Request for Information Aerospace Management Systems Automated Protocol Exchanger (APEX)

This Request for Information (RFI) is part of market research. It is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 15.201(e). This is not a solicitation/Request for Proposal, a Request for Quotation, an Invitation for Bids, and no contract shall be awarded. The Aerospace Management Systems Division will not pay respondents for information provided in response to this RFI.  The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's (AFLCMC), Aerospace Management Systems Division (HBA), Program Management Office (PMO), located at Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB), Massachusetts is requesting information from industry to assist in the planning for the future acquisition of an Automated Protocol Exchanger (APEX). 

The Government is looking for responses to the below items. Please respond to the best of your ability to as many items as possible.

DESCRIPTION:

The Department of Defense (DoD) is replacing a protocol converter used to exchange Interfacility Data (IFD) with host nation Area Control Centers (ACCs) at its Outside Continental United States (OCONUS) air bases. The Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) is the system that combines radar data with flight and track data received via the Interfacility Data Transfer (IFDT) interface for ATC.

STARS is designed to interface with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC). STARS is unable to interface with host nation ACCs at OCONUS installations; APEX is expected to provide this interface. Requirements to enable STARS to connect to host nation ACCs to exchange flight data (flight plans and amendments), track data (automated handoffs and point outs), and test data are described later in this document. The hardware and software shall be compliant with the Host Nation electronic standards.  APEX shall be interoperable with ACC Air Traffic Automation and Flight Plan Systems and DoD STARS.

The APEX System will facilitate the following ATC functions between STARS and the host nation ATC automation system:

1. Flight Data Processing
   • Ability to send and receive flight data, including amendments, cancellations, and departure messages.
2. Track Data Processing
   • Ability to send and receive track data including handoffs, point outs, accept, recall, and cancellation messages.

EXPECTED MINIMUM PERFORMANCE: 

The APEX System must be easily configurable and will provide the following: 

1. Protocol converters that translate and process Air Traffic Control (ATC) messages including flight data, track data, test data and response messages. These protocol converters are referred to as the APEX units.
2. Redundancy in the APEX system to automatically fail-over in the event of fault / failure.
3. APEX will maintain a database of Flight Plans and a log of all incoming and outgoing messages.
4. Multiple input / output devices that provide flight data entry, amendment, and flight strip printing capabilities. These will be referred to as the APEX Flight Data Terminals (AFDT).
5. A method for testing the APEX system without access to the Host Nation or US automation system.

Request vendors provide an APEX solution which meets the above criteria. The government would prefer a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution, where possible.

Please provide responses to as many of the tasks listed below. Address your capabilities to accomplish part or all the below tasks and provide highlights of successful past experience on similar government contracts within the past 5 years (include contract numbers).  

1. Describe your experience complying with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-53B, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations.
2. Describe your knowledge of and experience with data logging.
3. Describe familiarity with database management systems, if any.
4. Describe any contracts you have fulfilled providing services of similar scope.
5. If your proposed solution is compliant to an open architecture framework, describe the standard and the certification process as applicable.
6. Provide rough order magnitude cost and anticipated project schedule, including any information you can provide on specific cost or schedule drivers or concerns.
7. Provide your capability statement to include your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and Small Business Certifications. Additionally, state if you are a Non-Traditional Contractor and if you are on any Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts or part of any Other Transaction (OT) Consortium.
8. Provide the name of the point of contact for this effort.
9. Provide any additional information you consider relevant to this RFI.

Submissions should be delivered via Department of Defense’s Safe Access File Exchange (SAFE) website at https://safe.apps.mil/. Since unauthenticated users (Non-DoD Personal Identity Verification (PIV) certificates) must receive a drop-off request from a DoD user, please notify the Contracting Officer/Agreements Officer Ms. Tiffany N. Hinson (tiffany.hinson.1@us.af.mil) and Ms. Julide Tolek (julide.tolek@us.af.mil) of your company’s intent to deliver a response. You will be provided with a “Drop-off Request” which you will use to submit your files. The Drop-Off Request will be valid for 14 days. For additional guidance, please see the SAFE website at https://safe.apps.mil/. 

Responses to this RFI are requested by close of business on 6 January 2025.  All responses shall be unclassified and reviewed to ensure consideration of operational sensitivities. To the maximum extent possible, please submit nonproprietary information. Any proprietary information submitted should be identified as such and will be handled accordingly and protected from disclosure. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. The Government shall not be liable for damages related to proprietary information that is not properly identified. Any submissions in response to this RFI constitutes consent for that submission to be reviewed by Government personnel, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) Contractor employees, and Advisory & Assistance Services (A&AS) Contractor employees supporting the Air Force AFLCMC/HBA who have signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) -- unless the respondent clearly objects in writing to the release of this information to FFRDC and/or A&AS Contractor employees in a cover letter accompanying the respondent’s submission. All Government and Department of Defense (DoD) contractor personnel reviewing RFI responses understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information. All correspondence related to this matter should be e-mailed to: 

Contracting Office Address:  

AFLCMC/HBAK  

75 Vandenberg Drive, Bldg 1630

Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB), MA 01731-2103

Primary Contracting Point of Contact:  

Tiffany Hinson

Contracting Officer 

tiffany.hinson.1@us.af.mil

Phone: 781-225-5125 

Secondary Contracting Point of Contact: 

Julide Tolek

Contract Buyer

julide.tolek@us.af.mil

Primary PM Point of Contact:  

Captain Robert Gray

Program Manager 

robert.gray.31@us.af.mil

Primary Technical Point of Contact:

Charles Dale

System Engineer

charles.dale.3@us.af.mil