Vehicle Protection Suite (VPS)

1. General Information Participation in this effort is strictly voluntary with no obligation incurred by the United States Government (USG). The USG will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. However, this presents an important opportunity for Industry to receive initial requirements information linked to the Vehicle Protection Suite (VPS) program. Participation in this market survey is strictly voluntary and the U.S. Government will not reimburse contractors for any cost incurred for its participation in this special notice/market survey. There is no requirement for any information to be submitted to the Government based on this FBO announcement. 2. Purpose Mounted Requirements, Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, herein after referred to as the United States Government (USG), is providing Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) to industry. CUI includes the operational capabilities listed in the VPS Initial Capabilities Document (ICD). This information could support the potential acquisition of a Vehicle Protection Suite (VPS). Given this approach, the USG is providing early access to requirements information to Industry to facilitate possible internal research and development efforts. This notice does not constitute an Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal, is not to be construed as a solicitation, and no award shall be made on the basis of this notice. There is no formal solicitation available at this time, nor will a solicitation be issued against this notice. This is not a request for information and does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation. The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence will host a VPS Industry Day at a future date and time yet to be determined. At the VPS Industry Day, the USG will describe the operational context and VPS high level capability needs; Product Manager VPS will also brief the current program plan. Announcement and invitations to the VPS Industry day will use the FBO process for notification. 3. Background A VPS Army Requirements Oversight Council (AROC) was conducted on 17 November 2017 resulting in a decision to proceed with a request for Materiel Development Decision (MDD) and to start the planning process towards an Analysis of Alternatives (AOA). 4. Requesting Unclassified Sensitive Information The CUI in the VPS ICD is available to properly vetted, interested industry participants who want to gain an early understanding of VPS requirements. US Companies must have an approved and current DD 2345 Military Critical Technical Data Agreement to receive the VPS ICD. The United States - Canada Joint Certification Program Office is the approver of these forms. For more information, please visit their website https://www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/Default.aspx. We will only be providing the CUI to the custodian listed on the DD 2345 form. If your company would like to receive a copy of the VPS ICD, please have the custodian listed on your DD 2345 form send an email request to Mr. Johnny Baker, johnny.l.baker.civ@mail.mil. Your request must contain the following: - Your Company's name and address - Your Name, Title, Office phone number and email address - Copy of the valid/current DD 2345 After verification, the VPS ICD will be sent to the Custodian listed on the DD 2345. The USG will respond to requests, normally within five (5) business days. The VPS ICD is currently available, and will be followed by the draft VPS Capability Development Document (CDD) at a later. Please be advised, once your request has been approved, you will automatically receive any updated or additional CUI that becomes available during the duration of this special notice market survey. Foreign companies should submit their requests through their Embassy in the United States. Disclosure of the VPS unclassified information will be made on a country by country basis, partially based on the ability of the foreign company to properly safeguard USG unclassified sensitive information. 5. Proprietary Information There is no requirement to submit any information to the USG based on this announcement. However, if comments or concerns are voluntarily submitted, the USG acknowledges its obligations under the Federal Acquisition Regulation 3.104-4 to protect proprietary information provided to the Government (18 U.S.C. - 1905). Pursuant to this statute, the USG is willing to accept any trade secrets or proprietary restrictions placed upon qualifying data voluntarily submitted and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure, subject to the following: Qualifying data must be clearly marked PROPRIETARY and be accompanied by an explanatory text so that the Government is clearly notified as to exactly what data so qualifies. Mark only data that is truly confidential. Do not mark data that is already in the public domain or is already in possession of the USG or third parties on an unclassified basis. Proprietary data transmitted electronically must have the PROPRIETARY legend on both the cover of the transmittal e-mail as well as at the beginning of the file. Proprietary information contained within the correspondence shall use the legends: - PROPRIETARY PORTION BEGINS and - PROPRIETARY PORTION ENDS. Disclaimer. The USG is not obligated to protect unmarked data. Nor is the Government obligated for like data in possession of third parties or for data which is afterwards placed in the public domain by the contractor or by third parties through no fault of the USG. Should the USG need to reproduce the protected data for distribution purposes between Government offices, all such data will be reproduced with restrictive legends in place. Support Contractors: The Government sometimes uses support contractors in review responses. Consequently, voluntary responses that contain proprietary information may receive only limited or no consideration since the Respondent's marking of data as - PROPRIETARY will preclude disclosure of same outside the Government and therefore will preclude disclosure to these support contractors assisting the evaluation effort. The USG will use its best efforts to review those voluntary responses that contain proprietary information without using support contractors consistent with the resources available. 6. Submission Schedule There is not a formal submission schedule. There is not a requirement for a formal submission of information to the USG. If a company desires to provide informal submissions, comments, or concerns after receiving the VPS ICD provided based on request to this announcement please contact: Johnny baker Email Address: johnny.l.baker.civ@mail.mil or Mark Andrews Email Address: mark.r.andrews.civ@mail.mil or Ted Maciuba Email Address: tadeusz.s.maciuba.civ@mail.mil 7. Instructions for Responding to this Announcement There is not any requirement for a formal submission of information to the USG. A. Classified Response: N/A B. UNCLASS//FOUO Response: If a company allowed to submit informal comments or concerns, please send Johnny Baker (johnny.l.baker.civ@mail.mil), Mark Andrews (mark.r.andrews.civ@mail.mil), and Ted Maciuba (tadeusz.s.maciuba.civ@mail.mil). 8. Questions N/A