REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SOURCES SOUGHT ENGINEERING SERVICES AND REPAIR FOR WIDE AREA INFRARED SURVEILLANCE WITH PERSISTENCE (WISP)

N00164-20-S-NB37 - REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SOURCES SOUGHT ENGINEERING SERVICES AND REPAIR FOR WIDE AREA INFRARED SURVEILLANCE WITH PERSISTENCE (WISP) PSC 5855 - NAICS 334511 Issue Date: 03 MARCH 2020 Closing Date: 06 MARCH 2020 This solicitation is being posted to both the BETA.SAM page located at https://www.sam.gov. BETA.SAM is the single point of entry for posting of synopsis and solicitations to the internet. MARKET SURVEY - REQUEST FOR INFORMATION SYNOPSIS: The Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane) is seeking information for market research purposes regarding repair and support of the WISP sensor system, as an incorporated and qualified component in the Counter Small Unmanned Aerial System (C-sUAS) Electro-optic Infrared (EO/IR) Surveillance System. NSWC Crane intends to award a Basic Ordering Agreement on a sole-source basis to Copious Imaging, LLC (83 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421). The basis for restricting competition is because the Government does not possess rights in detailed manufacturing and process data adequate to allow for full and open competition. Based upon their unique system design, test and system knowledge and experience, Copious Imaging LLC is the only contractor possessing the capability to provide the required supplies/services to meet mission requirements without significant duplicative costs and time delays to the Government, which would not be recouped through a competitive contract action. The contract will be awarded pursuant to 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1) and the Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The purpose of this RFI is to solicit potential solutions from industry on technical capabilities, production capacity, delivery, and product support available to maximize efficiencies regarding cost, schedule and performance. Program Background: The WISP sensor was developed by a team of scientists and engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratories (MIT-LL) at Government expense. Many of these scientists and engineers are now employed with Copious Imaging, LLC, which is a spinoff company from MIT-LL, created in December 2017. Major components of the C-sUAS include the MX-15 (a multi-sensor imaging system) produced by L-3 Wescam and the WISP sensor. The WISP improves nighttime aerial persistent surveillance utilizing Digital-Pixel Focal Plane Arrays (DFPAs), which has also been developed at MIT-LL. The DFPAs allow a very large area to be scanned quickly without stopping and stabilizing the system to acquire individual frame images. The WISP sensor consists of a modestly sized DFPA coupled to a high-speed, continuous-motion scanner. The DFPA and scanner are mounted to a three-axis continuously rotating gimbal (MX-15). WISP acquires multiple wide swaths of image data that are stitched together in software to render a large (850 Mpixel) two-dimensional image frame. Requested Information: Interested parties are requested to provide the information that identifies its capability to provide the support described herein. Interested parties must be properly registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and may obtain information on SAM registration and annual confirmation requirements by calling 1-866-606-8220 or via the internet at https://www.sam.gov. Responses: Responses should include availability, budgetary cost estimate, and lead time of the solution. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to submit an initial synopsis (commonly referred to as - white paper). This white paper should not exceed 30 pages written (Times New Roman, 12 font) or MS PowerPoint slides, (exclusion of supporting information such as commercial literature, catalogues, manuals, etc.), with an executive summary (one page or less) on the effort, a technical description detailing how performance characteristics are met, identification of risks, current Technology Readiness Level (TRL), operational availability data, Reliability-Availability-Maintainability (RAM) data, production readiness data and/or identify other Government contracts with similar efforts for the Government(s) consideration. Interested sources should submit their white paper electronically to the Point of Contact (POC) listed below. NSWC Crane, Mr. Reece Freeman - Code 0231 Crane, Indiana 47522 Reece.Freeman@navy.mil Responses from Small and Small Disadvantaged Business firms are highly encouraged. Firms responding should indicate if they are a small business, a socially and economically disadvantaged business, 8(a) firms, historically black colleges or universities, and minority institutions. Responses to the RFI shall include the following: Submitter's Name Street Address, City, State, nine (9) digit Zip Code Point of Contact (POC) POC Telephone and DUNS number CAGE Code Announcement Number: N00164-20-S-NB37 This announcement is a public invitation. Failure to participate or provide written feedback to the draft performance specification will not preclude abstaining vendors from bidding on possible future solicitations. This announcement is part of the full-, free-, and open- competition process, which encourages industry and academia to help shape Government specifications to match what is possible, affordable, and timely. Failure to participate in this open pre-solicitation conference or to provide written feedback may result in a future Government performance specification over which the abstaining vendors have limited influence in the acquisition process, and may deprive abstaining vendors of potentially valuable direct early interaction with contracting officials and acquisition planners. This Request for Information (RFI) is the initiation of market research under Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). This announcement does not constitute an Invitation for Bids (IFB), a Request for Quote (RFQ), or a Request for Proposal (RFP) and it should not be construed as a commitment of any kind by the Government to issue a formal solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses to this notice cannot be accepted as offers. The U. S. Government is in no way liable to pay for or reimburse any companies or entities that respond to this announcement or participate in the Industry Day. Any costs incurred by interested companies in response to this announcement will NOT be reimbursed. Nothing in this announcement constitutes an obligation on the part of the U.S. Government, nor is the Government tasking any offeror to develop any technologies described herein. Any information provided that is marked as proprietary information will be safeguarded to prevent disclosures to non-government personnel and entities. The Government may elect to visit, or host a visit, from any potential sources following the market survey. Your interest in this program is appreciated. All interested parties should provide the requested information regarding this announcement no later than 1400 EDT on or before the closing date as specified at the beginning of this solicitation, at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. White papers may be submitted any time prior to expiration of this announcement. Responses received after 1400 EDT on the closing date may not be considered in the government's analyses. All information marked as proprietary information will be safeguarded to prevent disclosures to non-government personnel and entities. Your interest in the response is appreciated. All changes that occur prior to the closing date will be posted to the Beta.SAM website https://www.sam.gov.