Request For Information (RFI) for the F-35 OPERATIONAL DATA INTEGRATED NETWORK (ODIN) Maintenance Systems Backup and Recovery

Description

This is a request for information (RFI). This is not a request for quotes, request for proposal, or a solicitation of any kind, and does not constitute a commitment by the U.S. Government. Responses, in any form, are not and will not be considered offers. The U.S. Government is under no obligation to award any contracts following this RFI. Responses are strictly voluntary, and funds expended in preparing them will not be reimbursed.  

Introduction 

The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), Arlington, VA, intends to issue a production contract for the F-35 OPERATIONAL DATA INTEGRATED NETWORK (ODIN) Maintenance Systems Backup and Recovery components and assemblies, and is conducting market research. The Prime Contractor/Integrator for the ODIN system is Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Orlando, FL.  

The contract will require Backup and Recovery supply chain management and integration (as applicable) with the F-35 ODIN Maintenance System. The Contractor will need to ensure the procured Backup and Recovery interfaces with existing F-35 maintenance systems. The contract will require production and delivery of backup and recovery systems. The Contractor will be required to partner with Government entities and other Contractors.  

Instructions 

Responses to the following items are requested. These are intended as general market research: examples and descriptions of individual corporate experience or capability will be considered relevant only to the degree that it is indicative of the marketplace broadly. Responses that address some but not all the items are welcome. 

‘Support,’ when used below, refers to the requirements outlined in the attached requirements specification. 

1. For reference, please provide your: company name; address; CAGE code; DUNS number; authorized points of contact, with telephone numbers and email addresses; and webpage URL. 
2. What Government Furnished information would be required to successfully complete the requirement? Please address any dependencies that affect your answer, and how. 
3. What property other than data would the Government have to furnish for a contract providing this support? Please address any dependencies that affect your answer, and how. (This question should be interpreted broadly, to include tooling, support equipment, facilities, etc.) 
4. In schedule terms, how far in advance of performance would a contract be required? Please describe all assumptions in your answer. If there is specific Government support or property on which the answer depends, please explain. 
5. Provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) price estimate, by year, to support this effort. You are encouraged to characterize your answer in whatever fashion you believe represents the most reliable estimating methodology: a high and low estimate; an average factor by which the number of included components or systems may be multiplied; etc. In any case, please describe the basis on which your estimate is developed, and the role of any assumptions or dependencies. 
6. What is the value and benefit that your company can provide in relation to this RFI? 
7. A capability matrix that is organized with the requirement document ID on one axis and a “Currently does not meet”, “Meets” or “Exceeds” column on the other axis.  Please indicate why you feel this evaluation. 
8. With supply chain requirements and changing demand across the global F-35 fleet, how does your company execute a supply chain management plan? How would this benefit the US Government in terms of cost savings, while preventing escalating costs to the F-35 Joint Program Office?

CONTENT AND FORMAT OF RFI RESPONSES

Responses shall be provided in Microsoft PowerPoint in a single briefing package.   All slides should include the company or provider’s logos or identifying information. The briefing package shall be no more than twenty (20) slides and may include speaker notes. 

SUBMISSION AND SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS

To the maximum extent allowable, responses should be UNCLASSIFIED. 

Responses shall be submitted electronically either via email or via the Department of Defense (DoD) Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE) [https://safe.apps.mil] to the Contracts POC identified in the notice.  If respondents do not have a DoD Common Access Card (CAC) to access the DoD SAFE site, they shall inform the Contracts POCs via email of their desire to submit via DoD SAFE, and the Contracts POC will send a Request for Drop-off via DoD SAFE to the submitter’s email address. 

All RFI submissions must be received no later than 60 calendar days (December 17, 2024) from publication of this RFI on the System of Award Management (SAM) website [SAM.gov | Contract Opportunities]. Failure to adhere to this timeline may result in responses being returned to the submitter without review/assessment.

If a CLASSIFED response is deemed necessary, the respondent shall contact the Technical POC identified below who will provide further instructions.  Classified responses shall adhere to the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) procedures for the transmittal and receipt of CLASSIFIED information.

GOVERNMENT POINT OF CONTACT

Responses should be provided to the Contracts POC

Any questions on the technical content of this RFI should be directed to the Technical POC, Marc Harrington, F-35 Maintenance Systems PMO Infrastructure Lead, marc.harrington@jsf.mil, with the Contracts POC on courtesy copy (cc).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is NOT a request for proposal (RFP). No solicitation documents exist or are planned at this time. This synopsis should NOT be construed as a financial commitment by the US Government (USG), nor will the USG pay for any costs related to the information solicited, provided, or proposed.  The Government will not provide any proprietary or classified information on the F-35 as part of this RFI.

Any information received as a result of this request that is sensitive and/or propriety to the responding organization will be protected as such. Any proprietary information received in response to this request will be properly protected from any unauthorized disclosures, however it is incumbent upon the respondent to appropriately mark all submissions.

The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents to assist in the development of future capability, requirements, approach, and/or solution for an F-35 maintenance systems backup and recovery system.  In order to complete its review, F-35 program must be able to share the information within the Government, which may include Contactor Service Support (CSS) personnel and the Government’s prime integrator Lockheed Martin.  Should there be a desire for a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to be implemented if information is shared with the Government CSS, vendors shall indicate as such in their response. Any responses marked in a manner that will not permit such internal Government deliberations will not be assessed.