General Information:  
Program Title:  Airborne Laser Program Definition and Risk Reduction 
RFP Number:  F29601-96-R-0001
Buyers:  Cia Arias and Bobbie Blount, SMC/TMC, 505/846-8940/9671 
Contracting Officer:  Mary Jackson, SMC/TMC, 505/846-2928
Technical Point of Contact:  Lt Col John Young, SMC/TMT, 505/846-2933
Contract Type:  Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF)
Period of Performance:  Jan 1997 - Mar 2003 (6 years)
1st Draft Request for Proposal (RFP) Release Date:  18 Jan 1996
2nd Draft RFP Release Date:  1 Mar 1996
3rd Draft RFP Release Date:  26 Apr 1996
RFP Release Date:  2 May 1996
Proposal Due Date: 9 Jul 1996
ABL  home page at:  http://www.plk.af.mil/PLhome/TM/tm.html 
(type exact upper/lower case letters)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

This acquisition is for the Program Definition and Risk Reduction (PDRR) phase 
of the Airborne Laser Program. The Concept Design Phase, is currently being 
executed by two contractors, the Boeing Company and Rockwell International.  
The Concept Design contracts are 33 month efforts valued at approximately 
$21.4M each.  PDRR encompasses the design, development, fabrication, 
integration and test of the selected design to demonstrate lethality against 
boosting theater ballistic missiles.  PDRR is a full and open competition 
to select a single contractor to build, integrate and test the PDRR 
aircraft.  Please note, the Notice of Contract Action for the Concept Design 
Phase stated: "the Government anticipates that the contractors participating 
in the Concept Design contracts will be the only responsible sources capable 
of successfully competing for the PDRR contract.  However, all 
responsible proposals submitted in response to the solicitation will be 
evaluated."  The Airborne Laser System Program Office (ABL SPO) has 
established a real time, comprehensive read file to support both the ongoing 
Concept Design contracts and PDRR phase of the program.  Documents 
from the ABL Technology Insertion Program and other sources are being added 
periodically  to provide current information for all serious potential offerors 
for the ABL PDRR contract.  Access to the ABL read library requires 
a secret clearance and a listing on the Quality Control Access List (QCAL).  
This will be confirmed by contacting Mr. Richard Conrad, Chief, Acquisition 
Security, ABL at 505/846-7675 or telefax 505/846-1675.   Upon confirmation 
of security requirements, Mr. Conrad will provide confirmation of access by 
providing the name and phone number to the ABL read file representative.  
The read file representative will contact the interested party to make an 
appointment.  To ensure control and availability, an appointment must be 
made 24 hours in advance.  Due to the sensitivity of the existing ABL read 
file all visitors will be escorted and monitored at all times.  ABL read 
file procedures have been established to eliminate any compromise to the 
documents and will be explained upon arrival at the read file.    

ACQUISITION APPROACH

The acquisition approach for the PDRR Contract will be consistent 
with the Lightning Bolt Initiatives issued by then Acting Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for Acquisition, Ms Darleen Druyun.  Our goal is to eliminate 
unnecessary military specifications and standards and rely on industry 
standards and commercial practices, ensure performance oriented 
specifications,  provide a Statement of Objectives (SOO) in lieu of a 
Statement of Work (SOW), eliminate non-value added material, reduce Contract 
Data Requirements Lists (CDRLs), streamline proposal preparation instructions 
and implement electronic source selection for electronic submittal and 
evaluation of proposals.  In lieu of a Statement of Work (SOW)  and an 
Integrated Master Plan (IMP), the offerors will submit an Integrated Task 
and Management Plan (ITAMP).  The ITAMP will identify tasks, key events, 
significant accomplishments, accomplishment criteria, and selective 
narratives necessary to accomplish the ABL PDRR effort.  Offerors 
will be required to submit an Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) corresponding 
to the ITAMP that will show the schedule necessary to achieve each 
significant accomplishment.  We will continue the use of the Integrated 
Product Development philosophy with use of the Integrated Product Teams 
(IPTs).  Submittal of technical baseline measures, which depict a top 
down allocation of requirements and bottom up analysis of predicted 
performance for the ABL design will also be required  as part of the 
proposal submittal.