REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/SOURCES SOUGHT - Laser Range Finder Optical Window

N00164-19-S-NB64 - REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/SOURCES SOUGHT - Laser Range Finder Optical Window - FSC 5855 - NAICS 333314 Issue Date: 21 March 2019 Closing Date: 04 April 2019 4:00 PM EST The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) located in Crane, Indiana is conducting market research for vendors with the capabilities and facilities to provide Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS), Non-Developmental Items (NDI), or near NDI, for an optical window to be installed into a laser range finding sensor system to support imaging for DOD and other Federal Agencies. 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 while providing a state-of-art laser range finding (LRF) sensor system. The Government is seeking companies with the capabilities and facilities to provide optical windows that allow for the use of a laser range finder at 1540 nanometers in a harsh marine environment. One side of the window (exterior) will be exposed to the outside environment while the other side (interior) will be climate controlled. Optical window performance specifications and environmental standards must be met. No materials that require radioactive disposal can be used. The Government is requesting the following market information for a LRF optical window. The LRF window's proposed salient characteristics can be found in the attached document. The attachment provides the Government's desired objective for the LRF windows as well as the minimum qualifications (threshold) required to conform with safety and quality standards. Industry is encouraged to provide ability to offer potential solutions utilizing an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coating material composition to meet the specifications. Industry is also encouraged to provide ability to offer potential solutions utilizing other coating material compositions (i.e. silicon, gridded pattern, metallic grid, etc.). All potential solutions are required to meet electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic vulnerability (EMV) protection. Interested parties must be properly registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and the Joint Certification Program (JCP) in order to receive the controlled attachments. Information may be obtained on SAM registration and annual confirmation requirements by calling 1-866-606-8220 or via the internet at https://www.sam.gov. Information about the JCP is located at https://public.logisticsinformationservice.dla.mil/PublicHome/jcp/default.aspx. The controlled attachments will be posted to FedBizOps at the same time this RFI is posted. FedBizOps may be accessed at http://www.fbo.gov. Interested sources must submit substantiation of their ability to provide and sustain all of the capabilities listed below and the attached documents as non-development commodity purchases to support the Government's determination that a source is qualified. The substantiation may include previous deliveries of the capability or test data and analysis that support technical and environmental qualification. This is a Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice (RFI/SS) announcement to determine the availability and technical capability of businesses to provide the required services. Additionally, this notice is being published with the intent to conduct market research, determine the availability of small business concern participation as either prime or subcontractors, and promote competition. This RFI/SS constitutes market research in accordance with FAR Part 10. This RFI is not a request for proposals and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals and no award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for information received in response to this notice. Sources choosing to respond to this notice are wholly responsible for any costs/expenses associated with submitting a response. Any costs incurred by interested companies in response to this announcement will NOT be reimbursed. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this sources sought notice. The information obtained from submitted responses may be used in development of an acquisition strategy and future solicitation. When/if the Government issues an RFP, interested parties will be expected to thoroughly address the requirements thereof regardless of the circumstances surrounding this sources sought. Responses: Responses to the RFI/SS shall include the following: Submitter's Name Street Address, City, State, Zip Code Business Size Point of Contact (POC) POC Telephone Announcement Number Technical Response All interested parties are encouraged to submit company and product literature; a white paper addressing the below information regarding capabilities for BOTH the ITO coating and other material coatings proposed to meet the Government specifications; and/or other pertinent information. Interested parties may only have information or a potential solution regarding one type of coating, (i.e. either the ITO coating, silicon, or another material coating); the coating method addressed is to be stated as such in the white paper response. Each white paper should include at a minimum: 1. Cover page, including company name and address, proposal title, project being addressed, technical and administrative points-of-contact, along with email address, telephone and facsimile numbers. (Note: provide one mailing address to use for any Government notification letters). 2. Description of the laser range finder optical window 3. End product physical and performance technical data 4. How the optical window meets the desired performance requirements or the minimum requirements stated above a. Substantiation of their ability to provide and sustain all of the capabilities listed above and the attached as non-development commodity purchases to support the Government's determination that a source is qualified. The substantiation may include previous deliveries of the capability or test data and analysis that support technical and environmental qualification. 5. Scope of any development effort required to meet specifications and requirements a. Regardless of funding, provide estimated timeframes for development, a first article, and transition from development to production. Data rights shall also be addressed. 6. Company past performance and capabilities as it relates to the technical requirements described above. 8. Environmental qualification testing summary Please be advised that any proprietary information must be marked as such on a page-by-page and paragraph by paragraph basis. The Government will not assume that any of the information provided by a respondent is proprietary unless it is conspicuously marked on this basis. Moreover, the Government does not assume any duty to contact a respondent and inquire whether any unmarked information submitted in response to this RFI is proprietary. Contract Strategy Response The Contracting Officer is also interested in feedback regarding contract strategy. A separate contract strategy white paper shall be submitted to the contracting POC listed below and should include at a minimum: 1. Cover page, including company name and address, proposal title, project being addressed, technical and administrative points-of-contact, along with email address, telephone and facsimile numbers. (Note: provide one mailing address to use for any Government notification letters). 2. Address ability to provide five-year pricing in step-ladder quantities for production systems. 3. Address the commerciality of the product. If claiming product to be commercial provide the following: a. Commercial market for the item (non-government end user, sold to general public for general public use) b. Sales data for commercial market (i.e. quantities, prices, catalogs prices, market prices, etc.) c. If modified commercial provide description of difference between commercial general public system and system to be proposed to the Government. Include estimated price difference for modifications. Technical Responses to this RFI/SS or questions shall be submitted to NSWC Crane POC Asheli Bridwell, Email: asheli.bridwell@navy.mil with a copy to Casandra O'Neall, Email: Casandra.e.oneall@navy.mil. Please reference N00164-19-S-NB64 in the subject line of emails. Responses received after 04 April 2019 may not be considered in the Government's market research. Contract Strategy responses and any questions related to the process for submission of information should be submitted to the NSWC Crane Contracting POC Casandra O'Neall by 4:00 PM Eastern Time 04 April 2019, at Casandra.e.oneall@navy.mil. Responses received after 4:00 PM Eastern Time 04 April 2019 may not be considered in the Government's market research. If any part of the submittal is classified, please contact the Contracting POC for appropriate submission information. 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. Reference announcement number N00164-19-S-NB64 in all correspondence and communications.