SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Advanced Dynamic Transmit Array (ADTRA) - ADTRA_RFI-Final
- Notice Date
- 8/13/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, HQ Air Force Test Center (AFTC) - Edwards, 5 S WOLFE AVE, Edwards AFB, California, 93524-1185, United States
- ZIP Code
- 93524-1185
- Solicitation Number
- FA9302-14-R-X001
- Archive Date
- 9/27/2014
- Point of Contact
- Thomas J. Shea, Phone: 6612778450, Denina L. Solomon, Phone: 6612779659
- E-Mail Address
-
thomas.shea.3@us.af.mil, denina.solomon@us.af.mil
(thomas.shea.3@us.af.mil, denina.solomon@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- ADTRA_RFI-Final This is a Request for Information (RFI) for market research purposes. The Department of the Air Force is seeking information from interested parties on Advanced Dynamic Transmit Array Generator (ADTRA). 1. SYNOPSIS The United States Air Force is seeking information from interested parties on an Advanced Dynamic Transmit Array (ADTRA) for installed systems test facilities (ISTF) free space RF transmissions. While anechoic chambers offer the unique capability to provide propagated RF to an aircraft, current facilities are limited in power and beam modification capability. The ADTRA system will develop state-of-the art technologies in dynamic RF transmission equipment for free space anechoic facilities. ADTRA will be based on an open architecture and a modular design to provide a scalable, electronically reconfigurable RF transmission system. ADTRA will be capable of integrating with the CEESIM simulator at the Benefield Anechoic Facility (BAF), the NEWEG simulator being developed under CTEIP by the Navy and CIMPLEX, a CEESIM upgrade by the Air Force. ADTRA capabilities will be installed at the BAF. ADTRA will address issues listed below: Obsolescence: There is currently an effort by the Air Force (USAF) test installations to modernize ISTF locations. Commonality: ISTF facilities currently use different architectures and product lines. The ADTRA antenna system will standardize facilities across service lines. Threat Complexity: Real-world threats are increasingly complex; many of these threat systems are using AESA antennas. The current ISTF antenna systems lack the capability to faithfully reproduce these types of signals, including multi-beam radars. Power: The current ISTF set-up lacks the ability to generate the power levels required to more adequately represent many of the threats, old and new. Coverage: Many of the newer inventory avionics systems, and current avionics systems undergoing upgrades, have signal direction finding and geo-location capabilities using distributed apertures and interferometer systems. To coherently illuminate these arrays in their entirety the antenna system will need to provide variable beamwidth capability. The ADTRA antenna system will need to provide greater power, beam steering, multi-beam, and auto calibration capability to successfully meet the needs of future testing. 2. PURPOSE The purpose of this RFI is to seek information on current and future technologies that can be leveraged to meet the capabilities described in paragraph 3.The government is interested in information the capabilities as well as the cost and schedule for their development defined in paragraph 3. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a solicitation (Request for Proposal or Request for Quotations) or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or services whatsoever. Furthermore, we are not seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party's expense. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with all applicable Government regulations. Proprietary information or trade secrets should be clearly identified. The government will not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly identified. 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" is 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 RFI only. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract or agreement. The government will not be obligated to pursue any particular acquisition alternative as a result of this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued. 3. ADTRA CAPABILITY INFORMATION SOUGHT The ADTRA will be an open architecture system designed to address obsolescence, provide increased capabilities and fidelity, support chamber operations with multiple simulators, and enable technology insertions over the expected ten year life span. The current notional design will consist of an array antenna design that will support the following Key Performance Parameters (KPP). To view the KPP, please download the attachment entitled, ADTRA_RFI-Final. 4. SAMPLE RESPONSE OUTLINE The following is an outline for a response to this RFI. Please provide the following per subsystem response. This outline is intended to minimize the effort of the respondent and structure the responses for ease of analysis by the government. Section 1 Technological Capability Identify technological capability proposed, TRL level, maturation path if required, and any proprietary aspects for the major components and concepts you propose. Identify open architecture and COTs items. Identify any interface standards and Built-In-Test (BIT) capabilities. Section 2 Technological Alternatives Briefly describe any technological alternatives, including the reliability and technology readiness characteristics of those alternatives. Section 3 Development Assessment Briefly assess the alternatives, design trade-offs, anticipated risks, mitigations, and test efforts for the alternatives as matched against the performance parameters. Section 4 Cost and Schedule Estimates Provide a recommended development plan to include cost and schedule estimates with confidence estimates. These assumptions are given for cost estimation purposes only and the government is only seeking information for market research purposes. Section 5 Corporate Expertise Briefly describe your company, your products and services, history, ownership and other information you deem relevant. In particular, please describe any projects you have been involved in that are similar in concept to what is described in this RFI, including management and operations approach and any relevant lessons learned. Section 6 Additional Materials Please provide any other materials, suggestions and discussions you deem appropriate. Include any additional requirements the government has not. Suggested Materials: 1.) Models and/or graphs predicting variation due to: a. Frequency (Bandwidth) b. Full Band 2.) Models and/or graphs predicting scan angle variation due to: a. Frequency (Bandwidth) 3.) Models and/or graphs predicting beam shape variation due to: a. Frequency (Bandwidth) 4.) Models and/or graphs predicting side lobe level (max) due to: a. Frequency (Bandwidth) 5. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES Responses to this RFI should be submitted using MS Word (12 point Times New Roman font), no later than 12-Sep-2014, to the following email addresses: Ms. Denina Solomon denina.solomon@us.af.mil (Contract Specialist) Mr. Tom Shea thomas.shea.3@us.af.mil (Contracting Officer) Responses to all or part of the above RFI will be accepted. Proprietary information shall be clearly marked. The government will not be responsible for any proprietary information not clearly marked. The government will not reimburse any preparation cost. Reponses to the RFI should include the following. Company Name: Street Address Point of contact (POC) with phone number and email address
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