99 -- TACTICAL ENGAGEMENT PARTNERING ANNOUNCEMENT

Notice Date

January 24, 2001

Contracting Office

Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, Code 210000D, 1 Administration Circle, China Lake, CA 93555-6100

ZIP Code

93555-6100

Solicitation Number

N68936-01-R-0033

Response Due

January 31, 2002

Point of Contact

Anita Dale, Contract Specialist, (760) 939-9656, Doreen Robbins,Contracting Specialist, (760) 939-9665, DaleAR@navair.navy.mil

Description

This announcement is being issued as a full and open competitive announcement under the authority of 10 USC 2519 "Federal Defense Laboratory Diversification Program to pursue the national security objectives of 10 USC 2501." The Naval Air (NAVAIR) Systems Command's Aircraft Division (AD) and Weapons Division (WD) are jointly soliciting short concept papers to support tactical engagement processes and technologies. NAVAIR intends to develop business-based partnerships between government, industry and academia in several core military engineering areas in order to support the warfighter of the 21st Century. Concept papers selected from this announcement will be competitively selected with the intention of establishing formal partnerships. Successful partnerships will consist of recognized experts and resources (expertise, real property, investment capital, etc.) and will be capable of providing world class support to engagement processes and technologies. NAVAIR will bring to these partnerships one of the nation's largest holdings in land, air and sea space, some of the most extensive and complex RDT&E facilities worldwide, and R&D engineering and scientific experts. The objective of successful partnering is to unite complementary capabilities and resources, reduce government/industry/academia duplication and reduce operational costs by exploiting synergistic opportunities to share facilities, equipment, personnel, workload and infrastructure costs. The "best of the best" are being sought to pursue the development of business-based partnerships for research and cooperative activities in the following areas: Area 1 -- Information Technology -- Hardware and software based technologies with application to Fleet warfighting Information Technology (IT) system and subsystems. The IT technologies should be applicable to operational platforms or associated command and control systems. These technologies can include but are not limited to systems, architectures, concepts of operations or the integration of existing systems or subsystems. The ability to use and support commercial off the shelf (COTS) technologies or products for application to Navy and Marine Corps operational units are of interest. Area 2 -- Precision Engagement -- Technologies, concepts of operations, doctrine or methods that will result in decreased sensor-to-shooter or sensor-to-weapon timelines, enhanced precision targeting capabilities, and/or improved terminal lethality. Opportunities which would improve the accuracy and ultimate engagement lethality, provide operational flexibility of available assets, use battlefield information to reduce the operational timeline, or improve overall supportability are of interest. Also of interest are opportunities that might involve COTS products, systems, methods, or procedures. Area 3 -- Rapid Prototyping -- Rapid and reliable software development especially as it might relate to Areas 1 and 2, Specialty Prototyping technologies; Composites; Structural, aerodynamics, thermal and materials analysis and design; Computer integrated prototyping/manufacturing; Integrated rapid development and manufacturing. NAVAIR is seeking new and creative ideas for establishment of a new business model that is designed to maximize success for all potential partners. In order to establish successful partnerships, innovative business concepts and practices will be employed for each partnership. Potential partners should submit concept papers describing viable partnering concepts that will enable the goals of this announcement to be achieved. It is requested that papers not only describe overall goals and objectives of the partnership, but also describe proposals for new ways of teaming which might be considered. To maximize potential benefits of this effort, NAVAIR is receptive to any and all creative ideas that could be considered for adoption. These ideas should not be limited to what has been done before, and will be considered as a demonstration of creative possibilities for consideration. Unique and untested partnership concepts will be considered as will location of partnerships within the confines of Military land and its vicinity. In addition to any new concepts proposed, responses should include relevant technical achievements in the areas of weapons engagement and Fleet supportability; the level of effort available and required (e.g., in-house workload, manpower, facilities, permits, etc.); business projections for the next five years; perceived benefits and concerns associated with the described partnership; desired partnership duration; and references from prior or current partnering relationships. The following will be used as evaluation criteria: 1) The extent to which the objectives and goals stated herein will be advanced or enhanced by the partnership, 2) The extent to which the national defense security objectives will be advanced or enhanced, 3) Technical excellence offered, 4) The qualifications of the personnel proposed to participate in the research, development and/or test activities offered by the partnership, 5) An assessment of timely private sector investment in activities to achieve the goals and objectives of the offered project other than through the partnership, 6) The potential effectiveness of the partnership in furthering the development and application of pertinent technology and state of the market for technologies which support Tactical Engagement, 7) The extent of the financial commitment of eligible firms to the partnership, 8) The extent to which the partnership does not unnecessarily duplicate partnerships undertaken by other agencies, Following competitive selection of concept papers, NAVAIR will utilize various appropriate legal authorities to formalize the partnership arrangements. These mechanisms could include Cooperative Agreement(s), Other Transaction(s), Commercial Service Agreement(s), GOCO, COCO, land leases, privatization of operations, and procurement contracts that would be pursued without further competition. There is no guarantee regarding the availability of government funding for any efforts under possible partnerships or contracted efforts. Offerors of concept papers selected for further consideration will be invited to participate with NAVAIR in the development of a joint business plan. A cooperative effort to draft subsequent formal documents to legalize partnership arrangements may be desired. Government funding is not available for reimbursement of expenses incurred to develop and implement partnerships. Parties interested in partnering with NAVAIR should possess financial capital for real property investments and a broad customer base with the expectation of sharing in-house facilities and infrastructure operating costs on a pro-rata basis. This announcement is open for the submission of concept papers for a period of one year from the publication date of the announcement. An initial date of two months from the date of this announcement has been established to encourage earlier submissions so as to facilitate earlier progression toward fulfilling partnership goals. Those parties submitting concept papers by the initial date will be perceived as most interested and will be given priority consideration. A maximum of five (5) pages per concept paper is desired. If attachments accompany concept papers, attachments should not exceed a total of fifteen (15) additional pages. A hardcopy original and one electronic version should be submitted. Send the original to: Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, ATTN: Anita Dale, Code 210000D, 1 Administration Circle, China Lake, CA 93555-6100. Send the electronic version to DaleAR@navair.navy.mil. Supplemental announcements may be issued as required. If additional information pertaining to this announcement is required you may contact Brad Harlow by email: HarlowBR@navair.navy.mil.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010126/99SOL005.HTM (W-024 SN50B712)