SOURCES SOUGHT
70 -- Study To Quantify Automatic Identification Technology (AIT) Enhancement To The Defense Transportation System (DTS)
- Notice Date
- 12/5/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Mobility Command, AMC Contracting Flight (AMC/LGCF), 507 Symington Drive Room W202, Scott AFB, IL, 62265-5015
- ZIP Code
- 62265-5015
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-FA4452-04-QA990
- Response Due
- 1/12/2004
- Archive Date
- 1/12/2004
- Point of Contact
- Nancy Jurke, Contracting Officer, Phone (618) 256-9963, Fax (618) 256-5724, - Susan Madison, Contracting Officer, Phone (618)256-9965, Fax (618)256-5724,
- E-Mail Address
-
Nancy.Jurke@scott.af.mil, Susan.Madison@scott.af.mil
- Description
- This synopsis is issued for informational and planning purposes only. The United States Transportation Command and the AMC Contracting Flight is conducting market research and desires input from industry to help in requirements planning. The information requested by this Request For Information will be used within the United States Transportation Command to facilitate decision-making and will not be disclosed outside the agency. Please note that the United States Transportation Command will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by interested parties in responding to this request for information. The United States Transportation Command is researching the feasibility and cost effectiveness of commercial solutions and state of the art technology to meet current and projected information system requirements. In considering new system solutions, the United States Transportation Command must give careful consideration to successful transition and migration from existing legacy systems to preclude a lapse in or degradation of services provided to our many DoD customers. INTRODUCTION: The AMC Contracting Flight is seeking information in support of the United States Transportation Command for innovative research and prototype development that demonstrates utility of automatic identification technology (AIT), with emphasis on radio frequency identification (RFID) to enhance the efficiency of the Defense Transportation System (DTS) in managing Department of Defense (DOD) cargo and supply deployment through ports. The Defense Transportation System is that portion of the nation's transportation infrastructure, which supports DOD common-user transportation needs across the range of military operations. It consists of those common-user military and commercial assets, services, and systems organic to, contracted for, or controlled by the DOD. USTRANSCOM relies on transportation services and information systems to help ensure that cargo, supplies, and personnel are conveyed to designated locations as quickly as possible during peace and war. Information is needed to improve the performance of functions like deploying troops for wartime, packing and shipping cargo for transport, and drawing plans for ship loading. Because today?s defense strategies use fewer forward deployed troops and equipment, the transportation function and the information systems supporting it have become increasingly important. Yet the source of information regarding the type of characteristics of cargo, it origin and destination, and mode and source of movement remains largely a manual effort. The capability to capture timely and accurate information concerning unit strategic deployments, sustainment cargo, intra-theater moves, and continental United States (CONUS) non-unit cargo movements is essential to support Defense Transportation System (DTS) mode determination and optimization and visualization capabilities. This requires visibility at the content (National Stock number, nomenclature and dimensional) level of detail for all shipments with specific identifiable timeline requirements. Effective and efficient scheduling of deployment requirements depends upon an accurate description of movement requirements. Knowing exactly what has to be loaded onto a lift asset as well as the nature of cargo that must be diverted within the deployment flow is key to ensuring the best use of DTS assets as well as providing the combatant commander with status on deploying equipment and sustainment into his area of responsibility (AOR). Source data automation is the enabling of operators on the ground to provide information to develop realistic schedules as well as update the plan versus what is actually happening during a deployment. Currently, this planned versus actual data is not effectively updated at key nodes where the revised information may or may not be manually input and even if correctly input, may not be transmitted to and processed by all of the systems that require visibility and use of the data in question. This shortfall creates an information vacuum and directly results in a loss of in-transit visibility (ITV) at the entry point into the DTS. As this information and notification of changes is poorly managed at the DTS node, exceptions to the plan are not input effectively and therefore, are not flagged. Further, management systems do not receive corrections or updates thereby losing the ability to efficiently and effectively respond to requirements from the customer prior to the customer understanding that he has a requirement due to an existing delta between the plan and reality. Combining the capabilities of common-user transportation assets into an integrated network optimizes the use of airlift, sealift, and land transportation resources, provides greater visibility over operations, and eases the transition from peace to war. In this regard, the aggregate transportation capability exercised through the DTS is a critical enabling instrument that allows the DOD to support National Security Strategy. Resources are controlled and operated by separate military organizations reporting to USTRANSCOM and by hundreds of commercial companies operating aircraft, trucks, ships, busses, and ports under contract to the DOD. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS: The US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is considering an aggressive two-phase demonstration program for RF Identification (RFID) in support of the DTS. USTRANSCOM would investigate RFID and associated technologies to provide asset visibility and supply chain management. This program is not intended to develop new technologies, but rather to transfer existing active and passive RFID technologies from the commercial sector into the DTS. Phase I of the program would explore, through an intensive six-month effort, innovative applications of RFID technology in the DTS. Following publication and acceptance of a ?Proof of Concept? Demonstration Plan, Phase II, would demonstrate the use of existing technology to identify and track items being shipped via commercial and military assets to Department of Defense activities and locations worldwide. Items include unit equipment, consumables, containers, and 463L pallets. As part of the Proof of Concept phase, a thorough assessment would be made of the operation and supportability costs associated with implementation of RFID technology. Areas of interest include: (1) Collective suite of AIT applications in DOD identifying and tracking deployment and sustainment movement requirements at DTS nodes; (2) DOD automated information systems (AIS) supporting use of AIT; (3) DOD Business processes supported by AIS; (4) High data capacity active RFID tags; (5) Optimum mix of active and passive RFID tags to identify individual items and contents of containers and pallets; (6) Leveraging Electronic Product Code (EPC) and compatible RFID tags. INFORMATION REQUESTED: Contractors are requested to submit the following information in the format of a White Paper as outlined below. The white paper should be concise (no more than 20 pages) and address only the information requested below. Again, this information will support market research activities within the United States Transportation Command in support of the USTRANSCOM?s requirements. Any resultant United States Transportation Command requirement for this system will be addressed in a subsequent synopsis announcement. I. Company Information (General): II. Past Performance Information (Specific): Identify system solutions that you have provided to either DoD specific or other commercial customers that are considered to be very similar to the utility of automatic identification technology (AIT), with emphasis on radio frequency identification (RFID) to enhance the efficiency of the Defense Transportation System (DTS) in managing Department of Defense (DOD) cargo and supply deployment through ports requirements outlined in this synopsis. For each project referenced, include the name of the customer, a point of contact (include their phone number and e-mail address), and a brief description of the technology solution delivered. These references must be recent, within the last 3 years. III. Capabilities (General): Generally describe your company?s commercial systems solutions that may fulfill the United States Transportation Commands requirements. The United States Transportation Command is not asking for disclosure of specific or detailed innovative solutions here. The United States Transportation Command is interested in the availability of existing or proposed commercial technology solutions, which could be included in phase one of proposed demonstration program. Rough Estimate of Cost and Schedule: Provide an estimate (or range) of estimated costs for the phase one as well as phase two systems (to include acquisition, installation and test implementation. A timeline for system delivery and transition is also requested. Timeline should begin with the date of contract award. V. Identify Major Risks: Provide general information as to the major risks anticipated in conversion to your new system given our existing legacy system. (Performance/Cost/Schedule). VI. Any Other Information Deemed Useful to the United States Transportation Command. SUBMISSION INFORMATION: The White Paper should be submitted by 12 Jan 04 via E-mail to Nancy.jurke@scott.af.mil with a copy furnished to Susan.Madison@scott.af.mil. Please refer any questions via e-mail to Nancy.jurke@scott.af.mil, phone 618-256-9963 with a copy furnished to Susan.Madison@scott.af.mil, phone 618-256-9965.
- Record
- SN00481994-W 20031207/031205212035 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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