SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Sources Sought for Innovative Concepts and Technologies for Missile Multiple Simultaneous Engagement Technologies
- Notice Date
- 6/22/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC - RSA (W31P4Q) Missile, BLDG 5303 SPARKMAN CIR, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, 35898-5090, United States
- ZIP Code
- 35898-5090
- Solicitation Number
- W31P4Q-17-R-0132
- Archive Date
- 8/4/2017
- Point of Contact
- Miroslaw Chodaba, Phone: 2568762105
- E-Mail Address
-
miroslaw.chodaba.civ@mail.mil
(miroslaw.chodaba.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR SOLICITATION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES (OCT 1997) (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" and "offeror" are 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 obtaining information to serve as a market survey to assist in the development of a procurement strategy. Pursuant to FAR 15.2, this notice is being issued as a Request for Information (RFI). The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) is currently conducting market research only. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS RFI OR OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED. Responses to this notice are not an offer and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Solicitations are not available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. RFI Responses will only be accepted from U.S. Companies and Organizations. FOREIGN PARTICIPATION IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR THIS EFFORT. Any questions must reference RFI number W31P4Q-17-R-0132 and be submitted in writing no later than 3:00 PM Central Standard Time (CST) on Monday, 10 July 2017 to the contractual point of contact Mr. Miroslaw Chodaba at miroslaw.chodaba.civ@mail.mil; telephone requests for addition information will not be honored. Question submittals must also include: Company name, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, and appropriate point of contact information. The AMRDEC, on behalf of the U.S. Army, desires to obtain information from domestic sources to serve as a market survey of innovative concepts and enabling technologies for Missile Multiple Simultaneous Engagement Technologies (MSET). The Government does not presently intend to award a contract, but desires information on innovative concepts and enabling technologies with associated capabilities, risk, cost, and other information useful in planning potential demonstration programs applicable to MSET. MSET is a scalable, organic precision strike capability to rapidly defeat swarming and/or dispersed threats at the Tactical Edge that provides simultaneous multiple launch, control, and supervised terminal engagement of multiple missiles against stationary and moving hard/soft targets. MSET addresses gaps in the ability to maintain stand-off lethal overmatch against multi-axis massing/swarm threats that demand faster than human reaction time. It is a critical enabling technology for emerging Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T)/Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) warfighting functions. The missile MSET concept is envisioned to comprise the following fundamental architectural elements: the ability to readily accept target location feeds from existing organic sensors; an organic Command and Control (C2) solution that handles all aspects of sensor integration, fire control, and airspace management; loitering missiles with advanced Image processing (on-board target detection, classification, and auto tracking) coupled with a modular multi-pack launcher; and a secure multi-missile control two-way datalink enabling supervised autonomous terminal engagement and inter-missile communication for shared situational awareness. MSET is envisioned as a modular kit integrable with ground-based systems and vehicle/air/sea platforms, offering functionally equivalent capability for a range of cross domain mission applications. The purpose of this RFI is to gather information regarding innovative systems architecture concepts and enabling technologies to achieve desired MSET capabilities outlined in the above paragraph. As a result of issuing this RFI, the Government expects to receive technical and programmatic data to assist in: (1) Identifying feasible MSET system concept solutions, associated performance characteristics, current maturity, and approximate development costs and timeline to meet the objectives stated in the above paragraph; and (2) Assessing current and emerging MSET subsystem and/or component technologies and their associated performance characteristics, maturity, and approximate development costs and timeline to meet the objectives stated in the above paragraph. Interested and capable sources are asked to submit a information paper containing a description of either or both of the above areas of interest. As previously described, MSET is a scalable suite of technologies that enable the simultaneous prosecution of multiple, dispersed targets with faster than human reaction time with man-on-the-loop supervised autonomous terminal engagement (regret avoidance). MSET is built around an organic C2/Fire Control solution that handles all aspects of sensor integration, fire control, and airspace management. The basic MSET Concept of Operations is as follows: leverage various types of organic Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensors, to include Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS), to detect, identify and track threats; sensor inputs are relayed to the MSET C2/Fire Control system, precise target locations are determined, waypoint flight paths generated, and appropriate number of missiles are launched; missiles are guided via real-time waypoint updates to the target location; once the target is in the field of view, the on-board missile EO/IR sensor image processing automatically detects, positively identifies, then locks on and tracks the target to terminal, with the operator actively monitoring engagements via interactive integrated display with the ability to abort or redirect individual missile engagements. This RFI is interested in current and emerging systems concepts and subsystem and/or component technologies that can potentially meet MSET stated objectives, specifically in the following areas: A) MSET Systems Architecture Concepts. Innovative systems architecture concepts in a modular kit construct to enable simultaneous prosecution of multiple, dispersed targets with faster than human reaction time with missile man-on-the-loop supervised autonomous terminal engagement. Proposed MSET concepts should generally satisfy the intent, features, and capabilities as described above, and additionally conform to the following parameters: MSET Kit size, weight and power (SWAP) sized for integration on an Army ground combat vehicle or smaller; a modular, platform/mission tailorable multi-pack launcher design and accompanying C2/Fire Control capable of handling from 2 to 20+ missiles, for demonstration purposes accommodating a range of missile all-up-round form factors up to 6 inch diameter, 50 inch length, and weight of 70 pounds. B) Command and Control (C2) / Fire Control Technology. The capability to generate and maintain a Common Tactical Air Picture (CTAP) using MIL-STD 2525 symbology accepting feeds from a range of platform organic sensors; perform mission planning and establish initial weapon/target pairing for multiple simultaneous engagements; create target state estimate, and determine intercept waypoints; provide real-time waypoint updates accounting for terrain and keep out zones; integrated display and intuitive User Interface for single-operator man-on-the-loop monitoring and control of multiple in-flight missiles, and the ability to wave-off prior to terminal commit and dynamically re-task in-flight missiles. C) Missile Autonomous Cooperative/Terminal Engagement Technology. Algorithms to perform autonomous multi-target acquisition and tracking, to include classification, compact target representation, and aim point selection; temporal multi-target tracking in a common coordinate system that can readily be shared amongst multiple missiles; communications architectures for distributed multi-weapon intelligence; and collaborative autonomy for efficient in-flight weapon-target assignment and terminal engagement. D) Multi-missile Capable Digital Data Link (DDL) and Supporting Component Technologies. Wireless DDL waveform and network architecture capable of controlling 20+ missiles at a desired stand-off range of at least 25KM with dynamically configurable full motion video and C2 bandwidth; network architecture that also supports inter-missile communication for shared situational awareness, target re-assignment, relative positioning, and/or communications relay. Network architecture capable of Ad Hoc network management and adaptable quality of service to include bandwidth and modulation. Network security using Secret and Below (SAB) certified products. Techniques such as Low Probability of Intercept (LPI), Low Probability of Detection (LPD) and anti-jamming are desired features of the network. Advanced antenna techniques and transceiver architectures are desired. E) GPS denied Navigation Technology. Alternative navigation systems for GPS denied/degraded environments employing technologies such as small advanced inertial sensors, GPS receiver and GPS anti-jam systems, image based sensors and algorithms, RF ranging, and any other emerging sensor and sensor fusion strategies which could be used to support the MSET program objectives. The size of the completed navigation system should be less than 100 cu in. F) MSET Simulation Technology. Capability to simulate integrated high fidelity background and target scenes of one of more imaging sensors that are present on multiple MSET System platforms is required. The scene generation capability would render imagery representative of passive Electro-Optical (EO) fine resolution sensors operating in typical EO spectral bands, and/or imagery representative of long wave infrared (LWIR) sensors. Sensor models would be applied during scene generation to depict the proper spatial and amplitude characteristics of MSET relevant sensors. Generated imagery would be processed by MSET hardware, various algorithms, and observers. MSET simulation capabilities require generation of appropriate spatial resolution and EO and/or LWIR spectral terrain databases useful for MSET tactical autonomous and terminal engagement scenarios. The MSET simulation requires precision trajectory and attitude 6DOF flight dynamics, navigation, inter-platform and ground communication datalink bandwidth/quality, and range closure to features or targets. Real-time and non-real-time full digital simulation, as well as, hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulations are of interest. Both the digital and HWIL simulations must be capable of representing a minimum of six missiles in flight simultaneously, up to 40 preferred. Both the digital and HWIL simulations should include the man in the loop capability of the envisioned MSET architecture. The capability to build quality terrain databases and targets with the appropriate spatial and spectral properties, 3D terrain and feature detail is of strong program interest. Information Paper Submissions: The Government seeks innovative concepts and technologies within the US DoD industrial base capable of fully realizing the above MSET desired capabilities by the 2024 timeframe. Responses should include either or both of the following: (1) in response to paragraph A, a description of the MSET system architecture concept, including major subsystems and associated components, Concept of Operations, associated performance characteristics, current maturity, related Government-funded projects that the respondent is or has been involved in that could be leveraged, and approximate development costs and timeline to achieve TRL 6; and/or (2) in response to paragraphs B, C, D, E and/or F, a description of the technology, associated performance characteristics, current maturity, related Government-funded projects that the respondent is or has been involved in that could be leveraged, and approximate development costs and timeline to achieve TRL 6. Responses (except for paragraph F) should also include estimated average unit manufacturing costs (quantity of 1000) qualified as follows: for paragraph A, unit cost of a notional MSET Kit, excluding missiles; for paragraph B, unit cost of C2/Fire control computing and display hardware; for paragraph C, unit cost of missile flight processor hardware required to host the algorithms; for paragraph D, unit cost of ground and air-side DDL radios; and for paragraph E, unit cost of the navigation system sensor suite. Affordability of paragraphs C, D, and E is particularly critical for future implementation of the Missile MSET concept. All responses should include RFI Solicitation Number W31P4Q-17-R-0132. Interested parties should submit information papers not to exceed 25 pages, with one inch margins, and no smaller than 10-12 point Times New Roman or Courier New font in Microsoft Word or PDF format. All information submitted will be treated confidentially and will not be released outside the Government. All submissions must be clearly marked with the following caption: Releasable to Government Agencies for Evaluation Purposes Only. The Government reserves the right to request further clarification to enhance the Governments understanding of the respondent's submittal. Responses that fail to comply with the above instructions, or present ideas not pertinent to subject, may not be reviewed. Aspects of the design that are proprietary or have usage restrictions such as licensing requirements or restrictions on modifications or operator servicing should be clearly identified. Appropriate proprietary claims will be honored and protected to prevent improper disclosure. Responses shall include only one concept per submittal, but multiple submittals are permitted. The Government requests that the Respondents deliver one electronic soft copy of UNCLASSIFIED responses No Later Than (NLT) 1500 hours Central Standard Time (CST), Thursday, 20 July 2017 for each submittal, to the contractual point of contact Mr. Miroslaw Chodaba via email at miroslaw.chodaba.civ@mail.mil. Requests for additional information will not be honored, with the exception of technical questions or clarifications that are required for submittal response. Requests for clarification or technical questions must be submitted in writing no later than 3:00 PM CST on Monday, 10 July 2017 via email to the contractual point of contact Mr. Miroslaw Chodaba via email at miroslaw.chodaba.civ@mail.mil. All submissions should include RFI Solicitation Number W31P4Q-17-R-0132 and company CAGE code and DUNS number. Acknowledgement of receipt will be issued if request for return receipt is included with the response. All information submitted will be adequately safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with FAR Part 15.207. All responses must be submitted as described above.
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