I. Background: Request for Information. The U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) would like to invite interested entities to provide technical inputs, solutions, suggestions, prototypes, and concepts to the requirements outlined herein and attached. RCCTO is partnering with the United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) to find solutions to these critical gaps in order to quickly target, acquire, demonstrate, test, and field promising new technology. This request for information (RFI) outlines two (2) draft technical gaps identified by USARPAC (see Section III). Contractors and other business organizations are invited to review the two draft technology gaps and submit information and capabilities that outline potential products, prototypes, approaches and solutions for addressing and solving the gaps. Technical write ups are to be submitted on an on-going basis until 13 January 2023, and early submittals/responses to the RFI are encouraged. RCCTO and USARPAC subject matter experts (SMEs) will review responses in order to better inform and shape the requirements. This RFI is open to both traditional and nontraditional large and small business concerns as well as academic and nonprofit entities to submit their technical inputs, information, solutions, and prototypes that may meet the Army’s needs and objectives. RCCTO’s mission is to rapidly and efficiently research, develop, prototype, test, evaluate, procure, transition, and/or field critical enabling technologies and capabilities that address near-term and mid-term threats. RCCTO executes this mission consistent with the Army’s modernization priorities that maximize Soldiers’ capabilities to deploy, fight, and win on future battlefields. The U.S. Army faces an ever more lethal and disruptive battlefield requiring quick acquisition of innovative capabilities to prototype and deliver to the warfighter. This RFI is an opportunity for eligible businesses to present ideas, information, prototypes, concepts, and solutions directly to the U.S. Army. II. Purpose: The purpose of this RFI is for industry partners to describe possible innovative approaches, products, and prototypes to accelerate military technology and fill critical technology and operational gaps for the U.S. Army. This RFI will enable eligible organizations to respond with technical suggestions and solutions that articulate their concepts, prototype ideas, and demonstrate how they could satisfy the U.S. Army’s technology and operational gaps as identified in the draft Problem Statements/SOOs. Enhancements, comments, and refinements to the draft SOOs are also welcome. III. Draft Problem Statements and Statements of Objectives (SOO) for RFI Submissions of capabilities, products, solutions, and concepts that could assist the Army in refining these requirements/topics are requested. The RCCTO/ USARPAC team is searching for mature technology solutions that can potentially demonstrate and prototype successful outcomes. It is expected that entities will provide a technical write up that provides ideas, information, concepts, and solutions to the draft requirements, below & attached. RFI submittals for the draft requirements will be accepted on an ongoing basis until 13 January 2023, and contractors are encouraged to submit their RFI technical submittals early, as all inputs will be used to inform USARPAC in shaping their requirements. The RFI for these topics is a call for technical information only, no contractor statement of work (CSOW) is required to be submitted, only a technical write up paper (in contractor format) that will assist the Army in refining the draft requirements. The below draft SOOs/problem topics are for informational/conceptual RFI submittals: a. Extended Range Sensor Capability (See attached draft SOO #1 for additional information on this topic.) b. Dispersed Command Post (DCP) Capabilities, and Greater Diversity Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) Communications for Tactical Units at Battalion and Below (See attached draft SOO #2 for additional information on this topic.) IV. Program Submission Process for RFI Submittals: Eligible entities are invited to submit their RFI package consisting of an up to twelve-page (12-page) technical write up addressing one or both of the draft SOOs/Problem Statements detailed above in Section III and attached. This RFI defines eligibility in Section VI, below. Submittals received after this deadline will not be considered, and early submissions are encouraged. Eligible organizations may submit one (1) or more submissions per Problem Statement/SOO, but entities must submit separate submission for each distinct solution . A panel of Army and contractor SMEs will review submittals. It is expected that discussions may occur between Army SMEs and the contractor/performer for the purpose of clarifying technical submissions. All RFI submissions are treated as company proprietary information, and the content will be disclosed to U.S. Government (USG) employees, military, or designated support contractors only for the purpose of reviewing technical feasibility and market research. RFI submittals should outline both capacities and technical solutions/concepts that addresses and potentially solves the draft problem statement/SOO. The 12-page technical submittal, in contractor format, may focus on describing details of a proposed prototype or demonstration, including how it is innovative/unique, how it could address the technical gap, and potential impacts and benefits to the Warfighter. Contractors may also suggest edits to the draft documents that will assist in enhancing, shaping, and refocusing the requirements. The RFI submission will consist of a not to exceed 12-page technical write up that describes the technical description and merits of the idea/concept. The technical discussion must also include a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost/price and rough schedule for the proposed concept. Submissions should recognize that RCCTO is seeking mature solutions of TRL 7+ as well as solutions that can be tested, demonstrated, and validated between 12 to 36 months with a goal to be integrated and fielded in that timeframe, or shortly thereafter. Submittals must include a company or entity cover page, limited to one (1) page, which will not count against the 12-page limit, and should include Company name and address, and CAGE Code (if available); the Technical and Business Points of Contact (POC) to include: Telephone Numbers and Email Addresses; your headquarters location; size of company, both revenues and # of employees; indicate whether your Company is a nontraditional defense contractor (*see definition in Section VIII); if the Company’s proposed approach has been proposed to or previously funded by any federal agency, to include SBIR/STTR, please identify each specific agency and all applicable contract/agreement numbers; and a brief abstract (1,000 character limit). Additionally, entities should ensure the technical submittals identify the specific problem statement area and describes the proposed contributions, approach and how it will satisfy the SOO. The technical submittals should include the contribution to the requirement and provide a high-level project overview describing how this contribution addresses the problem statement, or technical enhancements to the SOOs that will assist the Army in refining the requirements. This request is a RFI. This request is not a solicitation or request for proposals, nor a request for white papers. The Government does not currently expect that either contract nor agreement awards would result from this RFI. It is plausible that the Government may later issue an actual RFP, depending on mission requirements, thus, submittals must state whether the company/entity would likely participate in a future RFP with a proposal submittal for the concepts outlined in their technical write up. RFI submittals will be accepted on a rolling submittal basis until 5:00 PM/17:00 EST on Friday, 13 January 2023, via the following RCCTO email address:
[email protected] (please also CC:
[email protected]) There will be no mailed submissions. All RFI submissions shall be clearly marked “Company Name_RFI_USARPAC Tech Paper.” Only UNCLASSIFIED submittals will be accepted, and no Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is to be included. Any submittals with classified or CUI information will not be reviewed and will be deleted. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted, but questions can be submitted to the above email address. Submittals will be reviewed by a joint RCCTO/USARPAC team of technical SME reviewers, including contractor support personnel. Reviews of RFI submittals does not promise nor guarantee that a company will receive a contract and the Government reserves the right, at any point, to cancel the RFI. Please be advised, only an Agreements Officer has the authority to enter into, or modify, a binding agreement on behalf of the Government. RCCTO is seeking technical inputs and information from contractors to assist in finalizing the SOOs. Technical inputs may be submitted in contractor’s format, limited to 12 pages to the above email address. Early submittals are encouraged to assist the Army in finalizing the requirements. Brevity is also encouraged, i.e., submittals do not have to total 12 pages, the 12-page limit is a maximum and there is no minimum page count nor penalty for shorter submittals/inputs. V. Non-Government Advisors: Non-Government advisors will also be used in the review of submittals. In these cases, companies will be notified of the name and corporate affiliation of these advisors in the request from the Government to provide a pitch. Companies will be afforded the opportunity to enter into specific non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with the corporate entity prior to submission of any proposals. Government policy is to treat all submissions as source selection information, and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation. Restrictive notices notwithstanding, during the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by support contractors for administrative purposes and/or to assist with technical evaluations. All DoD support contractors performing this role are expressly prohibited from performing DoD-sponsored technical research and are bound by appropriate NDAs. The following non-Government, non-voting advisors may be used in the evaluation of submittals and will have signed NDAs with the Government. The MITRE Corporation Serco, N.A. Modern Technologies Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) Radiance Technologies, Inc. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL) Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Begin Morning Nautical Twilight (BMNT) Apex Sourcing LLC VI. Eligibility Requirements: U.S.-based and International companies or organizations are considered eligible to participate in this RFI. Submissions from entities or organizations that do not have a primary place of business in the U.S. will not be considered. Each eligible entity: U.S.-based firms shall be incorporated in, and maintain, a primary place of business in the U.S. International firms must state their country of origin and incorporation as well as their affiliation to the government of their declared host nation May not be a U.S. Federal government entity or employ a U.S. Federal employee acting within the scope of their employment. Required to register in System for Award Management (SAM) and have, or be able to obtain, an active CAGE code, DUNS number, and not be on the exclusion lists (debarred, suspended, or ineligible). RCCTO’s RFI is voluntary and open to all entities that meet the eligibility requirements. Submittals to the RFI must be received by 5:00 PM EST on 13 January 2023 . Submittals are encouraged to be done early, but submittals after the deadline will not be considered. RCCTO reserves the right to adjust the currently stated deadline based on mission requirements and encourages interested entities to monitor the public release platform accordingly. Participate by emailing submittals to:
[email protected] (please also CC:
[email protected]) VII. Intellectual Property The Army is a strong proponent of deliberate intellectual property (IP) rights and management by the private sector and the Department of Defense. For the RFI: Nothing in this RFI shall diminish the Government’s rights in patents, technical data, technical information, computer software, computer databases, and computer software documentation that the Government had prior to this effort, or is entitled to, under any other Government Agreement or contract, or is otherwise entitled to under law; and The Federal Government may negotiate licenses for the use of IP developed by a registered participant in the future. Furthermore, the Government understands that information provided in response to this solicitation is presented in confidence and may contain trade secret or commercial or financial information, and it agrees to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure to the maximum extent permitted or required by Law, to include: a. 18 USC 1905 (Trade Secrets Act); b. 18 USC 1831 et seq. (Economic Espionage Act); c. 5 USC 552(b)(4) (Freedom of Information Act); d. Executive Order 12600 (Pre-disclosure Notification Procedures for Confidential Commercial Information); and e. Any other statute, regulation, or requirement applicable to Government employees. VIII. Notes & Definitions The Government will not reimburse participants for any costs associated with preparing or submitting a response to this RFI. Participation is voluntary. This notice and the information presented herein will not obligate the Government in any manner. *Non-traditional defense contractor is defined in 10 U.S.C. § 2302(9) as an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources by the Department of Defense for the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the Department of Defense that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to section 1502 of title 41 and the regulations implementing such section. ** Prototype projects are defined as submissions that may improve Army platforms, Army weapons systems, or Army support systems. A prototype project can generally be described as a preliminary pilot, test, evaluation, demonstration, or agile development activity used to evaluate the technical or manufacturing feasibility or military utility of a particular technology, process, concept, end item, effect, or other discrete feature. Prototype projects may include systems, subsystems, components, materials, methodology, technology, or processes. By way of illustration, a prototype project may involve: a proof of concept; a pilot; a novel application of commercial technologies for defense purposes; a creation, design, development, demonstration of technical or operational utility; or combinations of the foregoing, related to a prototype. Attachments: Draft Statement of Objectives (SOOs)/Problem Statements (SOOs #1 & 2) for RFI technical submittals.