SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- CONDUCT A DEMONSTRATION AND VALIDATION OF ACTIVE NOICE REDUCTION AND SPATIAL COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES
- Notice Date
- 11/26/2002
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- ESC/AWK, 3 Eglin Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2115
- ZIP Code
- 01731-2115
- Solicitation Number
- ESCAWK-03-R-0001
- Archive Date
- 6/11/2003
- Point of Contact
- Lt. Salvatore Saraceno, Contracts Manager, 781-377-6859
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Click Here to E-mail the POC
(salvatore.saraceno@hanscom.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND INTEREST FROM COMMERCIAL VENDORS OF ACTIVE NOISE REDUCTION (ANR) HEADSETS. The Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) System Program Office (SPO) is partnering with the 552nd Air Control Wing (ACW) and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to conduct a demonstration and validation (Dem Val) of ANR and spatial communications technologies. The objectives of this project include the evaluation of requirements and potential solutions for improving noise protection measures associated with the air and ground operations of the E-3B/C (Boeing 707) AWACS aircraft. An important element is the actual trial operational use of candidate ANR headsets during AWACS missions of extended duration, i.e., longer than eight hours. This announcement requests responses from interested vendors who are willing to loan, at no cost to the Government, four identical candidate (i.e., meeting all of the minimum technical criteria below) headsets, for the purpose of comparative operator evaluations in controlled airborne and ground test environments. Evaluations are scheduled to be conducted by AFRL human engineering experts during the week of 13 January, 2003 at Tinker AFB, OK. At the end of the evaluation period all headsets will be returned to their owners in their original condition within 30 calendar days of completion of the last trial. The Government will enter into a Bailment Agreement with each contractor providing headsets for evaluation. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. IT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, SOLICITATION, OR AN INDICATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL NECESSARILY CONTRACT FOR ARTICLES AS A RESULT OF THE EVALUATION. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PAY FOR INFORMATION RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. The overall objective of the planned operator trials is to help the 552nd ACW determine the best available and most affordable solutions for improving hearing protection of AWACS aircrews and ground crews, who are routinely exposed to high levels of noise. During these operational evaluations extra attention will be paid to human factors considerations, such as comfort, fit, and ease of use, especially during missions of long duration (over eight hours). The operational noise environments for both air and ground crews have been thoroughly sampled and analyzed by audio specialists from AFRL, and noise protection improvements have been determined to be possible through a combination of active and passive means. This validates work performed at the request of the Air Mobility Battlelab (AMB) in a 2001 comprehensive market survey and assessment of active noise reduction headsets commercially available off the shelf. The survey, conducted by AMB's contractor, Concurrent Technologies Corporation, resulted in a November 2001 report verifying the value of ANR to protect against noise in the low-frequency range of 20 to 500 dB. AMB's effort culminated in a briefing to and endorsement by the Air Force Requirements Oversight Council (AFROC) and their recommendation that all commands consider acquiring ANR headset capability. This RFI leverages off the work done in the AMB effort and delineates the following technical requirements that each candidate headset must meet in order to qualify as a candidate for AWACS evaluation: 1) Plug-and-play capable, that is, compatible with or adaptable to E-3 aircraft interphone system (U-174 plug), including low-impedance microphone; 2) Meet or exceed E-3 electromagnetic/radio frequency interference requirements; 3) Capable of achieving a minimum of 15dB active noise attenuation (below 500 Hz) for air operations and 25dB total (active and passive) attenuation for ground operations; 4) Weigh no more than 16oz with battery(ies) for airborne evaluations and 24oz with battery(ies) for flight line evaluations; 5) Powered by 9v or AA battery(ies) with potential growth for conversion to internal aircraft power; and 6) (desired) Two-channel capable and usable in 3-D audio testing (smooth frequency response between 60 Hz and 15,000 Hz desired; matched polarity in L-R speakers desired; and volume balanced within 1 dB desired across the headset); Interested parties who have products that meet the above criteria should provide up-to-date product description, technical information, and primary contact information not later than 11 Dec 2002. All RFI submissions shall be faxed or electronically sent to: Lt Sal Saraceno, Contracts Manager, Salvatore.Saraceno@hanscom.af.mil, FAX# (781) 377-5705, or Capt Demetrius Green, Contracting Officer, Demetrius.Green@hanscom.af.mil. This RFI is available on the Federal Business Opportunity Page at http://www.fedbizopps.gov or the HERBB Page at http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil. All respondents are requested to indicate if they are a US company, large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a) concern, or women-owned small business. Please indicate if you are a U.S.- or foreign-owned company. In addition, please indicate whether your equipment and services are offered through the GSA schedule or any other government-wide agency contract. The Government will evaluate all responses objectively. However, in the event the number of qualifying headsets offered in response to this RFI goes beyond the planned scope of the Government's project, the Government will down select candidates using results and recommendations from AMB's after-initiative report as a guide. The Government will notify vendors selected for participation by 20 December 2002.
- Web Link
-
ESC Business Opportunities Web Page
(http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil)
- Place of Performance
- Address: N/A
- Zip Code: N/A
- Country: N/A
- Zip Code: N/A
- Record
- SN00211504-W 20021128/021126213311 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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