WEATHER AND SEA STATE SYSTEMS

WEATHER AND SEA STATE SYSTEMS
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 

1. Description

1.1 The 96th Test Systems Squadron (TSSQ), is currently conducting market research seeking capabilities statements from potential sources, including small businesses (SB) and large businesses that can provide procurement and sustainment support for Weather and Sea State Systems capable of meeting the Government’s Weather and Sea State Requirements.

1.2 This announcement serves as a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION only for the purpose of market research in accordance with Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul Part 10. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for planning purposes only and is not a Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. In accordance with (IAW) Revolutionary FAR  Overhaul 15.101(c)(2), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of the information requested. All costs associated with responding to the RFI will be solely at the responding party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if issued. The Government reserves the right to reject or disregard, in whole or in part, any contractor’s input resulting from this RFI. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation for proposal or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. The information provided may be used by the Government in developing an acquisition strategy, a statement of work (SOW), statement of objectives (SOO), or performance specifications. Some information resulting from this RFI may eventually be included in one or more solicitations. Proprietary information or technology should be clearly marked. Any subsequent actions resulting from the evaluation of the information provided in response to the RFI may be synopsized at a future date. If synopsized, information detailing the specific requirements of such procurement will be included.

2. Background and Statements of Need

The Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range (EGTTR) is currently seeking the ability to measure atmospheric data throughout the Eglin water test areas (Gulf of America) with ground based and systems that can be deployed a limited distance offshore. The Government is interested in the ability to reliably measure sea state data over the entire Gulf Water Test Range and weather data over the Gulf Water Test Ranges to at least 100kft.
Sea State data is not adequately measured across the water test areas of the Gulf. While there are a limited number of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Home (NOAA) buoys, they do not provide complete coverage, are not controlled by Department of War (DoW), are prone to long unscheduled outages, and some are under threat of loss due to NOAA budget considerations.
The ability to accurately characterize and monitor sea-state is important to surface target navigation and placement, personnel recovery and characterization of background clutter for Electro Optical/ Infrared (EO/IR) sensors looking down. This includes the proper display of weather information.
The Weather and Sea State systems will be used to provide accurate data for all airborne test platforms, test items, and targets utilizing the Eglin Test and Training Complex (ETTC) test space for airborne, waterborne, and land test missions.
The system will be maintained and operated on a DoW network and will be required to comply with all rules and regulations pertaining to Information Systems (IS) that processes DoD data and validated in accordance with Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs). 

3. Information Requested

Interested sources must provide demonstrated capacity and capability with verifiable past performance history to provide engineering and technical support for at least the following: procure, provide and install all materials, spare parts and consumables; design, test, modify and install system components, modifications and improvements; repair, refurbish, and maintain to manufacturer specifications; operate, calibrate, align, tune, and verify performance to manufacturer specifications; procure new Weather and Sea State systems.

4. Responses

4.1 All interested vendors are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper and/or a PowerPoint presentation. White papers and/or PowerPoint presentations are due no later than 30 days from RFI release. White papers should be no more than 8 pages, 8.5 x 11 page size with 12 point font. PowerPoint presentations should be no longer than 16 slides. Submissions should be submitted electronically, via the appropriate communication channels to:

Mr. Anthony Aldrich
NIPR: 96TSSQ.RNXT.RNXTRFI@US.AF.MIL

4.2 Submissions should be either PDF files, Microsoft Word documents or Microsoft PowerPoint. 

4.3 Please contact Mr. Aldrich via email if submission of any potentially sensitive or classified material is required. 

4.4 Section 1 of the white paper or the beginning of the presentation should provide administrative information and should include the following as a minimum. This information does not count toward page limits:
    
4.4.1 Company name, mailing address, cage code, point of contact (POC), POC telephone number, email address, and business website. 

4.4.2 Business size status (i.e. 8(a), HUBZone, Woman/Woman Owned or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, small business, large business, etc.).

4.4.3 Status as a foreign-owned/foreign-controlled firm and any contemplated use of foreign nation employees. 

4.5 Section 2 of the white paper or right after the above, in the presentation should address the information requested in Section 3 of this RFI. Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. Please be advised that all submissions become U.S. Government property and will not be returned.  

5. Questions

All questions regarding this announcement should be submitted in writing and marked appropriately as to whether they address any proprietary or controlled information. Questions should be submitted to Mr. Aldrich. Government responses to all general non-proprietary questions will be shared with other industry members. The government does not guarantee questions received after 15 days from release date will be answered in time for the 30 days from release date submittals. 

6. Summary

This is a request for information (RFI) only to support the modernization of the Eglin Test and Training Complex and its test missions. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding upon the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur costs for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become U.S. Government property and will not be returned.