REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/ SOURCES SOUGHT Space Force Mission Delta 9 (MD9) – SL-5 EC2-S Ground System Sustainment

DESCRIPTION:

The United States Space Force (USSF), Space Acquisition & Integration Office (SAIO), on behalf of Space Force Mission Delta 9 (MD9) at Schriever Space Force Base, CO, is issuing this Request for Information (RFI)/ Sources Sought notice as part of an ongoing market research.

The purpose of this notice is to identify capable industry partners, gauge market interest, and obtain direct industry feedback on our upcoming sustainment strategy. Due to the critical security requirements of the EC2-S Ground System Enclave, the draft acquisition documents are restricted and will not be posted publicly.  

To maintain security and operational integrity, the Government will release these draft materials exclusively to qualified industry partners. To receive the draft documents, interested contractors must first submit an unclassified Capability Statement and complete the online RFI questionnaire. Once both prerequisites are met and security credentials are successfully verified, the Government will transmit the draft documents over secure channels.

SCOPE OF THE MD9 EFFORT:

MD9 is operationally responsible for guaranteeing mission readiness, ensuring continuous operational availability, and securing ground architecture for critical space assets.

The EC2-S Ground System Enclave supports critical missions, including Surveillance LEO-5 (SL-5) and the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System-Hosted Payloads (QZSS-HP). SL-5 is a predominantly unclassified system, allowing for flexible coordination outside of SAPF spaces. However, the lack of an integrated sustainment partner encompassing systems engineering, proactive cybersecurity monitoring, and responsive technical support has led to increased systemic risks:

1. Unintegrated Sustainment Execution across Program Management and Systems Engineering disciplines.
2. Configuration Management & Cybersecurity Drift under high-tempo mission windows.
3. Inconsistent Tier II/III Engineering Support challenging the operational availability threshold.
4. Training and Documentation Lags when ground baselines evolve.

The Government seeks a prime contractor capable of delivering cohesive, full-lifecycle sustainment to mitigate these risks and stabilize the EC2-S baseline.

GATED ACCESS TO DRAFT DOCUMENTS:

The draft acquisition documents are controlled and will only be released to organizations that successfully complete the unclassified submission and security vetting process outlined in this post.

Because these draft documents contain sensitive acquisition and operational parameters, they will be transmitted exclusively via secure channels (SIPRNET). Therefore, requesting organizations must provide a valid SIPR email address with the initial submission capability.

The following draft documents will be released successful vetting:

1. Draft Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) Framework: Outlines the planned multi-phase, innovative acquisition approach for Mission Delta 9.
2. Draft Area of Interest (AOI) - EC2-S Ground System Sustainment: Details the operational scenario, Technical Focus Areas, and contractor instructions.
3. Draft Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Provides the hierarchical framework for tracking program execution, deliverables, and cost elements.
4. Draft Update to Legacy Performance Work Statement (PWS): Captures the updated baseline requirements, transitioning legacy ground system tasks into the modernized EC2-S sustainment structure.

SECURITY THRESHOLD: Personnel requesting, receiving and reviewing these draft documents must possess an active Top Secret/ Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance with Special Access Program (SAP) eligibility.

QUESTIONS TO INDUSTRY (FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE):

To streamline the collection and analysis of industry feedback, the Government is using a two-phased questionnaire process: 

• Initial Intake Questionnaire (Open Channels): Completion of this questionnaire is a mandatory prerequisite receiving the secure draft acquisition documents. Interested parties must submit their organizational profiles, security credentials, and initial capability responses using the secure portal linked below:

SAIO MD9 EC2-S_ Ground System Sustainment _ Initial Intake RFI Questionnaire – Prefilled form

This initial form is structured to gather corporate capabilities, clearance levels, facility security parameters, and confirmation of active SIPRNET access.

•  Follow-up Technical Feedback Questionnaire (Secure Channels):  Once cleared vendors receive and review the restricted draft documents (CSO, AOI, WBS, and PWS), a detailed follow-up questionnaire will be provided via secure channels (SIPRNET) for industry to submit their formal feedback, recommendations, and pricing strategy inputs on the draft package directly to the established point of contact.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested parties must execute a phased process to complete security vetting, request the draft documents, and submit final feedback.  Please complete the initial intake online questionnaire and submit an Unclassified Capability Statement to the following address: rosalind.davis.3@spaceforce.mil.

CRITICAL NOTICE: Detailed, multi-page narrative technical white papers are not being requested and will not be accepted at this time. To participate in this RFI and receive the draft materials, respondents must complete the following steps:

Step 1: Submit Entry Requirements (Unclassified Capability Statement & Initial Questionnaire)

To initiate the request for the draft documents (CSO, AOI, WBS, PWS), organizations must complete and submit both of the following unclassified items:

1. Submit the Initial Intake Questionnaire: Access and submit the initial intake form at the SAIO MD9 EC2-S Ground System Sustainment Inital Intake RFI Questionnaire link. 
2. Email your Unclassified Capability Statement: Email your statement to the Point of Contact listed below.
   • Page Limit: Maximum of eight (8) pages (including the cover page).
   • Content Focus: Outline your firm's core capabilities, relevant past performance, and corporate credentials relating to the MD9 scope.
   • Security & SIPRNET Verification: You must explicitly include your CAGE Code, Facility Clearance level, and confirm that the personnel designated to receive and review the draft files possess active TS/SCI clearances with SAP eligibility.
   • SIPR Email Requirement: You must provide a valid, active SIPR email address within the Capability Statement to facilitate secure document transfer.
   • File Format: Adobe PDF (preferred) or Microsoft Word format.

Step 2: Security Verification, Document Release, & Follow-Up Feedback

Upon receipt and successful verification of both the unclassified Capability Statement and the initial questionnaire, SAIO will verify the security credentials of the designated personnel.

Once cleared, the Government will transmit the draft acquisition package (CSO, AOI, WBS, and PWS) directly to your organization's designated secure email over SIPRNET.

Follow-Up Feedback: After reviewing the draft files, contractors will receive a follow-up feedback questionnaire via secure channels (SIPRNET) to submit their technical inputs, structural recommendations, and answers to specific acquisition strategy questions.

Deadlines & Schedule:

• Prerequisite Submission Deadline (Capability Statement & Questionnaire): Submissions should be executed as early as possible to allow the Government to vet clearances and complete the secure transfer of files over SIPRNET.
• RFI Final Response & Closing Deadline: All entry requirements and initial requests must be completed and submitted no later than September 11, 2026, at 12:00 PM MST.

DISCLAIMER & IMPORTANT NOTES:

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the US Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. All submissions will become Government property and will not be returned.