SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Sources Sought Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon Concepts
- Notice Date
- 7/21/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Contracting Office
- RDECOM Acquisition Center - Adelphi, ATTN: AMSSB-ACA, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197
- ZIP Code
- 20783-1197
- Solicitation Number
- W911QX-05-SS-7000
- Response Due
- 8/19/2005
- Archive Date
- 10/18/2005
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This notice is for informational purposes only. The U.S. Department of the Army, Research, Development, Engineering Command (RDECOM), is conducting market research and seeking sources in the area of Research and Development of Radio Frequency Directe d Energy Weapon Concepts. Generally, the Governments needs include contracted efforts in the following fields of discipline: Protection from Electromagnetic (EM) Environments; Testing and Evaluation of EM Hardened Systems; Transportable Nuclear Reactors; Photon Quasi-pencil Beams; Dose Rate Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Electronic Systems; Photovoltaic Power Sources; Nuclear Batteries; Small Engine Power Sources; and, Capacitor Technology and Power Electronics all of which are founded on the following b ackground information: Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) Concepts - The Directed Energy and Power Generation Division (DEPGD) of the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has been tasked by the Armys Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) to investigate the feasibility of developing Radio RF DEW concepts for Army applications, such as counter mine/booby trap, counter munitions, vehicle/area self-protect and air defense. ARL is also responsible for researching, designing and developing the technology nece ssary to build concept demonstrators and helping RDECOM evaluate their effectiveness. To investigate the feasibility of an RF DEW concept, it is necessary to first determine the RF field strength and/or power density that must be incident on a target system to produce electronic upset and/or damage sufficient for a functional kill (i.e., ta rget effects/susceptibility level). These target susceptibility levels are then combined with the users desired target engagement range to develop power/energy and system requirements for RF DEW concepts. Based on these requirements, a survey of RF source technology (i.e. transmitters, antenna, power supplies, etc) is conducted to determine if the current technology meets the requirements or whether gaps exist that must be addressed. If possible, breadboard systems are developed to show proof of principle and to provide the basis for RDECS to further develop and transition to program managers (PMs). Finally ARL helps the RDECs/PM evaluate the effectiveness of the concept by conducting both analytical and experimental investigations as needed. More specifically, the Governments needs are amplified to include: Protection from Electromagnetic (EM) environments - Command, Control, and Communications (C3) systems and associated facilities are subjected to a broad array of intense, natural and threat related EM environments including the High-Altitude Electromagneti c Pulse (HEMP), lightning, and other RF directed energy waveforms. ARL is responsible for providing guidance to the organizations responsible for achieving and maintaining sufficient protection of C3 systems and facilities from these EM threats. Test and Evaluation of EM hardened Systems - Involves hardening of assets to a wide range of EM environments world-wide. This support requires that EM hardening components, subsystems, and systems be evaluated and tested in both laboratory and field envir onments. Additional support includes modifying existing hardening devices and developing and fabricating new hardening devises as needed. Transportable Nuclear Reactor - A small light-weight transportable deployable nuclear reactor can be a very efficient source of electrical power for the U.S. Army. A nuclear reactor could have many logistical advantages in both tactical and/or strategic si tuations. Photon Quasi-pencil Beams - In flight of annihilation of relativistic positrons have been employed for years by nuclear physicists to produce extremely high frequency photonic pencil beams otherwise known as gamma ray pencil beams. The very high frequency annihilation results from the relativistic coordinate change from the center of mass to the Laboratory coordinate system. These Highly Penetrating, High-Energy, quasi-mono-energetic (10 MeV, 1021 Hz) photon quasi-pencil beams can be employed for detection of ordnance, explosive waste, NBC agents and narcotics. 10 MeV Photons easily travel much further than low energy gammas and easily penetrate metallic (Faraday cage) canisters. Relativistic positrons are easily produced in electron linear accelerators by changing the phase by 180 degrees. Large electric fields inside of shielded enclosures can be generated by gamma radiation induced Compton currents. This phenomenon has been defined as internal electromagnetic pulse (IEMP). The results of a concept study to generate a highly-directed, mono -energetic gamma burst from the in-flight annihilation of a relativistic positron source will be available. The in flight annihilation of a relativistic positron source generates a quasi-pencil beam of high energy photons. A photon energy (gamma ray) of 10 MeV has propagation characteristics in air, that will enable long standoff ranges (greater than 500m) for line-of-sight neutralization applications for the Army. The long propagation distances of high energy gamma pencil beams and the vulnerability of modern off the shelf electronics to IEMP is to be investigated and exploited. Dose Rate Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Electronic Systems - Experimental data and theoretical calculations indicate that a small amount of total dose of pulsed ionizing radiation delivered in a short pulse is much more cost effective in disrupting an e lectronic system than a large dose delivered in the form of a long temporal pulse. Compton current is proportional to the dose rate. The electric field of IEMP is proportional to the second derivative of the total dose (V=L*dI/dt). Photovoltaic (PV) Power Sources - Involves using alternative energy sources in soldier applications. To this end, PV battery materials and battery charging systems are expected to support the future warrior. Nuclear Batteries - The energy density of nuclear materials exceeds that of chemical materials by 6 orders of magnitude. The potential use for long-lived sensor applications makes research into nuclear power sources, and materials for direct energy conver sion (DEC) a practical area of investigation. Small Engine Power Sources - Involves using small engines for soldier power applications. The efficiency and power output levels are essential characteristics that must be optimized. Capacitor Technology and Power Electronics -. The research includes development of experimental system design, experimental set-up, operation, and the evaluation and analysis of dielectric materials, capacitors, and pulse-forming networks along with devel opment of improved capacitors and pulse-forming networks for pulse power applications. This is a market survey/sources sought synopsis published for information only and shall not be construed as a request for competitive proposals or as an obligation on the part of the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government may proceed with a solicitation on the basis of this market survey/sources sought synopsis but under no circumstance will the U.S. Government otherwise pay for information solicited hereunder. Any Contract(s) awarded for these efforts will require the contractors personnel to have and main tain security clearance at the Secret Level. Interested parties need to submit a written, detailed capabilities statement describing specific qualifications of personnel, proof of security clearances and demonstrated experience in performing any part (o r all) of the Governments needs in order for the Government to assess the type of set-aside (if any) under which the resultant solicitation will be issued. NOTE: The Government does not expect a full-blown technical proposal in response to this announce ment. However, in addition to the detailed capabilities statement, interested parties need to identify and certify to their business size based on NAICS code 541710, with a business size standard of 500 employees. The Government is considering all manner of set-asides up to and including full and open competition for this future requirement. The order of set-aside precede nce to determine if set-aside procedures will be used in announcing this future requirement will be based on the Governments expectation of at least two (2) responsive proposals in the following categories: 1. 8(a) Program: Competitive 8(a) Set-Aside (FAR 19.800(e)) 2. Competitive HUBZone Set-aside (FAR 19.1305(a)) 3. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.1405(a)) 4. Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.502-2) 5. Partial Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.502-3)) 6. Full and Open Competition (FAR 6.1) Responses to this sources sought synopsis shall be sent in writing to the attention of Ms. Joyce McDonald, AMSRD-ACC-AC, by e-mail or fax no later than 11:59 pm on 19 August 2005. All respondees will receive a copy of any resultant solicitation issued by t he Government for this requirement.
- Place of Performance
- Address: RDECOM Acquisition Center - Adelphi ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-AC, 2800 Powder Mill Road Adelphi MD
- Zip Code: 20783-1197
- Country: US
- Zip Code: 20783-1197
- Record
- SN00852012-W 20050723/050721212241 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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