RFI - Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) and Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) Transparent Armor

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is for planning and informational purposes only and shall NOT be considered as a Request for Proposal (RFP) or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this RFI or furnishing the requested information. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of a contractor's submission of responses to this RFI or the Government's use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor's input resulting from this RFI. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. 1.0 Introduction: Program Manager Medium and Heavy Tactical Vehicles (PM MHTV), United States Marine Corps (USMC), is seeking additional sources who are capable or have current experience in the design and production of Transparent Armor (TA) for ground tactical vehicles. The PM MHTV portfolio includes the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) and the Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR). This fleet of tactical vehicles include armored variants with integrated TA solutions of multiple thicknesses. In addition, PM MHTV is managing a potential replacement program for the MTVR, called the Medium Tactical Truck (MTT), that is currently in Research and Development. This future MTT truck is also expected to have integrated TA as part of the survivability requirements. Both the MTVR and LVSR Family of Vehicles are in sustainment; and both have exhibited TA delamination issues and poor-quality control that inflicts considerable impacts to operational readiness and increased costs to the fleet to replace. The current TA parts were purchased under outdated revisions of ATPD-2352 and require updated specifications in alignment with ATPD-2352 Revision U and significant improvements in quality control. The Government may provide detailed Technical Data Packages for TA frames to vendors that have the capability for improved and certified solutions using their own TA designs, sealants, and manufacturing processes declared as part of ATPD-2352 Rev U compliance. The Government is looking for capable vendors that can demonstrate strong quality management systems and configuration control of manufacturing processes, materials, equipment, and quality assurance of sub-vendors / supply chain. 1.1 Purpose: This RFI constitutes market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 and is not an RFP. Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) is issuing this RFI to characterize the overall industry capability and readiness to support additional sources of supply for the MTVR and LVSR tactical vehicles and their respective capability to meet the latest ATPD-2352 Rev U specification, specifically improving life cycle performance and quality control. 1.2 Objective: Data submitted in response to this RFI will be used to assess the marketplace environment (commercial or non-commercial) for businesses to provide the USMC with the support described above. The Government also intends to use the responses to identify opportunities for further discussions to understand current market capabilities, limitations, and any supply chain costs or concerns. 2.0 Requested Information: Respondents who are interested are requested to provide the information (white paper) that identifies their capability to provide the support described as follows: Describe your current and recent (previous 10 years) experience with design or manufacturing of TA for tactical vehicles. Identify whether your company sub-contracts for the lamination of the glass, or if you laminate in-house. Describe your manufacturing capability and available capacity in the near future (2024/2025). Provide any manufacturing limitations such as maximum dimensions or thickness you can produce. Describe your overall quality management approach and certifications with respect to the manufacturing of TA and critical tests/measurements. Include your processes for configuration control of declaration items referenced in ATPD-2352 Rev U (Section 3.2.1), as well as any controls and quality assurance measures in place for raw materials, suppliers, and sub-vendors. Describe any near term or future efforts to improve designs, materials, or processes to be compliant with ATPD-2352 Rev U or to improve quality while maintaining or lowering costs. Describe any independent 3rd party or Government testing conducted or planned to address the accelerated life cycle testing outlined in ATPD-2352 Rev U (Sections 3.3.7 and 4.3.7). If testing has been conducted, the Government is interested in the number of cycles passed and if a test report is available. Outline any issues, risks, or concerns regarding TA materials, sources of supply, or cost considerations that would be beneficial for the Government to understand. 3.0 Responses: Vendors possessing requisite skills, resources, and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements are invited to respond to this RFI via a submission of white paper, an executive summary on 8 x 11 in paper, no more than eight (8) pages in length, using Times New Roman 12-point font, single spaced. All responses must include the following information: (1) Name and address of applicant/company (Corporate/Principal Office) (2) Name, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of point of contact (3) General Service Administration (GSA) contract number (if applicable) (4) Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) (5) Business Size (under NAICS 336992) (6) White paper providing capabilities and relevant past performance 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 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. If any data is classified, it also must be marked and sent appropriately; please coordinate with the POCs listed below for a classified mailing address or SIPR e-mail account for distribution. Please do not submit proposals at this time. The Government is only seeking information on sources for market research purposes to determine the availability of commercial capabilities in the described areas. Acknowledgement of receipt will not be made, but the Government may respond for follow-on discussions. Availability of any formal solicitation will be announced separately. Submittals will not be returned to the sender. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. It is the Contractor's responsibility to check SAM.Gov to obtain additional data. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail to sarah.kilmer@usmc.mil and brittany.olin@usmc.mil, no later than 1600 Eastern Time on 22 January 2024 with the subject line - RFI - MEDIUM TACTICAL VEHICLE REPLACEMENT (MTVR) AND LOGISTICS VEHICLE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT (LVSR) TRANSPARENT ARMOR. Additionally, Vendors shall provide their company name and CAGE code with their requests. Telephone replies will not be accepted. 3.1 Questions: Questions or comments regarding this notice may be addressed to Sarah Kilmer, at sarah.kilmer@usmc.mil, or Brittany Olin, at brittany.olin@usmc.mil, by email only. No questions will be accepted after 22 January 2024, at 1600 Eastern Time. The Government intends to respond to as many questions as practicable and will respond to questions via an amendment to this RFI posted to SAM.gov so that all interested parties will benefit from the same information. It is industry's responsibility to monitor the site for the release of any amendment to this announcement; however, if some of the answers to industry's question include Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), only vendors who have provided the Government with their U.S. Postal mailing address and valid CAGE code will be provided such information. 4.0 Additional Information: Product and Service Code (PSC) - K023 - Modification Of Equipment- Ground Effect Vehicles, Motor Vehicles, Trailers, And Cycles North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code - 336992 - Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, and Tank Component Manufacturing