1.0 INTRODUCTION

a. Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) and Aviation Support Equipment Program Office (PMA260) have a requirement for Automated Test System (ATS), the electronic Consolidated Automated Support System (eCASS) to include configurations for Hybrid (HYB), Radio Frequency (RF), Electro Optic (EO), and High Power (HP), as well as production Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) implementation and is seeking information for potential sources regarding the update or expansion of the eCASS configurations/capabilities to support test and diagnostics of current and future avionics, weapon and engine systems.

b. This Market Research tool is being used to identify potential and eligible firms, of all sizes, prior to determining the method of acquisition and issuance of a solicitation. The results of the Sources Sought will be utilized to determine if any Small Business Set-Aside opportunities exist. Additionally, this Sources Sought is being used to gather constructive information from industry to improve the Request for Proposal (RFP).

c. Attachment included:
1. DRAFT Statement of Work (SOW)

d. The following dates are anticipated time frames associated with this requirement
1. Estimated RFP Release: Q1 CY24
2. Estimated Award: Q1 CY25
3. Estimated Period of Performance: Base Year and 4 Option Years.

2.0 DISCLAIMER

This Sources Sought is for informational purposes only. This is not a request for proposal. It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government. Responses in any form are not offers and the Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought is strictly voluntary.

3.0 ANTICIPATED CONTRACT TYPE

1. The anticipated contract type will be a firm fixed price IDIQ to support production and cost plus fixed fee CLINs for Sustaining Engineering and Logistics

4.0 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OR REQUIRED CAPABILITIES
Please refer to the attached DRAFT SOW.

5.0 ELIGIBILITY

1. The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 334519, Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing, with a Small Business Size Standard of 600 employees.
2. The Product Service Code is 6625, Electrical and Electronic Properties Measuring and Testing Instruments.
3. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in the capabilities statement. Note: FAR 52.219-14 Limitation on Subcontracting requires a small business prime on a Set-Aside to perform at least 50% of the cost of contract performance. Small business primes may now count “first tier subcontracted” work performed by similarly situated entities as if it were performed by the prime itself. Please read the full text of the clause deviation (52.219-14 Class Deviation 2020-O0008 dated 04/30/20 at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far).

To assist in our market research and determination of any applicable small business set-aside for this effort, if you are a small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize “similarly situated entities” to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting, please identify the name & CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their SB size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding any planned similarly situated entity should be included in answering any questions outlined in the Sources Sought Notice (SSN) in order to assist the Government’s capability determination.

6.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. Information is sought from industry regarding manufacture and production capabilities to produce the Navy’s latest ATS, the eCASS to include configurations for HYB, RF, EO, and HP as well as production ECP implementation to update or expand eCASS configurations/capabilities to support test and diagnostics of current and future avionics, weapon and engine systems. Please provide the following information about any capabilities to produce a product, or combination of products, supplied by your company or organization, to other Department of Defense (DoD) or foreign military services, Navy aircraft depots or commercial industry. We are requesting the following details:

a. A general description of your manufacturing tools, processes, and methods used to manufacture and produce ATS similar to eCASS configurations.

b. A rough estimate of the average throughput per month for each system to be manufactured and produced.

c. A description of the production team makeup as well as member roles and responsibilities necessary to execute manufacturing and production processes and uphold monthly throughput targets.

d. An overview how the team will monitor and respond to potential cyber security threats and impacts to the production process and/or materials.

e. An overview of processes used to incorporate engineering change proposals (ECPs) into the production and manufacturing processes to ensure minimal impacts to production schedule and throughput.

f. An overview of processes used to incorporate and apply production changes to the Technical Data Package (TDP).

g. An overview of quality controls processes used during all phases of production and verification, including responses for defects and quality escapes.

h. An overview of your approach to obsolescence management during the production process to ensure that any newly fielded systems would be sustainable and supportable over a minimum life cycle of 25 years.

i. An overview of how you monitor for material shortages as well as a description of how you would plan for and respond to potential delays?

j. An overview of your sub-vendor management strategies including a description of how you would respond to issues with a subcontractor?

k. Provide information about your company/organization including a brief description of your company/organization, whether you are a small or large business, 8A status, hub zone status, veteran/women owned status and any pastor present Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) awards related to your electronic throttle control system products or technologies.

l. Provide any additional information you think would be useful to consider in this RFI.

2. Contractors will respond to this sources sought in the following manner:
a. Means of Delivery: It is requested that information be submitted in response to this Sources Sought NO LATER THAN 30 days after posting to the Contract Specialist, Stephen Winkler, by electronic mail at stephen.m.winkler2.civ@us.navy.mil.
b. Media: Submissions should be in PDF Document Format
c. Page Limit: Responses shall be limited to 20 pages. Product specifications, sketches, or listings of authorized distributors will not count toward the page limitation.
d. All responses shall include Sources Sought Notice name/number, Company Name, Company Address, Company Business Size, and Points of Contact (POC), including names, phone numbers, and email addresses.
e. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.
f. Any information or materials provided in response to this Sources Sought Notice will not be returned. The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought Notice.

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