Response to questions received on the RFI

Notice to Offerors Request for Information (RFI) number "W56KGY-15-D-0007_Modification" was posted on Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) on 16 December 2016 and closed on 31 December 2016. The purpose of the RFI is to conduct market research to ascertain if there are any changes in the market place for sustainment support to the MX series of sensor systems that have been previously integrated, qualified, and tested on distinct Army platforms. Under this sustainment contract, the Army may procure, in addition to the MX-10 laser designator rangefinder payload, one or more of the sensor variants within the family of MX sensors, which are integrated onto a multitude of platforms. The following definitions are provided for clarity in understanding the types of MX sensors. - DR - designator ready (payload has illuminator and laser range finder) - D - designator (payload has laser range finder, illuminator and designator) - HDi - payload has high definition capability - DiD - payload has high definition capability with designator The Government plans to purchase and sustain the following MX sensors under this contract. - MX-25D and MX-25 - MX-20D and MX-20 - MX-15HDi and MX-15DiD - MX-10D and MX-10DR* *NOTE: Any MX-10D and MX-10DR will only be sustained under this contract. The MX-10D is a laser designator range finder. The MX-10DR has a laser range finder, just not the designator. They are two different systems. The range finder determines the range to a target, the laser designator provides a discrete coded laser used in weapons engagements and target hand overs. In response to the RFI, a prospective vendor submitted questions. Before the Army offers answers the vendor's questions, it is important to point out that W56KGY-15-D-0007 SUSTAINS the existing fleet of MX sensors (which supports multiple platforms across the Army). However, in SUSTAINING the MX sensor fleet, units may become extensively battle damaged or be beyond economical repair (BER). Consequently, the Army needs and intends to buy all types of MX sensors, excluding the MX-10D and MX-10DR for the Army TUAS Shadow Program, for replacement purposes lest the Warfighter lose full mission capability. The Army also intends to meet directed non-Shadow Operational Needs Statements (ONS) MX sensor needs utilizing W56KGY-15-D-0007. However, the Army will not procure new MX-10D or MX-10DR sensors to satisfy a new requirement for the Army TUAS Shadow Program (including for an ONS) by procuring MX-10D or MX-10DR sensors. The Government's answers to these questions follow below. Question 1: Please confirm that there are no instances, circumstances, or conditions whatsoever that would allow new MX-10 laser designator range finder payloads to be procured via the existing contract with the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) or through any current or anticipated modification to this contract? If this cannot be confirmed, please state all conditions, circumstances, or instances that would allow any such procurement of the MX-10. Government Response: At the current time, the Government will not procure new MX-10 laser designator range finder payloads for the Army TUAS Shadow Program under this contract. Question 2: Does the basic contract SOW provide for the new purchase of any MX-10 laser designator range finder payload(s)? The interested parties request a copy of the Basic Contract. Government Response: The Performance Work Statement (PWS) is sufficiently broad to include the purchase of new of MX-10 laser designator range finder payloads, but as stated above, the Army will not procure new MX-10 laser designator range finder payloads under this sustainment contract for the Army TUAS Shadow Program. Interested parties seeking a copy of the Contract may submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the appropriate point of contact. Question 3: Please identify which MX sensors have been identified to meet emergent threats. If sustainment is only a portion of this action, please identify any and all other activities that would be supported through the work scope identified in this RFI. Please note that the introduction contained at the start of the RFI states that this RFI and ceiling increase is ONLY for sustainment; therefore, please explain how sustainment can be considered to be the last portion of this action and not its entirety? Based on ONS or other urgent requirements, is there any way through which the MX-10 sensor can be purchased under this contract vehicle? If so, is there a defined number, minimum, or maximum of MX-10 units that can be purchased per year? Government Response: The Army declines to discuss emergent threats and, relative to the remaining questions, to satisfy an ONS, the Army may procure new MX sensors and/or replacement MX sensors that are battle damaged/Beyond Economic Repair (BER). That said, the Army confirms that no new MX-10D or MX-10DR sensors for the Army TUAS Shadow Program will be procured under this sustainment contract. Question 4: Please explain all contents of any "upgrade/modification" anticipated or sought through this RFI and related in any way to the MX-10. Government Response: The term "Upgrade/modification" in reference to the MX-10 Payloads (MX-10, MX-10D, MX-10DR) is to address Sustainment Support and Obsolescence for those currently in Army inventory so that they are Fully Mission Capable (FMC) with no critical maintenance and no safety deficiencies. Under this sustainment contract, the Army will not procure any variety of payload for the Army TUAS Shadow Program, but the Army may procure new payloads for the purpose of sustaining existing payloads (MX-10, MX-15, MX-20, MX-25) that support other programs and platforms. Question 5: Does this statement include the procurement of MX-10 laser designator range finder payloads to support ONS requests directly intended for the Army TUAS Shadow Program? Government Response: No, there are no conditions, circumstances, or instances where an MX-10 laser designator range finder payload will be procured on this contract for the Army TUAS Shadow Program. The POCs for this action are William Claybrook, william.d.claybrook.civ@mail.mil and Kristen Weiman, kristen.l.weiman.civ@mail.mil.