Deep Space Advanced Radar (DARC) Interim Contractor Support (ICS) Contract

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

1. Agency/Office: United States Space Force (USSF) / Space Systems Command (SSC), Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications, & Space Intelligence (BMC3I) Program Executive Office

2. Contracting Office Location: Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado

3. Type: Sources Sought

4. Solicitation Number: N/A

5. Date Posted: 27 Mar 2026

6. Title: Deep Space Advanced Radar (DARC) Interim Contractor Support (ICS) Contract

7. Classification Code:

8. NAICS Code: 518210

9. Is this a Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action? No

10. Response Date: 30 Apr 2026

11. Primary Point of Contact: PCO Name Victoria Lloyd, victoria.lloyd@spaceforce.mil

12. Secondary Point of Contact: Contract Support, Duayne Martinez, duayne.martinez.3.ctr@spaceforce.mil

13. Description: Seeking information on industry recommendations and best practices for contract, subcontract, and partner management on technical contracts and programs, as BMC3I looks to create a single ICS contract model that supports tailored work efforts focused on software development; deployment; security; and operations, integration, and lifecycle sustainment.

Level of classification runs from unclassified to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).

14. Place of Contract Performance: Multiple Locations (OCONUS)

15. Set Aside: TBD

16. Archiving Policy: Automatic

17. Allow Vendors to Add/Remove from Interested Vendors? No

18. Allow Vendors to View Interested Vendors List? No

19. Attachments: N/A

20. Is this package (attachment) sensitive/secure? N/A

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Government is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Interested parties who provide submissions are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI shall be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued.

1. Description

Space Systems Command (SSC), in support of the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) Sensing DARC Program is seeking information on industry recommendations and best practices for contract, subcontract, and partner management on technical contracts and programs, as we look to create a single ICS contract model that supports tailored work efforts focused on software development; deployment; security; and operations, integration, and lifecycle sustainment.

1. Background
   1. The DARC program is part of a larger effort of moving towards a resilient space enterprise in our nation's Space Domain Awareness (SDA) capabilities able to deter aggression. The DARC Program of Record effort will build and install a pseudo-monostatic ground-based radar system. It will coherently combine the pseudo-monostatic array of steerable parabolic antennas. DARC provides a unique capability that is critical to ensure the USSF and Department of War, (DoW) are able to successfully execute the SDA mission. The complete DARC system will consist of 3 geographically dispersed sites approximately 120 degrees apart for world-wide GEO belt coverage. DARC Sites 2 and 3 are planned to be acquired via the Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) pathway.

1. Requested Information
   1. The Government is interested in receiving information from industry on best practices and recommendations for contract and program management; specifically what concepts and models could best support changes to the performance work statement (PWS), creating a tailored contract structure that maximizes mission and program management performance. This solicitation documentation contains Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Offerors must request permission to receive the CUI documents from the individuals listed below. Offerors must provide a CAGE code associated with a compliant NIST SP 800-171 assessment to receive access to CUI attachments and to be eligible for award. Please email the Government contracting points of contact, Duayne Martinez at duayne.martinez.3.ctr@spaceforce.mil and Victoria Lloyd at victoria.lloyd@spaceforce.mil with the appropriate CAGE code to request a copy of the PWS. The information requested is specific to the two (2) objectives below.

1. 1. Objective #1: Execution, using the attached PWS, provide and recommend no more than one novel model for successfully designing and executing a principal integrator to effectively oversee and manage two (2) distinct lines of effort within the scope of the PWS:
2. Dedicated to the continuation of backlog burndown, security, operations, and integration of DARC software and tools
3. Dedicated to supporting sustainment of operationally accepted and baselined software.
   1. 1. All model concepts and responses for this RFI shall include and specifically address, in maximized detail within the submission format limit, how the integrator would incentivize, cooperate, and team with industry partners (to include as potential subcontractors).
      2. All responses to this RFI must include and specifically address all risks, negative impacts, and potential obstacles to how the integrator would incentivize, cooperate, and team with industry partners (to include as potential subcontractors). These risks, impacts, and obstacles shall identify which factor they are associated with (cost/financial, legal, tradecraft/intellectual property, security, and other similar factors).
      3. All model concepts shall address the Respondees’ preferred contract strategies for: 1) the overall integration contract effort; and 2) contract type between the prime and USG.
   2. Objective #2: Transition, using the attached PWS, provide and recommend notional PWS outlines for both the integration and sustainment of transitioning from ICS to a Contractor Logistics Support (CLS). This plan must clearly delineate the work/tasks to be accomplished at level 1 (on site), and level 2 (depot).
      1. Interim contractor support (ICS) is the maintenance and support of a new weapon system provided by a commercial vendor pending transition to organic support.
      2. Although there is no uniform definition of Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) throughout the DoW, it is broadly defined as contracted weapon system sustainment that occurs over the life of the weapon system.

3.4 All responses to this RFI shall directly and specifically include recommendations for how Integrated Product Support elements associated with the sustainment line of effort will cooperate, complement, and/or integrate with the development line of effort. This includes potentially overlapping areas of interest in sustaining engineering, test, and configuration management.

3.5 All responses to this RFI shall directly identify and specifically address efficiencies (i.e., cost, mission operation, contract performance, program management, etc.) that would be generated and achieved through the recommended approach. Any identified efficiencies shall clearly identify for whom the efficiency is for: the Government, Industry, or both.

3.6 All responses to this RFI shall also directly identify and specifically address all efficiencies (i.e., cost, mission operation, contract performance, program management, etc.) that would be measurably degraded and/or lost through the recommended approach. Any identified degradations or losses shall clearly identify for whom the efficiency is lost: the Government, Industry, or both.

3.7 Any additional suggestions or recommendations on trade-offs among efficiencies, gained or lost, shall be identified and detailed to the maximum extent possible.

3.8 All responses to this RFI shall avoid models that are based on shared resources across lines of effort.

1. 1. Submission Instructions
   2. Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI in the form of a white paper document only. Presentations and non-electronic submissions will not be accepted.
   3. Submissions are due no later than 30 April 2026 at 1200 MDT. All responses shall be submitted to the individuals listed in the contact information portion of this RFI.
   4. Submissions shall include responses to both Objectives 1 and 2, as described above. Submissions that do not address Objectives 1 and 2 will not be reviewed.
   5. Submissions shall not exceed sixteen (16) pages in length, including cover page(s), administrative and contact information, and the substantive response. Please see below for section page limitations.
      1. Section 1 of the white paper shall provide administrative information and shall include the following as a minimum. Section 1 shall not exceed 1 page in length.
         1. Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated points of contact.
         2. Business type (large business, small business, small, disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small, disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, very small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 518210, Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services.
         3. “Small business concern” means a concern, including its affiliates that is independently owned and operated, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on Government contracts, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. A small business concern for the purposes of this procurement is generally defined as a business, including its affiliates, averaging no more than $35 million dollars in annual receipts. Respondees are cautioned, however, that this is a general description only. Additional standards and conditions apply. Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far.
         4. The facility security clearance of the Respondee.
      2. Section 2 of the white paper shall provide a substantive response for the RFI, to include Objective 1, and not to exceed 7 pages.
      3. Section 3 of the white paper shall provide a substantive response for the RFI, to include Objective 2, and not to exceed 7 pages.
   6. Unclassified responses shall be submitted by electronic means through email or file transfer applications on NIPRNet to the addresses provided in the contact information section of this RFI. Unclassified responses shall not be submitted on classified network systems.
   7. All electronic materials provided shall be properly marked IAW Federal and DoD regulations and guidance. Any materials not properly marked will not be reviewed.
   8. Proprietary information, if any, shall be minimized, and shall also be portion marked throughout the response.
   9. If submitting responses by file transfer application, industry members must also provide concurrent unclassified notice of that submission by email to the NIPRNet email addresses provided in the contact information section of this RFI. Notification emails shall include all security information (links, passphrases, pin codes, etc.) needed to access submissions.
   10. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.
   11. Space Systems Command (SSC) support contractors are supporting the Government in this effort. As such, information submitted in response to this source may be released to individuals who work for SSC. Please immediately notify the primary point of contact if your company does not consent to the release of proposal information to these company personnel.

1. Industry Discussions

SSC/SYD 85 representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential Respondees. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of information provided in submissions and does not imply any commitment by the Government to pursue any of the identified recommendations.

1. Contact Information
   1. Questions
      1. Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in written format via e- mail to Mr. Duayne Martinez @ duayne.martinez.3.ctr@spaceforce.mil by 20 April 2026 at 1400 MDT (10 days before due date). Verbal questions will NOT be accepted.
      2. Emails with questions shall reference the RFI number and industry business name in the subject line.
      3. Questions will be answered by posting a collective follow-up response from the Government to this RFI in the same forum as the original posting; as such, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information.
      4. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 20 April 2026 at 1400 MDT (7 days before due date) will be answered.
   2. Submissions
      1. Responses to this RFI shall be submitted as instructed here and in paragraph 4.0 of this RFI.
      2. Submissions are due no later than 30 April 2026 at 1200 MDT.
      3. Email notifications of file transfer submissions shall reference the RFI number and industry business name in the subject line and may be sent to the POCs below.
      4. Acknowledgements for submissions will be provided by SSC/PK; however, if you have not received an acknowledgement for your submission within 24 hours (1 business day), please follow up with the POCs listed below via email and provide a screenshot or forward of the submission (or attempted submission if an error is generated).
         1. Mr. Duayne Martinez (SSC/PK) duayne.martinez.3.ctr@spaceforce.mil
         2. Ms. Victoria Lloyd (SSC/PK) victoria.lloyd@spaceforce.mil

7.0    Summary

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY, to obtain information on industry best practices for contract management. The scope of this effort is intended to focus on the Performance Work Statement (PWS) included with this RFI. This PWS contains Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Potential offerors must request permission to receive CUI documents through this posting. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. The Government has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI shall not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.