United States - Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) Request for Information

Description

Added: May 15, 2019 4:13 pm

This Request for Information (RFI) DOES NOT constitute an Invitation for Bids (IFB), a Request for Quote (RFQ), or a Request for Proposal (RFP) and it should not be construed as a commitment of any kind by the Government to issue a formal solicitation or ultimately award a contract. The U.S. Government is in no way liable to pay for or reimburse any Contractors or entities that respond to this announcement. Additionally, any costs incurred by interested Contractors in response to this announcement will NOT be reimbursed and are NOT considered allowable direct charges to other contracts or tasking.

The Government intends to review RFI responses submitted by potential NGJ-LB prime contractors only. Responses submitted by non-prime contractors may not be reviewed. Responses to this notice must address the NGJ-LB requirement in its entirety, i.e. a complete pod solution. Responses that address only a partial solution to the NGJ-LB requirement may not be reviewed.

BACKGROUND
The NGJ-LB program is a Department of Defense (DoD) program intended to replace the aging ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS) currently used on the EA-18G aircraft for Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA). The Navy's desire is to develop a Low Band TJS for implementation as soon as possible. Please see FEDBIZOPPS Special Notice Next Generation Low Band Increment 2 NGJLBINC2_111418 for previously provided information.

MARKET SURVEY - REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: The Naval Air Systems Command is issuing this RFI as part of a market survey to obtain technical and budgetary information in order to refine the Government's requirements for Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) initial operational prototypes. The Government seeks information from potential NGJ LB Prime contractors regarding the ability of industry to meet the Government's requirements for a complete pod solution within the below identified schedule and funding constraints. The information will support planning and cost estimation for the program. Specific information sought is cited below.
Interested companies are advised that employees of the below identified commercial firms may serve as technical reviewers of information provided in response to this RFI. Submission of a response under this RFI will constitute a grant of authority by the submitting company to the Government to release the entire response (including proprietary and classified information) to the employees of these firms. These employees will be performing under Government contracts that contain appropriate restrictions on the use and disclosure of information provided. Additionally, all employees of the identified firms that will have access to RFI response data will have signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in place prior to access the data.
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
AVIAN, Inc.
2 Circle Inc.
AMEWAS, Inc.
Whitney, Bradley and Brown, Inc.
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Science Applications International Corporation
The Boeing Company
Saddle Butte Systems, LLC
Beyond the above identified commercial firms, the Government will not release any data received in response to this RFI, for which it has less than Government Purpose Data Rights, to any firm, agency, or individual outside the Government.
Document markings: It is incumbent upon companies providing responses to this RFI to accurately mark all data with all appropriate data rights, distribution and classification markings. Classified information must be provided in accordance with the applicable Security Classification Guide(s), be appropriately marked (including portion marking), and comply with all the requirements of the DD 254 - Contract Security Classification Specification provided to respondents in FEDBIZOPPS Special Notice Next Generation Low Band Increment 2 NGJLBINC2_111418. 

RFI Response Format: Please provide one hard copy and one electronic (Compact Disc) copy for responses to this RFI no later than the closing date specified below. Receipt will be acknowledged by the Government, but the submissions will not be returned. Use of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Project) or Adobe products is required. Mailing addresses for the RFI responses are provided at the end of this announcement. Responses classified SECRET or below should include a cover letter that identifies the RFI reference number.
Government Furnished Information (GFI): A Technical Library (TL) containing a draft NGJ-LB Statement of Work (SOW) and other useful NGJ-LB information is available to all potential respondents that have a valid classified facility clearance and have been granted access. Those parties who have requested access to the Technical Library and those who request access in response to this RFI will receive a classified CD containing the draft System Performance Specification (SPS). To obtain access to the TL see FEDBIZOPPS Special Notice Next Generation Low Band Increment 2 NGJLBINC2_111418.

RFI Response Content: Describe the technical capability, utilizing the draft SPS and draft SOW, that the company can achieve in an integrated, flight worthy pod by the end of 2024. A RFI response shall include an Executive Summary, a Budgetary Estimate, and a populated RFI Format Spreadsheet Attachment (1). 
 
Executive Summary: Please provide a 4-5 page summary of your company's ability to achieve an integrated, flight worthy pod by 2024 as detailed in the draft SPS and draft SOW. The draft SPS and draft SOW encompasses a fully compliant technical NGJ-LB solution. For any capability that cannot be achieved by 2024, please describe how and when (including a timeline) the company would achieve draft SPS and draft SOW capability. This description must be consistent with the company's budgetary estimate and the Government's funding constraints as described below. 

Budgetary Estimate:
The Government requests a budgetary estimate to complete the effort outlined in the draft SOW located in the NGJ-LB TL and the draft SPS. The Budgetary Estimate must be consistent with the company's described technical approach/capability. Please make this estimate as detailed as possible given the date for receipt of responses. If your company anticipates that its pod solution cannot meet the full level of technical/performance capability described in the draft SPS and draft SOW by 2024, please provide a budget estimate for and explanation of the capability the company can deliver by the proposed timeline of 2024. Please provide a separate estimate and timeline that identifies the cost to achieve the full capability per the draft SPS and draft SOW. 
 
The funding chart below identifies the current estimated funding for NGJ-LB. Please be advised that the budget amounts are subject to change for any given fiscal year. The below-identified funding for FY20 and FY21 represent the anticipated maximum amount available to fund an NGJ-LB contract during those fiscal years. If the Government's budget limitations for FY20 and FY21 impact the company's ability to achieve the technical capability and/or draft SOW tasking, please identify those limitations and estimated impacts to the timeline.

Additionally, please identify any discrepancies between the below funding profile and what the company estimates is a realistic funding profile given the draft SOW and draft SPS.
RDT&E funding ($ in millions):
FY20    FY21   FY22  FY23  FY24   FY25   TOTAL
$14M   $95M  TBD    TBD   TBD    TBD    TBD
At a minimum, Budgetary Estimates should include the following:

a) Any assumptions, requirements, or conditions that must be met for this estimate to be accurate. In addition, identify that profit is/is not included in the provided Budgetary Estimate.
b) The verification section of the draft SPS is not complete at this time. When developing the budgetary estimate ensure that all verification assumptions/test asset requirements are clearly denoted.
c) Phasing by Government Fiscal Year (Oct-Sept), exclusive of Termination Liability and reflective of invoicing plan
d) Phasing of Hardware Procurement and Delivery, such as:
      1. Mission Systems Pods, Aeromechanical Pods, SIL Equipment, etc.
e) Breakout by lowest level estimated. For Example:
      1. Non Recurring Engineering, Recurring Hardware, Systems Engineering, Program            Management, Spares, Profit, etc.
RFI Format Spreadsheet:
Provide a populated RFI Format Spreadsheet in accordance with Attachment (1)* to this RFI that is consistent with both the Executive Summary and Budgetary Estimate information. 
 
RFI Response Deadline: Please provide responses no later than the dates specified below. 
 
Initial Notification of Intent:
The Government requests that any company that intends to submit a proposal as a prime contractor for the potential NGJ-LB RFP inform the Government of its intent NLT 7 days after the posted date of this RFI via email to Ms. Sarah Littleton, sarah.littleton@navy.mil 
 
This announcement of intent does not constitute the final RFI response nor is it a binding commitment to respond. All interested companies are encouraged to respond to the NGJ-LB RFP, if any, that results from this special notice regardless of submission of a response to this notice.

RFI Response

Full responses to this RFI will occur in 2 parts (Part A and Part B) as follows:

A. Responses concerning schedule and technical data should be submitted NLT 1700 EST 17 Jun 2019. (At a minimum, response consisting of: Schedule/Technical Data, Executive Summary, and initial submission of populated RFI Format Spreadsheet Attachment (1) which need not include cost column information).
B. Budgetary estimates should be submitted NLT 1700 EST 8 Jul 2019. Please resubmit the RFI Format Spreadsheet Attachment (1) with the cost column populated. (At a minimum, response consisting of: Budgetary Estimate and fully populated RFI Format Spreadsheet Attachment (1)). Part B submissions must be consistent with the information provided via Part A.
The Government does not intend to provide responses to submissions regarding this notice. The Government may discuss any of the information provided via this notice on an as needed basis with the company providing the subject information. All submissions will become government property and will not be returned.
RFI Response Mailing Addresses 

UNCLASSIFIED Responses
Naval Air Systems Command
Attn: Ms. Marisa Scruggs, Contracting Officer, AIR 2.2.1.2.A
47123 Buse Road, Bldg 2272 Suite 453
Patuxent River, MD 20670
CLASSIFIED Responses
Outer Envelope:
Department of the Navy
Program Executive Officer PMA 234
Tactical Aircraft Programs
48183 Shaw Road Bldg 2806
Patuxent River, MD 20670-1547

Inner Wrap:
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICER PMA 234
TACTICAL AIRCRAFT PROGRAMS
ATTENTION: ANTHONY CHING
M/F NGJ LOW BAND (INCREMENT 2)
48183 SHAW ROAD, BLDG 2806
PATUXENT RIVER, MD 20670-1547

Hand carried responses may be delivered to the address above with prior coordination with Ms. Sarah Littleton at (301) 757-5522 or sarah.littleton@navy.mil.
*All Unclassified Attachments/documents referenced within this RFI will be made available via the TL.

Opportunity closing date

08 July 2019

Value of contract

to be confirmed