Background:

The purpose of this Sources Sought Synopsis is to determine if there are additional sources capable of providing the required supplies and services. This is a Sources Sought Synopsis only. No solicitation is available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary, and the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government.

Description of Desired Capabilities:

The GPS Directorate at the Air Force Space & Missile Systems Center (SMC/GP) anticipates awarding a services contract to maintain and operate six Modernized Receiver Test Asset (MRTA) systems, five MRTA II systems, one Modernized Signal Test Asset (MSTA) system, and other signal collection assets in order to provide quality data collection and analysis.  This capability must be provided by a source that does not have any organizational conflicts of interest (OCI).  As a result, prime contractors and subcontractors for segments of the GPS enterprise are presumed to have OCIs that cannot be mitigated for purposes of performing this effort, unless the offeror submits an acceptable OCI mitigation plan. 

The following expertise and capabilities are required: (1) The ability to maintain and operate existing MRTA/MSTA systems, using advanced knowledge of MRTA/MSTA's major hardware and software functions, measurement capability, calibration, and operational usage; (2) The ability to analyze and characterize Global Positioning System (GPS) Signal In Space (SIS), and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) SIS, using MRTA/MSTA and other signal collection assets.

Respondents should have expert knowledge of GPS signals. Specifically, the GPS Directorate seeks sources capable of using the MRTA, MRTA II, and MSTA systems effectively, by furnishing the necessary management, technical expertise, facilities, tools, and material to perform data collection, processing, analysis, data archival and dissemination, and other actions as required to support GPS Initial On-Orbit (IOO) L Band Signal Compliance, State-of-Health (SOH), GNSS SIS data collection, anomaly characterization and other ad hoc testing. The effort will verify GPS Interface Control Document (ICD) compliance and support anomaly characterization of the L-band signals in space using Government owned and validated test assets. Technical expertise must include the capability to acquire, track, and measure parameters such as power, carrier phase, and arrival times for all the specified Pseudo Random Noise (PRN) codes from a single GPS SV; provide signal quality (SQ) metrics for the L1, L2, L3 and L5 carriers, and each specified PRN code on these carriers.

The GPS Directorate will require the awardee to provide monthly State of Health (SOH) measurement sessions using the MRTA/MSTA and other signal collection assets to provide power, code delay, frequency content, and bandwidth to verify proper operation of the constellation. Some testing requires access to a high-gain antenna such as the 150-foot parabolic antenna located in Palo Alto, CA.  The period of performance is anticipated to be from 31 August 2017 through 30 September 2020 (one year base, 2 one year option periods, and 1 one month option period).

To accomplish program objectives and meet near-term program milestones, Respondents must not only be fully familiar with MRTA/MSTA, but also be familiar with the current efforts in the SMC/GP test and evaluation portfolio.

Respondents must be capable of supporting testing at the time of authority to proceed, which is anticipated to occur no later than 31 August 2017.  Respondents must operate facilities at and employ personnel cleared at the Secret level. Responses from small and small disadvantaged businesses are encouraged.

Submission Instructions:

Information regarding capability must be submitted in writing. Proprietary information should be marked accordingly. Statements of capability must be received by 30 March 2017, 1700 hours, Pacific Standard Time. Submissions shall be addressed to the contracting office and personnel outlined below. The capability statement must provide the following information as a part of its cover sheet:

(a) Company name and address;
(b) Identify your organization's business type inclusive of any and all socio-economic status (e.g., 8(a) certified program participant, small disadvantaged, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran owned, HUB Zone or women-owned);
(c) Point of Contact,
(d) Phone/Fax/E-mail;
(e) NAICS Codes; and,
(f) Information regarding your organization's capabilities.

Statements of capability should include information relevant and specific to demonstrating the ability to meet the technical and programmatic requirements described above. The Statements of Capabilities (SOC) are limited to fifteen (15) 8.5" x 11" pages with 1" margins, and 12-point font (Arial or Times New Roman).

The SOC and Qualifications Statement will be evaluated solely for market research purposes.  Consequently, the Government is primarily interested in Qualified Sources (Prime Contractors) providing specific technical details indicating how that source can meet the Government's needs.  Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. 

Responses from small business and small, disadvantaged business firms are highly encouraged.  A responding firm should indicate if it is a small business, a socially and economically disadvantaged business, an 8(a) firm, a historically black college or university, or a minority institution.  The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541380 -- Testing Laboratories has been selected for this acquisition.  The small business size standard is $15 million or less in average annual receipts. 

Submit Statement of Capabilities (SOC) electronically to the Contracting Officer, Dominicke Ybarra at [email protected] and to the Contract Specialist, Daniel Hilger at [email protected] or by mail to SMC/PK, Attn: Mr. Dominicke Ybarra, SMC/GPK, 483 N. Aviation Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245-2808.

All work performed under the contract will be limited to U.S. citizens only.

In order to assist prospective sources in responding to this sources sought synopsis, a documents library will be made available. The documents library will contain the following documents: (1) Performance Work Statement, (2) Contract Data Requirements List; (3) Draft Form DD254 - Department of Defense Security Classification Specification; (4) Government furnished property list. The documents library will be made available through the primary point of contact, Mr. Dominicke Ybarra, Contracting Officer.

An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from potential Respondents. The purpose of the Ombudsman is to receive and communicate concerns from respondents when they prefer not to use established channels to communicate their concerns during any phase of the acquisition. The Ombudsman will communicate certain Respondent issues, disagreements, and recommendations on this proposed acquisition into the proper channels. The Ombudsman's role is not to diminish the authority of the program director or the contracting officer but to advocate a Respondent concern on a non-attribution basis. The Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern when requested by the Respondent. The Ombudsman will not participate in the evaluation of SOCs for this proposed acquisition. The Ombudsman is Ms. Olalani Kamakau, (310) 653-1185, [email protected]. Routine questions, such as clarifications, are not considered to be "significant concerns" and should be communicated directly to the POCs listed below.

The Government mandates participation from its Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I), and Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contractors, during the analysis of SOCs received in response to this synopsis. Specifically, the Government will require participation from the following contractors: The Aerospace Corporation, Canyon Consulting, LLC, and Tecolote Research Incorporated.  All data received in response to this synopsis and marked or designated as "corporate" or "proprietary" information will be fully protected from release outside the Government except for the FFRDC, SE&I, and SETA contractors named above.

This Sources Sought Synopsis notice is issued solely for informational and planning purposes.  It does not constitute a solicitation (Request for Proposal or Request for Quotations) or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future.