectual property and data rights objectives. These will enable the Government to affordably reconfigure and evolve as the mission and threat dictates.
5. Include unclassified capability against each of the threats.
6. Include your projected Technology Readiness Level and Manufacturing Readiness Level and provide supporting information to justify the ratings for each.

ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS.

All responses must be unclassified. Marketing material is considered an insufficient response to this RFI. Respondents should indicate which portions of their responses are proprietary and should mark them accordingly. The Government will honor appropriate proprietary claims to prevent improper disclosure.

The response must include a white paper of no more than 15 pages (text 12-point font, figures 9-point) describing your candidate M-SHORAD Increment 4 solution(s). A fold-out page counts as one page.

Questions pertaining to this RFI may be directed to the Army Contracting Command point of contact for up to 14 days after this RFI is published on SAM.gov. The Government must receive your RFI response no later than 30 days after this RFI is published.

The Government will receive responses via email submission. Send unclassified responses to the US Army Contracting Command- Redstone, via email at Christopher.m.caputo.civ@army.mil and stephanie.l.lambert14.civ@army.mil

** ATTENTION** The M-SHORAD Product Office plans to use non-Government support contractors in assessing industry responses to include the one-on-one information exchange discussions of this RFI. All information will be protected. Any proprietary information must be identified. To be reviewed, the statement "Releasable to USG Agencies and their supporting Contractors for Review Only" must accompany any proprietary submission." The USG reserves the right to request further clarification to enhance understanding of the respondent's submittal.

MARKET RESEARCH

The Government will use the responses to this RFI as market research to inform the following areas of interest:

1. Technical maturity and feasibility of meeting the M-SHORAD Increment 4 goals.
2. Industry's capability to implement the candidate concepts within the desired acquisition timeframe.
3. Technical risk of the candidate concepts.
4. Programmatic risk of the candidate concepts.