MODIFICATION
83 -- Energy Dissipating Airbag for use with Cargo Aerial Delivery Platform
- Notice Date
- 2/23/2015
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 314999
— All Other Miscellaneous Textile Product Mills
- Contracting Office
- ACC-APG - Natick (SPS), ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011
- ZIP Code
- 01760-5011
- Solicitation Number
- W911QY-15-EDACAD
- Response Due
- 3/9/2015
- Archive Date
- 4/24/2015
- Point of Contact
- Jean Greenwood, 508-233-6101
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-APG - Natick (SPS)
(jean.t.greenwood.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY for an airbag system that is capable of meeting the basic requirements described below. This is not a Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP) or an Invitation for Bid (IFB). It is a market research tool being used to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources for planning purposes only. Responses to this notice are not considered as offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information presented or the use of any such information. DESCRIPTION: The U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research Development, and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Natick, MA is seeking a domestic source for energy dissipating airbags, to be used with a specific cargo aerial delivery platform, for test and evaluation. The U.S. Army has recently proven the concept of modifying the United Kingdom's Medium Stressed Platform (MSP) to function with U.S. C-130J aircraft. The platform uses airbags integrated into the structure to dissipate impact energy upon touchdown in lieu of energy dissipating material (EDM, aka honeycomb) currently used by the U.S. The concept of using airbags instead of honeycomb is believed to benefit the U.S. Army by reducing impact forces to cargo, thus improving cargo survivability. REQUIREMENTS: The desired airbag design should consist of a cylinder made of impermeable fabric, sandwiched between two mattress boards, with a one-way valve on the bottom and an orifice on the top. See the attached file 'Airbag Assembly.pdf' for a picture representing the desired airbag configuration. The impermeable fabric cylinder shall be collapsible for storage and expandable during deployment. The cylinder will most likely be reinforced with wire or flexible rod to improve the hoop strength. The mattress boards shall be made from 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch plywood or similar and are attached to the cylinder with ties or other type of replaceable fasteners. The bottom board shall be furnished with a one-way valve through which the airbag is inflated by ram air during descent, much the same way a parachute is inflated. The top board shall be furnished with a sacrificial patch that covers the orifice. Upon platform touchdown, the airbag is compressed, increasing the air pressure, causing the sacrificial patch to burst. During compression the orifice controls the air flow exiting the cylinder, slowing down the load to the ground. The platform to which the airbags will interface is the United Kingdom's (UK) Medium Stressed Platform (MSP). See the attached file 'MSP Assembly.pdf' for an illustration of the platform. The MSP is constructed of three longitudinal channels (one channel on each side and one center channel) and twenty-three (23) transverse channels. The top of the transverse channels provide the surface to which the cargo load is secured. The airbags are located beneath the transverse channels, between the longitudinal channels. The top mattress boards of the airbags run along the ledges of the longitudinal channels and are tied in place. The bottom mattress boards are held in place by the platform's skid doors. Between the two side channels and the center channel are two slots that accept the airbag assemblies. Each slot holds up to six (6) airbags, for a total availability of twelve (12) airbags. OTHER REQUIREMENTS: - Textile materials used for airbag construction must meet the requirements of the Berry Amendment, 10 USC 2533a. - The MSP has an all up weight (AUW) range of 6,000 to 18,000 lbs. - See the attached file 'Airbags Deployed Live Drop.jpg' for a photo of the MSP, under canopy, descending towards the ground with airbags fully deployed. - It is anticipated an Industry Day will be held at Fort Bragg, NC during 18-19 Mar 2015, to examine and document the airbag system. Invites to this event will be based on responses received from this RFI. Vendors are asked to keep that date available should this event occur. A submission to this RFI does not guarantee an invitation to the event. TO ACCESS ATTACHMENTS and Questions and Answers, scroll down to the section titled 'Additional Info' and click on the 'Additional documentation' link. REQUESTED INFORMATION: Vendors who believe they have the ability to develop product(s) capable of meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a short (no more than five (5) pages total) summary. The summary should include a description of the vendor's ability to develop an airbag meeting the requirements and characteristics described above, source materials intended to be used, and prototype delivery estimates, as well as pictures, website, and test report(s), as applicable. The five (5) page summary must include Company name and address, point of contact with phone number, DUNS number, Cage Code and a statement regarding any small business designation (if applicable), by the date and to the address noted below. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 314999 - All other miscellaneous textile product mills and the small business size is 500 employees. Any information submitted will not be returned, and no payment will be made by the Government for such information. Responses to this notice are to be sent to the RFI POC below. This notice is for market survey only. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement. POINT OF CONTACT (POC) Interested parties shall submit responses to this RFI to: Jean Greenwood Phone: (508) 233-6101 Email: jean.t.greenwood.civ@mail.mil Questions concerning this RFI may be addressed by contacting: Jean Greenwood Phone: (508) 233-6101 Email: jean.t.greenwood.civ@mail.mil Responses shall be received no later than 4:00PM EDT 9 March 2015. Responses shall be e-mailed to the address above. No telephonic or hardcopy responses to this RFI will be considered. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: All information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Responses to this RFI are not offers for contract and will not be used by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/ae8c021cd8105acf1ce36db6df8d8932)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-APG - Natick (SPS) ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street Natick MA
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Record
- SN03648919-W 20150225/150223234936-ae8c021cd8105acf1ce36db6df8d8932 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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