SOURCES SOUGHT
58 -- Repeater Site Monitor (RSM) systems
- Notice Date
- 6/17/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334220
— Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, WO-AQM IT Support, Albuquerque Service Center, Pan American Bldg, Suite 200, 101 B Sun Ave NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87109, United States
- ZIP Code
- 87109
- Solicitation Number
- AG-7604-S-11-0082
- Archive Date
- 7/18/2011
- Point of Contact
- Michael DeSouto, Phone: 540-265-5171
- E-Mail Address
-
mdesouto@fs.fed.us
(mdesouto@fs.fed.us)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- FEDBIZOPPS ANNOUNCEMENT SOURCES SOUGHT - REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) As prescribed in FAR 15.209(c), the following provision is inserted: IAW FAR 52.215-3 --Request for Information (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 identifying information on Repeater Site Monitor (RSM) systems that have already been developed or may be modified from other commercial industry solutions to meet the agency requirement as listed below: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, is seeking sources interested in providing the component level hardware for a Repeater Site Monitor (RSM) system. The RSM Program will support the measurement and recording of signal parameters relating to radio repeaters and operating conditions inside the repeater enclosure. The recorded data are periodically retrieved and stored in a central data base that can be accessed through a web-based reporting system. The system is planned for operation in shielded communication shelters, walk-in communication shelters, observational look-out posts, and communication closets. Forest Service personnel with access to the Forest Service Intranet may view a web enabled utility that monitors trend data on operating and environmental parameters and determine if service is warranted at specific sites. Ethernet capability is not available at all intended sites; the RSM device should be capable of communicating through an RS232 serial port as an alternative to the Ethernet port in the event that a serial data modem is required as part of the communications link. REQUIREMENTS Responses to this RFI are to include suggestions on design approaches with regards to the following specifications: I. Continuous and Triggered Measurements a) Several parameters require monitoring regardless of repeater activity. DC battery voltages, AC source voltages, enclosure temperature, and entry door status are parameters that should be checked frequently, although measurements may be binned hourly. b) External voltage dividers or converters may be employed to convert the measured voltage levels into signals compatible with the RSM inputs. For turnkey systems, the voltage dividers should be transparent to the installer; that is, the installer should not have to construct an external circuit to comply with the input voltage limitations of the data logger. c) Parameters associated with repeater activity need only to be measured when a repeater is active. Transmitter RF output power and reflected RF power from the antenna or duplexer should be monitored during transmissions; the push-to-talk signal (PTT) from the transmitter is the trigger for RF power measurements. On the receiver side, the carrier-operated relay (COR) signal from the receiver is the trigger for measuring the relative signal strength indicator (RSSI) output of the receiver. d) Several parameters need to be measured repeatedly when the transmitter is active. Battery voltage is likely to sag during transmissions, and transmitter output power may vary as the power amplifier warms up. During an active PTT interval, maximum and minimum values should be recorded for battery voltage, forward RF power, and reflected RF power. e) A desirable logging feature would be to record how many minutes in each hour have repeater activity. f) Whereas routine data need only be reported daily and will be subject to polling from a server, out-of-tolerance conditions should initiate immediate data broadcasts to the server. Typical alarm conditions are open door, low enclosure temperature (near or below freezing), low battery voltage, or high reflected power. II. Standard and Expanded Versions The standard RSM should be capable of monitoring three repeaters and/or base stations. In addition, it should have inputs for monitoring at least four system voltages, enclosure temperature, and the status of the entry door. This collection of monitored parameters adds up to the following: a) At least 7 digital inputs (door, 3 PTT inputs, 3 COR inputs); b) At least 14 analog inputs (temperature in Fahrenheit, 6 RF power sensor levels, 3 RSSI inputs, 4 system voltage scalars). c) Expansion options should be available for monitor 1-2 additional repeaters. This amounts to 2 digital inputs and 3 analog inputs per repeater/base station. III. Probable specs list a) 16 analog inputs (minimum count), 12 bit resolution or greater, +/- 5V range (minimum), sampling time < 1mS. Analog inputs may be used for monitoring system voltages, temperature, outputs of RF power sensors, fuel level for backup power source. b) RF power monitoring: directional RF watt meters should be capable of monitoring up to 100W of transmitter output power and 10W of reflected power from the antenna or combiner with less than 5% error. Accuracy should be specified for operation between 160-173MHz. The reflected power sensor should be capable of tolerating power levels of 50W for 5 minutes. c) DC voltage monitoring: built-in voltage dividers provide scaling for full-scale voltages of 1) +/- 25V 2) +/- 50V 3) +/- 100V d) 8 digital inputs (minimum count), voltage threshold near 2.0V, ability to withstand 15V inputs. e) Active pull-ups available on PTT and open door sensor inputs. f) Ethernet and serial (RS232) communications options. g) At least 500 kB data memory. h) 12V system operating voltage +4/-2V; 20 mA nominal operating current when not communicating. i) Door Position Sensor: accepts normally-closed switch, such as a magnetic reed switch. j) Environmental Considerations: Hardware will be capable of withstanding temperatures from - -30° to +60° C IV. Preferred mechanical configuration a) 2U chassis for mounting in 19 inch relay rack. Final product may contain multiple 2U chassis. V. Preferred RF connectors a) N female. VI. Preferred connection for power and signals a) Rear panel terminal block. VII. Communications and Database Software a) The data logger must contain communications features that permit downloading data to a database and allows the logging program to be modified remotely. Client software must permit immediate connections to RSM and scheduled data downloads. RESPONSES Responses are to include the following: a) Name of corporate point of contact, telephone number, full mailing address, e-mail address, CAGE Code, NAICS identifier and any other pertinent information. b) Corporate competencies and past performance experience with regard to development and production of government and/or commercial RF sensor monitoring systems. c) Whether your company's interest in the RSM program as a system developer prime contractor, a subcontractor or a vendor of components or services. d) Describe any independent Research and Development programs applicable to Remote Site Monitoring. e) Responses to this RFI are limited to domestic US vendors. f) Companies should present their responses in the form of a whitepaper no more than 25 pages in length describing the information requested in this RFI. Specification sheets and product information may also be provided in addition to the whitepaper. g) Responses shall be in Microsoft WORD h) The format of your response shall be as follows: 1. Font size of Times New Roman 12 or a font of similar size and clarity. 2. 8.5 X 11 paper with 1 inch margins on all sides. 3. While there is no page limit, overly verbose qualification statements are strongly discouraged. i) Companies should submit their response no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on 07/17/11. j) Companies will submit their responses electronically to mdesouto@fs.fed.us, E-mail file sizes shall not exceed 6Mbs. k) Technical questions may be directed to John Bates, via email at jwbates@fs.fed.us. DISCLAIMER This Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire goods or services. Your response to this RFI will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this announcement or the Government use of such information This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this effort. The information provided may be used by the USDA Forest Service in developing its acquisition strategy and Statement of Work/Statement of Objectives and performance specifications. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI. Interested parties capable of providing this item, which meet or exceed the above requirements, shall provide a Statement of Capability (SOC) that demonstrates the existing capability to provide, modify, and sustain the system and a description of system capabilities. A rough order of magnitude (ROM) is requested as part of the RFI and will be used as market research. The SOC shall be unclassified and the information submitted should be pertinent to, and identify system capability as related to the technical effort requested above. A limit of fifty (50) pages is imposed for the responses. Responses should be received by close of business 28 February 2007. Testing will probably determine the most effective system. Please e-mail all Information and SOC to the Contracting Officer, Michael DeSouto, at mdesouto@fs.fed.us. For programmatic questions or technical questions contact John Bates, via email at jwbates@fs.fed.us. This synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to directly pay for any information or responses submitted as the result of this synopsis.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/FS/WOAQMITS/AG-7604-S-11-0082/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 101B Sun Ave, Suite 200, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87109, United States
- Zip Code: 87109
- Zip Code: 87109
- Record
- SN02475622-W 20110619/110617234324-d0ec1581654bb06f78f3b7c048f8d36a (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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