INTRODUCTION

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Patuxent River, Maryland, is seeking all vendors interested in the production of AN/SSQ-36B, AN/SSQ-53G, AN/SSQ-62F, AN/SSQ-125, and the AN/SSQ-125A series sonobuoys. The results of this Sources Sought will be utilized to assess the state of the market for the AN/SSQ sonobuoys mentioned above.

The Air Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Systems Program Office (PMA-264) has a requirement to annually procure AN/SSQ series sonobuoys for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2024-2026 in sufficient quantities to support fleet ASW operations, annual training, and to maintain required inventories. Annual procurements will vary in quantities by product type to meet fleet needs.

The Government recognizes the need for potential vendors to qualify their sonobuoy designs prior to entering High Quantity Production (HQP) in FY24. Therefore, it is the Government's intent to procure Performance Validation and Verification (PV&V) units and Low Quantity Production (LQP) units prior to procuring HQP units under this contract vehicle in FY24.

Products anticipated to be procured include:
AN/SSQ-36B (190 PVV, 3,500 LQP, 7,500 Max Qty per year)
AN/SSQ-53G (190 PVV, 25,000 LQP, 137,000 Max Qty per year)
AN/SSQ-62F (190 PVV, 8,400 LQP, 24,000 Max Qty per year)
AN/SSQ-125 (190 PVV, 2,000 LQP, 4,000 Max Qty per year)
AN/SSQ-125A (190 PVV, 8,400 LQP, 18,000 Max Qty per year)

DISCLAIMER

This Sources Sought Notice is for informational purposes only. This is not a request for proposal. It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government. Responses in any form are not offers and the Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this technical description is strictly voluntary.

CONTRACT/PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The existing production contracts for this work are:
• N00421-14-D-0025, Firm Fixed Price, ERAPSCO Incorporated (AN/SSQ-36, AN/SSQ-53, AN/SSQ-62, AN/SSQ-125)
• N00019-19-D-0012, Firm Fixed Price, Competitive Multiple Award Contract (MAC), ERAPSCO Incorporated (AN/SSQ-125A)
• N00019-19-D-0013, Firm Fixed Price, Competitive Multiple Award Contract (MAC), Lockheed Martin RMS (AN/SSQ-125A)

NAVAIR is in negotiations with ERAPSCO for a contract to cover the gap between N00421-14-D-0025 and this procurement.

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

To ensure compatibility with existing and future ASW systems, production sonobuoys are required to meet performance requirements such as: reliability, service conditions, electrical, mechanical, acoustic, safety, environmental, product assurance, packaging, marking, and operating requirements. AN/SSQ series sonobuoys are built to performance specifications. The performance parameters are defined by the Production Sonobuoy Specifications (PSS).

Requests for the PSS and associated documents by sonobuoy type shall be submitted via e-mail to the Contract Specialist, Mrs. Lisa Troccoli, at [email protected] with a copy to Mrs. Stephanie Teague at [email protected].

These sonobuoy efforts will require access to classified information up to the SECRET level, in accordance with OPNAVINST 5510.13H.

Potential vendors will be expected to have a Government-qualified design prior to FY24. A Government-qualified design is defined as either a design that has an approved NAVAIR Form 4130 OR the Government shall conduct the following tests or sub-set of tests in order to verify specification compliance of the sonobuoy design.

The PV&V tests typically are conducted in the following order:

1. 25K Volts Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Test, Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO), Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), Lithium Battery Certification, Unit Load testing and Performance-Oriented Packaging (POP) may be performed concurrently
2. Air Safety Certification Test and Electrical Noise Test may be performed concurrently
3. Sonobuoy Launch Container (SLC) and Environmental/Laboratory Test
4. Ocean Air Drop Test
5. Production Readiness Review

The Government recognizes the need for potential vendors to qualify their sonobuoy designs prior to entering Full Rate Production in FY24. Therefore, it is the Government's intent to procure Performance Validation and Verification (PV&V) units in the first ordering period of this procurement (FY22) and LQP units in the second ordering period of this procurement (FY23).

It is anticipated that any resultant contract(s) will be a Fixed-Price type.

Final sonobuoy assembly will be required in the United States.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Any contracted efforts will require, at a minimum, a security clearance classification of CONFIDENTIAL including storage of up to CONFIDENTIAL material.

At time of any contract award, potential vendors will be compliant with the Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model Integration - Level III, and certified in ISO 9001, AS9100 or equivalent.

ELIGIBILITY

TITLE 10, Subtitle A, PART IV, CHAPTER 148, SUBCHAPTER V, 2534, Miscellaneous limitations on the procurement of goods other than United States goods.

The Product Support Code (PSC) for this requirement is 5845. The North America Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334511.

SUBMITTAL INFORMATION:

Interested vendors shall submit to the contracting office a detailed capabilities statement package (25 pages or less, single spaced, 12-point font) demonstrating the ability to meet the performance parameters for each production sonobuoy type that they will be capable of producing. Note, it is not necessary for vendors to respond to all sonobuoy types. Vendor capability statement packages must address the following:

1) State any sonobuoy type(s) that is/are being considered.
2) Provide a detailed qualification plan and estimated schedule(s) for each sonobuoy type leading to manufacturing capability of high rate, PSS-compliant sonobuoys.
3) Provide a detailed production manufacturing start-up plan and estimated schedule(s) showing the company's ability for each sonobuoy type. The plan shall include information regarding staffing, production facilities, subcontracting/teaming arrangements, quality certifications and control, configuration control, supply chain management, purchasing and accounting system, etc.
4) Company profile to include number of employees, annual revenue history, office location(s) and Data Universal Numbering System number(s).
5) Prior/current relevant corporate experience performing efforts of similar size and scope, including contract number, organizations supported, indication of whether a prime or a subcontractor, contract values, customer Point of Contact with current telephone number, and a brief description of how the contract referenced relates to the requirement described herein.
6) Capability to obtain the required industrial security clearances for personnel.
7) Capability to store and safeguard classified information.
8) All responses must include the following information: company name; company address; company business size; and POC name, phone number, and email address.

Means of Delivery: The capability statement package shall be sent to Lisa Troccoli via email at [email protected] with a copy to Mrs. Stephanie Teague at [email protected]. Submissions are due no later than 15 July 2019. Files greater than 5Mb shall be submitted via AMRDEC Safe file exchange, https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/SAFE/.

Questions or comments regarding this notice may be addressed to Lisa Troccoli via email at [email protected] and Mrs. Stephanie Teague at [email protected].