Universal Armament Interface (UAI)   6

1.0 Synopsis

The Air Force is conducting market research and identifying, as potential sources, companies that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the requirements as specified in this posting. The purpose of this Sources Sought is to determine if there are any businesses available who are capable of performing the following effort.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) SUBMISSION. This is a market research tool to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources.

Responders are advised that the Government shall not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this Sources Sought and all costs associated with the response shall be solely at the responding party's expense. Be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor this SAM.Gov website for additional information pertaining to this Source Sought.

2.0 Instructions

Below is a description of the requirement and a Contractor Capability Survey, which allows you to provide your company's capabilities. If, after reviewing these documents, you desire to participate in the market research, you shall provide documentation that supports your company's capability in meeting these requirements. Failure to provide documentation may result in the government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities. If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/capabilities to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, etc.).

Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research. Businesses responding to this announcement should indicate their size, particularly if they are a small, disadvantaged business, a socially and economically disadvantaged business, a woman-owned business, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, a HUB zone small business concern, and should also indicate if the firm is foreign-owned.

3.0 Program Description and Requirements Overview

Universal Armament Interface (UAI) was initially developed by the United States Air Force (USAF) and defines a standardized specification and method of integrating MIL-STD-1760, AS5725 Miniature Mission Store Interface (MMSI) and AS5726 Interface for Micro Munitions (IMM) guided weapons independent of aircraft Operational Flight Program (OFP) update cycles. The primary components of UAI include Interface Control Documents (ICD), Certification Compliance Plans (CCP), System Integration Lab (SIL) Certification Tool (CT) hardware and software, Launch Acceptability Region (LAR) documents, tools and processes, and Mission Planning (MP) software and certification tool. Performance includes software design & development, testing & formal qualification of weapon system requirements, technical & engineering analysis, and generation of logical interface specifications; configuration control & management of all software & technical documents; maintenance and sustainment of certification tool hardware and software. Performance also includes the UAI Super Joint Interface Control Working Group (SJICWG) Secretariat function & technical support for the UAI Program Office in accordance with the UAI Interface Control Plan (UAI ICP-R03).

Requirements Overview:

1. UAI Program Office Support -- Provide support to individual platform/store program offices in their efforts toward integration of UAI requirements into their specific Operational Flight Program (OFP) and Mission Planning components. This support will be situational and will depend on need and a request from the Program Office for such support. Support may be provided at all phases of an OFP program, domestic and/or international, including requirements definition and generation, system development and demonstration, and system testing and fielding. Meet Security and Cyber Security needs of the UAI Program Office.
2. Working group, integrated product team, documentation and governance support -- Provide Platform/Store (PS) and Mission Planning (MP) Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Launch Acceptable Region (LAR) Data Package, and Super Joint Interface Control Working Group (SJICWG) support. Support shall consist of secretariat functions utilizing and managing a secure website provided by the Government, providing key technical support in generating proposed changes or additions to the PSICD, MPICD, and LAR documents and associated Compliance Certification Plans (CCPs), as well as providing partial support from Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) programs not currently funded for UAI implementation to participate in SJICWG activities. All SJICWG support will follow the specified processes outlined in the UAI Interface Control Plan (ICP).
3. Risk Reduction Studies -- Perform Risk Reduction studies as requested for incorporation of follow on interface requirements into current UAI development efforts. Follow on interface requirements are considered to be those functional and logical interfaces that are outside the scope of current UAI development efforts. This effort will include technical reports and presentations documenting potential identified candidates, feasibility, trade studies, as well as roadmaps and plans for incorporating interfaces from these systems or technologies into the UAI program. For those interfaces or technologies deemed feasible for near-term inclusion into UAI, draft Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) and associated draft Interface Change Notices (ICNs) will be generated with respect to the appropriate PSICD, MPICD, and LAR core documents. The draft ECPs/ICNs will either be incorporated into UAI core documents through formal SJICWG processes, or will otherwise be refined during follow on, full development efforts to address and incorporate these interfaces into UAI.
4. UAI Development Tools -- Universal implementation of the UAI requirements across a multitude of platforms and store programs has been facilitated by use of common development tools developed and provided by the UAI Program Office. Successful contractors will be required to provide continued support of these development tools, including but not limited to:
5. UAI Certification Tool (CT): Update all Computer Software Configuration Items (CSCIs), currently including the Mission Planning CT, Universal Store Simulator (USS), and Universal Platform Simulator (UPS) to be current with ICD revisions
6. UAI System Integration Lab Certification Tool Hardware
7. Updates to the LAR Toolset.
8. Troubleshooting and training
9. UAI Technical Support -- Provide engineering, software programming, source code writing, and program management services and products to maintain and advance the Universal Armament Interface (UAI). Performance will include analysis of requests for change in the areas of platform-store logical interfaces, mission planning systems' proprietary software interoperability & launch acceptability region algorithms. The product of the analysis will be published Universal Armament Interface changes, certification compliance plans, mission planning software and development & test software to enable certification compliance across all elements of UAI.

4.0 Program Description and Requirements Overview

See the attached draft Performance Work Statement.

5.0 Contractor Capability Survey

All prospective contractors must complete the below section in its entirety.

Part I. Business Information
Provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

1. Company/Institute Name
2. Address
3. Point of Contact
4. CAGE Code
5. Unique Entity Identifier
6. Phone Number
7. E-mail Address
8. Web Page URL

All prospective contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database to be awarded a DoD Contract. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this action is 541330, Exception A (size standard $38.5 Million).

Part II. Capability Survey Questions

1. Demonstrate and discuss the contractor's familiarity and understanding of UAI.
2. Demonstrate the contractor's experience with the efforts involving integration of smart weapon systems onto USAF, USN, and/or foreign military aircrafts.
3. Discuss experience with USAF and USN aircraft mission planning.
4. Discuss experience with UAI

6.0 Responses Format Instructions & Evaluation

Responses submitted shall be created using 8.5 x 11-inch portrait format pages with single spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font with 1 margins. Responses shall not exceed 10 pages, not including the cover page. The cover page shall be limited to and shall include the following: Contractor Name, CAGE Code, Unique Entity Identifier, Name of the Call and date. Any pages beyond the cover and 10-page limit will not be considered.

Each Response shall be evaluated in accordance with Section 5.0 Contractor Capability Survey.

7.0 Response Submission Instructions

Each Response shall be delivered electronically by the deadline stated in SAM.gov of this Call to the Contracting Officer listed in Section 8.0. Offerors may request the use of the DoD SAFE website to deliver each Response by notifying the Contracting Officer no later than 24 hours before the deadline. If such a request is made the Contracting Officer will provide a link for electronic delivery via DoD SAFE.

LATE RESPONSE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. AFLCMC/WAX will not be

responsible for any Responses that are late due to issues with either the Offeror or Air Force email systems or the DoD SAFE. It is the Offeror's responsibility to ensure the Air Force receives the email with all attachment(s) at the designated email address or the DoD SAFE website (if requested) by the specific due date and time.

A confirmation email will be provided by the Contracting Officer promptly upon receipt; therefore, Offeror's are urged to submit as early as practicable in order to receive confirmation of timely submission.

Only one Response submission per Offeror shall be accepted. If an Offeror submits more than one Response only the first submission shall be considered. The determination of first-received shall be based upon the electronic time/date stamp on the electronic submission.

8.0 Contact Information

The Point of Contact for this effort is the Contracting Officer, Ms. Lisa Matthews.

Position:

Name:

Email:

Contracting Officer:

Ms. Lisa Matthews

lisa.matthews.1@us.af.mil