Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System (GEODSS) / Ground-Based Optical Sensor System (GBOSS) Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Recompete

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS OR BIDS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT 

This Sources Sought Notice is issued for the purpose of market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. All businesses capable of providing these services are invited to respond. Any information provided by industry to the Government as a result of this sources sought is voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this notice.

The Space Acquisition and Integration Office (SAIO) is seeking potential sources to provide operations and maintenance services for geographically separated units meeting mission requirements and other specified lesser requirements. The contractor shall be responsible for the operations and maintenance of the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System (GEODSS) optical sites located at Socorro, New Mexico; Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory; and Maui, Hawaii. The systems at Socorro and Maui will be upgraded to the Ground-Based Optical Sensor System (GBOSS) and will conduct 24/7 sensor operations, while Diego Garcia will remain on the legacy GEODSS system and operate daytime ops only, with the possibility of all 3 sites on GBOSS and operating 24/7 pending future changes, timeline unknown. The mission for GEODSS (and in the future GBOSS) is to detect, track, and identify all tasked space objects within its area of coverage. GEODSS provides metric data to the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB CA. GEODSS provides Space Object Identification to the USSTRATCOM Joint Intelligence Center at Offutt AFB, NE. Further, the Government is contemplating the consolidation of efforts with Maui Base Support Services (MBSS) and Information Technology Core Communications (ITCC), services under contract FA521523C0003. The scope of MBSS includes all management personnel, equipment and services necessary to operate the facilities, provide logistics and information technology support. Facilities requirements include administration management and customer support, facility and infrastructure repair, demolition of Real Property/Real Property Installed Equipment (RP/RPIE), maintenance and support, operations (physical plant operations), grounds maintenance, refuse collection and disposal and limited architect/engineer services (planning, programming, design and construction management). ITCC services include Air Force Network system administration, security compliance, and service desk support. Logistics support includes central shipping and receiving, property control and accountability, vehicle control, pickup and delivery, warehouse storage and other logistics support for 15th Space Surveillance Squadron (SPSS) and mission partners working on site. Military-construction (MILCON) funded projects will not be within the scope of this contract.

The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code proposed for the requirement is 517810 - All Other Telecommunications.  Services are non-commercial in nature. The corresponding contract will include a projected 60-day phase-in period, a base period of performance 10-months, 4 additional 12-months option periods, and up to a maximum 6-month extension of services option period in accordance with FAR 52-217-8.  Additionally, the Government is contemplating adding two additional 12-month Incentive Option Years to be earned with outstanding performance. The contract type has not yet been determined but the anticipation is to be hybrid, with a firm fixed price for known efforts and cost-plus fixed fee for unknown efforts. The current contract type is firm fixed price with cost-reimbursable logistics. The current GEODSS contract performance is forecast to conclude on or about 30 April 2027.    

The Government requests interested parties submit their capabilities statement and a response to the attached Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Questionnaire, by the deadline specified in this notice. The Government will utilize the responses provided to determine the most appropriate acquisition approach and source selection strategy. Please limit your capability statements to not more than seven single-sided pages (maximum) to the POCs listed under Original Point of Contact. The current and latest GEODSS and MBOS/ITCC PWSs are attached for your review and questions.

Government Points of Contact for this notice are:

FREIRE, CHRISTIAN S at christian.freire@spaceforce.mil

PACHECO, AMY L at amy.pacheco.2@spaceforce.mil

OLIVER, CHRISTOPHER at christopher.oliver.24@spaceforce.mil

Additional information/amendments, as they become available, will be posted utilizing this mechanism. Announcements will be available for viewing on https://sam.gov. It is the responsibility of interested parties to review the site frequently for any updates.

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 This notice also contains the following Department of the Air Force Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DAFFARS) clause:

5352.201-9101 – Ombudsman (July 2023)

As prescribed in DAFFARS 5301.9103:

(a) An ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. When requested, the ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The existence of the ombudsman does not affect the authority of the program manager, contracting officer, or source selection official. Further, the ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals, the source selection process, or the adjudication of protests or formal contract disputes. The ombudsman may refer the interested party to another official who can resolve the concern.

(b) Before consulting with an ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendations to the contracting officer for resolution. Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timelines for any other processes (e.g., agency level bid protests, GAO bid protests, requests for debriefings, employee-employer actions, contests of OMB Circular A-76 competition performance decisions).

(c) If resolution cannot be made by the contracting officer, the interested party may contact the ombudsman, for USSF (United States Space Force) acquisitions (excluding SMC acquisitions) please contact the Director of Contracts, Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Operating Location - Space (AFICC/KS OL-SPC) via the following e-mail workflow address: afica.ks.wf@us.af.mil. Concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations that cannot be resolved at the Center/MAJCOM/DRU/SMC ombudsman level, may be brought by the interested party for further consideration to the Air Force ombudsman, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary (ADAS) (Contracting), SAF/AQC, 1060 Air Force Pentagon, Washington DC 20330-1060, phone number (571) 256-2395, facsimile number (571) 256-2431.

(d) The ombudsman has no authority to render a decision that binds the agency.

(e) Do not contact the ombudsman to request copies of the solicitation, verify offer due date, or clarify technical requirements. Such inquiries shall be directed to the contracting officer.

(End of clause)