**Note: As of 1 JUN 2016, AFNWC Nuclear Surety and Certification effort is currently on hold. It is roughly estimated that this effort will restart in mid-2017. While the effort is on hold we will still accept any Statement of Capabilities from companies who have not previously submitted one. **During the time that the effort is on hold, we will work to accomodate any meeting requests related to this requirement, time permitting. Any requests for a meeting, related to this effort, can be made to: Ms. Annette Baldwin Acquisition Program Manager 505-846-7750 Barbara.Baldwin@us.af.mil _______________________________________________________ **This Sources Sought announcement was previously posted on FBO.gov on 3 MAR 2016 at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/1c8558f7c0681a49a999493120157af9. We are trying to encourage more participation for this acquisition. If you have already submitted a Statement of Capabilities, please do not submit a new Statement of Capabilities (SOC). Changes from the original FBO posting are as follows: 1) Added Exception A to the Small Business Size Standard for NAICS 541330, 2) Clarified that a SCIF is not required, we are trying to gather information to determine whether there is potential to work at a contractor facility versus a government facility, 3) See note below regarding clarification on required skill sets. **Note: While nuclear experience is beneficial, the actual engineers performing this effort do not require nuclear experience. The only position that will require nuclear experience is one nuclear Subject Matter Expert with at least 15 years of nuclear experience (requirement currently not in PWS). We realize that there is lack of nuclear certification knowledge in the industry and are prepared to teach the nuclear certification process. 1. Synopsis: This sources sought synopsis serves as a Request for Information issued for the purpose of market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government reimburse any costs associated with the submission of information in response to this notice. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. As stipulated in FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are NOT considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. The decision to solicit for a contract shall be solely within the Government's discretion. Respondents will not be notified individually of the results of any Government assessments. The Government may use the information obtained from responses to this notice in determining its acquisition approach, but the issuance of this notice does not restrict the Government's acquisition approach. The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any input as a result of this notice. 2. NAICS: 541330 Engineering Services, small business size standard is $38.5M (Exception A). 3. Product/Service Code (PSC): R425 Support-Professional: Engineering/Technical. 4. Description of Effort: The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) at Kirtland AFB, NM is soliciting for statement of capabilities (SOC) for nuclear certification and surety activities for nuclear weapon systems. Attached is a partial draft performance work statement (PWS) that further describes the effort. Primary activities include technical analysis to ensure the weapon systems are in compliance with nuclear certification guidance, resulting in nuclear certification of Air Force weapon systems and their related delivery platform interfaces, software, and support equipment. Activities also include management support to establish baseline programmatics and ensure adherence to nuclear certification requirements for B61-12, Long Range Standoff (LRSO), Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), and integration with all associated delivery vehicles, platforms, facilities and ground support. This effort requires software, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering, and programmatic support to include cost estimation, scheduling, and risk analysis/mitigation. Efforts may require modeling & simulation, software analysis, mechanical and electrical design review, and facility analysis. 5. Request for Statement of Capability (SOC): All SOCs shall be UNCLASSIFIED. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED and SEGREGATED. The SOC is limited to 10 pages, single spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font. The SOC shall demonstrate the following: (1) Describe your experience with technical evaluation of the following systems for nuclear certification and surety. If you do not have experience specifically with nuclear surety and certification, but have experience with any DoD/DOE surety and certification. If your company has any experience with any other DoD/DOE surety system, please explain how your experience would be applicable to this DRAFT PWS. a. Software design (PWS 3.1) b. Electrical design (PWS 3.2) c. Mechanical design (PWS 3.3) d. Facility design (PWS 3.4) e. Project Management and Risk Identification/Mitigation (PWS 3.5) (2) Describe your experience with Department of Energy (DOE) 6.X acquisition requirements and processes (3) Contractor has an accredited Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF). This is not a current requirement, we are trying to gather information to determine whether there is potential to work at a contractor facility versus a government facility. (4) Contractor currently has the appropriate cleared personnel who can perform the effort. Note personnel must have DOD SECRET with the ability to be read into Restricted Data category (S/RD), Critical Nuclear Weapon Design Information (CNWDI), and NATO Secret/ATOMAL for all personnel. (5) Identify any potential organizational conflict of interests for any of the programs (just a short statement on the potential issues is required) The SOC shall also include: a. Company POC, telephone number and email address. b. CAGE code. c. Size status under NAICS 541330 size standard $38.5M (Exception A). d. Whether the responding organization is or is not a small business (SB); Historically Underutilized Business Zone SB (HUBZone); Veteran-Owned SB (VOSB); Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned SB (SDVOSB); Small Disadvantaged Business, including 8(a) Certified SB; Women-Owned SB (WOSB)/Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB); and/or Historically Black College or University. e. If applicable, appropriate GSA Schedule Contract Number and what Special Item Number(s) (SIN) potential work could be proposed under. f. If applicable, other government contracts under which this work can be performed. Please include contract number, name and Government POC, including email address and phone number. g. If applicable, propose a more appropriate NAICS code and/or PSC if you do not agree with the Government's selection. Please include your rationale on why it would be more appropriate. h. Based on the type of work identified in the PWS, what type of contract do you believe best fits the work structure? In other words, do you believe the preponderance of the work would call for a Firm-Fixed Price contract, Cost-Plus Fixed Fee contract, etc. Please include your rationale for the recommendation provided. i. The government believes this requirement does not fit the definition of a commercial acquisition - as defined in FAR 2.101, Commercial Item, and will therefore proceed with a non-commercial acquisition process. If you believe otherwise, please provide your rationale. 6. Restrictions: AFNWC is authorized to exclude all foreign participation at the prime contractor level for subject procurement. Foreign participation is prohibited at the prime contractor level. U.S. based offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the PWS tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s). Offerors are advised FNs proposed to perform may be restricted under U.S. Export Control Laws due to the nature of the technical data. RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "Export-controlled". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the ITAR, 22 C.F.R. Parts 120 - 130 or the EAR, 15 C.F.R. Parts 710 - 774. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an unclassified award resulting from this topic only if they are designated as a U.S. Person, as defined by 22 CFR - 120.15, or if bidder is able to obtain an export license through the Department of State or Department of Commerce. Foreign Citizens designated as U.S. Persons are not permitted to perform work under a classified award. Foreign citizens will at no time be allowed to work on Air Force installations.
