SYNOPSIS: The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is conducting market research for a Virtual Wargames and Exercises system. This Sources Sought (SS) initiates communication with industry in order to assess market potential and should not be construed as a solicitation. No solicitation exists at this time. Responses will not be accepted as offers. Any response will be treated only as information for the Government to consider. Companies choosing to respond will not be entitled to payment for direct or indirect costs that are incurred in responding to this SS. Furthermore, this request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated or received for this effort. Any information supplied may be used by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in developing its acquisition strategy, statement of work (SOW) /performance work statement (PWS), and/or statement of objectives (SOO). Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or competition sensitive information contained in their response. DESCRIPTION: The MDA Directorate for Test Wargames and Exercises (DTW) is determining interest and capability for goods and services used to test the viability and probability of success of various tactical and operation strategies. Each test, in the form of virtual exercises, allow combatant commanders to test the strategies and insert unknown variables to assess their forces’ ability to adapt to a fluid battlefield. These goods and services include the maintenance, transportation, set up, network connection, cybersecurity compliance, data link management & analysis, and operation of the tactical communications and networking equipment currently owned by MDA, as well as, any future equipment procurement. DTW currently utilizes Tactical Data Analysis and Connectivity System (TDACS), a proprietary software system owned by Märzen Group, LLC. TDACS supports connectivity, interoperability, and real time analysis of the tactical data networks used by commercial, US government and NATO agencies in support of MDA Wargames and Exercises. The Government is only interested in acquisition of similar software, capable of connecting to existing hardware. MDA owns the TDACS hardware and new hardware purchase is not anticipated. However, another software system can be used on the TDACS hardware. In addition, personnel are required to operate the existing tactical communications and networking equipment providing tactical data link (TDL) subject matter expertise to Agency Mission Directors during each exercise planning, testing and execution cycles. Personnel must have extensive knowledge and experience with DoD tactical communications systems, networks, architectures and message standards, in particular, MIL-STD-6016. Personnel are expected to provide wargame and exercise support to the Agency and Combatant Command (CCMD) customer organizations. Personnel will operate the systems, coordinate with developers, and provide engineer support to route, analyze and monitor tactical data links required to support architecture design, test, and execution while directly coordinating with the Government Mission Director. Performance of this mission requires frequent CONUS and OCONUS deployments from 5 to 45 days in length (note, some locations are austere). Any contractor responding to this notice shall ensure their proposed system is certified for operational use, available and ready by contract award. Submissions or responses requiring check out, certification or integration of existing tactical communications and networking equipment systems or components will be rejected as non-responsive. RESPONSES: Respondents are invited to prepare and submit the following no later than January 14th, 4PM Central Time: a. Executive Summary that includes: ▪ Company Name ▪ Point of Contact (POC) ▪ Address ▪ Telephone Number ▪ Email Address ▪ Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number ▪ Contractor and Government Entity (CAGE) code and/ or Tax Identification Number ▪ Business Size Standard and applicable NAICS Codes b. Capability Statement (not to exceed fifteen pages) MDA requests all interested parties submit a Capability Statement demonstrating their proficiency and experience with technical capability and necessary resources to provide maintenance, transportation, set up, network connection, cybersecurity compliance, data link management & analysis, and operation of the workstations currently owned by MDA. Capability statements need to describe resources and demonstrated experience through past and current performance. Explain your company's effort(s) within the past five years for the same requirements. Include information such as contract number (indicate if your role was as a prime or subcontractor), organization supported, contract value, Government POCs (current telephone numbers and email addresses) and a brief description of how the contract referenced relates to the requirements described herein. c. Because one objective of this RFI is to determine the capability of small business to meet the requirements contained herein, and to inform the acquisition strategy with regard to setting aside any future acquisition for small businesses, MDA request the following information: ▪ The prime small business contractor responding to this RFI must include their past experience in managing subcontractors on similar requirements, and if applicable, include subcontractor or teaming partners’ past experience applicable to requirements specified in this Sources Sought. ▪ Responsible small businesses planning teaming arrangements to meet the support requirements listed above are expected to articulate the portions of work that the prime small business intends to perform as well as articulate the portions that subcontractors or teaming partners (if applicable) will perform. Responses must include business size and business socio-economic category of all subcontractors or teaming partners identified to perform work associated with the NAICS for this Sources Sought. Respondents are asked to address their submissions to Ms. Michelle Mills via e-mail at
[email protected]. Requested Information This SS does not constitute a solicitation or RFP and will not be construed as a commitment by the Government. Responses will not be treated as proposals, nor will they be used in the evaluation of responses to any future formal RFP. The Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. The MDA does not intend to pay for the information sought and will not reimburse any costs associated with responding to this SS. At the time of this notice, no current year appropriated funds are available for any acquisition under this SS. Eligibility in participating in a future acquisition does not depend upon a response to this notice. Proprietary information is not sought by MDA. If such information is submitted, it must clearly be marked "proprietary" on every sheet containing such information, and the proprietary information must be segregated to the maximum extent practicable from other portions of the response. Any such attachments shall be considered as part of the submission and, therefore, shall be subject to the page limit denoted in Para 3.b. Respondents are responsible for adequately marking proprietary material in their response. The Government may use third party, non-Government support personnel as subject matter experts in the review of responses received, including the review of any marked or unmarked proprietary information provided. Appropriate non-disclosure agreements will be executed between the third party, non-Government support personnel and the Government. A submission of a response to this SS constitutes the Respondent's acknowledgment and agreement that the information provided in the response, including any marked or unmarked proprietary or source selection information, may be disclosed to these third party, non-Government support personnel. Questions Questions regarding this announcement will be submitted in writing by email to the POC listed below: Primary Contracting Representative: Michelle Mills,
[email protected] Secondary Contracting Representative: Amy Ritzman,
[email protected] Approved for Public Release 23-MDA-11659 (19 Dec 23)