SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Advanced Cargo Parachute Release System
- Notice Date
- 4/7/2009
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U. S. Army Materiel Command, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Natick, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Natick, ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011
- ZIP Code
- 01760-5011
- Solicitation Number
- W911QYAAAABBBB
- Response Due
- 4/20/2009
- Archive Date
- 6/19/2009
- Point of Contact
- Elaine Scarnici, 508-233-4585<br />
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems, US Army Soldier Systems Center, Natick, MA, has a requirement for an Advanced Cargo Parachute Release System (ACPRS) to be used with the upcoming Advanced Low Velocity Airdrop System (ALVADS), meant to conduct airdrop operations at 500-ft above ground level (AGL). The new ACPRS will also eventually replace the current M-1 and M-2 parachute releases used in standard Low Velocity Air Drop (LVAD) so as to provide a more reliable release device which operates equally well under all weather conditions (e.g., wind directions) on the drop zone. The new ACPRS, used with either a single or clustered parachute configuration, shall have the following performance characteristics. 1) Capable of delivering combat loads having suspended weights between 200 pounds through 42,000 pounds. 2) Capable of withstanding the forces typically associated with LVAD operations from military cargo aircraft traveling between 130-150 knots indicated air speed (KIAS). 3) The release shall hold from 1 to 8 cargo parachutes. 4) The release shall be easy and quick for an Army rigger to attach to each of the four (4) payload suspension slings and to each of the parachute risers and shall be equal to or less than the rigging time to attach the M-1 & M-2 releases. 5) The ACPRS shall be designed to allow each parachute to be released separately from the other parachutes and the load. 6) The release shall be capable of releasing the parachute(s) when the platform impacts the ground and release equally, in any direction, in ground wind speeds of 17 knots (threshold) (21 knots (objective)). Please note that, for LVAD operations, the maximum rate of descent at ground impact will not exceed 28.5 ft/sec. 7) The component reliability of the ACPRS shall be at least 0.98 and shall not cause the overall operational reliability of LVAD system to be less than 0.92. 8) The ACPRS shall be capable of operation and storage in climatic categories (hot, basic, cold, and severe cold) as defined in Army Regulation (AR) 70-38. 9) Any proposed pyrotechnic device shall already be certified by the Army for military use in the intended application. 10) Any electrically operated device shall use commercial-off-the-shelf batteries and have a built in test circuit to show that the battery is operable and the electrical circuit is ready to fire. 11) Emphasis on durable lightweight materials and low/simplified maintenance is highly desired. A Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued and offerors proposals will be evaluated to determine the items ability to meet the above requirements. An IDIQ contract is planned for this requirement. This effort will consist of a base period for at least two (2) vendors which shall include a Design Validation (DV) phase with options for Developmental (DT), Operational Testing (OT) and a Production Delivery Order. Proposals will undergo an initial evaluation to determine the ability of the offerors proposed system to meet the ACPRS requirements. At the conclusion of the initial evaluation, a competitive range will be established and offerors of proposals which fall within the competitive range will be invited to participate in oral presentation and display hardware of their proposed system. A down select to at least two (2) offerors will be conducted based on results from the offerors initial proposal evaluation, oral presentation and display, and the offerors Final Proposal Revision (FPR) for a competitive DV phase. One vendor will be chosen at conclusion of the competitive DV phase to continue on to DT, OT and possible Production phase based on how well the proposed system meets program requirements and availability of funding. The Base Efforts DV option will include CLINs for ACPRS hardware, engineering, rigging, and technical support for each respective test effort. The Base Effort will require at least eight (8) ACPRSs systems. Test items will undergo evaluation for fit, form and function, and will also be subjected to airdrop testing. The Government may exercise Option 1 upon successful completion of the Base Effort. Option 1 will require the delivery of at least twelve (12) ACPRSs as well as documentation and technical publications. These systems will be subjected to DT to determine if they satisfy all the performance requirements identified in the CPD. Option 2 is to deliver at least twelve (12) production representative ACPRSs. These items will be subjected to OT to determine if they satisfy all the ACPRS operational effectiveness and suitability requirements. Option 2 will also include the requirement for the delivery of a Technical Data Package (TDP) (to include complete drawings, lists, and detailed specifications). Upon completion of OT, an Initial Production Option 3 may be issued to meet the fielding requirements of the ACPRSs with the exact quantity dependent on availability of funding. This acquisition will be set aside for small business. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541330. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code is 8711 and the Small Business Size Standard is 500 employees. The RFP will be posted to the Natick Contracting Divisions web site located at https://www3.natick.army.mil/, under Business Opportunities on/about May 2009. NO hardcopies will be mailed. Telephone calls will not be accepted. Questions may be sent to Roberta.f.Boswell, Contracting Officer, via e-mail at Roberta.F.Boswell@us.army.mil. Firms will not be reimbursed for any cost associated with proposal preparation.
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=fb4c194b62a099715f466346261d1761&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Place of Performance
- Address: RDECOM Acquisition Center - Natick ATTN: CCRD-NA-SU, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street Natick MA<br />
- Zip Code: 01760-5011<br />
- Zip Code: 01760-5011<br />
- Record
- SN01787231-W 20090409/090407215431-fb4c194b62a099715f466346261d1761 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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