SOURCES SOUGHT: Engineering for Virtualized Enterprise and Remote Access Technology (EVEREST)

AFRL/RIKD is conducting market research for a potential requirement for Virtualized Enterprise and Remote Access Technology (EVEREST). Please note this Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only. The information obtained from responses to this notice may be used to form a future acquisition strategy and solicitation, should one be issued.

The Government is considering establishing one or more contracts / task orders / other transactions with an overall performance period of 5-7 years. Anticipated contract type is Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF). Anticipated funding types are Research Development Test & Evaluation, Procurement, and Operations & Maintenance. Please note that the contract type and duration are subject to change as the acquisition strategy is developed.

To fulfill this requirement, Contractor employees will need to obtain Common Access Cards (CACs), perform on Government facilities in the United States and other locations, and access up to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI). It is anticipated that only United States (US) citizens may perform under this effort.

The requirement includes specialized software research, software development, integration, deployment, familiarization, testing, installation, maintenance, and lifecycle support activities. This effort will enable research, enhancement, and maintenance of Multi-Level Access (MLA) data, information, processes, and systems. MLA solutions are a type of Cross Domain (CD) system that provides authorized users the ability to securely access data from multiple security domains from a single client device, while protecting the security domains from unauthorized access or malicious attack.

The Contractor will concentrate effort on enhancing a current MLA solution, researching and developing new MLA technologies, and supporting these solutions to meet current and rapidly evolving intelligence and security needs of the Department of the Air Force (DAF), Department of Defense (DoD), and Intelligence Community (IC). As MLA requirements continue to evolve, consistent and rapid research, development, enhancement, and sustainment of SecureView and new applications will be required. Focus areas include Raise-the-Bar security requirements for cross domain, performance, commodity hardware compatibility, open source, lifecycle functions and phases to include studies, analyses, designs, development, recommendations, enhancements, integration management, configuration management, testing and evaluation of existing and new systems transitioning into an operational environment, software/hardware installation, certification and systems/network administration and operation. The effort will result in the availability of a scalable, certified MLA system to be utilized by the DAF, DoD, and IC agencies for increased security across multiple domains, accredited for operation at different classification levels within high-security environments.

The Contractor will participate in DAF efforts to provide other organizations with required CD Command & Control Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C2ISR) information when and where needed. Representative customer organizations for cross security domain MLA solutions include an existing user base, DAF (such as 16AF), DoD, Combatant Commands, IC, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and US Federal Law Enforcement Agencies.

Anticipated deliverables include: technical engineering throughout all aspects of the system and software lifecycle; technical, programmatic and gap analysis; prototype development; system and program administration; site support; and security engineering as well as computer software, documentation, engineering and security reports, installations analysis and support, and operations, maintenance, and system administration services.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code:
  • NAICS Code:
  • Place of Performance: USA
  • Original Response Date: Jan 14, 2022 03:00 pm EST

 

Full details via beta.sam.gov


SOURCES SOUGHT: Improved Armored Cabs (IAC) for the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)

The Strategic, Operational, Rockets and Missiles (STORM) Project Office (PO) has a requirement to provide continued production of Improved Armored Cabs (IAC) for the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) (hereafter referred to as IAC Modification Kits) for the Department of Defense.

The IAC kits provide increased crew protection by replacing the armor surrounding the crew to meet ballistic protection requirements, provide blast protection seating, enhancing the transparent armor, and reducing training requirements for the crews by providing more commonality between the MLRS and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Launcher.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Updated Response Date: Dec 30, 2021 05:00 pm CST
  • Product Service Code:
  • NAICS Code: 336992 – Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, and Tank Component Manufacturing
  • Place of Performance: USA

Full details via beta.sam.gov


Commercial Solutions Opening

A Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) is a merit-based source selection strategy for the Department of Defense (DoD) to acquire innovative commercial items, technologies or services that directly fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide potential technological advances. It’s focused on businesses or institutions that have not traditionally done business with the U.S. Government. CSOs are similar to Broad Agency Announcements (BAA) but allow for acquiring technology directly relevant to a specific program unlike BAAs which are restricted to only basic and applied research and that portion of development not related to a specific system or hardware program. CSO were authorized by Section 879 of the FY17 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

DoD innovation hubs (e.g., Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx)) have adopted the model to move at the speed of business to match Silicon Valley counterparts.

Each proposal submitted under an CSO is evaluated on its individual merits rather than on a comparative basis, and the Government has considerable latitude in determining which of the submitted proposals it will fund. Inefficient processes add complexity, cost, and time.

Benefits of the CSO strategy include:

  • A streamlined application process requiring only minimal corporate and technical information
  • Fast track evaluation timelines for solution briefs; with notification made, in most cases, within 30 calendar days of topic closure
  • Negotiable payment terms
  • Capital is non-dilutive
  • All intellectual property (IP) rights are negotiable and the Government does not plan to own any IP
  • Direct feedback from operators, customers and users within the DoD to help product teams develop and hone product design and functionality
  • Potential follow-on funding for promising technologies and sponsorship of user test cases

CSO is not governed by rules for contracts per the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). CSO is different from Other Transaction Authority (OTA). OTA is a legally binding procurement agreement between government and industry authorized for scientific research, technology development, and prototype projects.

AcqLinks and References:

Other Transaction Authority (OTA)

Other Transaction Authority (OTA) is the term commonly used to refer to the (10 U.S.C. 2371b) authority of the Department of Defense (DoD) to carry out certain prototype, research and production projects. Other Transaction (OT) authorities were created to give DoD the flexibility necessary to adopt and incorporate business practices that reflect commercial industry standards and best practices into its award instruments. As of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Section 845, the DoD currently has permanent authority to award OT under (10 U.S.C. 2371) for (1) Research, (2) Prototype, and (3) Production Purposes.

Guide: Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Guide – Dec 2018

Presentation: DAU Acquisition Symposium OT – 2018

(1) Research Purpose allows for basic, applied, and advanced research projects. These OTs are intended to spur dual-use research and development (R&D), taking advantage of economies of scale without burdening companies with Government regulatory overhead, which would make them non-competitive in the commercial (non-defense) sector. Traditional defense contractors are encouraged to engage in Research OTs, particularly if they sought to adopt commercial practices or standards, diversify into the commercial sector, or partner with Non-Traditional Defense Contractors.

(2) Prototype Purpose allows for projects directly relevant to weapons or weapon systems proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD.

The statutory authority provides that OT shall be used to: “carry out prototype projects that are directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the Department of Defense, or to improvement of platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the armed forces.”

(3) Production Purpose allows for a noncompetitive, follow-on OTs to a Prototype OT agreement that was competitively awarded and successfully completed. This statute requires that advanced consideration be given and notice be made of the potential for a follow-on OT; this is a necessary precondition for a follow-on Production OT. As such, solicitation documents and the Prototype OT agreement shall include notice that a follow-on Production OT is possible

What are the authorities?

OTs are not covered by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and are a highly flexible business tool, use of which requires application of astute business acumen to ensure smarter, more efficient acquisition of prototype systems for the DoD. OTs require a minimum of at least one nontraditional Defense Contractor participating to a significant extent in the project or a cost sharing arrangement requiring that at least one-third of the cost of the OTA come from non-Federal sources.

Each military service has authority to execute OTs up to $500M with authorization by their Service Acquisition Executive (SAE), and there are no limits on how many OTs may be executed by the services or the cumulative value of such awards. Beyond the $5000M threshold for individual OTs, USD(A&L) must provide authorization to proceed. There is no limit to the number or dollar value of OTs that the DoD may execute in the aggregate.

In accordance with statute, this authority may be used only when one of the following is met:

  1. The awardee is a non-traditional defense contractor OR a small business:
    • “Non-traditional defense contractor” is defined by statute as “an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the solicitation sources by the Department of Defense for the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the Department of Defense that is subject to the full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to Section 1502 of title 41 and the regulations implementing such section.”
    • “Small business” is defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632).
  2. The awardee is a traditional defense contractor, but at least one of the following applies:
    • At least one non-traditional contractor is participating to a “significant” extent
    • The awardee provides a financial or in-kind cost share – typically, a 1/3 cost share is required. However, the Government should not generally mandate cost-sharing requirements for defense unique items.
    • The Service Acquisition Executive makes a written determination that exceptional circumstances justify use of OTA for the purpose of executing innovative business models or structures that would not be feasible or appropriate with a FAR-based contract.

What constitutes a prototype project?

The terms “prototype” and “prototype project” are not defined in statute or regulation. However, in 2002, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics stated:

“With regard to section 845 authority, a prototype can generally be described as a physical or virtual model used to evaluate the technical or manufacturing feasibility or military utility of a particular technology or process, concept, end item, or system. The quantity developed should be limited to that needed to prove technical or manufacturing feasibility or evaluate military utility. In general, Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriations will be appropriate for OT prototype projects.”

What is an “other transaction” (OT)?

An OT is a common term that refers to any kind of transaction other than a contract, grant or cooperative agreement that is authorized by 10 U.S.C. 2371.  Transactions pursuant to this authority can take many forms and generally are not required to comply with Federal laws and regulations that apply to procurement contracts, grants and/or cooperative agreements.   To the extent that a particular law or regulation is not tied to the type of instrument used (e.g., fiscal and property laws), it would generally apply to an OT.

AcqLinks and References: