SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- Sources Sought
- Notice Date
- 5/15/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541511
— Custom Computer Programming Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NIST AMD Boulder, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado, 80305, United States
- ZIP Code
- 80305
- Solicitation Number
- NB686070-17-03009
- Archive Date
- 6/2/2017
- Point of Contact
- Dennis M. Fuentes, Phone: 3034975573
- E-Mail Address
-
dennis.fuentes@nist.gov
(dennis.fuentes@nist.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) seeks information on vendors that are capable of providing a Optical Two-way Time-Frequency Transfer (OTWFTFT) digital signal support as described in the draft specifications. The purpose of this notice is to identify organizations capable of providing the necessary item and meeting the minimum contractor qualifications. This announcement is not a Request for Proposals or Quotes (RFP/RFQ) and does not commit the Government to award a contract now or in the future. The information contained in this notice is DRAFT only and as such, is subject to change prior to issuance of a solicitation. No solicitation is available at this time. After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, NIST may conduct a competitive or non-competitive procurement and subsequently award a contract. NIST will use the results of this sources sought notice to determine whether to proceed on a sole source basis or competitively if it is determined that other vendors could potentially meet NIST's needs. This requirement is assigned a NAICS code of 541511 with a small business size standard of $27.5M. Interested business organizations that believe they are capable of meeting the requirement should submit electronic copies of their capability statement. Please limit responses to four (4) pages or less. Responses should include the following information: 1. Name of company that will provide product. 2. Name of company that will manufacture the product. 3. Spec sheets and examples of products that meet the specifications. 4. Typical lead time to deliver the product after receipt of order. 5. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research. Any proprietary information should be so marked. The written capability statement should be received by the Contracting Officer no later than 11 a.m. MST Monday, May 18, 2017. The capability statement shall identify the business status of the organization. STATEMENT OF WORK I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Fiber Sources and Applications Group, NIST-Boulder, develops novel methods of high precision time and frequency transfer. Recently, this group has developed Optical Two-Way Time-Frequency Transfer (OTWTFT) that can allow frequency comparisons and time synchronization across a distributed network of clocks. This system combines high precision optical measurements and advanced signal processing to generate sub-femtosecond timing comparisons between remote clocks through an optical free-space link. The system is extremely complex both in terms of the optical hardware and the real-time signal processing. This real-time signal processing is at the state-of-the-art and its development requires advanced digital signal processing implemented in fully real-time embedded systems. II. SCOPE OF WORK a. OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE The Fiber Sources and Applications Group requires an embedded system for real-time digital signal processing to support Optical Two-Way Time-Frequency Transfer (OTWTFT). The current signal processing system is poorly documented and not implemented in a fashion suitable for further improvements, for extension to long distances, for extension to a full clock network, or to transfer to DoD customers for incorporation in systems. The objective of this SOW is to complete the set of tasks required to document and improve the current overall digital signal processing system for OTWTFT. The digital signal processing to support OTWTF is implemented across several platforms including field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), and personal computer (PC). Excluding testing software, the primary OTWTFT processing system includes 12,000 lines of C++ code in the DSP, 30,000 lines of VHDL/VERILOG code in the FPGA, and 12,000 lines of code in Python. A secondary control system is used for the free-space terminal tracking control. That system includes 1000 lines of Python code and 400 lines of VHDL/VERILOG. The tasks involve modifying the digital signal processing of the existing embedded system to improve the overall performance as specified. b. GENERAL: The Contractor shall provide all support for project oversight, administration and technical execution of this task order. The contract position provides research and technical assistance utilizing government furnished laboratory equipment and facilities in the NIST Applied Physics Division. c. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall complete the following tasks: 1. Task 1: Legacy code from FPGA to DSP. Transfer legacy VHDL/VERILOG code from FPGA hardware to DSP. This legacy code was ported over to the current system from a first generation FPGA OTWTFT signal processor. The legacy code to be transferred includes the following three subsystems: a) Kalman Filter to process the input timing signals over fades and output a filtered control signal b) Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) filter that takes the output of the Kalman filter and filters it through a PID to control the Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) for synchronization of either an optical or microwave clock. c) The upper-level code for the optical communication channel through transmission of binary-phase-shift keyed light. The high-speed portion of the communication firmware that requires a 200 MHz clock rate will remain on the FPGA but the remainder of the firmware will be transferred to operate on the DSP. In all three cases, the performance will be fully retained after the transfer from the FPGA to the DSP. All work will include modifications to the interface via the Python UI code. The modifications will include the ability to adjust input parameters for the three systems via the PC interface. (These input parameters are currently hard coded in the FPGA system). The contractor will participate in the testing of the modified firmware at NIST to verify operation. 2. Task 2: Documentation and Manual. Document existing digital signal processing for OTWTFT signal processor including the FPGA, DSP, and graphical user interface (GUI). The documentation will include a description of the basic algorithm and its implementation in the DSP or FPGA. The documentation will include all modifications made in Task 1. The GUI documentation will serve as a manual for the OTWTFT that is intended for an expert user. In other words, it is expected to be sufficient for a technical user to operate the OTWTFT after 8 hours of training. 3. Task 3: Testing and Technology Transfer Support. Support NIST effort to transfer OTWTFT capabilities to DoD customers. Contractor shall support NIST staff directly by providing the necessary documentation or technical support as needed for both hardware testing and technology transfer of the NIST OTWTFT system to the DoD or their contractors. This task will include minor modifications of the NIST signal processing system to operate with non-NIST optical hardware. It will include generation of additional detailed documentation beyond task 2, as requested by NIST to support the DoD. It will require up to 3 weeks of on-site support at the NIST Boulder campus and 1 week of off-site support. 4. Task 4: System modifications for Doppler-tolerant operation at 100 m/s. Modify Doppler-tolerant algorithm from operation up to 20 m/s to operation up to 100 m/s. These modifications include implementation of a) Modification of optical communication processing algorithms and implementation to maintain performance at up to 100 m/s b) Modification of initial triggering on input timing signals within the FPGA to allow for operation up to 100 m/s. c) Modification of the "range-ambiguity" search algorithm to maintain current timing precision up to 100 m/s velocity. 5. Task 5: Upgraded firmware for free-space optical terminals. Upgrade firmware for current free-space optical terminal to maintain a free-space link to a retroreflector moving at up to 20 m/s transverse velocity through a combination of input data from the existing beacon detector and imaging. The performance should allow tracking of a retro at up to 20 m/s transverse motion at the limit imposed by the physical gimbal (whose specifications will be provided to the contractor). All the development of the OTWTFT signal processing system will take place on the existing real-time digital signal processor, depicted in Figure 1. The general software specifications for the tasks 1,3,4 and 5 above includes: • All code must be covered with unit tests to at least 95% to verify functionality and to guard against regressions from future refactoring, extension, and/or bug fixes. • All code must be supplemented by software test benches that enable simulation and unit testing without the need for hardware. Testing code may be written in Matlab or Python. • The code must be tested on a digital real-time signal processor provided as GFE to the contractor. • All code must be documented by appropriate comments and naming conventions (in addition to task 2 above.) • Proprietary or closed-source software, including FPGA IP cores, must not be used unless the contractor has previously verified NIST already owns such IP cores. • All project software being developed must be maintained in a suitable repository (e.g. GitHub) to allow government to monitor development progress and provide rapid feedback when changes are needed. • Code must be organized to be reviewed by the government on a regular basis, as specified in the deliverable table below. The results of the reviews are to be integrated in successive development steps. Figure 1: Existing real time digital signal processor hardware. III. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE The period of performance shall be from 7/1/2017 through 12/31/2017. IV. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The development work will be completed at the contractor's facility. All testing and meeting will be conducted at the NIST, Boulder, CO campus, specifically Bldg. 1 (i.e., the Radio bldg.) and Bldg. 81 (i.e., the precision measurement's lab). The contractor will be expected to be at NIST for 1-2 weeks monthly for a minimum of 6 weeks total on site. The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and/or Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) may direct the flow of technical matters while on location. V. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY All property, data and information provided by the Government in the performance of this task remains the property of the Government and shall be surrendered to the government upon completion or termination of this requirement. Likewise, all deliverables generated under this requirement remain the property of the Government. Upon award of this requirement, the Government will provide the Contractor with all equipment needed in the performance of this requirement, specifically a single real-time processor unit with identical hardware to the OTWTFT signal processing. The Government will also furnish the Contractor with a desk, chair, computer and a telephone while on site at Boulder NIST campus. VI. DELIVERABLES Task Number/ Reference Description Format Quantity Due Date (after start of contract) 1 Transfer Kalman filter function from FPGA to DSP and update the GUI. Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 1 1 Transfer proportional-integral-derivative (PID) filter function from FPGA to DSP and update the GUI. Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 1 1 Analyze communication firmware to determine which portions will remain on the FPGA and which will be transferred to the DSP MS Word or Adobe PDF document 1 Month 1 1 Re-factor the communication firmware to operate on the FPGA and the DSP, and update the GUI. Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 2 2 Documentation of the FPGA and DSP code including signal processing algorithms, rational for design choices, and implementation details. MS Word or Adobe PDF document 1 Month 4 2 Develop manual for GUI for OTWTFT operation suitable for use by expert user after 8 hours of on-site training MS Word or Adobe PDF document 1 Month 5 3 Provide consultation support to NIST as it interacts directly with DoD customer regarding signal processing for OTWTFT. Support includes up to 1 week on-site and 1 week off-site. MS Word or Adobe PDF document 2 weeks (1 on site and 1 off site) Month 2 3 Modify NIST OTWTFT signal processing system to operate with alternative set of hardware developed by NIST collaborator. Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 5 3 Support testing/measurement of modified system at NIST with NIST personnel and collaborators for up to a two-week period. MS Word or Adobe PDF document identifying any anomalies in system performance from signal processing 2 weeks on site Month 6 4 Modify "range-ambiguity" search algorithm to maintain current timing precision up to 100 m/s velocity. Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 4 4 Modification of initial triggering on input timing signals within the FPGA to allow for operation up to 100 m/s. Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 4 4 Design and implement modified phase coherent communications link for operation in presence of up to 100 m/s Doppler shifts Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 6 5 Design advanced signal processing algorithms to combine current beacon data for tip/tilt correction of NIST-designed free-space optical terminals and images from visible camera MS Word or Adobe PDF document 1 Month 5 5 Implement improved free-space terminal control on existing NIST FPGA hardware and PC using existing gimbal. Code deposited to GitHub repository 1 Month 6 1-5 Participate in weekly progress meeting with NIST staff either on-site or via NIST approved teleconference (e.g. Blue Jeans). Hourly progress meeting 12 Weekly VII. STANDARDS FOR ACCEPTANCE OF DELIVERABLES: The NIST Task Order Contact, Nathan Newbury, will provide comments on each deliverable within 21 calendar days from receipt of a given deliverable. The contractor shall make any needed changes to the reports within 21 calendar days from receipt of electronic or written comments from the NIST Task Order Contact. The NIST Task Order Contact will provide written notification when a deliverable is accepted. VIII. TRAVEL As noted in Section IV, the contractor is expected to travel to NIST at 1 - 2 month intervals for testing and support for a total of approximately 4 visits covering a total of 6 weeks of time. IX. CONTRACTOR'S MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS • Must have a PhD in physics or electrical engineering • Must have over 5 years experience in embedded systems hardware and firmware, digital signal processing. • Must have expertise in multiple areas of signal processing including communications, frequency/time generation and transfer, analog and digital electronics as demonstrated by past work experience. • Must have expertise in VHDL, Verilog, C, C++, Python, Matlab • Must have demonstrated substantial experience with and successful prior independent implementation of: o Electro-optic systems with femtosecond timing jitter, such as fiber laser frequency combs or other related technologies. o Complete embedded system development including development of system requirements, hardware design, build, testing, and code development. Systems should include use of FPGA, DSP, Ethernet, serial peripherals, o Development of embedded digital electronics products for basic science research Must have experience working closely with physical scientists as end customers. References must be provided from previous basic science collaboration work, attesting to the qualification of the contractor for a project of this nature and the ability to communicate wi
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- Place of Performance
- Address: NIST, 325 Broadway, Broulder, Colorado, 80305, United States
- Zip Code: 80305
- Zip Code: 80305
- Record
- SN04509441-W 20170517/170515235551-7ac98999f9d248d34fea14ffac689ee2 (fbodaily.com)
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