Targets and Countermeasures (TC) Rocket Motor Technical Services Request For Information (RFI)

This Request for Information (RFI) notice is to identify capable sources to fulfill the requirements described below. This notice is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15.201. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Targets and Countermeasures (TC) Program is conducting market research to determine industry's interest and capability in, and to identify potential sources who can provide technical support to all stages of Government Furnished Property (GFP) rocket motors, to include Trident I (C4), CASTOR IVA/IVB, Orion, and Orbus l/lA. The source will utilize GFP motors and provide technical support for motor refurbishment, flight certification, safe handling, transportation, propulsion, propellant/motor/component testing, propellant sensitivity studies, aging assessment, storage, demilitarization, and general support. The MDA is seeking sources with experience in Technical Support/Aging and Surveillance/Contract Management/Document Maintenance in support of its GFP motor inventory, with the following high-level requirements being met: Execute Program Management for Rocket Motor Technical Services Conduct Aging & Surveillance of Motors - General Testing/Analysis Conduct Aging & Surveillance of Motors - Static Fire Perform Assembly/Integration/Testing of Flight Motors Conduct Aging & Surveillance of Motors-Testing of Motor Inventory Provide/maintain rocket motor special handling equipment, tools and ground support equipment. Provide ground launch equipment design, development, integration, assembly, test, modification and analyses. Conduct Special Technical Services such as: Unique requirements Component and material degradation Anomaly Investigations Hazard response Answer technical queries, conduct analyses, and perform studies, to ascertain the condition of the GFP motors Evaluate, make recommendations on possible usage of motor systems Analyses (structural, ballistic, thermal, etc.) to evaluate concepts versus the requirements Evaluate materials and components for availability, conformance to requirements, functionality, and quality Perform first article inspections and certification of tooling used at vendor sites Support motor ship readiness reviews and other technical meetings Field support at various designated locations Anomaly, accident and incident investigations and support, including analysis and testing Flight support Demilitarization of motors and excess assets Transportation of motors and excess assets Storage of motors and excess assets Tooling technical support Government Property shipping and support Acquisition or manufacture of alternate rocket motors or components to support MDA needs Develop/Provide Engineering Drawings Safe Life Testing Track hazardous wastes using a waste tracking system to manage information for both reactive and chemical waste. Comply with Department of Defense (DoD) Item Unique Identification (IUID) requirements such as item identification, valuation, and reporting of GFP in the DoD IUID Registry. Comply with the MDA Assurance Provisions (MAP) and Parts, Materials, and Processes Mission Assurance Plan (PMAP). MAP and PMAP documents will be provided to interested parties upon request. This RFI is part of the overall market research activity. This is a market research announcement for informational planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), nor is it to be construed as a commitment by MDA. Information submitted will be considered as an exchange of information and may be used as part of future RFP(s). No RFP/solicitation will be issued at this time. Participation in this effort is strictly voluntary with no costs incurred or obligations made on behalf of MDA. RFI responses will not be construed as an offer and will not be accepted by MDA to form a binding contract. INSTRUCTIONS: Responses to this RFI are due no later than May 29, 2020. Submit RFI responses via e-mail to TC-FutureAcquisitions@mda.mil. To help aid with developing responses and understanding of the Missile Defense System, please go to www.mda.mil. No technical data package is provided; rocket motor's data and research may be available via public/open sources. On May 14, 2020, MDA will make time available to support an unclassified Post RFI Release One-On-One Session upon request for discussions, to answer questions related to this RFI, and provide industry partners the opportunity to clarify aspects of concepts/capabilities under consideration for response to the RFI. This One-On-One Session is not required but may be beneficial to improve the utility of the responses. MDA is seeking to conduct these One-On-One Sessions via telecommunications. If industry partners wish to participate in a One-On-One Session with MDA, an unclassified email request and recommended topics/questions should be made to Mr. Frank Barrow at TC-Futureacquisitions@mda.mil no later than May 4, 2020. MDA personnel will confirm a teleconference number, date, and time of One-On-One Session. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, RFI submissions will only be accepted electronically. All submitted information will be handled accordingly as marked. Respondent's information/documents submitted in response to this RFI will not be returned. The Respondent's information/documents should be complete, be informative, and clearly demonstrate competencies and expertise in executing the requirements. MDA will not accept any responses submitted as classified information. Industry is encouraged to respond with information not constrained by proprietary data rights. If proprietary data is included in the reply, the respondent is responsible for appropriate markings on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis. MDA intends to use third party, non-Government (contractor) support as subject matter experts to review RFI responses, appropriate non-disclosure agreements have been executed to protect and safeguard industry information. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Respondents and/or Prospective Offerors (if a solicitation is issued) and its subcontractors/ suppliers must be U.S. firms/businesses and not foreign owned, controlled, or influenced. Responses shall be single-spaced, minimum 12-point Times New Roman, not more than 10 pages, and describe corporate experience and/or relevancy in the areas described in the requirements scope. Do not submit generic corporate marketing materials for this RFI. Responses shall address the following: COMPANY PROFILE: Provide a profile of your company, including Company Name, Point of Contact, Address, Telephone and Fax Numbers, Email Address, DUNS Number, CAGE Code and/or Tax ID Number, Facility Clearance Level, and all applicable socio-economic business/company profile (e.g., Large/Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged, 8(a), 8(m) (both Woman Owned SB and Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned SB), Tribally Owned entity, Alaskan Native Corporation, Hawaiian Owned Organization, Service Disabled Veteran Owned SB, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) SB, other, etc.). SIMILAR EXPERIENCE: If the respondent has similar experience or historical information available, MDA requests a consolidated table of experience based on the requirement scope with the below information: contract number(s); title and objective of contract; contracting agency and point of contact information; and scope, period of performance, and type of contract (e.g., fixed price, cost reimbursement, fee) TECHNICAL CAPABILITIY STATEMENTS: Describe your capabilities, processes, and expertise in planning and executing the high-level requirements items 1-12 stated in the Description section as specifically applied to Trident I (C4), CASTOR IVA/ IVB, Orion, and Orbus l/lA rocket motors. Describe your ability to acquire, manage, and transport rocket motors in accordance with interim hazardous classification certificates for explosive classifications from 1.1 through 1.4. Describe your capabilities for requirements and analysis tools required for system performance balancing and trades. Describe your company's assets such as laboratories, special tooling, and infrastructure to support high-level requirements items 1-12 stated in the Description section as specifically applied to Trident I (C4), CASTOR IVA/ IVB, Orion, and Orbusl/lA rocket motors. Describe how you would establish or implement a quality assurance program that complies with MAP/PMAP. Describe your capability to operate and maintain an Integrated Digital Environment (IDE) as the central repository for program data and documentation to include test plans, test, data and Pedigree documentation. The IDE shall comply with MAP. Describe your plan/process for MDA Insight and Oversight. Insight is a method used by MDA to gain an understanding of contractor's progress in meeting contractual requirements through observation, evaluation, and participation. Oversight will include participation in Quality, Safety and Mission Assurance activities, mandatory Government Inspections, and MDA evaluations. Describe how your company on other programs has been able to drive down all costs. Does your company have the ability to process DoD classified information. If so, please provide this information. Describe any risks to technical activities and capabilities identified in the high-level requirement item 1 through 12. Describe potential mitigation of those risks (either by the potential source or by MDA). TECHNICAL CAPABILITIY ROCKET MOTOR FLIGHT PREPARATION AND SCHEDULE SCENARIO: For each flight motor, a vendor must perform testing and refurbishment tasks, as required, in advance of the motor being built up for a target vehicle. Tests may include (but are not limited to) Shore A testing, Ultrasonic Testing, High Energy Computer Tomography testing, igniter X-Ray, and leak checks. Additional preparatory tasks may include (but are not limited to) replacement of Through-Bulkhead-Initiators, and bracket pull tests. Provide a notional rocket motor logbook for review, rocket motor walk-around, and procedures for Defense Contract Management Agency review and approval for hardware acceptance. Provide a notional schedule that includes the efforts above from start to finish. The schedule should include schedule considerations/assumptions, programmatic and systems engineering milestone reviews, testing, etc. Ensure the schedule shows critical milestones and high-risk activities. RECOMMENDED CONTRACT TYPE INFORMATION: What is your recommendation for the contract type, fee structure, and general contract line item number structure? Based on industry best practices, what contract structure would you implement to execute the high-level requirements (IDIQ, C-type or other)? Describe how your contract change order process has been used to expedite contract actions. What would be your recommended contract duration/period of performance? Provide a Rough Order of Magnitude estimate of recurring and non-recurring costs to perform high-level requirements items 1-12 stated in the Description section. Estimate an average of processing two (2) to four (4) motors per year and demilitarizing an average of 10 motors per year. Discuss any cost drivers, cost tradeoffs, and assumptions. What is your recommended incentive structure for this effort? What would be your recommended incentive/award fee basis for evaluating your performance? What would be your recommended award fee criteria performance objectives and methodology for determining earned award fee amounts? Describe the documentation/information needed in a library to support your understanding of requirements and delivery of a proposal. What other appropriate NAICS would you recommend for this effort? Provide rationale if any. BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATE: What are the potential barriers to competition for this effort? How can MDA mitigate and resolve some of these barriers? ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST (OCI): What do you see as potential OCI issues? What would be the OCI mitigation strategy? DATA RIGHTS: Will you assert any claims of limited or restricted rights for the Government as part of your potential contract efforts (guided by DFARS requirements for types of technical data) such as contract data requirements lists, technical drawings, software, and hardware? DFARS defined categories of data rights are: 1) Unlimited Rights; 2) Government Purpose Rights; 3) Limited Rights (for Technical Data); 4) Restricted Rights (for Computer Software); and 5) Special License Rights. SMALL BUSINESS: Because one objective of this RFI is to determine the capabilities of small business to accomplish the requirements contained herein, and to inform the acquisition strategy with regard to setting aside any future acquisition, MDA request the following information: Responsible small businesses responding to this RFI are expected to demonstrate compliance with the Limitations on subcontracting Clause of FAR 52.219-14 (DEVIATION 2019-O0003) by articulating the portions of work that the small business intends to perform as well as articulate the portions that subcontractors or teaming partners (if applicable) will perform. Responses must include business size and business socio-economic category of all subcontractors or teaming partners identified to perform work associated with the NAICS applicable to the requirements of this acquisition. The prime small business responding to this RFI must include their past experience in managing subcontractors on similar requirements, and include subcontractor or teaming partners past experience applicable to requirements specified in this RFI. Based on the level of interest and the apparent capability of industry, MDA reserves the right to request follow-up information from RFI respondents as needed. Information received from follow-up questions and possibly one-on-one presentations is considered part of the overall market research activity and will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 15.201. PRIMARY Points of Contact: Contracting Officer: Jennifer Morgan, (256) 450-3144, or TC-Futureacquisitions@mda.mil Contract Specialist: Reggie Wills, (256) 450-1986, or TC-Futureacquisitions@mda.mil