12 OCTOBER 2016


DUE TO HURRICANE MATTHEW, THE GOVERNMENT IS EXTENDING THE RESPONSE PERIOD FROM FRIDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2016 TO FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2016.  ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REMAIN UNCHANGED.

22 September 2016

Supplemental RFI is posted to answer some additional questions.  Please see Supplemental RFI as well as Draft Salient Characteristics.

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The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency (AFICA) is requesting information and conducting market research to determine the capabilities of manufactures to produce and/or provide Airmen Protective Systems in an Air Force wide strategic sourcing initiative throughout the Continental United States (CONUS) and Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS). This Request for Information (RFI) is issued as a method of market research in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10.

In accordance with FAR 52.215-3, this RFI does not constitute, nor should it be construed as, a solicitation, Request for Proposal, Request for Quotation, Invitation for Bid, or any other commitment by the Government.

The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI, nor will the Government provide compensation for providing information. There is no solicitation available at this time; requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. Responses are not offers, and the Government is not under any obligation to award a contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. If the Government decides to establish a contract for Airmen Protective Systems, it will issue a Request for Proposal at a later date. Please monitor the Federal Business Opportunities website (www.fbo.gov) for future information regarding this potential requirement.

Respondents are also advised that submitting any information provides the Government express permission for the Government to use the data, pictures, and other information contained in the submittals for Government purposes. The Government intends to receive electronic responses to this RFI and no mailed paper responses will be accepted.  All information received in response to this RFI marked as "proprietary" will be handled accordingly. Information provided as a response to this RFI will not be returned.

Small Businesses are encouraged to provide a complete and thorough response to this RFI, in order to assist AFICA in determining levels of competition available in the industry, as well as helping to establish a basis for developing any subsequent potential subcontract plan goal percentages. However, not responding will not preclude participation should a solicitation be released.

2. DEFINITIONS

"Airmen Protective Systems (APS)" includes, but is not limited to the following products as listed on Attachments 2 through 8. This includes the two purchase description documents, two salient characteristic documents, and three additional documents to be referenced as needed.

3. PURPOSE

APS products are required throughout the Air Force, to include CONUS and OCONUS locales. The purpose of this strategic sourcing initiative is to consolidate and standardize the APS product requirements throughout the Air Force.

The purpose of publicizing this RFI notice is to communicate the strategic sourcing initiative to the industry. The Government intends to use information accumulated from these interactions to aid in the development of the potential AFICA APS acquisition strategy, identify commercial best practices, increase competition to broaden industry participation in meeting Government requirements, and gather information for planning purposes about the APS product market or capabilities, as defined in FAR 15.201(e).

All businesses who believe they are capable of meeting all requirements laid out in this RFI are invited to provide a response to this RFI. The input will assist in determining the interest, capability, and capacity of all potential offers.

4. MARKET RESEARCH SURVEY

The basis for this RFI is the attached survey, Attachment 1 Protected APS RFI 15 Apr 15 Final Dealer Survey, located in this posting.

Please refer to Attachments 2 through 8 to complete this survey. This includes the two purchase description documents, two salient characteristic documents, and three additional documents to be referenced as needed.

If you have any questions or issues with the survey, please email primary point of contact, [email protected]  ; or secondary point of contact, [email protected]  for assistance.

5. EVALUATION

Responses will not be evaluated, but are for the purpose of gathering information to help refine our requirements and acquisition strategy. Following your response to this survey, USAF representatives may choose to engage in additional communications with selected respondents. Such communications would only be intended to support USAF market research by obtaining further clarification of the capabilities of the industry to meet requirements.