SECTION 1 – DISCLAIMER This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY to explore the market capabilities and solutions to support the Air Force Research Laboratory Spac... SECTION 1 – DISCLAIMER This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY to explore the market capabilities and solutions to support the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Geo-Space Division (AFRL/RVB) Geospace Environment Impacts and Applications Program. This is not a solicitation, Request for Proposal (RFP), request for white papers, or any obligation on the part of the Government to acquire products or services. As stipulated in FAR 15.201(e), 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 incurred in preparation of a response to this notice. The information collected in this RFI will be used to further define the Government’s requirements and create the appropriate acquisition strategy. Consequently, do not submit proprietary information or any classified materials in response to this request. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitations. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the applicable Government wide Point of Entry. It is the responsibility of the potential respondents to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. SECTION 2 – PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate (RV) Geospace Technologies Division (RVB) Geospace Environment Impacts and Applications Program is seeking sources capable of supporting the program’s fundamental and advanced research in space and environmental impacts technologies. Additionally, the program is interested in understanding and quantifying the impact of the space environment on Department of Defense and national security systems and in achieving a capability to specify, predict, mitigate, and exploit the effects of the space environment that can disrupt or degrade operational systems. Topics of particular interest include advanced environmental observing systems and specification and prediction models of solar activity, ionospheric conditions, magnetospheric activity, thermosphere, satellite drag and the reentry environment, cislunar environment, effects on communication, command, and control systems; effects on positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems; effects on radar systems, and effects on spacecraft. Sources that enable future operational systems to meet performance, reliability, maintainability, supportability, and affordability goals, or which enhance performance or significantly reduce cost, schedule, or risk of existing technologies, are of particular interest. For efficient execution purposes, AFRL/RVB is particularly interested in the ability of a Prime contractor to support the programs requirements through the formation of teaming arrangements with the Prime contractor as a lead over several Subcontractors. SECTION 3 – CURRENT TOP PROGRAM PRIORITIES Solar, Solar Wind, and Ionospheric Effects There is interest in improving specification and prediction models of ionospheric conditions and phenomena that impact radio frequency signals such as for communications, PNT, and radar systems. There is interest in coupling advanced solar models with other space environment models such as ionospheric models to improve prediction capabilities. Also of interest are a) associating space environment models with system performance and prediction models, b) regionally-specific phenomena, irregularities, and impacts such as in the Arctic and polar regions, c) development of active experiment techniques, and d) improving and novel ideas for space- and ground-based solar, heliospheric, and ionospheric instrumentation/data necessary to drive the models. Thermosphere, Satellite Drag and the Reentry Environment There is interest in developing models, sensors, and data products to accurately specify and forecast the neutral atmosphere and satellite drag in order to identify space objects that orbit the Earth, to provide precision orbit determination and prediction, including reentry predictions, to assess the likelihood of collisions. Of particular interest are quantifying the energy input into the thermosphere during both quiet and active solar conditions and developing empirical, physics-based, and data assimilative methods for global specification and forecast of the thermosphere/ionosphere system. Plasma Physics and Chemistry There is strong interest in investigating plasma chemistry as related to the fundamentals of catalysis and energetic materials. Specifically, there is interest in a) develop models of natural and man-made ionospheric perturbations, chemistry and transport effects, and impacts on and interactions with background ionospheric plasma and electrodynamics , b) developing ionospheric modification technologies and delivery systems, and c) developing models of kinetic and plasma processes affecting energy interchange in the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system. Particle Effects and Radiation Belt Environment There is strong interest in specifying and predicting effects of charged particles on space operations. Of particular interest are a) improving models for the fluxes of radiation belt and plasma particles in space for use in space system design, mission planning, and other applications of climatological specification, b) improving models and analysis of spacecraft charging, c) conducting laboratory work in materials and interactions with the environment, d) basic science of radiation belt wave-particle interactions, e) continued analysis of space effects experiment results such as those from the DSX mission, and f) multi-phenomenology monitoring to provide asymmetric force advantage in sensing, assessment, and attribution of threats and hazards. Finally, there is strong interest in developing technologies to protect low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites from the effects of high altitude nuclear explosions (HANE). Cislunar Environment There is interest in improving understanding of the cislunar environment in order to support the design and operation of vehicles in the that environment. Of interest are developing models, sensors, and data products to accurately specify and forecast the Cislunar plasma and radiation environment and investigating environmental phenomenology of the near-lunar environment including the radiation and plasma environment in the lunar wake as well as dust fountaining. SECTION 4- RESPONSES All interested offerors shall submit their Statement of Capabilities (SOC) to the contracting points of contact (POC) listed below by 21 July 2023, 12:00PM MST. Do not submit a SOC if you do not intend to be a prime or lead. All SOCs shall be UNCLASSIFIED and shall not exceed more than 10 total pages, single spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, and either in Microsoft Word or PDF. The SOCs shall be submitted electronically via email to the contracting POCs below. All email submissions shall reference, “Insert your Company Name - RFI Response FA9453-R-X001” in the subject line of the email. At a minimum the SOC cover page shall include the following business information: Company Name, POC, telephone number and email address CAGE code Size status under NAICS 541715 (size standard in number of employees 1,000); Please state status as: Large Business (LB); Small Business (SB); Historically Underutilized Business Zone SB (HUBZone); Veteran-Owned SB (VOSB); Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned SB (SDVOSB); 8(a) Certified SB; Women-Owned SB (WOSB)/Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB); and/or Historically Black College or University Please provide the following information: A brief description of company’s core capabilities and services. A brief statement of relevant past experience. Identify potential teaming arrangement or sub-contracts will be used for providing research for these research areas. List Government contract awards or past/present contract awards as it relates to these or similar research areas. Expertise in the fields involved and identification of likely areas of fruitful research. Additional qualifications to successfully perform within these research areas. CONTRACTING POINTS OF CONTACT (POC) Please direct all contracting related questions to: Contracting Specialist: Erika Trujillo; erika.trujillo.2@spaceforce.mil Contracting Officer: Jessica Perez; jessica.perez.23@spaceforce.mil TECHNICAL POINTS OF CONTACT Technical questions regarding this RFI should be submitted by email to: Ms. Arron Layns; arron.layns@spaceforce.mil Capt Colton Mott; colton.mott.1@us.af.mil