This is a Market Survey / Sources Sought for the Enterprise Programs, Infrastructure, and Communications Services (EPICS) II requirement.  The FAA anticipates that the EPICS II requirement will be similar to the existing EPICS requirement.  The existing EPICS contracts are:

a)  DTFAWA-17-D-00014

Noblis, Inc.

2002 Edmund Halley Dr.

Reston, VA 20191

b)  DTFAWA-17-D-00015

LS Technologies

2750 Prosperity Ave Suite 400

Fairfax, VA 22031

c) DTFAWA-17-D-00032

Veracity Engineering

955 L'Enfant Plaza SW #700

Washington, DC 20024

The existing EPICS contracts have a shared ceiling of $803,000,000. The total current level of effort for the current EPICS contracts is in excess of 400 full-time equivalents (FTEs) and the FAA anticipates a similar or greater level of effort under EPICS II.

The FAA anticipates that EPICS II will be a time and materials (T&M), Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), task order contract. The task orders may include cost reimbursement and firm fixed price requirements. Travel and Other Direct Charges (ODCs) will be reimbursed based on actual costs.

In accordance with A.M.S. Policy 3.2.1.2.1, this market survey is to solicit statements of interest and capabilities from interested business concerns. This market survey also seeks to identify potential vendors for this work, including groups of business teams.

For questions about FAA’s acquisition policies, please visit https://fast.faa.gov which provides the FAA’s Acquisition Management System (AMS) Policy and Guidance as well as provisions and clauses used by the FAA in its acquisitions.

1. Disclaimer

This is not a Screening Information Request (SIR) or a Request for Proposal (RFP). The FAA is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals. The FAA is seeking interested sources that are capable of fulfilling the FAA’s requirements.

Participation in this market survey is voluntary and respondents may choose to respond to all or some of the requests. Submissions in response to this market survey announcement must be relevant to the subject of the market survey and the survey questions. Responses will be reviewed by U.S. Government employees and a limited number of Government support contractors working under non-disclosure agreements.

All costs associated with the preparation or submission of responses is the responsibility of the potential source. The U.S. Government will not pay for an information received or costs incurred in preparing the response to the market survey. Any cost associated with the market survey submission, therefore, is solely at the interested contractor’s expense.

2.  Background

The objective of the EPICS II contract is to obtain contract support services that will support programs within the FAA’s Communications, Infrastructure and Network Programs (CINP) team and related programs in accomplishing their mission objectives. Personal services will be prohibited.  CINP is responsible for the implementation, management, and execution of communications infrastructure programs supporting the National Airspace System (NAS) and non-NAS systems and networks(for more information go to: Communications, Information, and Network Programs (CINP) (faa.gov)).

CINP supports:

• Telecommunication Infrastructure Management:
  • Alaskan Satellite Telecommunications Infrastructure (ASTI)
  • Enterprise Infrastructure Services (EIS)
  • FAA Enterprise Network Services (FENS)
  • FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI)
  • Invoice and Financial Management Services (IFMS)
  • Mission Support
  • Time Division Multiplexing to Internet Protocol (TDM-IP)
  • FAA Administrative Voice Enterprise Services (FAVES)
• Air/Ground Voice Communications:
  • NEXCOM
  • Airport Cable Loop (ACL)
  • Communications Facilities Sustainment (CF-S)
  • Remote Communications Equipment (RCE)
• FAA Voice Switches and Recorders:
  • Voice Communications Enterprise (VoiCE)
  • NAS Voice Recorder (PDF)
  • Voice Switching and Control System (VSCS)
  • Air-to- Ground Media Gateway (AGMG)
• Information Management:
  • System Wide Information Management (SWIM)
  • SWIM Industry FAA Team (SWIFT)
• Cloud Integration Services

3. Requirements

The CINP team adheres to the programmatic and acquisition processes and policies defined by the AMS (for more details go to: https://fast.faa.gov) and requires support services in the areas of systems engineering and acquisition lifecycle, including:

• Program Implementation
• In-Service Management
• Business and Financial Management
• Architecture Assessment
• Development of Business Cases
• Preparation of Joint Resources Council (JRC) Packages
• SWIM Suitability Assessments
• Generation of Telecommunications Cost estimates
• Support of Integration Testing
• Ordering and Implementation of New Telecommunication and Enterprise Messaging Services for CINP Customer Programs
• Preparation of System Security Authorization Packages
• Tracking of Service Utilization to Support Network Capacity Planning

The capabilities and services that may be ordered under the proposed contract(s) will include knowledge transfer of the latest technologies, methods, approaches, and products that can lead to new, innovative solutions and best practices within the organization.

4.  NAICS Code

The NAICS code for this procurement has not yet been finalized, but the predominant effort is 541330 – Engineering Services Except Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons. The size standard exception under this code for Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons of $41.5 million is expected to apply. The final NAICS Code will be included in the EPICS II SIR. 

5.  Responses to the Market Survey / Request for Information (RFI)

The FAA seeks responses from contractors with experience in fulfilling the requirements described above including, but not limited to systems engineering and acquisition lifecycle support services.

Interested parties should submit the following:

• A 1-page letter of transmittal that includes; Name of Firm, Cage Code, Business Size and Socioeconomic Status, and E-mail address for the primary point of contact
• Capabilities Statement – maximum 5-pages using 12 point Times New Roman font, 11” x 8½” paper, and 1-inch page margins. The Capabilities Statement should include the following information:
  • Types of services currently provided by your company relative to the scope of the effort described above.
  • Project description, contract number (or subcontract number), and dollar value of work completed by your firm (by the closing date of the announcement) for up to four comparable projects that (a) have been completed by your firm in the past five years or (b) are current projects with at least 1-year of performance. Include the staffing level on the contracts (i.e. # of FTEs), your company’s percentage of total staffing, and your company’s role on the contract (Prime or Subcontractor).
  • Number of years your company has been in business.
  • Geographical areas where your company can provide the services.

Submitted materials will not be evaluated nor will the FAA provide feedback on any of the submitted materials. In addition, responses to the Market Survey / RFI will not be viewed by the FAA as a commitment by the respondents to submit a proposal in response to the EPICS II SIR if it is released.

If any of the information submitted is considered to be confidential or proprietary, the submitter is responsible for marking it accordingly. FAA acquisition-support contractors are Noblis Inc., LS Technologies and Veracity Engineering, and personnel from those contractors are expected to participate in the analysis of the responses to this Market Survey / RFI.

6.  Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)

The FAA intends, as early as possible in the acquisition process and where possible prior to issuing an initial SIR, to make every effort to analyze planned acquisitions in an effort to identify, avoid, neutralize or mitigate  potential Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCIs) early in the EPICS II acquisition process. This early identification will not adversely affect the FAA’s policy for competition in accordance with AMS Policy 3.1.3.

Prospective contractors are encouraged to become familiar with both T3.1.7 and the SIR clauses identified below, and to notify the CO at the earliest possible time of any identified actual or potential OCI issues. FAA Procurement Guidance T3.1.7 Organizational Conflict of Interest, provides the FAA’s OCI policy, in full text. An OCI means that because of existing or planned activities, an offeror or contractor:

1. Is unable or potentially unable to render impartial assistance to the agency; or
2. Has an unfair competitive advantage; or
3. The offeror or contractor's objectivity is or might be impaired.

The FAA’s SIR clauses are available at https://fast.faa.gov/contractclauses.cfm.

3.1.7-1 Exclusion from Future Agency Contracts

3.1.7-2 Organizational Conflicts of Interest

3.1.7-4 Organizational Conflict of Interest - Mitigation Plan Required

3.1.7-5 Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

3.1.7-6 Disclosure of Certain Employee Relationships

Prospective contractors should be ready and capable of responding to OCI clauses included in the EPICS II SIR.

As noted in AMS Guidance 3.1.7A (1): The policy of the FAA is to avoid contracting with contractors who have unacceptable OCIs. It is not the intent of the FAA to foreclose a vendor from a competitive acquisition due to a perceived OCI, or in any way limit competition and prevent the FAA from getting responsible qualified vendors. 

The FAA is committed to working with potential contractors to identify, avoid, neutralize or mitigate actual or perceived OCI situations in such a manner that does not adversely affect the integrity of the FAA’s competitive process, the mission of the FAA or the legitimate business interest of the vendor community.

7.  Market Survey / RFI Response Submission Instructions

Market Survey / RFI responses must be submitted via email to Elizabeth Williams ([email protected]) in *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf format. No other form of submission will be accepted. Responses are due by 4:00 PM EDT [DATE].

8.  Questions and Comments

Submit any questions or comments, which must be limited to aspects of this announcement that affect the preparation of your response, via email to [email protected] no later than September 19, 2022 COB.

(End of Announcement)