Simple Key Loader Production and Sustainment

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THERE WILL NOT BE A SOLICITATION, SPECIFICATIONS, OR DRAWINGS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME This RFI is subject to the provisions of FAR 52.215-3, and is issued solely for information and planning purposes. This RFI does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) nor is it a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Solicitations are not available at this time. Requests for Solicitations will not receive a response. This RFI does not constitute a commitment by the United States Government to contract for any supply or service. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary. The United States Government will not pay for information requested nor will the United States Government compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided. Furthermore, the Army is not seeking proposals at this time, nor will the United States Government accept any unsolicited proposals. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFPs, if any are issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the System for Award Management (SAM) website (SAM.gov). Potential offerors have the responsibility to monitor the SAM website for additional information or opportunities pertaining to the SKL requirement. The United States Army and Project Manager (PM) Tactical Radio (TR) intends to issue a contract modification for a contract ceiling increase on a non-competitive basis under FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This noncompetitive acquisition/modification is tentatively scheduled for award to the current incumbent contractor, Sierra Nevada Corporation under contract W15P7T-20-D-0030 CAGE: 8X691. As part of fact finding and Market Research, PM TR is seeking information on how an interested contractor could provide full rate SKL Production and SKL sustainment support services for the Simple Key Loader (SKL) including systems engineering, software development, software upgrades, technology insertion, testing, integration, training, obsolescence management, and configuration management for all SKL and PANDA versions (V2.0, V2.1, V3, V3.1 or latest version) based on the Performance Work Statement (PWS) and equipment list as provided by Product Lead (PdL) Communications Security (COMSEC) as attached. NOTE: the Government does not own the production level Technical Data Package (TDP) and is not currently looking to buy it or develop a new product. Background Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), Sparks, NV is the original equipment developer and the sole supplier of SKL products and sustainment services since 2005. The production-level technical data package is not available. The estimated performance will cover the last remaining years of the IDIQ contract, approximately August 2024 through August 2030. Production and Services will be acquired on a Firm Fixed Price and Cost Plus Fixed Fee (Completion Task) basis. PM TR will require a seamless transition that mitigates risks associated with a break in production or support services supporting the SKL V2.0, V2.1, V3, V3.1 or latest version. The attached redacted Performance Work Statement (PWS) describes the tasks and efforts that will be required by the vendor for production and sustainment support of the Army, NSA Type 1 certified SKL units. 2.0 Company Profile Provide company name, CAGE Code, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUB Zone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334220, RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING. Provide your company's NAICS code(s) as it relates to this effort. This effort is projected to require at a minimum SECRET or higher facility clearance from the Defense Industrial Security Service with Secret safeguarding capabilities. Please describe your company's current facility clearance level. Personnel will be required to have a minimum Secret security clearance. A COMSEC Account will be required to handle CCI, COMSEC and Secret equipment and materials. 2.1 Company Experience Describe your company's experience in the area of Communications Security (COMSEC) and Key Management, relative to NSA Type-1 certified fill devices by listing contracts where your company was either a Prime contractor or a Subcontractor and the sustainment support services your company provided under the contract. Provide examples and include contract number(s) and value(s), including percentage of overall organic support provided by your company; government /agency point of contact, e-mail, address, phone number and time lines of such work. The response shall answer the questions/topics of interest addressed in this RFI. The synopsis should provide evidence of vendor experience and briefly summarize the capabilities of the vendor to support the requirement. Potential respondents shall answer the following questions and/or provide the requested data: 2.1.1 What information, technical or otherwise, would your company need in order to propose on a solicitation for this effort? 2.1.2 What specific technical skills does your company possess that enables production and sustainment support of the SKL? Include descriptions of your production operations and capabilities as well as management processes, obsolescence management, testing, Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs), maintain NSA Type-1 Certification, and supply chain /vendor validation for Tier 3 Fill Devices. 2.1.3 Describe your experience with sustaining, conducting obsolescence management, testing, applying ECPs, and maintaining NSA Type-1 Certified Tier 3 Fill Devices. 2.1.4 Describe your personnel staffing plan. 2.1.5 Describe any technical and programmatic risks in executing this requirement and your company's risk management strategy. 2.1.6 Describe your company's accredited network for handling classified information and if so, describe the highest classification level of data the network can protect. 2.1.7 Describe your experience with developing software code (bugs, fixes, patches, profiles and updates) and associated software documentation for Tier 3 Fill Devices. 2.1.8 Describe your strategy to ensure that the applicable operating system(s) are maintained and interoperable with all versions of the UAS across all SKL variants and supported End Cryptographic Units (ECU). 2.1.9 Provide a schedule illustrating the steps necessary to establish the full sustainment capability with timelines. 2.2.0 Provide your company's COMSEC Account number. 2.2.1 Describe your company's history working Foreign Military Sales (FMS) requirements and subsequent transportation. 3.0 Responses Responses to this RFI must be in the form of a white paper limited to ten (10) pages submitted via e-mail only to the following individuals on or before August 31, 2023, 4:00 p.m. EST: Katia Lacoste, Contracting Officer Army Acquisition Contracting Center (ACC) katia.lacoste.civ@army.mil Daniel Malloy, Contract Specialist Army Acquisition Contracting Center (ACC) alfred.d.malloy2.civ@mail.mil Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via aforementioned email addresses utilizing Times New Roman, 12-point font and should contain a Title Page (Section 1) and a Synopsis (Section 2). All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government. No phone calls will be accepted. All questions must be submitted to the contract specialist identified above. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought. 4.0 Industry Discussions PM TR representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential responders. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capabilities to meet the requirements, especially any production, development and certification risks. 5.0 Questions Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted electronically via e-mail to the Contracting Officer, katia.lacoste.civ@army.mil and the Contract Specialist, alfred.d.malloy2.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. All questions received will be answered and posted by the contracting officer to the SAM website at BETA.sam.gov; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after August 31, 2023, 4:00 p.m. EST will be answered. 6.0 Summary THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide production, general engineering and sustainment services for the SKL and provide software sustainment, systems engineering, software development, software upgrades procurement, technology insertion, testing, integration, training, and helpdesk support for all SKL versions (V2.0, V2.1, V3, V3.1 or latest version) based on specifications provided by Product Lead (PdL) Communications Security (COMSEC). The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the part of the Government in any way shape or form. Release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. In addition, all information submitted in response to this RFI become Government property and will not be returned in whole or in part.