SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- III-V Epitaxial Materials Research
- Notice Date
- 9/13/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- ACC-APG - Washington, ATTN: CCCE-CW, 10205 Burbeck Road, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5863
- ZIP Code
- 22060-5863
- Solicitation Number
- W909MY13QVSTA
- Response Due
- 10/15/2013
- Archive Date
- 11/12/2013
- Point of Contact
- MICHELLE HODGES, 703-704-0846
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-APG - Washington
(michelle.l.hodges10.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The US Army Contracting Command - APG (Belvoir Division) (ACC-APG (Belvoir)) on behalf of the US Army RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) is conducting market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. Responders to this Sources Sought/Request For Information are asked to provide their technical capability information (aka Statement of Capabilities) required to perform the Sample Tasks provided below. Statements should address the specific requirements of this notice and identify the vendors' specific capability to complete these requirements, including, but not limited to a description of corporate experience with antimony-based III-V projects and information on applicable industry certifications at the individual and organizational level as well as describing investments in quality/process improvement activities. The focus of the planned effort is in III-V epitaxial materials research such as superlattice (SL) and barrier structures for manufacturing advanced infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) with large-formats and reduced pixel size that are capable of mid-wavelength, long-wavelength, and mid/long dualband infrared (IR) detection. Preliminary research and development for this effort was carried out under NVESD's Vital IR Sensor Technology Acceleration (VISTA) Phase I program. Responders are expected to possess knowledge and hands-on experience with supporting data in detector structures, fabrication and characterization of test detectors and FPAs based on antimony-based III-V material SL and barrier structures. The goal for the program is to further improve performance with the main emphasis on demonstrating producibility and repeatable performance for all formats of FPAs. In addition, determining preliminary cost model and yield statistics to demonstrate low cost advantages for manufacturing III-V material based SL and barrier structures based FPAs is also a goal of this program. Specific tasks may include (1) High Operating Temperature (HOT) high resolution, mid to large format mid-wave infrared (MWIR) FPA development (2) High-Definition (HD) small pixel mid- and long- wave infrared dual band FPAs (3) dual band FPAs with digital- read-out integrated circuits (DROICs) and (4) high-dynamic range long-waver infrared (LWIR) FPAs with DROICs. The acquisition may be set-aside for small business. The government is seeking additional information from small businesses to aid in the acquisition strategy for this requirement. Small Businesses interested in this opportunity may decide to partner/team with other businesses in order to meet the requirements of the acquisition. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF A QUESTION BELOW OR A REQUIREMENT IN THE SAMPLE TASK IS NOT ADDRESSED THAT EXPLAINS YOUR COMPANIES SPECIFIC CAPABILITY THE GOVERNMENT WILL ASSUME THE RESPONDENT DOES NOT OR CANNOT MEET THE SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS MARKET SURVEY. NO TELEPHONE INQUIRES WILL BE ACCEPTED. Companies may choose to respond for a single or multiple tasks listed below, however each singular task must be addressed independently. 1. Please provide the following Point of Contact information: Company: Address: Point of Contact: Phone Number: Fax Numbers: Email Address: 2. Please identify your company's small business size standard based on the applicable NAICS code of 541712. The Small Business Size Standard for this NAICS code is 500 employees. For more information refer to http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/Size_Standards_Table(1).pdf. Large Business Concern Small Business Concern 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Woman-Owned Small Business Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Veteran-Owned Small Business Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Responders should identify up to three relevant contracts or subcontracts and describe specific technical experience, knowledge, understanding, and expertise under NAICS code 541712 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology). SECURITY: Sources sought are limited to U.S. persons as defined by the U.S. Department of State, Title 22, Foreign Relations, section 120.16. Foreign persons are prohibited from working on any resultant contract. Sources must have facilities with capability to store information at the CLASSIFIED SECRET level and staff with clearances at the CLASSIFIED SECRET level. SAMPLE TASKS: The Government seeks companies with key competencies to meet the following requirements: Task 1 - Antimony-based III-V high resolution, mid to large format HOT MWIR FPA Development: Development and fabrication of high resolution, large format HOT MWIR FPAs with the same or better performance as the state-of-the-art at greater than 130 K operating temperatures. Refined FPA development processes to improve repeatability and producibility are the focus of this effort. Array format, pixel pitch, spectral cut-off, noise equivalent delta temperature (NEDT), integration time, pixel operability, response uniformity and dynamic range are critical performance parameters for this effort. Repeated lots of FPA fabrication and characterization of many FPAs, baking and cryo-cycle life testing, are included in this effort. Companies will provide NVESD with a limited number of FPAs to validate performance and if suitable, field test for transition opportunities. Estimated yield and cost projection for production including sensor life-cycle cost and performance comparison with the state-of-the-art are key outcomes of this effort. Task 2 - Antimony-based III-V High-Definition (HD) MW/LW dual-band FPA development : Development and fabrication of high resolution, HD format dual-band FPAs with cut-off wavelengths in the mid- and long-wavelength range. Responders are expected to work with III-V epitaxial materials vendors to optimize detector design with increased quantum efficiency (QE) and decreased dark current density, especially in the long wave band. Achieving high performance at 80K, improving detector array processing and FPA fabrication to achieve consistent performance with high operability and uniformity are key focuses of the effort. Array format, pixel pitch, spectral cut-offs, NEDT integration time, pixel operability, response uniformity and dynamic range are critical performance parameters for this effort. Repeated lots of FPA fabrication and characterization of many FPAs are included in this effort. NVESD will choose to receive limited number of FPAs to validate the performance and if suitable, for field testing for possible transition opportunities. Estimated yield and cost projection for production, and performance comparison with the state-of-the-art are key outcome of this effort. Task 3 - Antimony-based III-V Dual Band FPA withDROIC: Development and fabrication of small pixel-pitch hybridized to large format DROIC-based dual-band FPAs with cut-off wavelengths in the mid and the long wavelength band. Responders are expected to work with Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL), which developed the DROIC technology, to ensure the compatibility with the DROIC, and optimize hybridization and testing of digital FPAs. Achieving high performance at 80 K, improving detector array processing and FPA fabrication to achieve consistent performance with high operability and uniformity are goals of the effort. Spectral cut-offs, noise equivalent delta temperature (NEDT), integration time, pixel operability, response uniformity, and dynamic range are critical performance parameters for this effort. NVESD will choose to receive limited number of FPAs to validate the performance and if suitable, for field testing for possible transition opportunities. Demonstrate the high performance, long range TDI capability, and performance comparison with the state-of-the-art are key outcome of this effort. Task 4 - Antimony-based III-V High-Dynamic range LWIR FPA with DROIC: Development and fabrication of small pixel-pitch, mid-format format high-dynamic range DROIC-based FPAs with wavelength tuned in the long wavelength band. Responders are expected to work with MIT-LL who developed DROIC to ensure the compatibility with the DROIC, optimize hybridization and testing of digital FPAs. Achieving lowest NEDT with reasonable integration time at 80 K, improve detector array processing and FPA fabrication to achieve consistent performance with high uniformity and operability are goals of the effort. Spectral cut-offs, noise equivalent delta temperature (NEDT), integration time, pixel operability, response uniformity and dynamic range are critical performance parameters for this effort. NVESD will choose to receive limited number of FPAs to validate the performance and if suitable, for field testing for possible transition opportunities. Demonstrate the high dynamic range, low NEDT, and performance comparison with the state-of-the-art are key outcome of this effort. The Government requests that interested offerors submit an electronic response of not more than twenty (20) pages, 8.5 quote mark x 11 quote mark paper, 12 pitch, Times New Roman font, with a minimum of one (1) inch margins all around. Responsible sources having relevant experience may submit their statement of interest and technical capabilities. They should also identify whether they are a Large Business, Small Business, Very Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, 8(a) Program Small Business, Women-owned Small Business, HUB Zone Small Business, Veteran-owned Small Business, Service-disabled Veteran-owned Small Business, and/or a Native American Small Business under the proposed NAICS code 541712. Responses should also include the company name, CAGE code, point of contact, and address. Provide answers to the following questions (No more than 3 pages)(Not included in the above 20 page limit). 1.If you identify your company as a Small Business or any of the SB subcategories, is your company interested in a prime contract? 2.Under the current SB recertification regulations, do you anticipate your company remaining a small business, under primary NAICS Code 541712? 3.Does your company possess the capabilities to provide the entire range of services called for in the Sample Task provided above? ______ YES _______ NO 4. If you answered YES to Question # 3, please provide specific capabilities and examples for how your company can provide these services. 5.If you answered NO to Question # 3, please list what services in the RFI your company can provide? Please provide specific capabilities and examples. 6.Does your firm possess an approved Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system? 7.Does your company meet the Non-manufacturing Rule? If so How? 8.If you are planning on teaming with other companies, Please list the process used in selecting the members? Under the current SB recertification regulations, do you anticipate your company remaining a small business, under NAICS Code 541712? If you are a SB answer questions 9 & 10. All others skip to Question #5. 9.If your company is awarded the contract, will you be able to perform at least 50% (percent) of the work? 10.If you are a small business can you go without a payment for 90 days? Email responses should not exceed 5 Megabytes (MB). Responses received after this date and time may not be reviewed. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is voluntary. The Army does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Respondents should not construe this synopsis as a commitment for any purpose. Respondents will not individually be notified of the results of any government assessments. The Government's evaluation of the capability statements received will factor into whether any forthcoming solicitation will be conducted as a full and open competition or as a set-aside for small businesses, or any particular small business designation (e.g. SDVOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), SDB, WOSB, VOSB, etc.). It is desirable that data be received with unlimited rights to the Government. However, we recognize that proprietary data may be included with the information provided. If so, clearly mark such proprietary information and clearly separate it from the unrestricted information as an addendum. All information received in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis that is marked quote mark Proprietary quote mark will be handled accordingly. Responses will not be returned. Acknowledgement of receipt will be issued. Submit responses electronically to Ms. Michelle Hodges, Contracting Officer, at michelle.l.hodges10.civ@mail.mil no later than 10:00am Eastern Time on Tuesday, 15 October 2013. All requests for further information must be made in writing or via email; telephonic or facsimile requests for additional information will not be honored.
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