SOURCES SOUGHT
15 -- MODULAR COMPACT AEROSTAT AND PAYLOAD DEPLOYMENT UNITS
- Notice Date
- 12/6/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 336413
— Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- ACC-APG SCRT - Aberdeen, ATTN: AMSSB-ACC-A, 4118 Susquehanna Avenue, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-3013
- ZIP Code
- 21005-3013
- Solicitation Number
- W91CRB-AEROSTAT
- Response Due
- 12/21/2011
- Archive Date
- 2/19/2012
- Point of Contact
- Bonita Zander, 410-306-2665
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-APG SCRT - Aberdeen
(bonita.m.zander.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION; no award will be made as a result of this request. This request for information (RFI) is for informational purposes only; this is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). All interested parties are encouraged to respond to this RFI. The Government will not pay for information and materials received in response to this RFI, and is in no way obligated by the information received. 1. SCOPE. Background: The mission of the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force (REF) is to rapidly increase mission capability while reducing risk to Soldiers and others by equipping operational commanders with off-the-shelf (government or commercial) solutions or near-term developmental items that can be researched, developed and acquired quickly. The REF receives requirements from operational commanders in war zones setting forth the capabilities needed. The REF is chartered by the Senior Army leadership to provide material solutions to meet these requirements in a significantly reduced timeline compared to traditional Department of Defense acquisition procedures. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain technical and cost information from manufacturers regarding the availability of Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) or Government-off -the- Shelf (GOTS) modular compact aerostat and payload deployment units with launch commanded by a hand held controller. The purpose of this aerostat platform system is to obtain potential solutions to provide small tactical units with an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capability. Alternative solutions submitted by companies responding to this RFI will be considered. Experience and information obtained from this request for information may be provided to Army Product Manager REF who will evaluate the information and feasibility of issuing a procurement action to resolve the stated problem. 2. REQUIREMENTS. The REF has a need for an Aerostat, Platform, and Deployment System during day, night, and all weather conditions. Any information received should provide the following minimum capabilities: 2.1.1. General Requirements a. System: A modular compact helium filled aerostat and payload deployment system. Launch can be remotely commanded by a hand held controller. b. Utilization: Can deploy and elevate cameras, relays, and other sensors to a height of a minimum of 1000 feet in 20 minutes or less. Suited for direct exposure to all weather conditions. May remain elevated for a period of at least 4 days without additional top off c. Personnel requirements: Requires no more than 2-3 personnel at any time to perform any and all functions d. Portability: Must be easily transported my most military vehicles in an integral fashion or in a custom designed trailer mount vehicle. The entire system, including the helium bottles, etc. must be easily transportable on one vehicle or trailer. 2.1.2. Environmental conditions a. All system components with the exception of ground station must be IAW MIL-STD-810F. b. Deployment wind speed of a minimum 10 knots is required c. Balloon and tether must be able to survive 40-knot maximum sustained wind. d. Balloon and tether must be able to operate continuously in 30 knot maximum sustained wind and 35 knot gusts. e. Aerostat shall able to perform surveillance at 1000 feet above ground level (AGL) within an operational window of zero - 10,000 feet MSL. 2.1.3. Balloon Assembly a. The aerostat shall be no greater than 40 feet in length, 20 ft. in height, 16 ft. in diameter, with a hull volume of 5000 ft3 for a helium fill of 98% purity, fin volume less than 300 ft3, ballonet size 15%, weight under 130 lbs. b. Aerostat will have markings (e.g. alternating color panels) that will increase visibility to air traffic. c. Aerostat will incorporate an Anti-collision/obstruction Lighting System with Red and IR emitters. d. Flight duration of at least four (4) days with no helium refills. e. Tether shall incorporate flags or similar devices to enhance visibility. f. Manual or electrical-powered winch with a remote hand held controller. Winch system will provide for extension and retraction of tether without binding or damage to tether. g. The Flight tether length shall be a minimum of 1100 feet. Tether shall incorporate flags or similar devices to enhance visibility. It shall be composed of aramid core and polyester braid with a breaking strength of at least 5000 lbs, weight no more than 26 lbs, and include two (2) conductors of 20 AWG stranded copper. h. Aerostat shall comply with the requirements of Federal Aviation Administration Regulation Part 101 Moored Balloons, Kites, Unmanned Rockets and Unmanned Free Balloons 2.1.4 Power Requirements a. Deployment battery system - 24 volts DC b. Charging system - 90-240 volts AC at 50/60HZ c. Tether line - 384 volts DC d. Continuous power at aerostat - 360 watts e. Peak power at aerostat - 500 watts 2.1.5 Deployment System (Not including Helium) a. Footprint - 60" X 60" b. Length - 156" c. Width - 60" d. Height - 76" e. Height with mooring mast - 120" f. Total Weight - approximately 2,500 lbs. 2.1.6 Operations Requirements a. Deployable to 1000 ft. b. Recoverable from 1000 ft. and deflateable in a maximum of 20 minutes c. Top-up fill time of 20 minutes or less at ground level d. Redeployable with a second envelope container in 40 minutes or less e. Envelope field repairable for damage from small arms fire or equivalent f. Launch pad height - 4500 ft. maximum g. Launch pad diameter - 60 ft. minimum 2.1.7 Performance Requirements a. General - See 2.1.1 above. b. Envelope and Container - The envelope shall be fabricated from urethane impregnated nylon with an external bayonet with the aerostat approximately 40' long and 20 ' tall with deployment in 20 minutes or less to a height of 1000. The deflated aerostat must be housed in a reusable container for rapid loading, launch and reloading. The envelope must also be inflatable from a mast, not just from the container. c. Base Unit and Rotator Assembly - The aerostat requires a base unit that supports launch, flight management, and recovery. It should incorporate an integrated gantry design and payload cradle. A retractable integrated mooring mast assembly is required to support storage and maintenance of the aerostat while the envelope is inflated. The base unit must house an integrated winch assembly with automatic level wind and powered tether with a converter to provide 384 volts DC to a sensor payload. The base unit must also house two (2) 12 volt DC batteries, a power converter (24 volt DC to 384 volt DC), a rotation system, a power distribution module, a payload containment vessel, helium valves, a regulator, and re-supply hoses. The Deployment System details in 2.1.5 above apply in enabling a footprint which fits most FMTV and MTVR military vehicles, similar sized trucks, or tactical trailers. A hand held one button deployment/winch control is a required accessory. d. Payloads - The Aerostat, Platform, and Delivery System must accommodate a variety of payloads. A modular bar assembly is required to support such a variety of payloads as imaging sensors, direction finding, communications relays, a variety of cameras, and signals intelligence. Data transfer via a wireless encrypted internet protocol bridge to a laptop computer workstation with standard network interfaces is the minimum capability required. 2.1.8 Safety Certification Requirements Aerostat must have Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) Safety Certification or equivalent. 3. DELIVERABLES Specific information on industry capability to produce a system that can meet the requirements identified in paragraph two (2) above, or otherwise solves the problem: Aerostat (Balloon), Platform, and Delivery System. This is NOT a Request for Proposal. Companies who desire to participate in this market survey are encouraged to submit a white paper which supports the company's claim that it presently has the technology, qualifications, and capabilities to satisfy one or more of the performance and technical objectives described above. The white paper should discuss the company's ability to develop and or provide existing technologies that have the ability to Aerostat Deception. Companies should provide a ROM (rough order of magnitude) price and its anticipated delivery for the solution proposed. The white paper should also discuss related company experience and include point(s) of contact. The white paper should be prepared in MS Word, limited to ten (10) pages, and submitted electronically to the contract speicalist at bonita.m.zander.civ@mail.mil. The company shall be responsible for any costs associated with preparing responses to this market research. All requests for further information must be made in writing or via email; telephone requests for additional information will not be honored. The government will review RFI submissions as they are received. The government reserves the right to close this RFI once they have received adequate response(s) to this RFI. RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 21 DECEMBER 2011 AT 5:00 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME. For questions potential respondents shall contact the contract specialist, Bonita Zander, at bonita.m.zander.civ@mail.mil to obtain information. Email communication is highly encouraged.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/40abfd23355d368732576e769ccd57f2)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-APG SCRT - Aberdeen ATTN: CCAP-SCD, 4118 Susquehanna Avenue Aberdeen Proving Ground MD
- Zip Code: 21005-3013
- Zip Code: 21005-3013
- Record
- SN02634628-W 20111208/111206234809-40abfd23355d368732576e769ccd57f2 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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