Fall 2019 IT Industry Stakeholder Outreach (IT-ISO) Innovation Symposium

 

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

 

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ONLY. This Request for Information (RFI) is for planning and informational purposes only, and shall not be considered as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this RFI or furnishing the requested information. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this RFI or the Government's use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject in whole or in part, any Vendor's input resulting from this RFI. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION. Marine Corps Systems Command Portfolio Manager (PfM) Supporting Establishment Systems (SES) is issuing this RFI to assess current and emerging technological systems and capabilities, which would enhance the technologies utilized by the Marine Corps to benefit mission accomplishment. This RFI constitutes market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 and is not a Request for Proposal.  Response to this RFI is required for admission to the Innovation Symposium.

 

 

1.2 BACKGROUND. Information Technology Industry Stakeholder Outreach (IT-ISO) was established in 2017 by PfM SES to foster industry and stakeholder relations through outreach and collaboration as well as hosting symposiums. The goal of these symposiums is to provide a forum for government labs, academia, and industry experts to collaborate and exchange information regarding emerging technologies, capabilities, and products that will enhance the aptitude of the Marine Corps warfighter. The first symposium was held in April 2019 and featured industry and stakeholder presenters covering the topics of Cloud, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence. Given the event's success, the Marine Corps wants to reengage industry to discuss future technologies and gather insight as to the benefit and transition steps required to take advantage of these emerging technologies.

 

1.3 PURPOSE. The Fall 2019 IT-ISO Innovation Symposium is an open forum event and requires registration.  Technical leads and companies are invited to participate based upon submissions solicited in this RFI.  Responses should address technologies that are aligned to the 2018 National Defense Strategy and the 2025 Marine Corps Operating Concept as well as identify the future of the IT environment. Areas of interest include (but are not limited to): Hardware Virtualization; Cloud Computing; Edge Computing; Software-Defined Networking; Data Center Consolidation of Disparate Systems; and Preparing for 5G.

 

1.4 OBJECTIVE. Data submitted in response to this RFI will be used to assess emerging technologies for discussion during the upcoming Fall 2019 IT-ISO Innovation Symposium. The discussion will enable industry and stakeholders to evaluate current technologies utilized, the transition requirements to advance systems/equipment, and examine the benefits for the warfighter in the adaption of the new technologies. Additionally, it will raise awareness to the technologies available to assist in the management and security of: C4 Networks; Cyberspace Operations; Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations; Information Environment Operations; Information Management; Information Technology; and Intelligence.

 

2.0 KEY EVENT. The anticipated FALL 2019-IT-ISO Symposium is scheduled for November 2019. Attendance will be limited to two (2) representatives per company. Advanced registration is required to attend. Those interested in attending are required to respond to this RFI as detailed below.

 

3.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION. As described in the paragraphs below, interested companies are requested to respond to this RFI by providing information that identifies the capability and ability to provide new and emerging technologies that meet the requirements described in paragraphs 1.3 and 1.4. Respondents are responsible for including sufficient details to respond to this RFI. Unnecessarily elaborate responses beyond that sufficient to be complete and effective are not desired. Likewise, respondents are cautioned against general, vague, or unsubstantiated statements.

 

3.1 TECHNICAL SOLUTION.

 

3.1.1 Technological Capability. Respondents shall describe an emerging technology aligned to the 2018 National Defense strategy and the 2025 Marine Corps Operating Concept as well as identify the future of the IT environment. Example areas of interest are identified in paragraphs 1.3 and 1.4. Responses should include background on the technology, its function, and projections for the future.

 

3.1.2 Benefit to the Marine Corps. Respondents shall describe how the emerging technological system and/or capability would enhance the technologies currently utilized by the Marine Corps and benefit mission accomplishment.

 

3.1.3 Implementation. Respondents shall identify common implementation requirements and transitional challenges when implementing the technology. Whenever possible, responses should address the current Marine Corps environment.

 

3.1.4 Technology Readiness Level (TLR) and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL). Respondents shall provide a self-assessment as to the TRL and MRL of their solution in accordance with the Office of the Secretary of Defense MRL Deskbook 2016.

 

3.2 COMPANY CAPABILITIES.

 

3.2.1 Company Profile. Respondents shall provide a company profile. Respondents shall provide a point-of-contact (POC) for the response including name, phone number, and email address. The profile shall include the company name, address, business size, and number of employees, office location(s), Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number, and business classification (i.e., large, foreign, small, small disadvantaged, veteran owned, minority owned, etc.).  Additionally, identify up to two 2 representatives who will attend the Fall 2019 IT-ISO Innovation Symposium including name(s), phone number(s), email address(s), and citizenship(s).

 

3.2.2 Corporate Experience. Respondents shall describe its qualification and detail its specific experience conducting work related to the identified technology. When providing corporate experience information, the response shall clearly demonstrate the correlation between the identified capability and corporate experience. Reponses shall also refer only to work performed as a unit and not to performance of its individual members or subcontractors. Examples of corporate experience shall be active or complete within the last 5 years.

 

3.2.3 Technical Data Rights. Respondents shall identify its expectations for data rights sharing/withholding management.

 

4.0 RESPONSES. Interested companies who believe that they are capable of providing an emerging technology that would aid in the enhancement of Marine Corps systems technologies addressed in paragraphs 1.3 and 1.4 are invited to express their interest by responding to this RFI.

 

4.1 CONTENT ORGANIZATION. Responses shall be organized in 2 volumes titled "Technical Solution" and "Company Capabilities" with seven sections identified below. Responses not in this format will be considered unacceptable.

 

Volume I - Technical Solution:

Section I - Technological Capability (reference 3.1.1)

Section II - Benefit to the Marine Corps (reference 3.1.2)

Section III - Implementation (reference 3.1.3)

Section IV - TRL and MRL (reference 3.1.4)

 

Volume II - Company Capabilities:

Section V - Company Profile (reference 3.2.1)

Section VI - Corporate Experience (reference 3.2.2)

Section VII - Technical Data Rights (reference 3.2.3)

 

4.2 RESPONSE FORMAT. Responses shall be prepared using Microsoft Office Professional 2013 (or later suite of applications) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF format). Responses shall use a font that is no less than 12 point Times New Roman for body text and no less than 10 point Times New Roman for tables and figures. Documents shall use 8-1/2" x 11" format with one-inch margins on all sides (excluding headers and footers). All material submitted may be single-spaced. Respondents shall ensure that each page provides information identifying both the company and the solicitation in the header or footer. Responses shall number consecutive pages within volumes. Charts, graphs, and other inserted materials shall be page-numbered as part of the page numbering system. Cover pages may be used for both volumes and sections without counting towards page limits. Respondents shall insert its company's name in the file name. Examples are included in the table below for the "ABC Company."

 

Part	Title	Page Limit	File Naming Structure
Volume I	Technical Solution	5 pages	ABC-V1
Section I	Technological Capability
Section II	Benefit to the Marine Corps
Section III	Implementation
Section IV	TRL and MRL
Volume II	Company Capabilities	No Limit	ABC-V2
Section V	Company Profile
Section VI	Corporate Experience
Section VII	Technical Data Rights

 

4.3 PROPRIETARY MARKINGS. Please be advised that any proprietary information must be marked as such on a page-by-page basis. The Government will not assume that any of the information provided by a respondent is proprietary unless it is conspicuously marked on a page-by-page basis. Moreover, the Government does not assume any duty to contact a respondent and inquire whether any unmarked information submitted in response to this RFI is proprietary.

 

4.4 QUESTIONS. Questions or comments regarding this notice may be submitted via email to: Subhendu Singha, Contract Specialist at subhendu.singha@usmc.mil. All correspondence shall reference "RFI No. M67854-19-Q-4075" in the subject line of your email.  The deadline to submit a question regarding this notice is 8 August 2019 at 1400 Eastern Time. 

 

4.5 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS. Respondents shall respond to this RFI electronically via email to Subhendu Singha, Contract Specialist, subhendu.singha@usmc.mil. The deadline for submission is 9 September 2019 at 1400 Eastern Time.  All responses must include the following information: company name; company address; company business size; DUNS number; and POC name, phone number, and email address. Responses shall not include classified data. Please note that telephone replies will not be accepted. Responses shall reference "RFI No. M67854-19-Q-4075" in the subject line of your email.

 

4.6 REFERENCES. 

 

(1) Exchanges With Industry Before Receipt of Proposals (FAR 15.201(e)), Federal Acquisition Regulation [FAR], 13 January 2017

 

(2) Market Research (FAR Part 10), Federal Acquisition Regulation [FAR], 31 October 2016

 

(3) 2018 National Defense Strategy (Classified)

 

(4) 2025 Marine Corps Operating Concept

Link:  https://www.mccdc.marines.mil/MOC/

 

(5) Office of the Secretary of Defense MRL Deskbook 2016

Link:  https://dodmrl.com/MRL_Deskbook_2016.pdf