MODIFICATION
A -- Request for Information - Modeling and Simulation (M&S)
- Notice Date
- 7/9/2014
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, Missile Defense Agency, MDA-DACK, Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama, United States
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- MDA_DES_RFI_2014
- Archive Date
- 8/15/2014
- Point of Contact
- David Doryland, Phone: (719) 721-9797, David S. Hettich, Phone: (256) 450-3632
- E-Mail Address
-
david.doryland@mda.mil, david.hettich@mda.mil
(david.doryland@mda.mil, david.hettich@mda.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- 1. OBJECTIVE. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is conducting market research in broad areas associated with Modeling and Simulation (M&S) to assist the Agency in better understanding potential strategic M&S technical alternatives and capabilities that Industry, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) or other Federal Agencies might provide. This is a Request For Information (RFI) only and should not be construed as being a Request for Proposals (RFP) or an Invitation For Bids (IFB). The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI; nor does this RFI represent any type of commitment on the part of the Government that there will be any follow-on acquisition action that will be linked to this RFI. Participation in this market research on the part of a potential responder is strictly voluntary; in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3, Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes. The Government will not pay for the information solicited herein nor for any costs that are incurred as a result of responding to this RFI. This includes, but is not limited, to participant costs associated with attending any Industry Day activities that may be held, or for any other costs incurred by a participant who elects to provide information in response to this RFI. The only exception to these statements being for such costs as may be allowable under provisions in subsection 31.205-18 of the FAR. 2. BACKGROUND. The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) mission is to develop, test, and field an integrated, layered, ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends against all ranges of enemy ballistic missiles in all phases of flight. Due to the complexity of the BMDS, testing of the BMDS performance across the BMD mission environment relies heavily on M&S products that simulate the current or evolving BMD environment, system, and threats in addition to actual flight testing. Current BMDS M&S simulations are migrating toward a Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) foundation of Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Systems Modeling Language (SysML) artifacts. To that end, MDA is seeking information related to potential industry advances in M&S technology capabilities and/or those innovative technology approaches that might be employed by the Agency in the future to improve the Agency's modeling and simulation technical capabilities. The intent of this RFI is to discover new or emerging simulations, technologies and processes that may exist both within the existing DoD M&S community of practice and as well as outside the DoD that represent advancements in commercial M&S and/or software development communities of practice. MDA is expecting that respondents will provide submissions that discuss specific means by which MDA could improve the M&S associated with BMDS System-of-Systems (SoS) performance assessments, training and/or exercises. After reviewing the description of requirements within this RFI; interested potential responders are invited to answer the questions and discuss the various M&S areas delineated within Section 3 of this RFI. 3. DESIRED INFORMATION. MDA requests that all interested respondents submit a capability statement and complete, to the extent possible, a detailed Model Information document (in accordance with the template format described in Section 4) for simulation and software architectures, MBSE and simulations that are most promising for providing significant advancements over the Agency's existing M&S tools or practices. The Capability Statement provided should focus on demonstrating proficiency/experience with innovative MBSE and simulation technologies, M&S of SoS architectures, large data management, and M&S Truth Service implementation standards. For each concept and capability that is of sufficient maturity that it has been included in a model or simulation, an individual Model Information document should be included that provides appropriate supplemental information (in addition to the company's Capability Statement). Capability Statements that are provided in response to this RFI should address one or more of the following interest areas: 1. Capabilities designed for the primary intended use of assessing the performance of a complex SoS with a large parameter set. Secondary intended uses include exercises and training for Combatant Commands and subordinate units. Current MDA BMDS simulations include combinations of live, virtual and constructive compositions. Extensibility to a distributed environment is desirable. 2. Capabilities and innovative approaches to M&S technology development and utilization for simulating SoS supporting real-time and non-real time simulation techniques. Consideration should include utilizing MBSE approaches (e.g. UML/SysML) including code development, code reuse due to changing requirements and/or environment, generative multidisciplinary modeling, and open system architectures. Consideration should also be given to probabilistic, agent-based, and discrete event simulations as well as other techniques (e.g. Monte Carlo) and processes which support evaluating complex system architectures including SoS performance assessment, and performing varied architecture trade studies. 3. Capabilities and relevant experience in DoD and Commercial M&S technology development and implementation. Consideration should include readily available DoD and Commercial M&S capabilities and best practices for utilizing advanced M&S technology in modeling complex SoS behavior and performance to include modeling various levels of fidelity, resolution and/or abstraction, as well as extensibility of complex simulations in terms of problem size, data management, hardware, software, etc. 4. Capabilities and unique approaches to support the integration of software modules, federated simulations, and data management of complex inputs and outputs. Consideration should include innovative architectural designs, technologies (e.g. hardware, advanced programming languages, and operating systems), integration techniques and processes supporting "plug and play" into a SoS simulation, advanced data management, and increased simulation performance. 5. Capabilities and unique approaches to providing common and consistent truth services, including but not limited to: threat modeling and injection techniques, phenomenology modeling and RF/IR/Visible signature development and injection techniques, environment models, lethality and debris modeling, and communications/network modeling. 6. Capabilities and innovative approaches to map tactical and/or real-world SoS to their simulated SoS. Consideration should include conceptual modeling techniques and architectural framework definitions and associated methodologies. Capabilities that provide automated updates from tactical architecture to simulated architecture, or other usage of automation to control the highly complex information are of high interest. 4. RESPONSES. Interested respondents should submit their response to this RFI to the MDA/DES Point of Contact (POC) who is listed in Section 5 no later than July 31, 2014. All responses are to be submitted as electronic portable document format (pdf) files only. Capability statements should be limited to a maximum of ten (10) 8.5 inch x 11 inch pages excluding the cover page). Submission documents should contain words that are typed in font sizes no smaller than 10 pt. The top, bottom, and side margins in documents being submitted should not be set smaller than one inch. Any Model Information document submitted (in accordance with these instructions and the template [below]) will not be considered a part of the 10 page Capability Statement limit; nor is there a page limit being placed on individual Model Information documents submitted in accordance with these instructions. Capability Statements are expected to contain unclassified information only. If it is necessary to include classified information; please contact the MDA/DES POC designated in Section 5 prior to such a submission to receive additional instructions. The cover page for a respondent's submission should contain: (1) Company (Federal Agency, FFRDC or UARC) name and address, (2) Primary POC plus one alternate, (3) POC telephone number and email address, (4) CAGE (or DoDAC) Code, (5) Small business category, if applicable, (6) Federal Supply Schedule, General Services Administration contract number, if applicable.   Model Information Template Example Title/Name/Acronym(s): The commonly understood name for the model or simulation. [A point of reference that would be understood by the M&S community]. Version Identifier & Date: Model version number and release date of any discussed software application. Responsible Organization: The organization(s) responsible for developing and maintaining the model / simulation. [This may be a Government Agency, FFRC/UARC or commercial entity or organization] Innovative Technologies or Processes Incorporated: The innovative technologies and/or processes that have been incorporated into the model or simulation that correspond to information sought in the capability statements in section 3. Original Sponsor: The organization or company that originally sponsored the development of the model / simulation. Usage Rights: Does a Federal sponsor hold usage rights to the model/simulation? Would it be possible for MDA to modify the proposed model for use in future BMDS analyses? Usage History: What communities have utilized / "certified" this model / simulation? [NOTE: "Certified" does not necessarily infer that the community has run live ground truth events against the modeled results]. Availability: Can users operate this model / simulation? Does the model / simulation require SME to run / interpret the results? Funding: Does the sponsoring organization (if a Federal organization) or Industry holder of usage rights require some form of contractual funding to utilize the discussed model / simulation? Phase of Engineering Supported: What phase of engineering (Design, Systems Engineering, Testing, etc.) is this model / sim tailored for? Assumptions: What significant assumptions were made in developing this model / simulation? Fidelity: What is the level of fidelity, resolution and/or abstraction of the model / simulation? Input Data Formats: What data does the model / simulation require and in what format? Output Formats: What is the expected model / simulation output? How is that output captured and formatted? Can the output formats be modified to permit chaining models/simulations together? Known Deficiencies or Limitations: What are the known deficiencies that would have to be overcome / worked around to utilize this model/simulation? [NOTE: This may relate to the "assumptions" field above. No need to repeat info]. HW/SW Requirements: What are the minimum/recommended hardware requirements and any specialized software requirements? V&V Pedigree: What Verification and Validation activities have been conducted for the model / simulation? [Ref the DoD Modeling & Simulation Coordination Office (MSCO) glossary available on-line for definitions of verification and validation] 5. POINT OF CONTACT. All technical questions and submissions that relate to this RFI should be provided via email to: david.doryland@mda.mil (Mr. David Doryland; MDA/ESI). 6. MARKING. Industry is encouraged to respond to this RFI with the submission of information that is not constrained by proprietary data rights markings. If proprietary data is included in a responder's submission; then the respondent is responsible for ensuring their submission contains appropriate and adequate marking of said proprietary data. Further, any proprietary information MUST be marked as such on a page-by-page basis. The Government intends to use third-party, non-Government, contractor-support personnel as subject matter experts in the review and assessment of responses to this RFI that are received. This will include their use in the review and assessment of any marked or unmarked proprietary information that is provided within a responder's submission. Appropriate non-disclosure agreements have been executed between non-Government contractor support personnel and the Government and are on file with the Government. The submission of a response to this RFI constitutes the respondent's acknowledgement and agreement that the information provided in their submission, including any marked or unmarked proprietary or any potentially source selection or acquisition sensitive information, may be disclosed by the Agency to these third party, non-Government contractor-support personnel. 7. COMPENSATION. As noted in Section 1; in accordance with FAR 52.215-3 this is a Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes that supports MDA informational planning activities. Submission of information by a respondent hereunder is entirely voluntary. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation for information that is purely for planning purposes; nor will the Government pay any costs for the information solicited herein that are incurred by a respondent to this RFI. Information that a responder provides will not be treated in any regard as a proposal. In addition, respondents acknowledge that the Agency has the right to use any information that has been voluntarily provided by a respondent without compensation as part of MDA's on-going efforts to refine the Agency's future M&S strategic direction.
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