Planning Yard (PY) contract for operational (in-service) LPD-17, LHD-1, LHA-6, LCC-19/20, and LSD-44/49 class ships.

This is a sources sought announcement in anticipation of procurement of a Planning Yard (PY) contract for operational (in-service) Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD-17) Class Ships and Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD-1 and LHA-6) Class Ships.  The anticipated contract may also include tasking for Amphibious Command (LCC-19/20) Ships and Dock Landing (LSD-44/49) Class Ships Planning Yard products and support.  The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is conducting market research to determine industry capability and interest in a PY contract in support of LPD-17, LHD/A, LSD and LCC class ships. The resulting contract will include products and activities required in accordance with the Navy Modernization Process Management and Operations Manual (NMP MOM) as well as material kitting and additional expanded planning support.

PY support for these classes includes, but is not limited to: Ship Installation Drawings (SID) development including perform ship checks, Liaison Action Records, Damage Control, Bill of Material, On-Site Representative, Ship Change Document (SCD) updates, Operating Cycle Integration Program Management; Work Integration Package Engineering; Type Commander (TYCOM) response; Ship Configuration Logistics Support Information System (SCLSIS) support; Configuration Data Management (CDM); Engineering and Modeling; Provisioned Items Orders; Cost, Feasibility studies and miscellaneous design services, Integrated Planning Yard (IPY) Material Support; Provisioning Technical Documentation; Naval Ships Engineering Drawing Repository (NSEDR) system input and data management; interface and coordination with Regional Maintenance Centers (RMCs) and Fleet entities; design alteration and modification development; and managing related class Ship Selected Records (SSRs). This will primarily include US Navy customers NAVSEA, NAVAIR, NAVWAR, and Type Commander.

NAVSEA is especially interested in determining small business technical capability and interest in providing PY support.  These activities will begin at contract award (anticipated in January 2021) and continue for a period of performance of up to seven years: one base year plus six one-year options.  It is expected that the tasking for the LPD-17 PY will require up to 330,000 man-hours annually, LHD/A PY tasking will require up to 440,000 man-hours annually and combined LCC and LSD PY tasking will require up to 70,000 man-hours annually.

Responses to this notice must clearly demonstrate the company's capability, experience, and/or ability to marshal resources to effectively and efficiently provide planning yard support at a sufficient level of detail to allow proper evaluation by the Navy.  For small businesses, the organization should provide evidence that they could satisfy the minimum requirements described in this Source Sought while ensuring compliance with FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting. 

Interested companies should submit, on company letterhead, a notice of interest including the name, telephone number, mailing address, and e-mail address of one point of contact to Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Attn: Ms. Shannon Vineyard (SEA 02421), LCDR Lupei Chou (SEA 02423C) and Ms. Tara Borntreger.  Please scan your letter of interest and e-mail it to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] with “Planning Yard (PY) contract for Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD-17) Class Ships Sources Sought Response” in the subject field.  The notice of interest should include a brief description of your company and its capabilities as they relate to the requirements set forth in this announcement, and answer the following specific questions.  Failure to definitively address each of the questions may result in a finding that the respondent lacks the capability to perform the work.  Please limit your response to no more than 20 pages. 

1.  Is your company a small or large business as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA)?

2.  Does your company have a website?  If so, what is your company’s website address?

3.  Is your company currently able to execute as least 50% of the cost of contract performance, as the Prime, over the life of the contract?  How do you intend to accomplish this?  The Navy wants to ensure that the Offeror understands the level of effort required as a small business or prime contractor.  As part of your answer to this question, please provide your company’s Dun & Bradstreet report, if available.

4. Does your company have adequate financial resources to perform the requirements under this contract, or the ability to obtain them? As part of your answer to this question, please answer the following sub-questions.

• Please describe the financial requirements you expect that your company would have as you stand up the necessary workforce and production materials to complete the contract, and how you'll meet the contract’s correspondent cash flow requirements.
• Please provide a cash flow statement that will show the sources and uses of funds necessary to complete this contract, in concert with all of your company’s other financial commitments. As part of this cash flow statement, please identify the expected maximum amount of sales outstanding that your company expects you would need to be able to finance prior to reimbursement by the Government.
• Please explain where the sources of cash flow will come from (be it from Government invoice payments, internal cash reserves, or external financing such as issuing new debt or selling equity). Please demonstrate the extent of your company's current access to credit and your company’s capacity for future credit in terms of unencumbered physical assets. Please tell us the amount of cash and other liquid assets your company has on hand to use as working capital to meet the contract’s cash flow requirements. Please describe how your sources of cash and credit will sufficiently meet your cash flow requirements in concert with other sources.
• Please explain all the assumptions underlying this cash flow statement.
• Please discuss your current and future expected financial obligations (in terms of outstanding and future expected liabilities) and your company’s ability to meet them. Please discuss any risks that might inhibit your company’s ability to meet these requirements and how your company is working to mitigate those risks.

5.  Given the complexity of the work described in this sources sought notice, describe your company’s historical experience completing work of this complexity or briefly describe how your company would be capable of meeting the requirements described herein as of contract award.

6.  Does your company have the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills, or the ability to obtain them (including, as appropriate, such elements as production control procedures, property control systems, quality assurance measures, and safety programs applicable to materials to be produced or tasks to be performed by the prospective contractor and subcontractors)?

7.  Does your company have the necessary production, construction, and technical equipment and facilities, or the ability to obtain them?

8.  Staffing:  How many employees does your company have?  Assuming all current employees are gainfully employed, what strategy(s) do you propose for recruiting and retaining staff at contract award through the life of the contract as contract staff members change?

• If current staffing is adequate to support this effort, describe the current workload and future projected workload of the resources anticipated.
• Provide a list of current efforts supported and resources expended against.
• Provide a list of future efforts anticipated and resources necessary to support.

9. Are any other efforts currently or within the next year (except for this Sources Sought) that your company anticipates to bid?

10. Modernization Design, In-Service and Life Cycle Support:   PY design activities include coordination and execution of specialized engineering design tasks required for ship specific integration of modernization requirements.  What is your company’s experience/strategy with respect to the following activities?

• Design: Calculations, 2D and 3D modeling, computational flow modeling, FEA, impact on distributive systems, arrangements.
• Ship checks to assess ship specific arrangement and interferences to ensure optimal installation execution during availabilities.
• Delivery of Ship Installation Drawings in accordance with the requirements of the NMP-MOM.
• Knowledge of Naval Standards, Naval Specifications and In-Service ship engineering support.
  • What is your company’s experience/strategy in applying a full range of ship construction and post-delivery technical support experience of modernization integration products (e.g. Ship Installation Drawings, Selected Record Documents, Weight/Stability reports) in accordance with the requirements of the Navy Modernization Process?  Include a discussion your company’s experience in using computer aided models and design tools.
  • Have you ever performed specific Planning Yard work for a ship class?

11.  Configuration Management:  Planning Yards are the Navy designated Configuration Data Manager for their assigned ship class.  What is/would be your company’s experience/strategy in performing planning yard class configuration management tasks including Configuration Overhaul Planning (COP), Ship Configuration Logistics Support Information System (SCLSIS) support, Configuration Data Management (CDM) and Provisioned Items Ordering?

12.  Availability Execution Design and Configuration Support: The Planning Yard must be capable of ensuring the successful installation execution of modernization products during CNO availabilities and providing a range of technical and configuration control products.  What is your company’s experience/strategy in coordinating with Regional Maintenance Centers and Shipyards and performing availability execution support tasks such as availability integrated planning, Onsite Technical Support, Responding to Liaison Action Records (LARs), Providing updates to Selected Record Data including Damage Control documentation

• What is your company’s experience in managing margin to achieve Expected Service Life; for example track chill water, power, seawater, weight and other distributed systems?   

13. Program Infrastructure:  The Planning Yard is required to have automated processes, tools and integrated databases in place to ensure the efficient and cost effective execution of assigned tasks.  Describe your company’s experience with establishing and managing the following infrastructure elements:

• Hull Management System to track individual ship maintenance and modernization plans and engineering planning efforts.
• Central Data Repository (including provision for reproduction facilities, and data distribution as directed) for drawings and data, including diagrams, materials lists, test procedures, specifications, and other engineering data acquired during construction of the Class and added during performance of planning yard functions.  This includes the Ship Selected Record repository.
• Automated Inventory Management system that can effectively control kitted material procurement for more than one ship and be responsive to short-term scheduled demands.  This system must interface with the Planning Yard Hull Management System and the Navy Data Environment database. 

14. Program Management: Program Management and Administration Support to ensure effective cost, schedule, and technical performance is essential to meeting the requirement for delivery of PY products.  Describe your company’s program management approach including performing the following activities:

• Contract Administration Management
• Technical Instruction Management and Task Management
• Estimating
• Financial Reporting
• Cost and Schedule Performance Metrics
• Process Improvements
• On-site Program Management support to the waterfront homeports.

15. PIO Material Procurement and kitting:  LLTM material support for modernization installation during CNO availabilities is an essential requirement for the Planning Yard under these contracts. Describe your company’s experience in procuring and kitting large volumes of installation support material in accordance with the NMP MOM and JFMM material delivery milestones. Discuss your procurement systems and infrastructure to accomplish this requirement.

16.  Accounting Methodology: Sound financial tools and practices such as a certified accounting system  approved purchasing system, and Disclosure Statement are required to provide proper billing to the Navy.

In addition, the accounting system would be used to manage the business with vendors as required.  While it is important to have an integrated schedule, it is equally important to have cost controls in place.  The contractor will submit timely invoices/vouchers to the Navy by Contract Line Item (CLIN), Contract Subline Item (SLIN), and Accounting Classification Reference Number (ACRN) level.  Cost of performance shall be segregated, accumulated, and invoiced to the appropriate ACRN categories.  What certified accounting system(s) and other best practice accounting methodology does your company currently use?
 
17. Given the complexity of the work described in this announcement, does your company plan to submit a proposal in response to the anticipated solicitations for planning yard support of Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD-17) Amphibious Assault Ship Assault (LHD-1 and LHA-6), Amphibious Command (LCC-19/20) and Dock Landing (LSD-44/49) Classes Ships? 
 
Information provided shall be treated as Business Sensitive or confidential to the responder, exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act.

This sources sought notice is for information planning purposes and the Government will not pay for or otherwise reimburse respondents for information submitted. NAVSEA may request further information regarding the capabilities of respondents to meet the requirements set forth in the announcement.  This sources sought announcement is released in accordance with FAR 15.201.  This sources sought announcement is not a request for proposals.  The purpose of this sources sought announcement is to gather information from the market place. Information provided in response to this sources sought announcement will not be considered an Offer by the responding contractor and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.  No telephone inquiries will be accepted and requests for solicitation packages will not be granted, as a solicitation has not been prepared at this time.

When to Submit: Responses are requested by 2PM Eastern Time, 24 December 2019.

Notice Regarding Solicitation: Please note that this sources sought is for informational purposes and to identify potential sources.  THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN INVITATION FOR BID OR REQUEST OF PROPOSAL AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ANY KIND.  The Government will not pay for any effort expended or any material provided in response to this announcement or any follow up information requests, nor will the Government return any data provided.

Future information, if any, will be posted at the website for Beta SAM, https://beta.sam.gov/, the same site where this announcement is posted.