SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Departure (WTMD)
- Notice Date
- 7/3/2008
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Headquarters, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, AJA-46 HQ - FAA Headquarters (Washington, DC)
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- DTFAWA-08-R-00034
- Response Due
- 7/31/2008
- Archive Date
- 8/15/2008
- Point of Contact
- Curtis Fields, 202-385-8649
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The purpose of this Market Survey / Request for Information is to obtain an understanding of the current marketplace, receive information on available technology and innovative approaches that fulfills agency mission needs, and enhance insight into industry capabilities and best practices. Problem Statement: The nation's airports face increased demand for flights at peak travel times during the day. Many of these airports have closely spaced parallel runways (CSPR) with centerlines spaced 2500 feet or less apart. When Boeing 757 (B757) and heavy aircraft (aircraft weighing in excess of 255,000 lbs) are departing, closely spaced runways can not be used independently due to concerns about wake turbulence. Current departure wake turbulence separation standards require that a large or small aircraft hold for two minutes (or three minutes when the runway thresholds have more than 500' relative displacement) after the departure of a B757 or heavy aircraft from a closely spaced parallel runway to avoid encountering the potentially dangerous wake vortices. While this rule has proved safe, Government research has shown that, under certain wind conditions and departure path geometries, wakes from aircraft on one runway can not transport into the departure path of aircraft on the parallel runway (for example, when a crosswind is blowing from an upwind runway towards the runway from which the B757 or heavy aircraft departed). Under these conditions, implementation of departure wake turbulence separation standards is unnecessary, and elimination of the wake turbulence separation delay in such cases could increase departure capacity and reduce departure delays at airports using CSPRs for departure operations.. Elimination of departure delay could result in 2 to 11 more departures per hour at airports where there is a persistent crosswind and a significant number of B757 and/or heavy aircraft operations. Ten major airports (BOS, DTW, IAH, MEM, MIA, EWR, PHL, SEA, SFO, and STL) have been identified with these characteristics. These airports are candidate locations for deployment of a crosswind based air traffic control decision support tool that advises FAA air traffic tower controllers when the 2 or 3 minute wake mitigation departure delay can be safely eliminated. A concept feasibility prototype of such a decision support tool known as the Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Departure (WTMD) was evaluated in a shadow mode at the Lambert - St. Louis International Airport (STL) and the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). It successfully demonstrated that the CSPR crosswinds could be predicted with sufficient certainty to assure safe independent departure operations on the upwind closely spaced parallel runway. Government research confirmed that a WTMD type system would provide safe capacity benefits for departure operations at the other 8 candidate airports as well. The FAA is contemplating the procurement of the WTMD capability in the FY09 or FY10 timeframe. The envisioned WTMD system utilizes a crosswind prediction algorithm to predict significant periods of time when local winds will be favorable for use of the WTMD capability. The Government has developed a crosswind prediction algorithm and site adaptation parameters for each of the 10 candidate airports. The WTMD system will ingest current local surface wind observations from the FAA Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), and airport specific low-level wind forecasts from the National Weather Service Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) model for use by crosswind prediction algorithm. The FAA will transfer WTMD technology used in the concept feasibility prototypes to the successful contractor as Government Furnished Information (GFI) to support the development of a hardened, supportable, FAA system requirements compliant, operational capability. The WTMD concept feasibility prototypes, consisted of approximately 2,500 lines of code. The prototypes provided a demonstration of the WTMD capability but did not include system software and interfaces that would be necessary for a reliable and certifiable WTMD capability in the FAA operational environment. To the greatest extent possible, the WTMD envisioned implementation will use existing FAA processing and display systems already in service in the air traffic control tower (ATCT) environment at the candidate airports. The envisioned system will ingest ASOS and RUC data through existing FAA interfaces. It will utilize a COTS stand-alone processor or integrate WTMD functionality into the processing capabilities of an existing FAA system. The envisioned WTMD system will interface to existing Tower supervisor and local controller displays in the air traffic control tower (ATCT) for display of WTMD information to the users and for input of WTMD system control commands. The envisioned WTMD system will communicate to the ATC supervisor when an opportunity exists to use reduced wake separations for CSPR departure operations. Should the ATC supervisor chose to utilize the WTMD procedures, specific authorization of the WTMD procedure will be provided to each impacted local controller. WTMD system will sound a audible alarm in the air traffic control tower if internal WTMD system monitors detect an abnormal shutdown is required. Air traffic controller training, technician training and WTMD system maintenance tools will be developed. A means to certify the WTMD decision support tool information presented to controllers must also be developed. The FAA plans to conduct a full and open competition for this procurement. The procurement will include operational systems and appropriate spares for the ten candidate airports listed above plus three support systems for training, second level engineering, and testing. The FAA envisions the WTMD development, test, installation, and operational checkout will require 4 years. In addition, a sustaining Software Engineering Environment will be required in order to allow the FAA to perform software maintenance. The contractor will be required to provide any unique software components that will be needed to certify and maintain the system. The envisioned production and installation of the WTMD capability will include vendor deployment support and preparation of site adaptation data. The envisioned maintenance concept includes Interim Contractor Depot Level Support (ICDLS) for two years following the last operational system's Contract Acceptance Inspection (CAI) to be followed by organic FAA maintenance. What the FAA Wants to Know: 1.Industry's level of interest in participating in this procurement as either a prime contractor or subcontractor.2.Industry's capabilities for supporting this procurement.3.Existing and near term technologies that could be applied to this procurement.4.Suggested technical solutions that could be compliant with the NAS Architecture, and FAA Orders, 5.Pros and cons of suggested technical solutions.6.Timeline and rough-order -magnitude estimate for developing, implementing, and supporting the WTMD capability Considerations: The FAA has no preconceived ideas or expectations regarding what solutions will be offered by the vendor community. Innovation is encouraged. However, in today's FAA information technology environment, the following should be considered when offering solutions: Standards and protocols sanctioned by existing FAA NAS Architecture 6.0 FAA Orders, Standards, and Policies Next Steps: Interested vendors must submit a white paper no more 15 pages in length addressing the following areas: A brief overview of the issues associated with implementing and integrating the WTMD capability into the FAA airport infrastructure as anticipated by the vendor A description of the vendor's proposed WTMD solution including the processes, automation and products the vendor will use to develop the WTMD capability and integrate it into the FAA infrastructure An explanation of what capabilities the vendor and its teammates have to implement the proposed solution within the identified Time Line An assessment of risks (both those within the vendor's control and those outside the vendor's control) inherent in the proposed solution Consideration of what performance-based contract measures and metrics are appropriate ROM cost, schedule, and risks associated with any technical solution options. All responses must consider safety provisions, as stated within the FAA publication 'Safety Risk Management Guidance for System Acquisitions' (ATO-S 2006-1, Version 1.4a). This document can be found at the following website:http://fast.faa.gov/toolsets/SafMgmt/indexstart.htm Information obtained from the white paper will be used to support the development of an acquisition strategy for the WTMD capability. Questions concerning the white paper submission should be submitted via email to the Contracting Officer Curtis.Fields@faa.gov no later than noon (ET) July 17, 2008. Although the page limitation is somewhat constraining in nature, it is necessary in order to control the volume of material submitted. All vendors are therefore highly encouraged to be as accurate and insightful as possible in your responses. Excessively elaborate responses containing marketing materials are not desired and may be discarded without review. Some, all, or none of the respondents to the Market Survey / Request for Information may be requested to provide additional information or invited to meet with the Government for additional discussions at the discretion of the Government. No evaluation of vendors will occur and vendor participation in any informational session is not a promise for future business with the FAA. All interested vendors are advised that the FAA will not pay for any information or any administrative costs incurred that are associated with any submission received from industry in response to this Market Survey / Request for Information. Therefore, any costs associated with Market Survey / Request for Information submissions will be solely at the interested party's expense. Submission of proprietary information, although not prohibited, is discouraged. Any proprietary information submitted must be clearly marked. The interested vendors should also complete the attached Business Declaration Form, provided as Attachment A, along with their submission. The Business Declaration Form will not be included in the 15-page white paper limitation. Interested vendors should also redline Attachment B, Program Requirements for WTMD System and return it along with the white paper submission. Public Website: In order to facilitate vendors with particular expertise, the opportunity to interact with other vendors, the FAA will maintain on its public website a list of interested vendors and their capabilities. Vendors interested in being placed on the website should fill out and return Attachment C, Website Release Authorization Form, along with your submission. FAILURE TO NOT BE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATON OR CHOSEN FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS WILL NOT PRECLUDE A VENDOR FROM SUBMITTING A RESPONSE TO A FUTURE SOLICITATION. All submissions are to be received no later than noon (ET) July 31, 2008, by the Contracting Officer either by email to Curtis.Fields @faa.gov or by FedEx at: Federal Aviation Administration600 Independence Ave., SWWashington, DC 20591FOB 10B, Suite 4W150(202) 385-8649.
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