RFI/Synopsis: Level of Effort Increase - Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Mission Package (MP) Weight Reduction

Amendment 1: The purpose of Amendment 1 is to correct an administrative error in the response date. The response date is updated from 08 July 2020 to 08 July 2019. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged. The following notice serves as a request for information in accordance with DFARS PGI 206.302-1 and a proposed contract action synopsis in accordance with FAR 5.203. This is a synopsis for a modification to Contract N66604-15-C-086C with Raytheon Company (hereafter referred to as "Raytheon") for noncommercial services prepared in accordance with FAR 5.207 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. The purpose of the proposed modification is to: provide additional engineering level of effort (LOE) associated with system and shipboard integration, required system changes, and support of government led testing and training, and to extend the associated period of performance for the engineering services. The objective of Contract N66604-15-C-086C is to achieve weight reduction of the Escort Mission Module towed systems and associated dry-end components in support of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Mission Package (MP). The Escort Mission Module towed systems and associated dry-end components covered by the contract are required to meet established performance, reliability, safety and operability requirements. While weight reduction is the primary objective, the solution must also be compliant with LCS embarkation and installation requirements, and when integrated into the larger mission package, maintain the current capability with respect to ASW performance. In support of this effort, the Government requires an increase of the LOE hours from 13,000 hours as originally solicited by 44,468 hours to 57,468 hours to account for additional integration and developmental testing work onboard LCS platform variants to demonstrate initial operational capability. The Government anticipates no changes from the current contract in the type of LOE tasking. Specifically, the Government estimates an additional 44,468 hours of engineering services and other direct costs (ODCs) to complete system and shipboard integration on both LCS variants, design and implement required system engineering changes and government integration and testing of the Pre-production Test Article unit. The need for additional testing resulted in a need for additional hours to support the integration and testing. The Government also requires the additional hours because of additional complexity as a result of the nature of the complex nature of the Raytheon solution to the primary weight reduction objective. As a result, of the LOE tasking described above for testing on the LCS variants, the Government also requires an extension of the period of performance under the current contract from FY19 to 30 December 2021. The proposed contract action is for services and supplies for which the Government intends negotiate with only one source under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(d) (1)(B)(ii), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(B). FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(B) states, "For DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, services may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of a follow-on contract for the continued development or production of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in-- Unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements". Raytheon, as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) under the current contract, is the only company with skills and knowledge necessary to meet the Navy's need for installation, integration and testing engineering services without unacceptable delay, as detailed below. 1. Since the system purchased under Phase II of the contract is a pre-production test article, its design is currently not documented sufficiently to be a Technical Data Package that in turn could be used to train another vendor quickly enough to support the Navy's engineering services tasking. Although the detailed TDP is not complete at this time, the Government estimates it would take approximately twelve (12) months from TDP delivery for another company to meet the requirements of Phase III. Under the current contract, the TDP is required to be delivered with associated and necessary Government purpose rights during FY23 (assuming FY20 first production unit execution). The Government does not have rights necessary to complete full and open competition of the DART technical design data until after delivery. Given the time to compete the requirement, coupled with the lack of a full competitive TDP and the technical understanding required for another company to meet the Government's system capability and schedule requirements, Raytheon is the only company that can perform the work. 2. Delaying the Escort Mission Module (EMM) test Phase III test schedule by twelve (12) months after TDP delivery would result in significant negative impact on the Navy mission. Specifically, the government will be unable to conduct risk reduction testing to ensure successful completion of the formal developmental and operational testing onboard Navy vessels and will be incapable of properly training the LCS crews on this very complex system prior to entering the formal testing. Due to these considerations, full and open competition for the LOE requirement would result in an unacceptable delay of capability to the Navy, creating a gap in units available for ship deployments. Having such gap would result in significant negative impact on the Navy mission. Therefore, avoiding the significant negative impact on the Fleet outweighs the potential short term minimal impacts on addition of engineering level of effort and extension of the associated period of performance given the tasking falls under the original Statement of Work scope and the follow-on contract will be full and open competition. The synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, which will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed acquisition based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information shall be submitted prior to 08 July 2019 via email to all of the following points of contact: Kristina Michael at Kristina.michael@navy.mil and Andrew Nagelhout at andrew.c.nagelhout@navy.mil.