AIR FORCE:AFRL - RL MAC IDIQ (SBA) - AGILE CYBER TECHNOLOGY 3

UPDATE 06 JUL 2021

Please note the following documents are uploaded:

(1)  Questions & Answers as of 06 JUL 2021

(2)  RFP Attachment 14 Pricing Excel Template_20210423_REVISED

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UPDATE 10 JUN 2021  (2)

Please note:

(1)  The Request for Proposal is posted.

(2)  Current points of contact are Shelley Dormio, Contracting Officer ([email protected]) and Patrick Cerminaro, Contract Specialist ([email protected]).  Thank you for your interest in this solicitation.

UPDATE 10 JUN 2021  (1)

Please note:

(1)  The following document is posted: Questions & Answers as of 10 Jun 2021.  Q&A #102 has been updated.

(2)  The Request for Business Clearance has been approved.  The Request for Proposal will be posted in the near future.

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UPDATE 21 MAY 2021

Please note:

(1)  The following documents are posted: Questions & Answers as of 21 May 2021 and Attachment 14 Pricing Excel Template dated 23 Apr 2021.

(2)  The acquisition team is preparing for a business clearance briefing.  If approved, the RFP will be posted soon thereafter. 

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UPDATE 29 MAR 2021

Please note:

(1)  The following documents are posted: Questions & Answers as of 26 Mar 2021 and draft Request for Proposals (RFP) dated 29 Mar 2021.

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UPDATE 01 MAR 2021

Please note:

(1)  The following documents are posted: Questions & Answers as of 01 Mar 2021 and Proposal Suggestions & Comments dated 01 Mar 2021.

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UPDATE 26 FEB 2021

Please note:

(1)  The following documents are posted: DRAFT RFP as of 25 Feb 2021 (including Sample Order 0001 and updated draft DD254) and List of Registered Parties as of 25 Feb 2021.

(2)  Business clearance reviews continue for the RFP, which will be posted when possible.  The latest estimate is Mar 2021. 

(3)  Updated Q&A will be posted soon.

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UPDATE 02 FEB 2021

Please note:

(1)  The following documents are posted: Questions & Answers as of 02 Feb 2021 and List of Registered Parties as of 25 Jan 2021.

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UPDATE 20 JAN 2021

Please note:

(1)  The Request for Proposal (RFP) is being updated, then will continue with business clearance review.  The release schedule is changed to mid/late Feb 2021 from mid/late Jan 2021.

(2)  The Government is redrafting the Sample Order so that it will be either unclassified or at a lesser classification level than the previously contemplated TS/SCI classified order.  Doing so is intended to facilitate dissemination, review, and proposal development during the coronavirus pandemic.

(3)  The Program Management/Technical team will be hosting 30 minute virtual private meetings from 25 JAN - 12 FEB 2021.  These meetings will be at the UNCLASSIFIED level and will afford potential offerors a chance to discuss their capabilities and ask technical questions about the upcoming RFP.  To schedule a meeting, please email [email protected] and [email protected].

(4)  Updated versions of the following documents will be posted soon: Questions & Answers and List of Registered Parties.

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UPDATE 20 NOV 2020

Please note:

(1) The Contract Specialist is changed to Patrick Cerminaro from Jessica Houle.  All questions regarding the presolicitation notice or solicitation shall be sent in writing to [email protected] and [email protected].  Technical questions should be directed to the Program Managers, Thomas Parisi at [email protected], and Tanya Macrina at [email protected].

(2) The Request for Proposal (RFP) is in the business clearance review process.  The release schedule is changed to mid/late Jan 2021 from mid/late Nov 2020.

(3) The following documents have been uploaded: Attachment 4 DRAFT DD254, Attachment 5 Identification and Assertion, Attachment 7 Cross Reference Matrix, Attachment 8 Labor Category Qualifications, and Questions & Answers as of 20 Nov 2020.

(4) Instructions for accessing the Sample Order are being prepared and will be posted.

(5) The PSC is changed to AC13 (National Defense R&D Services; Department of Defense - Military; Experimental Development) from AD93.

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Please note this is notice is a continuation of FA8750-20-R-1004.  The solicitation number has changed for Government Fiscal Year 2021.  As of 23 Oct 2020, the following have been updated: Contracting points of contact, Questions & Answers, and List of Registered Parties.

The Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate, Rome NY (AFRL/RI) has a requirement to perform multiple activities necessary to achieve AFRL's vision of cyber superiority. Emphasis will be placed on: a) development of technology capability solutions that address specific user requirements; b) delivery of prototype technologies for evaluation and feedback in the context of the user's operational environment; and c) provision of a mechanism for user acquisition of limited product quantities required for operational introduction of technologies. The technical requirements will encompass rapid development, design, prototyping, demonstration, scenario development, experimentation and evaluation, integration, testing, technical installation, transitions through initial operations and cyber technologies, and support in the following areas: 1) Cyber Threat Avoidance and Cyber Defense, 2) Full Spectrum Cyber Operations, 3) Cyber Network Exploitation, 4) Cyber Situation and Mission Awareness, 5) Cyber Command and Control, 6) Cyber Modeling, Simulation, and Wargaming, 7) Cyber Infrastructure, and 8) Cyber Mission Assurance.

Anticipated deliverables include software, hardware, technical documentation and technical reports. A multiple award Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (ID/IQ) Research and Development contract is contemplated.  Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) and/or Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Orders may be issued under this contract.  The total ordering period for this contract will be sixty (60) months and the maximum contemplated ordering amount is anticipated to be approximately $950,000,000.00.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541715 and the size standard for small business is 1000 employees.

To qualify as a responsible Contractor, the Offeror must possess, a facility clearance at the Top Secret level and safeguarding capability at the Secret level.  For clarification, "facility clearance" refers to the ability to clear personnel at the top secret level and "safeguarding" refers to the ability to store classified information at the Secret level.  Foreign Allied Participation will be excluded at the prime contractor level.

In accordance with AFFARS 5301.91, an Ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the Ombudsman does not affect the authority of the Program Manager, Contracting Officer, or source selection official. Further, the Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The Ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern.

Before consulting with an Ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the Contracting Officer, Andrew Clark at [email protected], for resolution. Consulting an Ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions).  If resolution cannot be made by the Contracting Officer, the interested party may contact the Ombudsman, Steven Ewers, HQ AFRL/PK, 1864 4th Street, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7130 COM: 937-255-5235 EMAIL: [email protected].  Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/DRU/SMC Ombudsman level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Air Force Ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2395, facsimile number (571) 256-2431.  The Ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency.  Do not contact the Ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements.  Such inquiries shall be directed to the Contracting Officer. AFFARS clause 5352.201-9101, Ombudsman, will be incorporated into the resulting contract.

THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED ON THE BETA SAM WEBSITE AT https://beta.sam.gov/.  Beta SAM offers a “Follow” option that will send an e-mail notification when a change is made to this announcement.  To use the option, click on the “Follow” button at the top of this announcement in Beta SAM.  This service is provided for convenience only and does not serve as a guarantee of notification.  In addition to this option, any prospective Offerors interested in submitting a proposal for this solicitation must register by e-mail directly with the Contract Specialist at [email protected] in order to be placed on the List of Registered Parties.  Include your company’s name, address, telephone number and point of contact, fax number, e-mail address and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code.  The Contract Specialist will post this list on the Beta SAM website along with the solicitation to facilitate subcontracting and teaming opportunities only.  Offerors registering their name either on Beta SAM or with the Contract Specialist should not conclude that they will receive a paper copy of the solicitation in the mail.  Paper copies will not be available.  The solicitation and any amendments thereto will only be available by downloading the documents from beta.sam.gov.  All prospective Offerors are responsible for monitoring this site for the release of amendments (if any) or other information pertaining to this solicitation.

Based upon market research, the Government is not using the policies contained in Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, in its solicitation for the described work.  All responsible sources may submit a proposal in response to the RFP which shall be considered.

The formal solicitation is expected to be released in mid-late November 2020.

Any questions concerning this Pre-Solicitation notice or solicitation documents should be communicated directly to the Contract Specialist at [email protected] and the Contracting Officer at [email protected].  Technical questions should be directed to the Program Managers, Thomas Parisi at [email protected], and Tanya Macrina at [email protected].  

SET-ASIDE STATUS:  Total Small Business Set-Aside (SBSA).  A review of the previous market research under ACT and ACT 2 in addition to the ongoing market research throughout the current contract has provided adequate justification for Agile Cyber Technology 3 to be a total SBSA.  A review of the respondents from the sources sought notice from ACT 2 demonstrated knowledge and expertise based on their submission of past performance information as it related to the criteria set forth in the synopsis. Data resulting from the current ACT 2 contracts (FA8750-18-D-0001 through 0005) has also been reviewed and it was determined that a majority of the dollars spent or being spent under ACT 2 were executed by either the five SB primes or their SB subcontractors. The technical team performs ongoing market research by conducting one-on-one meetings with SB companies related to their capability of performing under ACT 2 and is continuously finding SB capable of performing the requirements under the contract. Further, FAR 52.219-14 (DEVIATION 2020-O0008) allows SB to meet their own performance requirements by subcontracting to other SBs. In order to receive from Industry the most novel and innovate approaches to solving user needs, it is anticipated that 4 to 6 Prime contractors are necessary under Agile Cyber Technology 3.  Large Businesses are still encouraged to partner with SB.