Submarine Launch Unmanned Aerial System (SLUAS) Consolidation Notice

The Department of Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), on behalf of the Program Executive Office Undersea Warfare Systems (PEO UWS), Undersea Defensive Warfare Systems (PMS 415), is conducting market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 to identify sources interested in fulfilling the requirement for the manufacturing life cycle support of the Submarine Launch Unmanned Aerial System (SLUAS) All-Up-Round (AUR), which consists of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and launch canister. In addition to the market research being performed, this Sources Sought will provide information to the Contracting Officer that is relevant to FAR 7.107 for Consolidation and/or Bundling.

NAVSEA is considering a seven (7) year, single award contract for this requirement. The contract being considered will have an initial five (5) year period to include procurement of the AURs, life cycle support activities, and development. The final two (2) years provides for the sustainment of the procured AURs.

This is a Sources Sought notice only. This is a not a request for proposals. This Sources Sought notice is published for market research purposes only. The Government is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals.

Interested parties are requested to respond with a white paper that addresses their capabilities, with special emphasis on the following:

Technical approach:

NAVSEA seeks responses from sources that can deliver a SLUAS AUR with a 3-inch diameter form-factor for the submarine fleet with full rate production within 18 months of contract award. It is requested to provide an overall Concept of Operations and technical approach of the function and capabilities of the SLUAS AUR you are capable of delivering, including:

1. Technologies:
   
   
   
   1. Submarine launch – Describe method of AUR submarine launch, transition through the water column and ability to provide a timed release of the UAV, including synchronization of the UAV release with at-sea wave motion to mitigate wave strike of the UAV at launch.
   
   
   2. UAV Optical Payloads – The UAV shall provide an optical payload. Describe projected optical payload functions.
   
   
   3. UAV Endurance and range - Describe projected UAV endurance and range and any relevant validation of the system.
   
   
   4. Communication – Describe method of communication between the UAV and canister as an integrated AUR.
   
   
   5. Flight control and navigation – Describe method of flight control and navigation systems.
   
   
   6. Describe if the system will be able to accept third party software integration via Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA).
   
   
   7. Describe the approach for integration into the submarine payload control system.
   
   
   8. Describe the approach for meeting submarine certification standards, including cyber security, shock qualification and battery certification. Interested parties should discuss their knowledge relevant to submarine certification standards, include any previous or ongoing qualification efforts with their technologies in the response.
   
   
   9. Anti-Tamper – Describe method to provide anti-tamper capabilities and the ability of their capabilities to be modified.
   
   
   10. AUR Storage - An Integrated AUR shall be able to be stored without operator intervention or maintenance for up to 6 months.
   
   
   11. Reliability – The AUR must be reliable and able to operate within the submarine environment. Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) data for the designs and their components is desired to understand sparing and performance of vendor capabilities. MTBF should be address in the response.
   
   
   12. Quality Assurance – Describe company’s quality assurance certification and Quality Manage Systems.
   
   
   13. Technical Readiness Level - The AUR should be a non-developmental item to the maximum extent possible. The current technology maturity of system, including Technical Readiness Level (TRL) and developmental timelines of their technologies must be included in the RFI response.
   
   
   14. Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) – Provide an assessment of the current MRL and any barriers/constraints to manufacture up to 100 SLUAS AURs annually.
   
   
   15. Data Rights: The Government desires at least Government Purpose Rights (as defined in DFARS 225.227-7013 and DFARS 252.227-7014). Provide details of any limitations on technical data rights for the system. This should include identification of any asserted data rights that is more restrictive than Government Purpose Rights and any data that would not be shared with the government.
   
   
   16. Interested parties shall list past customers (maximum of 3) for whom the contractor has done projects of similar technology, domain, and/or scope with the last five (5) years.
   
   
   17. Responses shall include contractor experience in performing the role of a prime system integrator.
   
   
   
   

Sources Sought Response/Submission and Deadline:

Interested parties must demonstrate their capability. Responses to this notice must be submitted via email to the points of contact listed in this notice. Responses must be received no later than June 13, 2025. Interested parties shall ensure the responses to this notice has a subject line containing the name of your firm and “Sources Sought Response – Submarine Launched Unmanned Aerial System – AUR” (without quotation marks). Limit responses to a maximum of twenty (20) pages or less, excluding the cover page, with a minimum font size of 10 points for all text. All information received bearing proprietary markings will be handled in accordance with applicable statutes and regulations. Responses to this notice will not be returned. An acknowledgement of receipt will be provided for all responses received. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within two working days, please notify the points of contact listed in this notice.

Interested parties are required to respond with an expression of interest letter, on company letterhead, to include the following:

• Company name


• Company address


• Overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address)


• CAGE Code


• Company Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Code


• Point of Contact (to include email, telephone number and fax number)


• Facility clearance, if any


• Business Size Status (i.e. Large, SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc).


• Number of Employees


• Examples of performance on similar efforts within the last three (3) years, including:
  
  
  
  1. Name of contract or project.
  
  
  2. Type of project.
  
  
  3. Dollar value.
  
  
  4. Location.
  
  
  5. Percentage of work subcontracted and dollar value, as well as the role of your firm (as either prime or subcontractor).
  
  
  6. If your firm has no relevant experience regarding submarine-launched UAVs, projects on other Government or private industry programs may be submitted. If the experience information submitted is for efforts other than submarine-launched UAVs, provide an explanation for how the experience will enable your firm to mee the requirements listed above.
  
  
  
  


• If an interested party is contemplating being part of a joint venture or other teaming arrangement, state the names of the joint venture/teaming arrangement members and their business size, as well as intended roles and responsibilities of members as they relate to the work described herein.


• If an interested party is contemplating being a potential prime, state what percentage of the work is intended to be subcontracted and demonstrate that staffing resources can meet requirements within FAR Clause 52.219-14, “Limitations on Subcontracting.”

The notice of interest should include a brief description of your company and its capabilities as they relate to the requirement’s contemplated acquisition.

Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform the above-listed services are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by 1700 EDT, 13 June 2025. All responses to this Sources Sought Notice must be submitted to Mr. Thomas Adams at thomas.j.adams84.civ@us.navy.mil and Mr. Ian Whitehead-Scanlon at Ian.whitehead-scanlon.civ@us.navy.

NOTE: SS/RFI responses are limited to twenty (20) pages or less, 1-inch margins, and 10 point Times New Roman font or larger.

DO NOT INCLUDE ANY CLASSIFIED, CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED, OR ARMS EXPORT CONTROLLED DOCUMENTS OR INFORMATION IN YOUR RESPONSE.

The Government will accept specific questions or comments submitted in response to this notice or information provided as a results of this Sources Sought Notice. The Government may or may not be able to provide answers at this time.

Disclosure:

This notice is not a request for proposal 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 research 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 is 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 future solicitation. Submissions will not be returned. Response to this notice is not a request to be added to a bidders list or to receive a copy of a solicitation. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE.

Information submitted in response to this RFI will be become property of the United States Government. Submitted should properly mark their responses with the appropriate restrictive markings. Information that is proprietary of competition-sensitive may be protected from disclosure under the public records law only if properly labeled as such.