SOURCES SOUGHT

FOR THE RECAPITALIZATION OF THE NUCLEAR PLANNING AND EXECUTION SYSTEM (NPES Recap)

Contracting Office Address

AFLCMC/HBCK 901 SAC Blvd, Offutt AFB, NE 68123

INTRODUCTION

This is not a solicitation. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only. This Sources Sought synopsis is being conducted pursuant to FAR Part 10, Market Research; a solicitation is not available at this time. This synopsis does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) nor an Invitation for Bid (IFB). The Government will neither award a contract solely on the basis of this notice, nor will it reimburse the contractor for any costs associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice. This posting is for information gather and planning purposes only, and in no way restricts the Government’s final acquisition strategy. Any information provided by the Government at this time is preliminary and may be updated or changed prior to the release of a formal RFP.

BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) COCOM C2 Division (HBC) is seeking qualified sources to perform software development services providing all tasks required for the recapitalization and sustainment of the Nuclear Planning and Execution System (NPES) software baseline. Tasks include, but are not limited to, project management, software/system engineering, testing (automated and manual, including security penetration), configuration management, cybersecurity, database management, quality assurance, and on-site comprehensive product support.

NPES is a Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff system for nuclear operations and fulfillment of Nuclear Command and Control (NC2) responsibilities. NPES supports national strategic deterrence by providing a host of NC2 execution activities as well as contingency and crisis action planning capabilities to selected joint and combatant command staffs. NPES is operated by USSTRATCOM and other specified users performing missions to deter and dissuade threats, and, when directed, defeat adversaries. The system is installed at multiple fixed and mobile locations/platforms.  Each NPES installation receives updates and communicates with other NPES-installed locations through several communication channels.

NPES Recap is an Acquisition Section 804 program (formerly Category (ACAT) III program).  The scope of NPES Recap is to replace the existing NPES software with modern software that is (1) supportable, (2) interoperable, (3) cybersecure, and (4) developed using current software development language, tools, and standards.  The Government is investigating various options to satisfy the NPES Recap effort to include any combination of newly developed code, reuse of existing Legacy software code, or reuse of software components of other existing GOTS.  When delivered, NPES Recap software will provide the mission capability sufficient to replace the existing (legacy) NPES.

The Government intends to recapitalize NPES software and implement industry-standard software engineering and configuration management practices.  The desired outcome provides modernized software that enhances the mission, optimizes visual data presentation, and complies with all applicable cybersecurity requirements. End results will be improved system performance for operators and increased system availability, reliability, maintainability, and capability.

The current NPES Recap program requirements are being fulfilled under the C2SES III IDIQ FA4600-17-D-0006 which expires in August 2022 under the order FA4600-20-F-0008 which expires in December 2021.

NPES Recap Tech

The NPES Recap program is intended to recapitalize the current NPES software baseline, which consists of a diverse collection of technologies, methodologies, and architectures that provide software and system capabilities for USSTRATCOM, Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, and other DoD Agencies. 

The typical underlying hardware architecture consists of x86-based servers, VMware virtualization, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Oracle Database, Oracle WebLogic or Red Hat JBoss, HTML 5, and Java. Software/systems interaction is via the database, and/or service calls. Other technologies used in the environment include geospatial services/servers, cross-domain services/servers, directory services/servers, and identity services/servers

INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

Respondents are requested to submit capability packages as instructed below:

1. Capability packages shall be delivered in one electronic copy.  Capability package files should be in MS Office format (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) or Adobe PDF format, and should not exceed 5 MB on one email.  Capability packages shall contain UNCLASSIFIED material only.

1. Capability packages should not exceed 10 pages, each single side counting one page, 8.5 x 11 inch, with one-inch margins, and font no smaller than 10 point Times New Roman.  All capability packages must be received no later than 12:00 pm (Central Time) on 22 October 2020.

1. Capability package responses, and all questions, shall be sent via email to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Jeremy Peppler, at [email protected].

Respondents must include the following information within their capability packages:

1. Company Information:  Provide company name, address, a point of contact with e-mail address and telephone number, Federal Cage Code, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), business size, and security clearance level.  Your company must be registered in System for Award Management (SAM).  To register, go to https://www.sam.gov.

1. Small Business:  Small businesses are encouraged to respond to this announcement.  Small business respondents should indicate whether they are a small business, 8(a) concern, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUB Zone small business, small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, or historically black college or university (HBCU) or minority institution (MI) (as defined by the clause at DFARS 252.226-7000).

CAPABILITY PACKAGE CONTENTS

Please address as much of the following information as possible in your response.

1. Application Software

Describe expertise/experience on software development and sustainment of software systems or programs with:

• DoD accepted software development and sustainment processes and practices consistent with IEEE STD 12207; test-driven design and architecture driven design concepts and practices, and best practices for Agile software development
• Ensuring software quality (requirements decomposition, minimize defects, etc.). 
• Developing applications using an n-tier architecture, while utilizing x86 standard hardware and system software; Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Object-Oriented Design 
• Distributed computing, optimization techniques, hyper-threaded parallel processing, graphic user interfaces, and design patterns
• Development using container-native development

1. System Engineering 

Describe your in-depth knowledge and experience with software systems or programs, as it relates to software design, development, and deployment to multiple fixed and mobile environments.

Describe expertise/experience with engineering practices, techniques, and tools to:

• Ensure Government requirements and timelines are met while identifying, mitigating, and managing risk
• Create an efficient design consistent with the defined system requirements and enterprise architecture
• Proactively plan and adapt to changes in the operational environments, interfacing systems, and system requirements
• Specific protocols and transports used in communication transports and networks
• Interface and synchronize data through cross-domain solutions

1. Security Engineering

Describe experience with current DoD cybersecurity and information assurance (IA) directives, instructions, procedures, and policies to include best practices, tools, countermeasures, and integrated processes for software development.

1. Integration Experience

Describe experience with:

• Integration of GOTS/COTS products across multiple systems/applications in both fixed and mobile environments.
• 3rd party agencies/contractors to address integration efforts, across multiple platforms with external programs, external agencies, interfacing with multiple programs.

1. Testing

Describe expertise/experience:

• Testing complex software-intensive systems and/or applications with automated testing methods as it pertains to fixed and mobile platforms
• Providing support to Government test agencies and processes that support operational test and evaluation certification

1. Personnel and Facility Security

What level Facility Clearance does your company currently possess? Does your company currently possess an active software development environment?  Where is it located, and what is the highest classification level of software development that can be performed at that location? Does your company have software development teams cleared at the TS level?  Where are the teams located? Does your company have the capability to perform on-site at Offutt AFB, NE? What is your corporate strategy to hire, train, develop, and retain staff in the local Offutt, AFB area?

ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST AVOIDANCE

The Government would also like to remind companies deciding to pursue proposing on NPES in any prime, subcontractor, or teaming arrangement capacity of their responsibility to ensure addressing and taking steps to avoid and/or mitigate, any potential Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI). Guidance is found in the FAR Part 9.5. A potential OCI issue exists for any company that has personnel, in any of its divisions, working under contract for the Government and, therefore, having access to NPES program information originating either from the Government or from other interested companies. Interested companies should examine any support contracts it has in place with the Government for provisions addressing OCI issues. A company finding it has a potential OCI situation must submit and have approved a mitigation plan prior to the Government’s consideration of any proposal for award. Since the approval process can be lengthy and approval of any plan is not assured, it is highly recommended that potential OCI identification and resolution processes begin as soon in this pre-award phase as possible. An OCI could result in the canceling of a contract or determining an offeror ineligible for award. Potential OCI issues and mitigation plans, if developed, shall be included as an attachment to the technical capability package.  This OCI attachment will not be counted toward the total page count.