SOURCES SOUGHT
15 -- Multi- Simultaneous Payload Control
- Notice Date
- 10/5/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 336411
— Aircraft Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFLCMC/EBYK - Eglin, 314 Choctawhatchee Ave, Eglin AFB, Florida, 32542, United States
- ZIP Code
- 32542
- Solicitation Number
- Fa8678-17-R-0004
- Archive Date
- 11/22/2016
- Point of Contact
- Patricia A Hicks, Phone: (850)883-0873, Joseph P. O'Gallagher, Phone: 850883476
- E-Mail Address
-
patricia.hicks@us.af.mil, joseph.ogallagher@us.af.mil
(patricia.hicks@us.af.mil, joseph.ogallagher@us.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Solicitation Number: FA8678-17-R-0004 Sources Sought Synopsis for Multi- Simultaneous Payload Control This notice serves as a sources sought synopsis for the QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) Multi- simultaneous payload control. This sources sought is a market research tool to gain knowledge of potential qualified prime contractors, which will be used for planning purposes. All offerors must be U.S. corporations with the ability to process classified information. This is not a request for proposal and shall not be interpreted as a commitment by the Government. Participation is strictly voluntary; the Government will not reimburse any costs associated with providing information in response to this sources sought. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 336411 with a size standard of 1,500 employees. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Aerial Targets Program Office, AFLCMC/EBYA, is planning to procure a modification of the QF-16 FSAT to support multi-simultaneous payload control contract to provide full life cycle weapon system support to the QF-16 Full-Scale Aerial Target (FSAT), with anticipated contract award in October 2018. Schedule is critical for the procurement and delivery of the modified QF-16 and any potential source must be able to design, develop, test and deliver the modified QF-16 within the required timeframe to meet critical mission requirements. The Government plans to award a contract in 1st quarter FY18. Specific contract requirements may include, but are not limited to: target improvements and software enhancements/updates to the QF-16 as required to integrate with two operational sites. The Government will not provide F-16 support equipment or special test equipment to any prospective new source. The Government does not own or possess a technical data package (TDP) for the QF-16 system. The TDP is owned by The Boeing Company of St Louis, MO. Interested prime contractors must be able to modify the QF-16 end item using a demonstrated and mature modification capability to meet DoD Manufacturing Readiness standards associated with Full Rate Production. The prime contractor's solution must be compatible with the Gulf Range Drone Control System (GRDCS) Interface Control Document (ICD), the White Sands Missile Range Integrated Target System (WITS), the F-16 Environmental Specification (16SPS011E), and the QF-16 Payloads ICD. Key system capabilities of the Drone Peculiar Equipment (DPE) are: •· Expendables Employment: The QF-16 operates and deploys internal/external chaff, flares and Electronic Attack (EA) systems individually and simultaneously. •· Operating Environment: The QF-16 operates on two ranges, the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range (EGTTR) and the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). The unmanned QF-16 is capable of full operations during visual meteorological conditions. For manned QF-16 operations, all of the basic F-16 Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) equipment (TACAN, ILS, IFF) are functional. The QF-16 is capable of performing automatic takeoffs and landings on a 7,000 foot by 150 foot runway with multiple arresting cables. •· Performance Envelope: The QF-16 retains the basic performance characteristics of its parent F-16. The QF-16 is capable of performing under Target Control System (TCS) control with a minimum load-out of AIM-9 sized payloads on stations 1 and 9, electronic attack or countermeasures pods on stations 3 and 7 and a fuel tank on station 5. During unmanned operations, the QF-16 is capable of target launch, performance of required maneuvers, payload employment, scoring, and recovery. In addition, a redundant remote flight termination capability is provided for unmanned operations. The QF-16 is capable of performing single-ship, repeatable, consecutive maneuvers with the ability to terminate the maneuver on command, and be safely recovered from unusual attitudes. These maneuvers include, but are not limited to: barrel roll, pitch-back, slice-back, split-S, low altitude penetration, break turns, weave, pop-up, escape, and loss of signal maneuvers. •· Formation: The QF-16 operates as a single ship or in formation flight with 1, 2, or 3 other aerial targets. •· Visual Augmentation System: When commanded by the ground station or by loss of carrier, the QF-16 employs a visual augmentation system (e.g. pulsed smoke) at all throttle positions except afterburner that is visible from 10NM under conditions of unlimited visibility for at least 10 minutes. •· Payloads Control System: The QF-16 is capable of carrying, operating and monitoring a mix of standard payloads to include electronic attack/countermeasure pods on and internal chaff and flare dispensers, as well as airborne instrumentation systems, ancillary payloads, and a centerline fuel tank. Implementation allows operations remotely from the ground control station or from the cockpit by a pilot. •· Flight Termination System: The QF-16 has the capability to terminate aerodynamic flight, when necessary, both line-of-sight and over-the-horizon. An enhanced Flight Termination System (FTS), using triple-DES encryption, will be implemented and be compatible with the ground termination control systems at both ranges. •· Vector Scoring System: The QF-16 employs an on -board missile vector scoring system featuring an encrypted downlink that does not degrade accuracy and precision of scores established in scoring requirements. The scoring solution has National Security Agency (NSA)-approved encryption. •· Target Control System (TCS): The airborne interface to the TCS is fully functional with the current Air Force target control system, which conveys data over a 915-MHz RF channel using a combination of bi-pulse-position-modulation (PPM), spread spectrum pseudo-random, and bi-phase modulation coding. The airborne interface to the TCS is also capable of being integrated with other DoD target control systems. The components of the airborne interface to TCS does not degrade the aerodynamic performance or radar signature of the target and provides the target effective target and payload control. The target can be operated through the control system to fly automated maneuvers or allow the target controllers to manually operate the target to meet safety and mission support requirements. The airborne interface to the TCS provides the capability for evolutionary growth through modular replacement of hardware and/or software without redesign of entire systems or large portions thereof. This interface is capable of allowing operation on current (EGTTR and WSMR). •· Automatic Takeoff and Landing: The QF-16 includes an automatic takeoff and landing capability optimized to the applicable F-16 block/load-out landing limits and procedures that will maintain runway centerline and safely control braking to a full stop. This system is also fault tolerant and capable of automatically recovering a damaged/degraded but controllable drone. The QF-16 is able to return to base, with full aircraft controllability and automatic landing, with one complete failure of a drone-unique piece of equipment. While braking to a stop using differential braking is the primary means of stopping the target after either a takeoff abort or an automatic landing, a secondary capability to use the legacy arresting hook is also implemented. •· Technical Manuals, Checklists and Training Material: Technical manuals, checklists and training material already exist, but will need to be updated and sustained if a new design is implemented. The contract will entail modifications to the baseline QF-16 FSAT design for any or all of the subsystems described above. Possible tasks may include implementation of DPE capability enhancements to accommodate: Changes to fully autonomous operations, Internal Payloads, and other improvements to target performance and threat realism. Responsible prime contractors are invited to submit a capability statement not later than thirty (30) days after the date of this synopsis publication. Submitted capability statements must demonstrate how the prime contractor can modify existing QF-16s that meet the above requirements. Respondents should indicate their size in relation to this size standard and indicate socio-economic status (i.e. SB, 8(a), HUBZone, EDWOSB, WOSB, or SDVOSB). The Government reserves the right to consider a small business set-aside based upon responses hereto for any subsequent action. All prospective contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database to be awarded a DoD contract. No set-aside decision has been made. Note that a key factor in determining an acquisition to be a Small Business Set Aside is that small business prime contractors must perform at least 50% of the effort, as defined in FAR Clause 52.219-14. Small businesses with only partial capabilities of this requirement are encouraged to submit their capabilities statement demonstrating the portion of the requirement they are capable of providing/performing. This information will allow the Government to identify areas of possible breakout or possible subcontracting opportunities. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from interested vendors. The Ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the Program Manager or Contracting Officer, but communicates vendor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. Matters of routine or administrative nature concerning this acquisition should not be addressed to the Ombudsman, but rather to the Contracting points of contact identified below. The Ombudsman is Ms. Jill Willingham-Allen, AFLCMC/AQP, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433. She may be contacted at email at jill.willinghamallen.1@us.af.mil or phone number (937) 255-5472. Points of Contact for this effort are Ms. Patricia Hicks, Contract Specialist, (850) 883-0873, email: patricia.hicks@us.af.mil or Mr. Joe O'Gallagher, Contracting Officer, (850) 883-3476, email: joseph.ogallagher.1@us.af.mil.
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