The Naval Air Systems Command Headquarters, Aircrew Systems Program Office (PMA202) intends to procure by full and open competition the flotation assembly portion of the Helicopter Egress System for Passengers (HESP). HESP will be used for Marine Corps troops being transported over water in rotary wing aircraft. HESP consists of a flotation ensemble that includes the flotation assembly, emergency air supply holster and survival item pouch. The flotation ensemble incorporates performance improvements over the current in-service flotation device, the LPU-32/P. HESP will provide increased buoyancy and will integrate with the currently fielded Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) and the new Modular Tactical Vest (MTV) and its single point release system. The emergency air bottle and survival items are Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and will not be part of the procurement. The Government intends to award a single contract which will cover a one-year base period plus four one-year option periods. The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code for the supplies and services anticipated herein is 334511, Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing; the Federal Supply Code is 4220, Marine Lifesaving and Diving Equipment. The projected procurement quantity is 19,839 HESP units over the potential 5 year period, plus the associated documentation. The type of contract to be awarded shall be Firm Fixed Price, and the required delivery of these units shall be not greater than 4 months after award/exercise of option at an approximate average rate of 400 per month. Deliveries shall be received at designated government facilities throughout CONUS. Interested sources who intend to compete for this solicitation must be able to demonstrate their ability to satisfy the form, fit, function, and interface requirements when worn by a fully outfitted combat ready Marine wearing either the OTV and MTV; meet operational and environmental requirements, demonstrate the ability to meet the production capacity and deliver sample units that do not require extensive modification or development. Interested sources must also demonstrate their ability to provide spare parts and replacement systems through commercial sources as well as instructions on use, maintenance and repair. Minimum capabilities should include the ability to provide 65 pounds of buoyancy; one size fits all; manual inflation of the flotation; a system that allows donning and doffing of the flotation, emergency air source (air bottle) and survival item pouch together as a unit. Criteria for proposals received in response to this solicitation will be available in Section L of the forthcoming Request For Proposal (RFP). Evaluation criteria for the solicitation will be available in Section M of the forthcoming RFP. Offerors will be required to submit 5 production representative units with their proposal. NAVAIR intends to conduct the evaluation of proposals utilizing the written proposals as well as the sample units. The Government will conduct testing on the 5 sample units. Testing to be conducted will be listed in Section C of the forthcoming RFP. After evaluations have been conducted, the Navy intends to down-select to one (1) responsible offeror who has best demonstrated the capability to produce the HESP in accordance with the performance specification and the stated evaluation criteria. A Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) quantity of 30 systems will be purchased and for a fleet assessment to evaluate use of the system in an aircraft fully loaded with troop passengers. Upon successful completion of the fleet assessment the full rate production contract shall be awarded. It is anticipated that the initial contact award shall take place in or around March 2007. NAVAIR intends to use Non-Government personnel in the source selection for this effort. Non-Government personnel will have the need to access proposals in order to support evaluation and selection for the Government. Therefore, before an award, it may be necessary for the solicited company to enter into non-disclosure agreements with these individual companies. A prerequisite for receiving a contract award will be registration in DOD?s Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. All responsible sources may submit a proposal that shall be considered by this agency. Questions with regards to this forthcoming solicitation shall be addressed by electronic mail only to Stella Obayuwana at
[email protected]; no phone calls or faxes please.