SOURCES SOUGHT
19 -- RFI for the Future Generation Submarine Thin Line Towed Array
- Notice Date
- 1/12/2009
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- N00024 NAVAL SEA SYSTEMS COMMAND, DC 1333 Isaac Hull Avenue S.E. Washington Navy Yard, DC
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- N0002409N6224
- Response Due
- 2/10/2009
- Archive Date
- 2/25/2009
- Point of Contact
- Phil Paquin202-781-1164philip.paquin@navy.mil<br />
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/MARKET SURVEY for the Future Generation Thin Line Towed Array for Submarine employment that will continue to provide the equivalent acoustic performance of the legacy, TB-29A, array with significantly improved reliability performance. PURPOSE: The Navy is interested in soliciting industry for concepts and proposed plans of action to address the Submarine Fleet's requirement for a highly reliable Thin Line towed array. The Navy is considering the award of up to 3 competitive contract awards for prototype systems to support a production procurement decision in Fiscal Year 2010. BACKGROUND: The Future Generation Thin Line Towed Array (FG-TLTA) is anticipated to be the replacement for the legacy TB-29A and TB-23 Thin Line towed arrays. It will serve as the primary passive sensor for the AN/BQQ-10(V) sonar system. This capability is needed for submarine platforms including all SSN688 (Los Angeles), SSN21 (Seawolf), SSN774 (Virginia), and SSGN classes. Since the deployment of the TB-29A array to the fleet in 2002, through Navy and Industry investments, the technology to field an affordable Thin Line array with the opportunity for better reliability performance has dramatically matured. The Navy is interested in industry's approach for implementing these new technologies in the submarine Thin Line Towed Array application to assure fleet mission requirements are met over a sustained period of time. The FG-TLTA hardware delivered at the completion of any contract award may be used by the Navy in a competition against other FG-TLTA concepts. The Navy may award a contract for production if it determines that production is warranted. If more than one vendor's FG-TLTA meets the requirements and supports the production schedule, the Government may either conduct a limited competition or award limited production quantities to multiple vendors. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: These general, unclassified system requirements are applicable: COST: Life Cycle Costs of the FG-TLTA will be required to meet the constraints of the existing Program of Record for development, procurement, and sustainment of legacy Thin Line towed arrays. The Navy is interested in innovative concepts associated with the FG-TLTA which will lower life cycle costs. The Navy will evaluate key attributes of (1) tradeoffs between performance and reliability with cost as an independent variable (2) development costs including a technology readiness assessment, (3) procurement costs including non-developmental items and overall production readiness, and (4) support costs including the extent the FG-TLTA concept will leverage the Navy existing support infrastructure or alternatives which may result in cost savings. Additionally, the cost impact of ship integration will be evaluated including changes such as AN/BQQ-10(V) software and hardware updates, and handling system impacts. SCHEDULE:. The Navy is interested in fielding a FG-TLTA system within 18 months of any contract award. This initial system must be delivered to the Navy within 15 months to allow time for array self noise (acoustic performance) and reliability testing prior to a ship installation. As such, the proposed technology must be at a readiness level which supports immediate transition to a production environment (see http://www.cttso.gov/techtrans/TRLDefinitions.pdf for guidance on assessing technology readiness) To mitigate any schedule risk, the Navy will consider options to field a partial capability, within 18 months, while design certification and final development supporting a full system is executed in parallel. To support production requirements, the proposed FG-TLTA concept must be capable of a 12 month or less lead time. To evaluate this attribute, the Navy will consider the vendor's approach to production planning including material lead time, personnel, facilities,! and the use of matured subsystems, work processes and components. PERFORMANCE: The FG-TLTA (including the towed array, towcable, and any additional outboard signal path components) will be required to perform in the operational conditions associated with all Submarine classes. Specific key requirement are as follows: A)Operating Conditions - Pressure: The FG-TLTA will be required to operate over the same operational depths of the submarine. B)Operating Conditions - Vibration: In addition to the MIL-STD-167A shipboard and transportation vibration requirements, the FG-TLTA will be required to operate and survive vibrations associated with towing conditions during SSN high speed maneuvers. Recent testing with an Instrumented Thin Line array measured vibrations during ship maneuvers up to 1000 times greater than straight line towing. These levels and a summary of this testing are available in NUWC-NPT Technical Report 11,772, which is being converted into a specification for future procurements. C)Operating Conditions - Temperature: The FG-TLTA will be required to survive in extreme weather conditions and rapid changes in temperature. Stowage, or non-operational, temperatures range from -40o C to as high as +60 o C. Temperatures during operating conditions range from -2oC to 40oC. In addition, the FG-TLTA must survive rapid change in temperature such as changes associated with submergence in extremely cold and warm environments. D)Interface - Handling System: The FG-TLTA will interface physically, mechanically, electrically and/or optically with the OA-9070 series (SSN688/Virginia Classes), OK-634 (Seawolf Class), and OK-542 (SSGN) towed array handling systems. The deployment, streaming, retrieval, and stowage conditions imposed by the handling system are summarized as follows:.Tension during deployment and retrieval - Up to 550 lbs while subjected to an 18 inch bend radius..Over the life of the FG-TLTA it will be subjected to 500 deployment/retrieval cycles on the dual capstan handling system and stowed under tensions of 220 lbs. A summary of all forces imparted by the handling system can be found in NUWC-NPT TM 972142D.E)Interface - Host Sonar System: The FG-TLTA is required to have an output signal in a data format compatible with the existing AN/BQQ-10(V) sonar system. The NAVSEA Common-Spec-01 Rev. E, 1 April 2003, "Common Specification for Submarine Sonar, Combat Control, and Architecture Sub-Systems" can be used as guidance to determine AN/BQQ-10(V) compatibility requirements. Note that the NAVY anticipates minimal changes to the host sonar system software and hardware may be required to support impacts due to new performance monitoring/fault localization characteristics, impacts due to non-acoustic sensor locations, or interface hardware. Any required hardware changes are expected to be within the scope to the AN/BQQ-10(V) modernization, (i.e. no additional FG-TLTA-specific SHIPALTs are anticipated). F)Performance - Reliability: Reliability performance is required to be significantly improved over TB-29A performance. If a solicitation were to be issued for a Future Generation Thin Line Towed Array, the evaluation may consist of the following: For the concepts phase, a side- by-side comparison with the TB-29A array may be performed to evaluate the potential reliability improvement. The proposed FG-TLTA design may be evaluated for (1) how well the known failure modes of the TB-29A are mitigated and for (2) the introduction of any new failure modes. A summary of the failure modes associated with legacy thin line towed arrays can be found in the "TOWED SYSTEMS Reliability Performance" briefing dated 20 March 2008. In addition, prototype testing may be performed to support an initial assessment of reliability performance. This would include Mechanical Endurance testing and environmental testing where the FG-TLTA hardware including any new or modified outboard signal p! ath components will be subjected to forces associated with the full submarine operating environment. This may include the following:.At least 500 deployment and retrieval cycles on a land-based Towed Array handling system.Tension cycles simulating flank SSN speed towing.Pressure cycles associated with the submarine operational depth envelope.Temperature cycles associated with submarine operational and stowage environment per paragraph C above.Vibrations associated with transportation, straight-line towing, and ship maneuvers per paragraph B above G)Performance - Acoustic Self-Noise: The acoustic performance of the FG-TLTA shall be equivalent to the TB-29A performance requirement. Specifically, this performance is documented in SHIPS-T-5974A Rev C. Lower level requirements such as channel-to-channel gain and phase, crosstalk, electronic noise floor, etc are expected to support the array's compliant acoustic self-noise performance. Acoustic performance will be evaluated prior to initial ship installation. H)Performance - Non-acoustic sensors: The non-acoustic sensors employed by the FG-TLTA are required to enable the bearing accuracy equivalent to the TB-29A-AN/BQQ-10(V) system. This function is supported by the TB-29A array with heading and depth sensor spaced across the array in 6 locations. The Navy is interested in innovative approaches to reduce the procurement and support costs and improve the reliability of these sensors while maintaining the host sonar system's bearing accuracy performance. DATA LIBRARY: The Government will provide a classified electronic library (e.g. CDs) for responder accessibility to the data/documents identified herein for those responders cleared to receive the level of classified data. In addition the documents will be made available at or near the Program Office in the Washington Navy Yard. Respondents may submit a request for classified information up to the Secret level to: Naval Sea Systems Command Attn: Doug Wright, Code PMS401, 614 Sicard Street SE, Washington Navy Yard DC 20376-8840, phone 202-781-4098, e-mail doug.a.wright@navy.mil. Requests shall specifically include Respondents Name, Address and Zip Code, Cage Code and Cognizant Security Office (Name Address and Zip Code ) as well as the actual performance location including: Address and Zip Code, Cage Code and Cognizant Security Office, Address and Zip Code. Classified documents will be forwarded only after Government approval of a DD 254. Access to classified information shall only be for the duration of the RFI including Government evaluation of the RFI responses. RESPONSES: Vendors may submit responses in hard copy or electronic format. The page limit for responses is 20 pages. Responses must include: A)Industry Point of Contact (POC) for technical and contractual issues to include name, position, telephone number, and e-mail address.B)Complete System DescriptionC)Overall capabilities of the system as compared against the above requirements including rationale for maintaining equivalent acoustic performance and significantly improved reliability relative to TB-29A.D)Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the system with justificationE)Additional detailed information regarding the system capabilities/performance (prior testing, test reports, etc.).F)Description of sustainment concepts include required logistics, training, and maintenance requirements of the system.G)Estimated unit system costs in quantities of 2, 5, 10, and 15. SUMMARY: Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) will manage this survey. Contractors may respond to this RFI within 30 days of this notice: Naval Sea Systems Command Attn: Philip Paquin, Code PMS4011A, 614 Sicard Street SE, Washington Navy Yard DC 20376. Electronic responses may be sent to Philip.paquin@navy.mil (unclassified) or William.welty@navy.mil (classified). The Government may elect to conduct one-on-one discussions with industry based on its analysis of the RFI responses, the quality of submission, and the level and specification of the information provided. The Government is under no obligation to conduct these sessions. The Government does not commit to providing a response to any comment or questions. The Government will use the information provided in response to this RFI to support urgent, on-going, initiatives within the Navy to analyze emerging requirements for systems that can improve the overall effectiveness of the submarine fleet. Any revision to this RFI based on comments received remains solely at the Government's discretion. These initiatives may ultimately result in the Government developing and issuing a RFP for respondents. NAVSEA provides the above information for information only. This is not a Request for Proposal or announcement of a solicitation. This Request for Information does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue an RFP, contract or order. The Government will not pay for any effort expended or any material provided in response to this announcement, nor will the Government return any data provided. No basis for claim against the Government shall arise as a result of this Request for Information notice or Government use of any information provided.
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=9cf46265e88536d63356a6c815de85ce&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Record
- SN01730915-W 20090114/090112215512-9cf46265e88536d63356a6c815de85ce (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |