PERSISTENT WIDE AREA MARITIME SURVEILLANCE (PWAMS) CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS (CONOPS) FOR USCG CG-741

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) BEING RELEASED PURSUANT TO FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) PART 10: MARKET RESEARCH. This RFI is issued solely for informational, market research, and planning purposes only. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals.

Respondents are advised that the United States (U.S.) Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party’s expense. At this time, proprietary information is not being requested, and respondents shall refrain from providing proprietary information in response to this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued.

Background: The Coast Guard is America’s premier Maritime Law Enforcement Agency.  We are part of the Department of Homeland Security team protecting our nation and are at all times a military service and part of the joint force defending it. For over 234 years, the American people have depended on our missions and the unique value the Coast Guard provides to assure our economic prosperity and national security by accomplishing the following:  control the U.S. border and maritime approaches, protect America’s ports and waterways, conduct military operations to defend the nation, save lives, enforce federal laws, lead in national emergencies, and maintain the flow of maritime commerce to ensure America’s economic prosperity.  The USCG seeks to improve Maritime Domain Awareness to support those missions by creating a modeling and simulation (M&S) program.  The simulation starts by ingesting the geospatial data that defines the AOR. This includes landmasses, bathymetry, boundaries of territorial waters, and environmental conditions. The USCG program then populates the AOR with the specified USCG assets and initiates both civilian and malicious agents that operate within the defined boundaries and in accordance with passed observed behaviors in that region. The USCG assets attempt to detect the malicious agents and either intercept or board them for inspection when possible. The model output includes maritime domain awareness metrics, such as number of detections, interdictions and boardings. The M&S program also captures more detailed metrics that can influence ConOp design, such as time to detect, time to interdict, and location of detection or interdiction. 

Scope: The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is seeking information from potential offerors who are interested in and capable of performing modeling and simulation to improve coastal maritime domain awareness by offering the following capabilities:

Operations Research Analyst (SOC 15-2030):

The Operations Research Analyst will apply mathematical and statistical modeling techniques to analyze USCG Shore Force optimization efforts to maximize Maritime Domain operational requirements that improve efficiency, optimize USCG Shore Forces resource allocation, and drive strategic decision-making. This role requires proficiency in mathematical and statistical software models, and excellent communication skills to translate complex findings into actionable insights for USCG stakeholders.  Additionally, the role will gather operational data from USCG units that will validate the current simulated data model.  The vendor must have experience working with sensor data and geospatial information systems (GIS), and excellent communication skills to translate complex findings into actionable insights for stakeholders.

Technical Requirements

• Develop and maintain simulation models using Python.  This includes proficiency with relevant Python libraries such as NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, and specialized simulation packages (e.g., SimPy, AnyLogic, etc.). Experience in building and integrating complex simulation models is required.
• Creation of Interactive Visualizations and User Interfaces using JavaScript: Expertise in JavaScript frameworks and libraries such as React, Angular, Vue.js, D3.js, and Three.js is required for developing interactive visualizations and user interfaces to support model interaction and data exploration.
• Modification and extension of existing simulation models and codebases: The ability to work with pre-existing simulation models and adapt them to new requirements and scenarios is essential. This includes understanding existing code and implementing modifications efficiently.
• Data Analysis and Interpretation: Strong analytical skills are necessary to extract meaningful insights from simulation data and present findings in a clear and concise manner.
• Collection and Integration of Real-World Data from US Coast Guard Operations to modify simulated datasets within the current modeling and simulation software.  This includes experience in acquiring, cleaning, and integrating data from various sources, such as sensor data, operational logs, and environmental monitoring systems.
• AI-Based Simulation of Environmental Conditions: Experience in developing and implementing AI-driven models to simulate environmental factors that impact USCG operations (e.g., weather patterns, sea state, visibility). The goal is to create realistic and dynamic simulation environments.
• Modification of Existing Python Applications: Ability to modify existing Python applications, including the integration of new packages (e.g., for image processing, data analysis) and the implementation of modifications to existing code, potentially including changes to side integer PI values within existing code.

The anticipated period of performance is for one year with a one-year option period. The anticipated award date is 1 Oct 2025.

Submission: Provide a submission addressing the above requested information. The submission will be in PDF, 8.5 inches by 11 inches with 1-inch margins using Arial 10-point font. The page limitation is 2 pages, not including brochures.

There is no solicitation at this time. This RFI is not a request for proposals; submission of any information in response to this request is purely voluntary; the Government will not pay for any costs incurred nor is obligated to respond. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement may be 541519.

After reviewing RFI responses to this RFI, and if the USCG still plans to proceed with the acquisition, a solicitation announcement may be published on the Contract Opportunities (formerly FedBizOpps) website or distributed to contract holders if a strategically sourced vehicle is deemed appropriate. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor the Contract Opportunities website.

Failure to respond or submit sufficiently detailed information may result in a company not being considered a likely offeror when making a decision on whether or how to set aside a solicitation for restricted competition. Regardless of the information submitted, the Government reserves the right to consider any arrangement as determined appropriate for this requirement.

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this RFI. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose determined necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation.
 

Request: Please provide the following information:

1. Organization name
2. Address
3. Website
4. Point of contact name
5. Point of contact email address
6. Point of contact telephone number
7. Socioeconomic status
8. Unique Entity Identifier
9. What information and/or resources would you typically need from the government to perform this effort?
10. Does your company currently have existing government-wide acquisition contracts (GWAC) (e.g. GSA) or other strategically sourced contracts for these types of requirements that the USCG can order off? If yes, please provide the contract number, what agency it is with, and agency point of contact information.
11. What type of contract (e.g. firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement, etc.) have you been issued before for this type of work? Do you recommend one contract type or a a hybrid (i.e. a contract that allows several types)?
12. Provide any general comments, thoughts, and feedback your company would like to share regarding this RFI.
13. Please provide a capabilities statement.

Submission Instructions:

Provide a submission addressing the above requested information via email to Robert Budlong. The submission will be in PDF, 8.5 inches by 11 inches with 1-inch margins using Arial 10-point font. The page limitation is 2 pages, not including brochures, cover page and table of contents. You may also submit supplemental brochures and product literature.

There is no solicitation at this time. This RFI is not a request for proposals; submission of any information in response to this request is purely voluntary. The Government will not pay for any costs incurred nor is the Government obligated to respond. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement may be 541519.

After reviewing RFI responses to this RFI, and if the USCG still plans to proceed with the acquisition, a solicitation announcement may be published on the Contract Opportunities (formerly FedBizOpps) website or distributed to contract holders if a strategically sourced vehicle is deemed appropriate. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor the Contract Opportunities website.

Failure to respond or submit sufficiently detailed information may result in a company not being considered a likely offeror when making a decision on whether or how to set aside a solicitation for restricted competition. Regardless of the information submitted, the Government reserves the right to consider any arrangement as determined appropriate for this requirement.

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this RFI. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose determined necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation.