Introduction: This Sources Sought Notice is being posted to satisfy the requirement of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) PGI 206.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is seeking eligible business firms who can provide engineering, configuration management, Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS), logistics support, technical support, In-Service Support, Product support, and Life Cycle Sustainment of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) systems aboard the Ford-class nuclear powered aircraft carriers and the Foreign Military Sales French Future Carrier. The efforts will support the EMALS and AAG systems, and will include the following: Development of pre-Engineering Change Proposals and Logistics Engineering Change Proposals of the systems for deficiency resolution and corrective action Technical data development, to include drawings, product engineering design data, software documentation, critical manufacturing processes, parts/wiring lists, and quality assurance provisions Support for the development of product improvements, design recommendations, technical data investigations and technical publications deficiency reports, technical support for test plans, reports, acceptance test procedures, and engineering/general specifications Remote and on-site (Norfolk, VA and Bremerton, WA) subject matter expertise/technical support to the Ford Class shore based/pier side, or land based test site, to include investigation and repair following determination of root cause Support for shipboard activities for fixed wing aircraft recoveries and launches using AAG and EMALS Engineering and System Software Investigations Support, to include development of software artifacts and changes Establish and maintain a Failure Reporting, Analysis, and Corrective Action System Perform Software changes, review, and testing EMALS/AAG Software Lab maintenance and improvements Update and maintain EMALS/AAG logistics products across Operational, Intermediate, and Depot maintenance levels using current data Use, maintain, and update the Logistics Product Database for EMALS/AAG Update and maintain Supportability Analysis, to include all EMALS/AAG system configuration technical data packages Other Logistics support, such as Repair Level Analysis, Maintenance Plan, task analysis/narrative, training support, support equipment and peculiar support equipment, provisioning data, Interactive Electronic Technical Manual, calibration, and packaging, handling, storage, and transportation Quality assurance management The planned contract award date is December 2025, with an ordering period through December 2030 to support EMALS and AAG systems aboard ford-lass nuclear powered aircraft carriers and Future French Carrier operational capability. Background: The EMALS is an aircraft launch system that provides the ability to launch current and projected carrier-based, nose-gear-launch (NGL) equipped aircraft from Ford-class aircraft carriers. The AAG is an aircraft arrestment system that provides the ability to recover current and projected carrier-based, tail-hook-equipped aircraft from Ford-class aircraft carriers. The EMALS and AAG systems improve both launch and arresting gear margins of safety from the current steam catapult and current arresting gear levels to the values needed for future fleet operational requirements. Special Requirements: NAVAIR expects to receive from each respondent a full response with capability summary, which contains a detailed description that clearly demonstrates that your company currently possesses or has authorized access or has a viable plan to obtain, generate, or otherwise secure authorized access to the necessary technical data to complete the above tasking and that it will be maintained throughout the duration of the effort being solicited. For example, the summary should include details on the following technical data: Specifications, Software Documentations, Critical Manufacturing Processes, Product Engineering Design Data and Special Tooling Engineering Design Data of the EMALS/AAG systems. In addition, each response shall address the following: Contractor shall demonstrate the ability to provide Engineering and Logistics reach-back and on-site support of EMALS/AAG systems for all In-Service Ford Class Carriers and the Future French Carrier. Contractor shall describe the approach that will be utilized to perform research and analysis, engineering and logistics support required to develop change proposals for EMALS and AAG systems. Contractor shall describe the approach that will be utilized for deficiency resolution and corrective actions to include a combination of procedural and/or material (hardware and/or software) solutions for the EMALS/AAG systems. Contractor shall demonstrate how Government led trouble report investigations will be supported including: investigate failure cause, research potential solutions, make recommendations on improvements, and support implementation of corrective actions on the EMALS/AAG systems. Contractor shall describe the approach how design recommendations to correct safety defects, overhaul & repair instruction (ORIs), or improve component or system reliability will be provided for non-Performance Based Logistics (PBL) items. The Contractor shall demonstrate how it will support FORD class shipboard activities for fixed wing aircraft recoveries and launches using AAG and EMALS. Eligibility: The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 336413, Other Aircraft Part and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing, with a Small Business Size Standard of 1,250 employees. The Product Service Codes (PSC) is 1710 – Aircraft Landing Equipment and 1720 - Aircraft Launching Equipment. The results of this Sources Sought Notice will also be used to determine if any Small Business Set-Aside opportunities exist. In addition, this market research tool is being used to identify potential and eligible firms of all sizes, prior to determining the method of acquisition. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement. Note: FAR 52.219-14 Limitation on Subcontracting requires a small business prime on a Set-Aside to perform at least 50% of the cost of contract performance. Small business primes may now count “first tier subcontracted” work performed by similarly situated entities as if it were performed by the prime itself. Please read the full text of the clause deviation (52.219-14 Class Deviation 2020-O0008 dated 04/03/20 at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far). To assist in our market research and determination of any applicable small business set-aside for this effort, if you are a small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize “similarly situated entities” to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting, please identify the name & CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their SB size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding any planned similarly situated entity should be included in the response to this notice to assist the Government’s capability determination. Disclaimer: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. Capability Package Submittal Information and Instructions: Responsible parties may identify their interest by responding to the requirement with a capability statement (no more than 10 pages in length). No phone inquiries will be entertained. Responses shall be made in writing by e-mail to the attention of the listed points of contacts using the contact information provided. Interested parties are requested to submit their capability statement along with their company name, address, and any comments or questions to Jacob Halowell,
[email protected] and Margo O’Rear at
[email protected] by 4:00 PM (EST) on 17 October 2024 . Late responses submitted past the day and time may not be considered. Classified material shall not be submitted. All submissions should include this Sources Sought Notice Reference Number, company name, company address, CAGE code, UEI number, and a point-of-contact who is able to discuss the Capability Statement submitted. Point-of-contact information should include name, position, phone number, and email address. The Government will acknowledgement receipt of the response. All information submitted will be adequately safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with FAR 15.207. All submissions must be clearly marked with the following caption: “For Official Use Only, Releasable to Government Agencies for Evaluation Purposes Only.” Responses that fail to comply with the above instructions or present ideas not pertinent to subject, may not be reviewed. All information received in response to this Notice that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Information submitted in response to this Notice is submitted at no cost to the Government and will not be returned. The Government is under no obligation to provide responses or comments to information received from interested persons but may request additional information following review. Note: If the interested person is a foreign concern or if a U.S. interested person has a team member or partner who is a foreign entity, adherence to all International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) is required.