SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Request for Information (RFI) - A Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System (LMAMS)
- Notice Date
- 2/5/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- AMCOM Contracting Center - Missile (AMCOM-CC), ATTN: AMSAM-AC, Building 5303, Martin Road, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5280
- ZIP Code
- 35898-5280
- Solicitation Number
- W31P4Q-10-R-0692
- Response Due
- 3/5/2010
- Archive Date
- 5/4/2010
- Point of Contact
- Ruth A. Woodham, 256-876-3149
- E-Mail Address
-
AMCOM Contracting Center - Missile (AMCOM-CC)
(ruth.a.woodham@us.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request for Information (RFI) A Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System (LMAMS) Pursuant to FAR 15.201, this notice is being issued as a Research and Development Request for Information (RFI) Sought. The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), Redstone Arsenal, AL, on behalf of the U.S. Army, desires to obtain US domestic sources of information to serve as a market survey to aid in programmatic planning for advanced technology development and demonstration for a Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System (LMAMS) material solution. The Government does not presently intend to award a contract, but desires information on capability, technology maturity and risk, price, innovative methodologies and other information to be used in LMAMS strategy formulation. 1. Subject: The LMAMS is designed to provide a soldier carried, soldier ground launched Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) loitering precision guided system organic at the small unit level that allows unprecedented engagement of enemy combatants without exposing the Warfighter to direct enemy fires. 2. Description: As a result of issuing this RFI, the Government expects to receive technical data describing the proposed concept and innovative methodology information to assist in the following programmatic planning: (1) Determine the ability of current and near term emerging technology to support an LMAMS, (2) Identify feasible system concept alternatives that meet the objectives stated in Paragraph 3, below, (3) Determine the approximate cost information for each alternative, and (4) Determine the estimated performance characteristics associated with each alternative. Interested and capable sources are asked to submit a white paper containing a description of the above areas of interest. Submissions should focus on information concerning available, emerging, or required LMAMS technologies, for which proof-of-concept has been demonstrated at least at the subsystem/component level, and for which an implementation roadmap for a form-factored system solution has been identified and is clearly communicated. The white paper responses shall be written from a system solution perspective showing how the technologies identified above would be integrated into a LMAMS materiel solution, tested, and qualified for military application in a typical military operating environment. 3. Capabilities: This capabilities section enumerates the high-level functional capabilities for LMAMS. The contemplated LMAMS would provide the ground combatant Soldier a NLOS day/night capable precision guided system with the ability to effectively engage and retarget personnel/non-standard vehicle targets. LMAMS will provide increased lethality by quickly locating, tracking, and engaging time sensitive, fleeting targets, or enemy in defilade without operator exposure to threat precision small arms fire. A LMAMS system shall consist of 1 each Ground Control Station (GCS) (includes data link, associated cables and equipment, and mission planning functions), and 2 each Munitions (includes airframe, integrated electro-optic & infrared sensors, warhead, data link, and launcher (if required)). The LMAMS GCS shall be day/night readable, providing the user real time video from the munition. The GCS shall provide the operator the ability to conduct the following: autonomously control the munition in flight, manually control the munition in flight, select predetermined targets using geo location reference, visually select and identify targets of opportunity, loiter, abort, abort and redirect, arm/disarm, and manually command warhead detonation. Three distinct mission phases are mission planning, fly out, and terminal engagement. For mission planning purposes, targeting information provided to the operator may consist of headings, geo location reference, or landmark information provided by direct observation from the operator, other observers, or by sensors and networks separate from LMAMS. The operator will use this information to perform mission planning with the GCS to autonomously fly to the area of interest or to decide to manually fly LMAMS to the area of interest. For the fly out, the LMAMS must be able to be launched quickly by a single operator, and fly an assigned route or path to a target area. The LMAMS will be capable of loitering. In the terminal engagement phase, the LMAMS will have the ability to automatically track a target designated by the operator in the terminal phase or allow the operator to manually control the system as needed to focus on a specific area or point of interest. The system must have lethal effects against personnel in the open and personnel in moving soft-skinned vehicles (sedan, pick-up truck) while minimizing collateral damage. LMAMS must have the ability to automatically track a target designated by the operator in the terminal phase of an engagement with no further operator input in a cluttered environment or within restricted terrain. The operator shall have the ability to abort and or redirect the flight path prior to impact. The launcher (if required), munition, sensor, and warhead combined weights shall be less than or equal to 5.5 lbs and a length of less than or equal to 22 inches. LMAMS shall have a flight endurance of greater than 5 minutes and a range of greater than 3 km. The munition shall have a power source capable of meeting the endurance and range requirements above with a shelf life of at least six months. The purpose of this RFI is to gather information about those high-level capabilities discussed above. To the extent simplifying assumptions are needed, respondents are encouraged to make and document such assumptions in their responses. 4. Responses: To assist in assessing current and future products and technologies capable of achieving the LMAMS requirements and developing a future path for LMAMS, the Government is requesting information from industry. Interested parties should submit white papers not to exceed 15 pages, with one inch margins, and no smaller than 10 12 pt Times New Roman or Courier New font in Microsoft Word format. Responses shall include one concept per submittal, but multiple submittals are permitted. The Government requests that the respondents deliver five hard copies and one electronic soft copy on CD or DVD to the POC in Microsoft Word or PDF format within 28 days of RFI release, or No Later Than (NLT) 5 March 2010. All submissions should include RFI Solicitation Number W31P4Q-10-R-0692 and company CAGE code and DUNS number. RFI responses are to be received NLT 1500 hours (CST), March 5, 2010. All information must be in writing. Responses to this request for information may NOT be submitted via facsimile or by electronic means such as e-mail; any so sent will be disregarded. Acknowledgement of receipt will be issued if request for return receipt is included with the response. All information submitted will be adequately safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with FAR Part 15.207. All submissions must be clearly marked with the following caption: Releasable to Government Agencies for Evaluation Purposes Only. The Government reserves the right to request further clarification to enhance the Governments understanding of the respondents submittal. White papers that fail to comply with the above instructions, or present ideas not pertinent to subject, may not be reviewed. This is part of a technology survey to assist in the planning of possible future programs and is for information purposes only. Informal or white paper responses are encouraged. The white paper should include the following: (1) A brief description a conceptual alternative for the LMAMS, including major subsystems and associated components, (2) An overall feasibility assessment of the alternative and how it meets the objectives stated in Paragraph 3, above. Include a high-level risk assessment for the alternative that articulates the respondents understanding of associated risks, and an estimate of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of major subsystems, components, and the system as a whole, (3) A discussion of potential Concept of Operations (CONOPS) resulting from implementation of the LMAMS concept, (4) A candidate high-level implementation roadmap that includes transition points, (5) LMAMS cost drivers and cost tradeoffs and a preliminary cost estimate for each of the alternatives to include: (a) development costs, (b) integration cost and (c) cost per system for quantities of 500, 2000, and 20,000 LMAMS systems. A LMAMS system is defined as 1 each GCS and 2 each Munitions in paragraph 3, above. The system cost estimate should be broken down separately for the GCS and munitions, (6) An estimate of system production lead times and delivery schedules for the quantities listed above, including an estimate of lead times for anticipated long lead items, (7) A brief description of any projects that the respondents company is or has been involved in that are similar in concept to what is described in this RFI, including any relevant lessons learned, and (8) Any additional materials that are deemed appropriate by the respondent. RFI RESPONSES WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM UNITED STATES COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ONLY. FOREIGN PARTICIPATION IS NOT AUTHORIZED DURING THIS EFFORT, US CITIZENS ONLY. As a condition of responding to this RFI, it is a requirement that potential responders be a US based company that employs US citizens that can work on this effort. Please annotate current CAGE code or DUNS number for your company on your submittal. 5. Disclaimer: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR SOLICITATION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES (OCT 1997): (a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, (b) Although 'proposal' and 'offeror' are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal, (c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of assisting in developing a programmatic strategy for the LMAMS. 6. Point of Contact (POC) Information for this RFI: For further information, please contact the Government Contracting Office POC via e-mail, Ruth A. Woodham, contract specialist, ruth.a.woodham@us.army.mil; Requests for additional information will not be honored. This is part of a technology survey to assist in the planning of possible future programs and is for information purposes only. Informal or white paper responses are encouraged. This notice does not constitute an Invitation for Bids or a Request for Proposal, and it is not a commitment by the U.S. Army to procure products or services. The GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED. However, respondents to this Request for Information will not be excluded from consideration for separate contract services ancillary to this demonstration program or for contract participation in any potential follow-on hardware development activity. No award is intended as a result of this RFI. Information submitted in response to this RFI is submitted at no cost to the Government and will not be returned.
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FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/711518492bcb26b863ad4eee787491f0)
- Place of Performance
- Address: AMCOM Contracting Center - Missile (AMCOM-CC) ATTN: AMSAM-AC, Building 5303, Martin Road Redstone Arsenal AL
- Zip Code: 35898-5280
- Zip Code: 35898-5280
- Record
- SN02059143-W 20100207/100205235041-711518492bcb26b863ad4eee787491f0 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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