SUBJECT: Sources Sought Notice, Soldier Protective System (SPS) - Vital Torso Protection (VTP) Program - Full Rate Production (FRP) Phase - Small Business Set Aside (SBSA) 1. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY - This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Solicitations are not available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the United States Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the United States Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the United States Government. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized via the Federal Business Opportunities website (www.fbo.gov). It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement. 2. The Government is issuing this Sources Sought to collect information for the Full Rate Production (FRP) Phase of the Vital Torso Protection (VTP) Program under the Soldier Protection System (SPS). The SPS VTP consists of lightweight hard armor plates that provide the Soldier multiple levels of ballistic protection that can be tailored to select mission profiles and protection against specific threats from conventional fragmenting munitions, small arms ammunition, and blunt impact. This RFI is exclusively for the two side plate variants including the Enhanced Side Ballistic Inserts (ESBI) and the X-Side Ballistic Inserts (XSBI). Soldiers equipped with the SPS VTP will be able to accomplish a broad range of missions. The versatility of the system will enable the Soldier to quickly transition from one mission type to another without degrading the momentum of small unit operations. The SPS will support major combat operations, stability operations, homeland security operations, joint operating concepts, and the joint force functional concept. 3. Blunt trauma injury associated with Back Face Deformation (BFD) measurements and test standards will be in accordance with the current approved Government Department of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) test protocols. The technical requirements for each variant are provided in the DRAFT Purchase Description (PD), including the threshold weight and ballistic performance requirements; copies of the PD can be requested from the POC listed at the end of this notice. It is the Army's intent to include a separate requirement, or optional contract line item, for an industrial base maintenance contract (IBMC) that will provide a maintenance capability for the hard body armor plates. The acquisition organization responsible for this effort is the Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG). 4. The proposed project is expected to result in multiple Firm Fixed Price contracts. The Government must ensure there is adequate competition among the potential pool of responsive contractors; therefore, the type of solicitation issued may depend, in part, upon the responses received to this notice. Based on responses received to a previous notice of 28 July 2015, the Government has determined that there are a sufficient number of qualified small businesses to perform specific requirements on this program and may incorporate a Small Business Set Aside (SBSA) for the Enhanced Side Ballistic Inserts (ESBI) and X-Side Ballistic Inserts (XSBI) variants. As previously advertised, the Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts (ESAPI) and X-Small Arms Protective Inserts (XSAPI) variants are open to all prospective offerors including both large and small businesses. 5. The SPS VTP FRP acquisition strategy continues to be developed. Respondents are encouraged to identify and describe any unique solutions that will result in effective and efficient operations and allow PM SPE to refine their requirements, as necessary. Any resulting contract awards will be based on the overall "Best Value" solution to the Government. Evaluation criteria is planned to include the factors of technical (weight and ballistic performance), delivery, past performance, quality management system, small business plan, and price. 6. The Offeror responses to this notice shall be limited to 20 pages and should include the following information: • Offeror's name, address, point of contact, phone number, and e-mail address. • Offeror's interest in bidding on the solicitation when it is issued. • Offeror's capability to meet design requirements. • Offeror's capability to perform a contract of this magnitude and complexity (include offeror's in-house capability to execute comparable design work performed within the past 5 years and a brief description of the project, customer name, timeliness of performance, customer satisfaction, and dollar value of the project) - provide at least 3 examples. • Offeror's detailed description of their proposed design solutions capability to meet ballistic performance requirements. • Offeror's shall develop a flow chart showing the supply chain, the work efforts at each location and production equipment to support the VTP manufacturing and control. • Offeror's shall identified methods for subcontractor management: subcontractor selection and rating criteria and surveillance strategy for the proposed design solutions to meet all performance requirements. • Offeror's shall identify VTP production minimum and maximum capability. • Offeror's small business type and Business Size (HUB Zone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, 8(a), woman owned, etc.). 7. Following the deadline to respond to this notice, the Government plans to release a Draft Request for Proposal (RFP) to industry to solicit potential candidates and receive comments and questions to incorporate into the Final RFP to be issued for the FRP Phase and competition. 8. Request interested vendors provide, not later than 8 February 2016 of the posting of this Notice, a detailed description of their proposed VTP plate designs that meet the PD requirements and the vendor's level of interest to participate in a possible competitive acquisition. Each vendor's response shall address specific size, weight, shape, performance and durability requirements as stated in the PD (ESBI and XSBI). This information should be provided via email to George Hubbard at
[email protected] . Submittals received prior to 8 February 2016 are greatly appreciated. 9. Respondents to this notice shall designate a primary and one alternate point of contact within the company (Name, Address, Email, and Telephone). To fully comprehend the information contained within a response to this notice, there may be a need to seek further clarification from those respondents. This clarification may be requested in the form of a brief verbal communication by telephone; a written communication; an electronic communication; or a request for a presentation of the response.