Inactive

This Request For Information (RFI)/Sources Sought notice is for market research purposes only and does NOT constitute an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or any obligat... This Request For Information (RFI)/Sources Sought notice is for market research purposes only and does NOT constitute an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or any obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. This notice shall not be construed as a contract, a promise to a contract, or as a commitment of any kind by the Government. The Government is NOT seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals. This notice is a market research tool being used to determine overall market developments, capabilities, and adequacy of the industrial base capable of providing the supplies/services described herein, prior to defining requirements and the method of acquisition. Any information submitted by respondents to this technical description is strictly voluntary. This notice is issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), on behalf of the Program Executive Office (PEO), Submarine Combat and Weapons Control Program Office (PMS 425). The Navy is conducting market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 to determine industry alternatives for successful design, manufacture, assembly, test, and delivery of a single component of the Navy’s Submarine Launched Unmanned Aerial System (SLUAS) All Up Round (AUR), specifically the SLUAS deployment canister. In addition, this notice requests that industry comment on how the Government can best satisfy its needs, alternative approaches, technology availability and risk, the identification of cost drivers, and suggestions on ways to enhance and/or sustain competition. The Navy requires the capability of a SLUAS with a 3-inch diameter form-factor to provide Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capabilities to the submarine fleet. The SLUAS AUR includes the SLUAS deployment canister and an integrated Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). To support this capability, a SLUAS deployment canister is needed to house a UAV and enable the AUR to be launched from the US submarine. Note this RFI is specific to the deployment canister component of the SLUAS AUR only. The SLUAS deployment canister provides the following functions: Provides a buoyant, rigid housing for the UAV and protects the UAV from external pressure and sea water contamination during launch from the submarine, while transitioning through the water column, and while surfaced in the ocean. Provides timed release of the UAV as well as synchronization of the UAV release with at-sea wave motion to mitigate wave strike of the UAV at launch. Provides vertical thrust for the UAV prior to UAV propulsion thrust initiation. Provides communication conduits to the UAV during storage for mission uploads while stowed in the submarine. Respondents are requested to submit a white paper, including capabilities statements pertinent and specific to the functional requirements listed above. Respondents should demonstrate any technical expertise and/or product offerings/solutions that can meet the Government’s basic requirements for a SLUAS AUR canister component. In addition to this statement of capabilities, it is requested that respondents also provide the following information, as applicable: An understanding of any currently developed and tested designs that may meet the above functional requirements. Current Technology Readiness Levels and maturity of potential solutions. An understanding of the engineering challenges and tradeoffs to achieving the desired capability. Developmental timelines. Interested parties shall list past customers (maximum of 3) for whom the contractor has done projects of a similar technology, domain, and/or scope within the last five (5) years. Responses: Interested parties must demonstrate their capability of providing the above-mentioned capabilities/services. Those who meet SECRET clearance requirements are invited to indicate their interest by providing: Company name Company address Overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address) CAGE code Point of Contact, to include E-mail address Telephone number Fax number Facility clearance Business Size Status (i.e., Large, SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) Number of Employees Interested parties are requested to respond to this notice in PDF or Microsoft Word Office 2010-compatible format. Please limit responses to 12 pages or less (including cover, administrative pages, and descriptive literature); 1-inch margins; and 12 point font (or larger). Response Deadline and Submissions: Responses are requested no later than 9 June 2021 at 5:00 PM EST. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail to the Contract Specialist, Ms. Sydney Kacek at sydney.kacek1@navy.mil in PDF or Microsoft Word Format, with a CC to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Timothy B. Ward at timothy.b.ward1@navy.mil. Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. The subject line of the email should read "SLUAS Deployment Canister." To aid the Government in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. It should be noted that telephone replies will not be accepted. DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This notice is not a request for proposals and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. Sources choosing to respond to this notice are wholly responsible for any costs/expenses associated with submitting a response. Therefore, any cost associated with the market survey submission is solely at the interested vendor's expense. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this notice. The information obtained from submitted responses may be used in development of an acquisition strategy and a future solicitation. Submissions will not be returned.