SOLICITATION: N61340-25-R-0034 PROGRAM: E-2D HITS-V NAICS: 333310 PSC: 6910 INTRODUCTION The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) Orlando, FL intends to sole source the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training Systems (HITS)-V effort to Rockwell Collins Simulation & Training Solutions (RCSTS), LLC of Cedar Rapids, Iowa under the authority of 10 USC 3204 (a) (1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1. RCSTS is the only source which possesses the required source data and training media baseline information necessary to timely deliver an updated HITS training device. In order to comply with PGI 206.301-1 the Government is seeking information on the availability of potential comparable sources to provide E-2D HITS products to the fleet. Responses to this sources sought will be utilized to ensure no comparable source is available and more advantageous to the Government. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The E-2D HITS-V effort involves the following training systems: -Weapons Systems Trainers (WSTs; inclusive of Tactics Trainers, Aircrew Procedure Trainers, Operational Flight Trainers); Norfolk, VA; Pt Mugu, CA; Iwakuni, JA -Distributed Readiness Trainers (D-DRTs), Norfolk, VA; PT Mugu, CA; Fallon, NV; Iwakuni, JPN; Oceana, VA (DDRT-7) -Special Program Advanced Readiness Trainers Ashore/Afloat (SPARTA), Norfolk VA; Pt Mugu; CA; Iwakuni, JA, Fallon, NV; Joint Training Facilities (various in CONUS); CVN’s (as directed); TACTRAGRU LANT and PAC (VA and CA) -Part Task Trainers, Norfolk, VA -Mission Rehearsal, Mission Brief/De-brief, and Mission Visualization may be required to meet Fleet Readiness and Training requirements; Norfolk, VA; PT Mugu, CA; Fallon, NV; Iwakuni, JPN; CVN’s (via SPARTA) -Systems Integration Lab (development devices WST, D-DRT and SPARTA), Sterling, VA -Maintenance devices, Binghamton, NY DISCLAIMER THIS SOURCE 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 TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. PROGRAM BACKGROUND HITS are a combination of media, curriculum, and courseware which provides an immersive training environment for E-2D aircrew and maintenance personnel. The HITS products, developed by RCSTS on competitively awarded delivery orders, are designed to be a multi-media instructional platform that integrates instructor led training, computer based courseware, and complex, high fidelity training devices to meet approved proficiency and qualification curriculum. It reports readiness within a training management system to facilitate efficient student production while reducing development and operational support costs to the E-2D program. Ongoing market research performed by the Government supports there does not exist a commercially available item or non-developmental item to satisfy the Government’s requirement. Notwithstanding the market research, an ancillary reason is due to the integrated requirements of HITS products in content, networking, and interoperability. Segregating products into multiple contract actions outside of a sole source HITS environment is not viable and doing so will induce a prohibitive risk of incompatibility between training media and an unacceptable Cyber Security posture within the HITS secure network enclave. The E-2D HITS-V contract involves the procurement of the following: Additional production D-DRTs will be ordered when required by the Fleet. SPARTA training devices will be ordered to support Sims@Sea Program and Joint Simulated Environment (JSE) integration labs As E-2D Advanced Hawkeye training demand continues to mature. Other training devices (part task trainers, maintenance training, mission rehearsal, mission brief/de-brief and mission visualization) may be required to meet Fleet Readiness and Training requirements. All HITS devices may require modifications and upgrades that include technology refreshes, modifications to address obsolescence, and modernization of visual display systems; these include hardware and software changes. Interim Contractor Support (ICS) for the newly fielded E-2D AHE training device capabilities will be included and the training system logistics support, spares, and training (maintenance and user) to facilitate successful transitioning of the HITS to the post-delivery support phase is required. HITS-V will also include aircraft-to-simulator concurrency updates reflecting the E-2D System Software Configuration (DSSC) progression and respective Engineering Change Proposals (ECP) and Aircraft Change Directives (ACD) to be retrofitted into the entire suite of HITS devices. To facilitate concurrency in both aircraft and Navy Continuous Trainer Environment (NCTE) configurations, Systems Integration Labs must be supported and maintained as capital investments to reduce risk and software integration time on delivered and operational training systems. Participation in the Live/Virtual/Constructive Navy and Joint environments will challenge the Common Software Configuration and agile development environments and may require new and emergent/nascent technologies to remain concurrent with the aircraft as pacing the threat becomes more compressed. The preponderance of work will be accomplished at classification levels commensurate with the E-2D Aircraft Program. The anticipated award date is Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 with deliveries in FY2027-2030. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES The Government requires the design, development, integration, installation, and test expertise to produce new and modified training devices, access to use necessary training media source and design data, and provide logistics support to meet the Government required for training (RFT) date of FY2029. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Any resultant contract is anticipated to have a security classification level of SECRET to TOP SECRET / Special Compartmentalized Information (SCI) along with special program access. Any resulting contract shall be compliant with the specialty metals restriction of the Berry Amendment in accordance with DFARS clauses 225.7003 and 252.225-7009, unless an exception applies. ELIGIBILITY The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 333310 (Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing), which carries a 1,000 employee small business size standard. The Product Service Code (PSC) is 6910 (Training Aids). LIMITATION ON SUBCONTRACTING If you are a small business interested in being the prime contractor for this effort, please be advised that the FAR 52.219-14, “Limitations on Subcontracting,” Class Deviation 2021-O0008, Revision 1, is now in effect which includes the definition of “Similarly Situated Entity” and provides a methodology for the 50% calculation for compliance with the clause. Small business primes may 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 Class Deviation 2021-O0008, Revision 1 - Limitations on Subcontracting for Small Business, dated 15 February 2023, at [https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/policy/policyvault/USA000277-23-DPC.pdf]. To assist in our market research and determination 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, Unique Entity ID, and CAGE Code of the specific company(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their small business size status under the NAICS Code 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 SSN in order to assist the Government’s capability determination. Small businesses please address the following as appropriate: a. Identify your firm’s CAGE code b. Identify if your company is considered small under the size standard associated with the chosen NAICS code. c. Identify your company’s socio-economic status [i.e., WOSB, EDWOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, or 8(a)]. d. Please address if your company is interested in participating as a prime or subcontractor. If interested in the prime contractor role and plan on subcontracting to other companies in order to deliver technical capability, please provide details on exactly which tasks will be assigned to those subcontractors; in addition, provide the names of those anticipated subcontractors, and list the anticipated percentage of small business subcontracting. If you are a small business interested in subcontracting opportunities for this effort, please contact the Rockwell Collins Small Business Liaison Office POC, Amber Hanlon, (319) 263-9506, amber.hanlon@collins.com. SUBMISSION DETAILS This sources sought notice is not a request for competitive proposals. It is a notice to determine if a comparable source exists for purposes of market research and outline the Government’s intent to contract on a sole source basis with RCSTS. Interested sources shall submit their written technical capabilities to provide the supplies described above. Written response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. All responses shall include Company Name, Company Address, Company Business Size & applicable socio-economic category(ies), and Points of Contact including name, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Detailed written capabilities must be submitted by email to Sarah Landers (sarah.y.landers.civ@us.navy.mil) in an electronic format that is compatible with MS Word, no later than 9AM Eastern on 03 February 2025 . Verbal submissions via phone will not be honored. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. Classified material SHALL NOT be submitted.
