Maritime Technologies
Request for Information (RFI) VACA-2014

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued by the Virginia Contracting Activity (VACA) solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. VACA is not at this time seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay any cost incurred in response to this RFI. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP. If a solicitation is released, it will be issued via the Federal Business Opportunities website (http://www.fbo.gov). It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this website for any information or upgrades that may pertain to this RFI. The information provided here is subject to change and is not binding on the Government.

1. Description

a. Virginia Contracting Activity is seeking to identify qualified sources that have the ability to meet government requirements for maritime sensing technologies. However, as noted above this is only an RFI and not responding to the RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP.

b. The scope and intent of this effort is to provide a taxonomy of sensing technologies and capabilities, including sensor platforms (both maneuverable and fixed), power sources, and data storage and communication, that can be utilized to detect maritime and littoral; air, surface and subsurface items of interest.

c. The elements of sensing technologies under consideration includes: Hardware such as antennas, microphones, hydrophones, magnetometers, radiometers, and spectrometers; Software such as algorithms, components and applications: and supporting capabilities including platforms, power sources and communications. Systems or capabilities may be either commercial or military, available now or under development.

d. The level of maturity of these sensing technologies and supporting capabilities is desired to be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or above. The definitions of TRL may be found in the TRA2011 Guidance published by the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)), dated April 2011, available on the web.

e. The offeror must describe their background and experience in the research, engineering design, manufacture, testing and deployment (if any) of these technologically diverse sensors/detectors that could be deployed in a harsh maritime environment. Include collaboration with other industry and government entities with similar expertise and demonstration of the capabilities of the sensor(s), if any. Also describe method of employment or notional employment methodology for lower TRL level technologies.

f. It is desired that offerors interested in this effort have the ability to work with and store classified information at the SECRET Level. Follow-on work may be performed at higher levels of classification. However, this is not to preclude the identification and development of unclassified technologies that are compelling and have the capability to meet novel or niche sensing requirements. If work was previously performed under a classified effort, please state so and if possible provide government agency point of contact. Describe previous work in classified research, development and fielding and level.

2. Requested Information: Prospective sources possessing classified information please contact Craig Benner at (703) 735-6427, [email protected]. If your response is unclassified, but you have the ability to perform classified work, state so and to what level. Unclassified responses; if additional information is available and desired at the classified level will be contacted and instructed how to proceed.

3. Submission Instructions

a. Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI inclusive of answers to the requested information listed above. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541712 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences - except Bio-technology).

b. VACA reserves the right to review late submissions but makes no guarantee to the order of, or possibility for, review of late submissions. Responses shall be limited to 20 pages and submitted via e-mail: [email protected]. For hard copy responses, or if there is a need to submit a classified response and you have no access to a classified e-mail, please contact Craig Benner at (703) 735-6427, [email protected]
c. The responses shall be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF compatible format and are due no later than 1:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, 30 May 2014.

d. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED and completely separated. To help aid VACA, please segregate proprietary information. Be advised that no submissions will be returned. All submissions will be disposed of in accordance with the instructions provided in prospective sources response. If no instructions are listed, the VACA will dispose of submissions at their discretion. In addition, please follow the disposition instructions listed in the DD-254 that are accompanied with any classified addendum.

e. Responses to this RFI may be evaluated by Government technical experts. The program office has contracted for various non-government scientific, engineering, technical and administrative staff support services, some of which require contractors to obtain access to proprietary information submitted by other contractors. All non-government contractor support personnel have signed and are bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements and organizational conflict of interest statements. Prospective offerors are advised that only Government Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government.