MARKET RESEARCH
CONTRACTED OPERATIONS AND TRAINING SUPPORT
RFI No. 1 - General Questions
THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS OR BIDS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
This RFI is for market research and planning purposes only. Information received will assist the United States Space Force's (USSF), Space Operations Command (SpOC), Space Acquisitions and Integration Office (SAIO) in determining the best acquisition strategy. There is no current contract, this will be a brand-new requirement. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) has yet to be finalized for this requirement however, the Government is considering 517810 All Other Telecommunications, and/or 541990-All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.
This is not a request for proposal. Your response to this RFI is strictly voluntary and will be used by SAIO to further its market research and future contract strategy planning.
Vendors may submit response to the Government's questions and any additional information it deems relevant on or before the closing time of this RFI, 1500 MST, 29 January 2024. Interested vendors will submit their response to this RFI via email to the Government points of contact below in PDF or Microsoft Word format.
Government Points of Contact:
- Eric Alvarez: Eric.Alvarez.9@spaceforce.mil
- Kenneth Dean: Kenneth.Dean.5@spaceforce.mil
Overview
SAIO is conducting preliminary market research to identify the best acquisition strategy and contract vehicle in order support operations and training across the SpOC portfolio of missions.
Currently the following areas are being considered for the requirement:
Operations: Perform as operational crew members in support of 24/7 operations for SpOC missions, specifically, Space Domain Awareness, Missile Warning/Defense, MILSATCOM, Intelligence, and Orbital Warfare on various mission systems across the SpOC portfolio spanning multiple Space Deltas.
Training: Perform various duties such as curriculum development, program instruction, mission assurance, and administrative training support tasks across the SpOC portfolio
General Scope
Any contract awarded would provide non-personal services with a focus on contracted operations and training support. Some sample tasks are provided below:
Training
Training could encompass the following: Initial Qualification Training (IQT), Mission Qualification Training (MQT), Advanced Training (AT), Currency/Continuation Training (CT).
Duties could include:
- Build, coordinate, and maintain training products to include lesson plans, presentations, tests, and performance-based scenarios in support of all crew positions.
- Provide instruction for various crew positions. Note: Refer to Attachment A for full list of Delta Mission areas that could require training support.
- Manage and schedule training environments.
- Monitor training guidance from higher level organizations and incorporate into training program as needed.
- Perform administrative support to training through student tracking and completing documentation requirements.
Note: Training requirements will typically be performed on a normal Monday-Friday schedule but there could be unique circumstances that could cause exceptions to that schedule.
Operations
Operations can involve providing 24/7 crew support to any of the following mission areas: Space Domain Awareness, Missile Warning/Defense, MILSATCOM, Intelligence, and Orbital Warfare. Brief draft examples of job descriptions are listed below.
Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) Satellite Vehicle Expert (SVE) (MILSATCOM)
- Satellite Vehicle Expert (SVE), responsible for operating spacecraft on the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) and Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) constellations.
- This involves regularly monitoring telemetry and state of health data from satellite supports and telemetry broadcast, as well as the status of the ground systems necessary to do their job.
- SVEs are required to execute the tasks on the Wideband Requirement List (WRL), carry out the daily schedule of nominal supports, and deconflict resource usage.
- Need to plan and provide changeover for upcoming shifts to ensure 24/7 continuity.
- SVEs must have the knowledge to perform engineering-level support with guidance from Wideband Engineers and Technical Advisors and must be able to properly diagnose satellite and ground system anomalies and then communicate and initiate responses accordingly.
Space Console Operator (SCO) (Space Domain Awareness)
- Operates phased array radar to detect, track and characterize US and foreign assets.
- Provides critical data to USSPACECOM on priority space launches, satellite maneuvers, threats, and other high visibility on-orbit events.
- Troubleshoots weapon system anomalies, ensures radar/support equipment/mission computer systems remain operational in support of operations.
Satellite System Operator (SSO) (Missile Warning)
- Support daily on-console operations
- Support crew/system changeovers
- Perform satellite and constellation configuration changes.
- Conduct mission/program specific real-time spacecraft flight operations during readiness, execution, and evaluation phases
- Monitor satellite component state of health for the constellation
- Execute commanding of satellites to include maneuver command plans, emergency recovery actions, response to satellite faults, and constellation degradation.
- Execute end-of-life testing procedures.
- Execute satellite disposal procedures.
Satellite System Operator (SSO) (Orbital Warfare)
- Support daily on-console operations
- Support crew/system changeovers
- Support and implement emergency management, debrief, and sanitization actions.
- Verify System Activity Schedule (SAS) release, load Absolute Time Sequence (ATS), and execute planned missions.
- Perform Management through intelligent, Adaptive, autonomous, faulT identification and diagnosis, Reconfiguration/replanning/rescheduling Optimization (MAESTRO) operations, monitor telemetry, enable/disable Relative Time Sequence (RTS), set Ground Command Count (GCC), ATS transition, perform satellite contacts, dump back orbit telemetry, downlink mission data, and use/manipulate scripts.
- Perform/monitor space vehicle state of health, perform memory manager file system cleanup, update Mission Unique Card (MUC) pixel map earth orientation parameter prediction, perform cover bakeout, Electro-optical (EO) payload alignment, bad pixel map load, and windmill operations.
- Perform mission anomaly resolution actions, space vehicle contingency response, troubleshoot MAESTRO, assess loss of communications, No Lock, support GSSAP anomaly resolution efforts, clear burn tables, change Front End Processor (FEP) string, and satellite vehicle troubleshooting.
Ground System Operator (GSO) (Missile Warning)
The Primary duties of the Ground System Operator are to:
- Support daily on-console operations; and,
- Perform ground system state of health assessments; and,
- Perform ground system performance monitoring and operational procedure execution; and
- Provide 24/7 support for operations
- Performs hardware configuration changes to optimize the SBIRS ground system; and,
- Performs software configuration changes to optimize the SBIRS ground system; and,
- Ensures optimal performance of global C2 network; and,
- Conducts spacecraft and telemetry collection in support of health and status of constellation; and,
- Responsible for satellite ground system configurations to enable commanding, monitoring, and communication; and,
- Utilize system redundancies to overcome operational problems.
Facility Controller (FC) (MILSATCOM)
- The Facility Control (FC) Cell is responsible for operating and maintaining current configuration for the:
- Replacement Radio Frequency Interconnect Subsystem (RRFIS),
- Replacement Patch Test Facility (RPTF),
- Wideband Satellite Communications Operational Management Systems (WSOMS)/Remote Monitoring and Control Equipment (RMCE),
- Frequency Conversion Subsystem (FCS),
- Modernized Earth Terminal (MET),
- Deployable Ku band Earth Terminal (DKET),
- Global Terrestrial Critical Control Circuit Subsystem (GTC3S),
- Power Systems, Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE),
- Communications Security (COMSEC) maintenance/updates, and
- complete required maintenance activities (e.g. Dailies, scheduled and demand Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services [PMCS]).
Note: Operations requirements will be provided on a continuous 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week (24/7) support for any contracted crew positions.
Questions
1. The Government is contemplating awarding a Multiple Award Indefinite-Delivery-Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ), with Task Orders (TO) awarded as a hybrid contract type with Firm-Fixed-Priced (FFP) Labor Contract Line Items (CLINs) and Cost Reimbursable CLINs for certain Other Direct Costs. Please provide your rational in support of or against a MA-IDIQ vehicle, contract type approach, or your rational for an alternative contract type for the Government's consideration.
2. Provide your recommendation and rationale for a phase-in period for TOs to ensure operators are trained and ready to start full performance. Note: Some TOs could consist of contracting out crew positions for an entire mission area. Other TOs could consist of using a hybrid (Government/Contractor) workforce for crew positions.
3. If you were advising the Government on how to best transition from Government provided training and classroom instruction that includes performance-based scenarios to a hybrid workforce of Government and Contractor. How would you set this up?
4. The performance of most space operation crew duties has historically been Government only; what challenges will companies encounter in hiring for positions within a 24/7 operation's center environment that require shift work in both CONUS and OCONUS locations?
Note: Work locations could include Buckley SFB, CO, Schriever SFB, CO, Landstuhl, Germany, Ft. Meade, MD, Ft. Detrick, MD, Okinawa, Japan, Wahiawa, HI, and Eglin AFB, FL.
5. What would you require to ensure successful performance on day one' for any operational crew positions or training task orders? Please consider any Government Furnished Information (GFI), Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), Government provided training, or Government training systems you would need to enable successful completion of all PWS requirements.
6. Please provide your recommendation and rational for the ideal performance period for an IDIQ of this nature. Five, seven, ten or other recommended number of years? What is the ideal period of performance for task orders?
7. The Government may use a Highest Technically Rated Offeror (HTRO) approach. What evaluation factors and corresponding artifacts could be used to substantiate a self-assessment? What type of trade-off, if any, would be appropriate and why? Are there any opportunities to incentivize a contractor and what objective criteria would you use?
8. What labor categories would you suggest with Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code for each labor category using the Bureau of Labor Statistics SOC system. What NAICS code would you suggest for the Operations Support and Training requirements?
9. What background and experience does your company have providing similar services and support? White papers are encouraged. Limit to 3 pages for Operations Support and 3 pages for Training requirements.
