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This Sources Sought/Request for Information is also posted under NAICS Code 336611 in order to reach all interested parties. Only one response is necessary for this announcement. This notice is for market research purposes only and does NOT constitute a request for proposal. This notice shall not be construed as a contract, a promise to contract, or as a commitment of any kind by the Government. The Government is NOT seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals.

This Sources Sought/Request for Information (RFI) notice is issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Program Executive Office (PEO) Unmanned and Small Combatants (USC), Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406). The Navy is conducting market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 to determine if sources exist that are capable of satisfying the Navy’s anticipated program requirement for an Attritable UxV Mother Ship (AUMS).

Message to Industry: The AUMS is a potential solution to cost-effectively delivering large numbers of UxVs to forward locations in a contested environment.

The concept should minimize costs as much as possible to make attriting the system feasible. To support this, the minimum service life of the vessel is 5 years, although longer service life is desired if attainable for a very small increase in procurement cost.

The AUMS concept should explore modular open system approaches to have the ability to quickly insert the latest technology into a mid-life upgrade.

The notional AUMS transit distance in open ocean is 1,500 nautical miles. Trade space analysis should be provided to understand the procurement cost implications of varying the transit distance in the range from 1,000 nm to 2,000 nm. Navy will consider AUMS transit distances together with payload UxV transit distances and on-station times to determine the best system of systems approach. The trade space for procurement cost implications of top speed should also be analyzed in the range from 12 to 20 knots.

AUMS must be able to support a 20 ft. ISO container, either directly onboard or via a towed body, whichever can be achieved at a lower cost. If the ISO container is carried directly onboard, there must be a system to push it over the side.

Upon reaching the drop-off location, the 20 ft. ISO container with UxVs will be self-sustaining and can just be deployed and left; there is no requirement for AUMS to loiter in the area.

Analysis of sea state survivability should be provided for operating in Sea States 3-6 and surviving in one sea state higher than the operating sea state. This should include potential design changes to AUMS to enable operations/survival in higher sea states as well as associated costs.

Systems shall be unmanned and capable of following waypoints and navigating via GPS. Design considerations should account for lack of GPS, but with a focus on the trade space of cost to navigate without GPS vs. navigational drift. Also, concepts should consider Over The Horizon (OTH) communications and Line Of Sight (LOS) communications as a means of providing basic tasking to the platform and maintaining situational awareness of the platform.

AUMS should be designed to minimize the chances of collision with other vessels, and/or minimize damage to other vessels if a collision were to occur. The trade space of how to achieve this should be explored.

Note, AUMS will only traverse open ocean / blue water and will never be

It can be assumed that AUMS can be towed or remotely driven into position. (Again, design considerations should be made to drive down cost.)

The Navy will be taking a collaborative approach with industry in order to potentially produce a low cost AUMS. The Navy may award a design and construction contract in mid-FY2026 for an AUMS system. Navy is looking for the most efficacious approach with industry to rapidly deliver this capability to include leveraging existing commercial, manned or unmanned surface ship designs that can be re-designed and/or modified. A clean slate design will be considered if it can be demonstrated to be the most beneficial to the Navy. Concepts should consider all affordability options necessary to rapidly deliver the first vessels within 24 months, if possible.

The Navy would like to hear Industry’s recommendation for the overall approach to a potential AUMS program. This could include one or more vessel prototypes that can be operationally employed after initial testing, a traditional DoD Program of Record, or a non-traditional/unique approach. If the recommendation is for an approach that begins with prototypes, request a recommendation of how many such prototypes are required before beginning a production run with a baseline design.

In accordance with 10 U.S.C. Section 7309, no major component of the hull or superstructure of the AUMS may be constructed in a foreign shipyard.

Cost containment is the single most important goal of the AUMS design and approach. The Navy envisions starting with a vessel that is built or designed to commercial classification standards and adding military-unique specifications only where necessary to support the payload, command and control requirements, and concept of operations.

The AUMS will need to be capable of operating in a fully unmanned state for up to five days while underway and conducting its mission over the horizon from manned US Navy assets.

The following CONOPS should be considered when answering this RFI:

Navy Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) systems will be employed on AUMS and provided as GFE. These will include line of sight (LOS) and beyond line of sight (BLOS) communications systems.

Table 1 lists initial Key Attributes of the AUMS, although the Navy is interested in hearing modifications to, or additional attributes that should be considered to improve the AUMS capabilities in a cost constrained environment.

The Navy considers the initial values in Table 1 to be the minimum acceptable level of performance for the AUMS. The Navy is not specifying Threshold and Objective values at this time, but is interested in Industry concepts that affordably meet or exceed these values for enhanced capability. If the values in Table 1 can be exceeded for minimal cost increases, please identify those specific areas. Additionally, if any specific initial value drives a clear sensitivity break point in design such that relaxing it would provide additional flexibility or significant cost savings to the Navy, provide a description of the issue and preferred mitigations. The Navy is interested in understanding the tradeoffs, if any, between design changes to meet or exceed initial requirements and impacts on recurring production costs for those designs. If tradeoffs are necessary in the initial attributes to minimize cost while maximizing capability, vendors are encouraged to express their priorities and trade off justifications.

Table 1: Key AUMS Initial Parameters

• Range
  
  
  
  • 1500nm @ top speed with 10% fuel reserve
  
  
  
  


• Endurance
  
  
  
  • 5 days of reliable ship operations without onboard human intervention
  
  
  
  


• Top Sustained Speed
  
  
  
  • 12-20 knots
  
  
  
  


• Seakeeping
  
  
  
  • Full mission capability up to Sea State 4
  
  
  • Ship survivability in Sea State 5
  
  
  
  


• Fuel & Quality
  
  
  
  • Naval Distillate Fuel NATO F-76 assuming quality
  
  
  • Ability to refuel at sea from current USN/USNS ships in Sea State 2
  
  
  
  


• Offensive Capability
  
  
  
  • Modularized 20 ft. ISO container with UxVs
  
  
  
  


• Defensive Capability
  
  
  
  • 360-degree camera coverage w/ FMV uplink
  
  
  • Resistance to boarding and physical tampering from unauthorized personnel
  
  
  • Self-scuttling capability upon remote order
  
  
  
  


• Cybersecurity
  
  
  
  • Compliance with current RMF design philosophy
  
  
  • Monitor cyber activity and detect anomalies
  
  
  • Manage performance and recover capability if degraded
  
  
  
  


• Autonomy
  
  
  
  • Navigation autonomy to safely provide path planning, static obstacle avoidance, optimal weather routing and payload delivery behaviors
  
  
  • Open architecture to support expansion of navigation autonomy to comply with the intent of COLREGS
  
  
  • Compliant with Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture
  
  
  
  


• Remote Operations
  
  
  
  • Remote monitoring and operations with existing fleet
  
  
  
  


• Vessel Classification
  
  
  
  • Designed to commercial classification rules
  
  
  • Capable of unrestricted open ocean going service
  
  
  
  


• Crew Accommodations
  
  
  
  • None
  
  
  
  

Table 2 lists initial AUMS GFE that will be provided. Values for these systems in terms of Space, Weight, Power and Cooling required will be made available at a future date and in a controlled distribution (Distribution D-DoD and U.S. DoD Contractors only.) If the integration of the GFE drives a significant design change to accommodate, the vendor is requested to highlight this area, address what could be accomplished without significant design change, as well as provide how much NRE would be required in order to integrate the GFE. The resultant design should include what is, or is not accommodated in their solutions. In addition to identifying cost drivers, vendors are also encouraged to provide design costs, average follow costs, and specifics on designs that will accommodate all the GFE systems and threshold performance requirements.

Table 2: Initial Government Furnished Equipment

• Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) Suite


• Modularized 20 ft. ISO container with UxVs

The objective of this RFI is to assess industry’s ability to provide a materiel solution within an accelerated timeframe at an affordable cost. The Navy is seeking information to help determine the interest, technical and manufacturing capabilities, technical quality of solutions, knowledge, experience level, and qualifications of industry to meet the Government’s needs to develop and build an AUMS. Additionally, the Navy is interested in technical, administrative, and business risks in pursuit of the desired solution. The Navy has not yet finalized the acquisition approach to the potential AUMS program. NAVSEA issues this RFI to obtain industry input to support the Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406) within Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants. Respondents should identify their materiel solutions, as well as the cost drivers and timeframe, for providing those solutions. Navy is seeking the following in response to this RFI:

I. Ship Concept Description and Characteristics. For your concept, provide the usual and customary naval architecture and marine engineering design information to include design standards, and whether the concept is a modification to an existing design or a new design.

II. Cost drivers. Identify and detail any significant cost drivers from the Key Attributes and/or GFE systems identified in Tables 1 and 2. Provide recommended mitigations or innovative approaches to provide the required capability and provide rationale for proposed tradeoffs to maximize capability while minimizing cost.

III. Cost and Schedule Estimates. ROM Cost and Schedule information is requested for designing, building, testing and delivering the lead AUMS and a notional class of 10 additional AUMSs with a design award in mid-FY 2026. All costs should be calculated in base year 2023 dollars. If you are considering prototyping, describe how many would be prototypes and the schedule required for testing to meet the attributes listed in Table 1, and what upgrades would be required to support transitioning to an enduring fielded capability.

Specific Questions:

1. What already designed and/or fielded vessels are available as a basis for design of an AUMS?
   
   


2. What technically mature systems/subsystems are available to meet the needs of AUMS? What is the availability of existing vessels that can be repurposed for this mission if applicable? What is the manufacturing capacity and timeline to modify an existing vessel to become compliant with desired requirements, if applicable?
   
   


3. What is the time frame for each of the following:
   
   
   
   1. Design of AUMS including fabrication, contractor test, and integration of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE). Include suggested methodologies enabling:
      
      
      
      1. program streamlining and acceleration
      
      
      2. manufacturing strategies, technologies and approaches for increased production and
      
      
      3. methodologies supporting warranty, vessel upgrade/modification, and maintenance support to the vessel after delivery.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   2. Conversion of existing vessels, if available, into an AUMS including contractor test, and integration of GFE. Include suggested methodologies enabling:
      
      
      
      1. program streamlining and acceleration
      
      
      2. manufacturing strategies, technologies and approaches for increased production and
      
      
      3. methodologies supporting warranty, vessel upgrade/modification, and maintenance support to the vessel after delivery.
         
         
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   


4. If your solution delivers a vessel designed for manned operation, describe how the craft systems lend themselves to automation and/or remote monitoring and operation (i.e. fly by wire, existing monitoring systems, etc.) If your solution is an autonomy system for a vessel designed for manned operation, or if your solution is an autonomous vessel, describe the autonomy architecture and capabilities. For both solutions, describe sensory spectrums and associated data streams required to functionally operate the vessel. Respond for autonomous operation ranging from Human delegated, to Human supervised and finally to Fully Autonomous.
   
   


5. Using Cost As an Independent Variable (CAIV), provide matrices (or equivalent) that compare the impacts of trade space decisions – that is, varying schedule from 18-24 months, varying top speed from 12 to 20 knots, varying endurance from 1,000 nm to 2,000 nm, and varying ability to operate in Sea States 3 to 6 (with survival in one Sea State higher.) Identify technical maturity and risks associated with these trade space decisions.
   
   


6. Beyond items identified in question 5 above, what are the primary complexity and cost drivers associated with an AUMS as they relate to your approach? Estimate total Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimate using FY23 dollars for the conversion or build of one AUMS. Please provide your basis for cost as follows: Recurring and Non-Recurring Costs (including design), and first unit cost. If providing recommended sparing, logistics, and sustainment costs, break these out as separate items.
   
   


7. Describe your expected labor learning curve in serial production of AUMS. In particular, express the costs of the tenth and the hundredth unit’s cost as a fraction of the first unit’s cost, or provide a formula expressing the nth unit’s cost as a function of first vessel cost and “n”, the number of the vessel.
   
   


8. The Navy will require sufficient data to operate and maintain the vessels for their service life. Do you foresee any restricted data rights involved in your concept? If so, identify the specific parts of your concept that would have less than full data rights for the Navy.

The Navy is seeking the estimated cost of the non-recurring and recurring design, lead ship costs, and average cost for follow on ships.

Interested shipbuilders, design agents and integrators are encouraged to respond to this announcement. In the responses, companies should also include:

1. Organization Name


2. Address


3. Point of Contact:
   
   a. Name
   
   b. Position/Title
   
   c. Email address
   
   d. Telephone number

ANSWERING THIS NOTICE:

Interested vendors shall respond describing their capability of satisfying the above leveraging existing designs that could be modified to a reasonable extent to meet the above requirements. The response shall identify how its surface vessel design can meet the above requirements. Respondents should provide a company profile to include, at a minimum, the following:

• Business name


• CAGE, UEI, DUNS number


• business address


• business website


• business size status (i.e., SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, SDB, WOSB, LB)


• number of employees


• employee classification level


• facility classification level


• CPARS past performance


• point of contact name


• mailing address (if different from business address)


• phone number


• email address

The desired format for submissions is white paper or similar narrative (company’s format). Submissions shall be in Microsoft Word and/or searchable Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) to include all tables, charts, and diagrams. In order to be considered in this market survey, your response shall be submitted electronically and must be received on or before T B D 2022. RFI responses shall be sent via electronic mail to the following addresses:

TO: Ms. Cassandra Brese, cassandra.j.brese.civ@us.navy.mil

CC: Mr. Daniel Kough, daniel.w.kough2.civ@us.navy.mil

SUBJECT LINE: AUMS RFI Response (insert name of company)

Companies are encouraged to submit prior to the closing date. Inclusion of a delivery receipt with an email submission will be the only indication of successful receipt of RFI Response. File size is limited to 12MB per email and companies are solely responsible for ensuring their email size does not exceed the 12MB limitation. File sizes larger than 12MB and .zip file extensions will be stripped by the Navy email system. Modifications, amendments, or withdrawal of RFI Response should be made to the above email addresses. One email is acceptable as long as it does not exceed 12MB. If it exceeds 12MB, companies may separate their submission among multiple emails and should number them email 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3, etc. NO CLASSIFIED MATERIAL SHALL BE SUBMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. To aid the Government in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Respondents shall mark any data included in its submissions that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose.

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES:

Respondents are advised that Booz Allen Hamilton and Johns Hopkins University - Applied Physics Laboratory may assist the Government in its review of responses received under this notice. Respondents shall provide notification on its cover page if the respondent does not consent to the use of the aforementioned contractors. Unless otherwise stated by the respondent, a submission received to this notice constitutes consent that the abovementioned contractors can have access to all information provided in the respondent's submission.

This notice is not a request for proposals and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. Sources choosing to respond to this notice are wholly responsible for any costs/expenses associated with submitting a response. Therefore any cost associated with the market survey submission is solely at the interested vendor's expense. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this notice. The information obtained from submitted responses may be used in development of an acquisition strategy and a future solicitation. Submissions will not be returned.

Contracting Office Address:

SEA 02

1333 Isaac Hull Avenue SE

Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia 20376

United States

Primary Point of Contact: Cassandra Brese

Secondary Point of Contact: Daniel Kough

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