Sources Sought Notice – GPS III Space Vehicles Production Readiness

Notice Type: Sources Sought Notice

Posted Date: 04-JUN-14

Office Address: Department of the Air Force; Air Force Space Command; SMC - Space and Missile Systems Center; 483 North Aviation Blvd El Segundo CA 90245-2808

Subject: GPS III Space Vehicles Production Readiness

Classification Code: 18 - Space vehicles

Solicitation Number: FA8807-14-R-0008

Contact: Brandon A Sandoval, Contracts Specialist, Phone 3105632546, Email [email protected] - CASSANDRA L. WAY, CONTRACTING OFFICER, Phone 310-653-1215, Email [email protected]

Setaside: N/AN/A

Place of Performance Country: US

Description: Department of the Air Force

Air Force Space Command

SMC - Space and Missile Systems Center

Background This sources sought synopsis is to assist the Air Force in exploring alternative GPS III production strategies for continuing production of up to 22 GPS III Satellites. The Global Positioning Satellite Directorate (SMC/GP) administers the GPS III ACAT ID program. On 15 May 2008, the Air Force awarded the GPS III space vehicle contract to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) located in Newton, PA. The competitively awarded contract with LMSSC includes two development Space Vehicles (SV01-02), a GPS III Non-Flight Satellite Testbed (aka Ironbird - SV0), a Bus Real Time Simulator, a GPS III Satellite Simulator, a Capability Insertion Program (CIP) with technology development, systems engineering, risk reduction activities and associated data and reports. It also includes production options for up to 10 GPS III SVs, associated long-lead parts, and launch support, on-orbit checkout and on-orbit support. The program completed critical design review (CDR) in August 2010 and was granted Milestone C approval by USD AT&L in December 2010. To date, the Air Force has exercised production options for six vehicles, GPS III SV03-08. LMSSC is in the process of completing the development program and building these six production space vehicles. SMC/GP is conducting market research to review the industrial base and determine whether viable alternate sources exist to the continued GPS III SV production on the current baseline by LMSSC. For every block of GPS satellites over the past 40 years, the primary risk has been the navigation payload. This market research seeks to determine if alternate sources can attain a production ready configuration for a GPS III SV with an alternate navigation payload in time to allow the Production Ready Alternate Source to compete with LMSSC for up to 22 satellites.

SMC/GP intends to create a competitive environment through a two-phase process. Phase 1 is to award up to two Production Readiness Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contracts, in FY15, to conduct SV and navigation payload CDR with demonstrations and qualification of the SV subsystem boxes with the schedule and costs constraints specified below. Phase 2 will be a limited competition between LMSSC and the Production Readiness contractor(s) for up to 22 GPS III Production SVs with an award in FY17/18 timeframe to support a first SV available for launch no later than 1QFY23. This sources sought synopsis only seeks responses for Phase 1.

Discussion This Sources Sought Notice is intended to gauge industry's capability to demonstrate its technical and production sufficiency of a space vehicle and navigation payload. Phase 1 and Phase 2 are not development programs. This sources sought is for continued production of GPS III space vehicles, as such there should be no changes to the control and user segment interfaces. Pursuant to FAR 6.202(a)(1) and DFARS 206.202, the Government's intent is to exclude LMSSC and Exelis, the current producers of GPS III and its Navigation Payload, respectively, from the Phase 1 Production Readiness - Alternate Source competition. For Phase 1, the Air Force envisions awarding up to two FFP contracts with the basic contract through Preliminary Design Review (PDR) with a navigation waveform demonstration, an option to continue through Critical Design Review (CDR) with development of a GPS III navigation data processing engineering development unit, and an option to conduct subsystem qualification of the GPS III satellite. The Government funding for each contract including all options is approximately $100-200M. Respondents should expect to have full Government insight, directly proportionate to the quantity and level of detail required in the Phase 1 Production Readiness Alternate Source RFP and CDRLs, meeting the requirements of the GPS III CDD in lieu of CPD, dated 7 Feb 2011, ensuring adherence to Mil-Std 1521B(T), Parts TOR document # TOR-2006(1590)-4430, TOR-2006(1590)-4432, SS-SS-800 space system specification, interfaces to the GPS Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX), all external interfaces and other compliance documents to define the PDR and CDR baseline. The Air Force reserves the unilateral right not to exercise one or more of the options described above if it becomes apparent that the respondent has not made sufficient progress meeting the contract deliverables. Sufficient progress means quality and completeness of the contract deliverables that meet all GPS III performance requirements, on-time. The minimum deliverables of the Phase 1 Production Readiness - Alternate Source contract are as follows: 1) Government approved GPS III SV PDR and successful demonstration of a digital waveform generator, 2) Government approved GPS III SV CDR and delivery of a GPS III navigation data processing engineering development unit, and 3) Subsystem level (i.e., navigation payload, attitude determination and control, power, propulsion, thermal, telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) and communication) box qualification of the GPS III SV. The period of performance for this option notionally follows approval of the GPS III SV and navigation payload CDR and begins on or after release of the RFP for production of up to 22 GPS III SVs. The Government envisions a limited competition (Phase 2) between the incumbent LMSSC and the Production Readiness contractor(s). Performance and progress during Phase 1 will be subject to technical capability and risk evaluation, as a source-selection criterion to be detailed in the Phase 2 RFP for the limited competition (Phase 2) with LMSSC. Qualified sources (Prime Contractors only) must demonstrate that they have the following capabilities or can attain these capabilities during the Production Readiness Alternate Source effort described herein: 1) SV Baseline Capability: A low-risk, affordable solution that provides equivalent GPS III SV01-08 capabilities and includes: mature navigation payload and SV technologies; certified payload and SV on-board software that meets the mission and constellation requirements; system-level requirements verification products; mature test products, to include established scripting and validated test procedures; ground support equipment; and a testbed environment to include at a minimum a high-fidelity GPS III satellite simulator that can be used to check out interfaces between the GPS III satellite and the GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System, a Bus Real Time Simulator, SV models and simulations, a form, fit, and function GPS III Non-flight Satellite Testbed that can be used as a pathfinder at the factory and launch site and to validate potential future SV launch processing changes, and support to launch exercise and launch rehearsals for end-to-end verification prior to launch. The respondent must have access to appropriate factory and personnel resources, including such things as secure satellite production and test capabilities, and cleared or clearable personnel. 2) Future SV Capability Enhancement required in Phase 2 (mentioned only for reference): The LMSSC GPS III includes a requirement that the SV be able to accommodate future growth with minimal non-recurring cost impact. The SV Baseline Capability discussed above does not include any requirements beyond those included in GPS III SV01-08. However, the contract resulting from the competition between LMSSC and the Production Ready Alternate Source (Phase 2) will include additional capability to accommodate the following fact-of-life changes: a redesigned government-furnished Nuclear Detonation Detection System (NDS) payload, Government furnished civilian secondary payloads (Search and Rescue/GPS (SAR/GPS) and Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA)), and Unified S-Band compliance (dual-band transponders). Competitors, in Phase 2, will be required to demonstrate that their post-CDR design can accommodate these changes with minimal nonrecurring cost impacts. 3) A thorough understanding of the technical interface requirements associated with the GPS III navigation and nuclear detonation detection payloads, Military and Civil requirements, user equipment, control segment, mission planning elements, launch vehicles, and all other space vehicle interfaces. 4) Extensive systems engineering knowledge and experience dealing with DoD-specific space capabilities in GPS fields, including system requirements analysis and allocation, test and verification, risk management, and system security management. Additionally, respondents must demonstrate a thorough understanding of GPS III information assurance requirements and SMC's "back-to-basics" mission assurance approach to systems engineering and risk management, which is designed to predictably deliver warfighter capabilities within cost and schedule, and to ensure mission success and constellation sustainment with high confidence. 5) To make the first SV available for launch in 1QFY23 and produce an average of 2-3 GPS III SVs per year. 6) Ability to interface with the GPS Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) with no non-recurring changes required to OCX interfaces. 7) The production readiness activities will be conducted at the contractor's location. 8) Intellectual property rights: Any future Request for Proposal (RFP) will require respondents to deliver Unlimited / Unrestricted Rights to all delivered noncommercial/ commercial technical data identified in 10 USC 2320(a)(2)(C) & (F); Government purpose rights to all remaining delivered noncommercial technical data/computer software with the exception of non-commercial technical data/computer software the Contractor can prove was developed exclusively at private expense (for which the Government may be amenable to acquiring limited/restricted rights if that level of license rights is sufficient for the life-cycle of the program); license rights to all delivered commercial technical data/computer software sufficient to satisfy the life-cycle need needs of the program and that are consistent with Federal procurement law, and sufficient license rights to all delivered schedule data. This requirement applies to data to be delivered under the Production Readiness contracts developed under non-GPS III programs documenting the heritage of the development, design, test, and qualification of the respondent's proposed baseline for this program. This documentation will become deliverables and subject to Government review and approval under any Production Readiness Alternate Source program or alternate source production program for GPS III (see Exhibit A in the Sources Library). This sources sought notice is seeking responses from only prime contractor sources able to meet all the requirements described above. Interested sources shall submit a Statement of Capabilities (SOC) and Qualification Statement to this sources sought notice no later than 19 June 2014. NAICS Code: 336414 (1,000 employees) Statement of Capabilities All responsible sources (Prime Contractors only) capable of meeting the Government's requirements detailed in this notice must submit an unclassified Statement of Capabilities (SOC) and Qualifications Statement to the technical and contracting points of contact (POCs) listed below by 1700 Pacific Standard Time (PST) on 18 June 2014. The statement must clearly demonstrate these required capabilities described above, with a path to ensure the first production space vehicle in Phase 2 is available for launch in 1QFY23. For purposes of this sources sought notice, respondents shall assume that the Air Force will release the RFP for this alternate source competition early in 1QFY15 and will competitively award up to two FFP contracts by the end of 2QFY15. If the Production Readiness contract(s) results in a qualified source, the Air Force expects to release an RFP for the production of GPS satellites in 1QFY17, and conduct a limited competition that includes LMSSC for an FFP contract in 1QFY18 for a first launch in 1QFY23. .Responses are limited to fifteen (15) 8.5" x 11" pages with 1" margins, and 12-point font (Arial or Times New Roman). Pages must be numbered and submitted electronically as Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat files. The Government anticipates holding an Industry Day with sources sought respondents after evaluation of the submitted SOCs The SOC and Qualifications Statement will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining the offeror's ability to meet the Government's needs described above. Consequently, the Government is primarily interested in responsible sources providing specific technical details indicating how that source can meet the Government's needs. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. Responses from small business and small, disadvantaged business firms are highly encouraged. A responding firm should indicate if it is a small business, a socially and economically disadvantaged business, an 8(a) firm, a historically black college or university, or a minority institution. A determination of whether there are sufficient sources within industry to go forward with recommendations to conduct a restricted Production Readiness Alternate Source competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Submit Statement of Capabilities (SOC) electronically to the Contracting Officer, Cassandra Way at [email protected] or 310-653-3397 and the contract manager, Capt Brandon Sandoval at [email protected] or 310-653-2546, or by mail to SMC/PK, Attn: Cassandra Way, SMC/GPK, 483 N. Aviation Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245-2808. The Capability Development Document (CDD), planned compliance documents, and other relevant materials are available from the Sources Library. contact Cassandra Way, [email protected], to obtain access information. This notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal. There has been no decision to develop an RFP for the effort in this sources sought notice. Information herein is based on the best information available at the time of publication, is subject to revision, and is not binding on the Government. The Government will not recognize any costs associated with the submission of the SOC. Direct all technical inquiries pertaining to this notice to Ms. Shannon Pallone at [email protected] or 310-653-3973. An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, Contracting Officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern. Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the Contracting Officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes. If resolution cannot be made by the Contracting Officer, the interested party may contact the ombudsman, Ms. Olalani Kamakau, SMC/PK, (310) 653-1185, 483 N. Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles AFB, CA 90245. The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency. Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of information, verify due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer.

Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFSC/SMCSMSC/FA8807-14-R-0008/listing.html