Flight Data Input/Output (FDIO) Thermal Flight Strip Printers

This SIR is being posted in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acquisition Management Policy, Section 3.2.1.3.12, Public Announcements. The FDIO system distributes NAS flight plan data, weather information, and general information to associated Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCT), Radar Approach Control (RAPCON), and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) remote sites. The FDIO system also allows flight plan data to be entered into the NAS from the remote sites. The FDIO System is comprised of the FDIO Gateway (FDIO-G) equipment at the 22 ARTCC and the Personal Computer-Remote Control Unit (PC-RCU) equipment and associated peripherals located at FAA and DoD FDIO remote sites. The remote site PC-RCU systems interface via the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) with the FDIO-G at the associated ARTCC which is connected to the NAS Host Computer System (HCS) or ERAM system via the EnRoute Communications Gateway (ECG). The PC-RCU routes flight plan information to the Replacement Flight Strip Printer (RFSP), Replacement Alphanumeric Keyboard (RANK), and Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or other display elements through serial channels. As part of an ongoing technical refresh program, the FAA intends to replace approximately 3000 operational RFSP TMs with COTS based thermal printers. The current RFSP has modified firmware that allows it to function with a unique interface protocol. Transitioning to a COTS thermal printer will allow for the use of standard interface protocols and thereby minimize any engineering changes required in order to operate in the FAA ATC environment. The selected vendor will be responsible for the development and production of the thermal printers, including all software, hardware, and firmware development necessary to meet the FAA TMs minimum requirements. The principle North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this effort is 334118 -- Computer Terminal and Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing, with a size standard of 1000 people. Written questions or comments on the solicitation must be submitted in accordance with the solicitation instructions and received no later than February 12, 2016. Responses that clarify questions and comments may be provided to all Offerors and may serve as a reason to amend the solicitation, however, the source of questions will not be identified. All qualified, responsive concerns and offers will be considered using a tiered order of precedence: Tier 1: small business concerns, and Tier 2: other than small business concerns. Tiered evaluation is used to promote small business participation while providing FAA a means to continue the procurement if small business participation is insufficient. In accordance with AMS guidance T.3.2.2(9), the FAA will consider offers from Tier 1 first. Offers from Tier 2 will only be considered after the determination that an insufficient number of offers from responsible small business concerns were received. To be considered for award, vendors should be registered in System for Award Management (SAM) and not listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS). Prospective offerors are hereby on notice that any amendment(s) issued to this solicitation will be published at http://faaco.faa.gov/ under the current announcements for the FAA Headquarters. It is the Offerors' responsibility to visit this website frequently for updates on this procurement. If an amendment is issued and the Offeror does not acknowledge it, the Offeror may be considered nonresponsive to the solicitation. All responses to this SIR must be received no later 4PM ET, March 11, 2016 at: Federal Aviation Administration 600 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20591 Attn: Katherine McCray FOB 10B, Suite 4W150, Cube 4W31HS (202) 267-0657 The FAA will not be liable for any costs associated with the preparation of responses to the SIR, nor reimburse or otherwise pay any costs incurred by any party responding to this announcement. ***AMENDMENT 1*** A complete list of questions and answers related to this SIR are posted as attachment "DTFAWA-16-R-00007 Amendment 1, ATT S-1 Govt Responses." Changes have been made to section B as a result. Section B has been revised and replaces previous attachments to this SIR in their entirety. Proposal due date remains March 11, 2016. If you're viewing this announcement from a source other than Federal Aviation Administration Contract Opportunities (FAACO), visit https://faaco.faa.gov/index.cfm/announcement/view/23697 to view the original announcement.