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INTRODUCTION The U.S. Army Program Executive Office, Command, Control and Communications-Tactical, Project Manager Tactical Radio, Product Manager Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) and the Army ... INTRODUCTION The U.S. Army Program Executive Office, Command, Control and Communications-Tactical, Project Manager Tactical Radio, Product Manager Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) and the Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground are seeking information from industry to assist with the follow-on procurement of mounted and dismounted variants of the Manpack Radio, the Army’s premier softwaredefined, multi-mode radio with National Security Agency (NSA) Type 1 Encryption capability. Manpack radios enable communications through seamless, high speed and digital information exchange across both vertical and horizontal hierarchies within the ground, airborne and maritime battlespace domains. The Manpack Radio is a multi-function communications platform providing two independent, multi-waveform channels and an embedded Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module permitting radios to transmit locations to external host applications. This Request for Information (RFI) is being issued to conduct market research to identify potential interested sources with novel capabilities, rapid-production, and cost-effective sustainment strategies in support of the Army’s Manpack Radio requirements. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement for the follow-on Manpack Radio contract(s). Based on responses received, requirements may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part), may be procured through full and open competition, or may be procured under limited competition. The Government may award multiple contracts. The information provided by respondents may be used by the Army in developing its acquisition strategy or refining the Performance Work Statement and/or Performance Specifications. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 334220 with a Small Business Size Standard of 1250 employees. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted nor acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided regarding submissions to this RFI. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition-sensitive information contained in their response. Information and materials submitted in response to this request will not be returned. Responses must be unclassified: DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this RFI, nor to otherwise pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as an Invitation for Bid, Request for Quotation, or request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Responses to this RFI will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise because of contractor submission of responses or Government use of such information. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this effort. PURPOSE The Army is conducting market research to determine the status of currently available non-developmental and/or commercial Manpack Radio products and technologies capable of high-rate production at a low unit price. The Army is primarily interested in technologically mature, NSA and Joint Interoperability Test Command certified multi-mode single radio solutions capable of simultaneous voice and data communications between multiple echelons of battlefield leadership with peers, subordinates, tactical enablers (i.e., aviation and fires), Coalition, Host Nation and units equipped with legacy Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) and an advanced networking waveform interoperable with the Army Integrated Tactical Network. The intent of this RFI is to assess the state-of-the-art of the technology available in Manpack radio products that could be applied to meet existing and future operational and programmatic requirements set forth in the attached Draft Manpack Radio Performance Requirements Document PRD). Solutions identified should be rated at Manufacturing Readiness Level 9 and provide improved performance and sustainment capabilities for the mounted and dismounted Manpack Radio systems and ancillary products currently being produced by incumbent contractors, L3Harris and Rockwell-Collins under contracts W15P7T-16-D-0002 and W15P7T-16-D-0003, respectively. CAPABILITIES The Army has implemented an ambitious project to field “near real time” state-of-the-art radio capabilities in support of enhanced tactical-edge networking and Cryptographic Modernization requirements through the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN). To satisfy these objectives the ITN provides a variety of products to the tactical Soldier with the Manpack Radio making up a significant portion of this capability set. Manpack Radios have also been fielded to a variety of Brigade Combat Teams as part of the Army 2030 modernization campaign. The Manpack Radios are produced and fielded with assets from current multiple award Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity contracts that will expire in 2026. The Army continues planning for the competitive acquisition for the follow-on Manpack Radio production, engineering, logistics and sustainment support. The Army envisions follow-on contractual efforts will involve qualification testing of hardware and software solutions, NSA and Joint Interoperability Test Command certification, Limited User and Operational Testing, new equipment training, warranty and repair oversight, technical documentation for configuration management and transition to full organic sustainment within three (3) years of first full rate production delivery. The Army desires manufacturing capacity of up to 500 units monthly given a five (5) month procurement lead time with surge capacities double this amount. Additionally, the Manpack Radio is classified as a National Security System with requirements to be certified for high assurance communications at the SECRET level in accordance with National Security Directive 42 and Committee on National Security Systems Policy 11. Proof of the product’s NSA certification or a description of the respondent’s experience in obtaining NSA certification for the same or similar products should be addressed in the response. The Army desires Manpack Radio solutions with minimal maintenance and inspection requirements at the organizational level that are easily repairable for deployed units. Current sustainment is provided by a mix of Interim Contractor Logistics Support and Organic repairs and maintenance of core depot line replaceable units to be performed at Tobyhanna Army Depot under Public/Private Partnership Agreements. To ensure successful transition to full organic depot sustainment, the Army will require Manpack Radio contractors to establish and maintain a technical data escrow account permitting the Government or a third party to sustain all released versions of the software source code baseline and conduct hardware sustainment for all fielded equipment. SUBMISSION DETAILS 1. All material submitted in response to this market survey must be unclassified. Interested parties possessing the capacity to deliver products meeting the requirements outlined above and in the attached Draft Performance Requirement Document (PRD) are requested to provide a White Paper with complete descriptions of existing products or products that will be available for delivery within the timeframe indicated above. Industry responses must include sufficient documentation to support any claims that their system performance will meet the minimum performance capabilities contained in the attached Draft PRD. Such documentation must also include the attached Performance Requirement Document (PRD) Compliance Matrix and the Manpack Radio RFI Comment matrix. Responses may include system technical specifications, product brochures and related literature, performance test data, system drawings, and/or photographs or any other data to support the state of system development and/or production readiness. Responses should outline experience with obtaining NSA system accreditation, discuss activities and experience with establishing data escrow accounts, supply chain considerations with emphasis on any known long lead items that may adversely impact production in an accelerated environment. Address any limitations to ramping up to high-rate monthly production and system integration considerations along with proposed resolutions to potential production impediments. Industry responses should also include projected monthly production capabilities, to include critical subcontractor and vendor production capacity along with estimated unit prices, assuming a notional 2 September 2026 award date. Please be sure to address: 1. Corporate capabilities, past and current relevant performance information, available facilities, and assets. 2. Please provide the following: Point of Contact Information: Company; Address; Point of Contact Name; Phone Number; Fax Number; Email Address; CAGE Code; Unique Entity ID. 2-1: Please identify your company's business size based on the applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code of 334220. The Small Business Size Standard for this NAICS code is 1250 employees. For more information refer to https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards. Other than small business OR Small Business also categorized as a: Small Disadvantaged Business; Woman-Owned Small Business; Historically Underutilized Business Zone Small Business; Veteran-Owned Small Business or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. 2-2: If you identify your company as a Small Business or any of the Small Business socio-economic categories as stipulated in Question #2-1, then is your company interested in a prime contract, or in a subcontract for the Manpack Radio? If your company intends to subcontract this requirement, what areas of the Draft PRD does your company anticipate performing? 2-3: If you are a Small Business, answer questions 2-3a and 2-3b. All others skip to question # 2-4. 2-3a: If your company is awarded a contract as a small business set-aside, you will be required to perform at least 50% (percent) of the work. Do you anticipate any challenges meeting this requirement? 2-3b: Can you go without a payment for 90 days? 2-4: Does your company have experience as a prime contractor administering Multiple Award Contracts (MACs)? Note, the questions pertaining to a MAC does not imply the Government will use this contracting approach. 2-5: If you answered “yes” to Question # 2-4, please provide as much of the following information as possible: A. MAC contract number(s), B. Aggregate dollar value of entire MAC, C. Aggregate dollar value of task orders under each MAC your company is a prime contractor, D. Number of task orders on the MAC under which your company is a prime contractor, E. Is the work on the MAC similar in size, scope, and complexity to that included in the Draft PRD? 2-6: Please provide details regarding proposed joint ventures, teaming arrangements, strategic alliances, or other business arrangements to satisfy requirements in the entire Draft PRD. Interested sources are encouraged to identify teams, indicating each team member's size status based upon the NAICS code of the work that the team member may be doing. If your company intends to perform this effort as the prime contractor, what percentage of work does your company intend to perform? 2-7: Is your company currently providing similar products/services to another government agency or other non-Government customer? If so, please identify the agency or non-Government customer and include contract numbers and customer contact information. If unwilling to share customer's identity, please address whether your company offers the same or similar services commercially. 3. Describe your company’s technical and management approach for executing a Manpack Radio program. Please include as much detail as possible detailing design, procurement of subsystems and components, rigorous contractor test and integration data, supporting technical documentation, and operation and sustainment considerations. 4. Describe your company’s Rough Order of Magnitude cost estimate to meet or exceed the monthly manufacturing quantities and lead time outlined above given a total order quantity of 5,000 units. 5. Describe your company’s supporting program schedule that represents a “low risk” approach to meeting the objectives outlined above. 6. Describe your company’s assessment of the associated risks for this program and respective risk mitigation approaches. 7. Name, telephone number, fax number, street address and e-mail address for Program, Technical and Cost points of contact information. Submit responses to the Procuring Contracting Officer, Kristin Dacey, and Contract Specialist(s), Shawntil Eure, Geoff Erhart, and Doug Thier in Portable Document Format (PDF), via email at kristin.l.dacey2.civ@army.mil, shawntil.m.eure.civ@army.mil, geoffrey.r.erhart.civ@army.mil, and douglas.g.thier.civ@army.mil respectively no later than1600 hours on 30 July 2024 and reference synopsis number W15P7T-24-R-MP01 in the subject line of e-mail transmittal and on all enclosed documents. White paper submissions are to be single spaced, 12-point type with at least one-inch margins on 8 1/2” X 11” page size and may not exceed 50 pages (excluding the Draft PRD Compliance and Comment Matrices). Commencing mid-late 2024, the Government may afford those who respond an opportunity to discuss the contents of their White Papers during an industry one-on-one session, where it is envisioned the parties will engage in an active information exchange and dialogue to aid in the Government’s market research. Additionally, the government may allow capability demonstrations of the follow-on Manpack Radio solutions. Attachments: Draft Manpack Radio Performance Requirement Document (PRD) Draft Manpack Radio PRD Compliance Matrix Manpack Radio RFI Question/Comment Matrix NOTICE: Prospective respondents are hereby notified that the Government will utilize Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) support contractor services during the review of RFI responses. Non-Disclosure Agreements for SETA contractors have been established. If RFI responses includes proprietary information, responders are also required to sign and provide a proprietary protection agreement in accordance with FAR 9.505-4(b) with the RFI response to allow support contractor access to the proprietary information. The contractor company and point of contact for establishing the proprietary protection agreement are: Sev1Tech LLC., Amy Trosclair, Contracts@Sev1Tech Netwerx, LLC., Alan Clayton, alan.b.clayton.ctr@army.mil Defense Acquisition Support Services, LLC., Daniel Sullivan, daniel.sullivan4@dasservicesllc.com Manpack Recompete RFI W15P7T-24-R-MP01, Amendment 01: This announcement continues market research for the follow-on competitive procurement of the Manpack Recompete Radio Production, Engineering, and Sustainment, RFI W15P7T-24-R-MP01, initiated by the Army on 13 June 2024. The Government requests the following specific areas of interest for this RFI: Incentive arrangements that would: a) reduce heat, size, or weight, b) increase battery life, or c) bring objective PRD requirements to production within three (3) years from award. Maintain an Escrow Account Data Package similar in nature to the one described in the Draft Attachment 1: Special Requirements for Escrow Account Data Package. Achieve Depot Phase 3 Repair and Sustainment capability at Tobyhanna Army Depot in accordance with the draft Attachment 2: Special Depot Maintenance and Repair Transition Requirements and all Depot Phase language. Sustainment strategies that would exploit commonalities and standardization across the portfolio of HMS Tactical Radio products to reduce the overall logistics footprint of HMS commodities. Vendors shall submit white paper(s) along with cost estimates addressing the above topics or any other suggestions leading to program cost savings, performance improvements, and/or shorter production lead times, if applicable. White paper submissions shall be single spaced, 12-point type with at least one-inch margins on 8 1/2” X 11” page size and may not exceed five (5) pages per submission question. The cover page and the table of contents/index do not count towards the five (5) page limit. Please submit interest/responses in Portable Document Format (PDF) via email to the following: Contracting Officer, Phillip S. Vitakis at phillip.s.vitakis.civ@army.mil, Contract Specialist, Shawntil M. Eure at shawntil.m.eure.civ@mail.mil, and Contract Specialist, Douglas Thier at douglas.g.thier.civ@army.mil. The Government requests input to the above questions via a phased response approach as follows: Question 1, Incentive arrangements: due by (17 April 2025) Question 2, Escrow Account Data Package: (17 April 2025) Question 3, Depot Phase 3 Repair and Sustainment Capability: (17 April 2025) Question 4, Sustainment strategies: (17 April 2025) Please ensure submissions are carefully labeled to reflect the paragraph number and subject. The white papers are to be developed separately from each other and delivered under separate emails. Please reference RFI W15P7T-24-R-MP01, Amendment 01 in the subject line of e-mail transmittal and on all enclosed documents. Manpack Recompete RFI W15P7T-24-R-MP01, Amendment 02: Amendment 02 extends the due date for Question 1 from 04 April 2025 to 17 April 2025 and extends the due date for Question 2 from 10 April 2025 to 17 April 2025. All submission dates for questions now reflect a due date of 17 April 2025. Manpack Recompete RFI W15P7T-24-R-MP01, Amendment 03: Amendment 03 clarifies that the five (5) page limit is per each submission question and a cover page or table of contents/index does not count towards the five (5) page limit.