Phillips Laboratory/PKVC, Directorate of Contracting, 2251 Maxwell Ave SE, Kirtland AFB NM 87117-5772

A -- SAVI MOVE SOL F29601-95-C-0064 POC Rory Ninneman, Project Officer, (505)846-4699, Joan Fulkerson, Contracting Officer, (505)846-5011. The Precision Structures Branch of the Phillips Laboratory (PL/VTSS), Kirtland AFB, NM is seeking potential sources to provide engineering and technician support for the disassembly, reassembly, alignment and functional checkout of the Space Active Vibration Isolation (SAVI) Device developed under Contract # F29601-85-C-0132. BACKGROUND: The SAVI Device is currently an integrated subsystem in the Space Integrated Controls Experiment (SPICE) test article. The SPICE test article is being relocated from Building 765, Kirtland AFB to the newly constructed SPICE Test Chamber located in Building 472, Kirtland AFB. This is a one time move to the new test facility, therefore no follow-on effort is contemplated by the government. Building 472 will be the final operating location of the SPICE test article. The SAVI Device subsystem is the only space qualifiable, six (6) degree of freedom (DOF) system isolator for a space based laser (SBL) currently in existence. The SAVI Device is a one-of-a-kind research and development hardware asset which defines the state of the art for advanced space based magnetic isolation systems. The SAVI Device consists of three forebody interface plates that are precision aligned and bolted to the upper stators of three pairs of magnetic actuators. The magnetic actuators consist of upper and lower stators enclosing a passive armature. The gaps between the magnetic actuator stators and the armature are nominally 5 mm. The ability to center the armature in this 5 mm gap is critical to the performance of the SAVI Device. Improper alignment of the magnetic gaps will cause the stators to cock relative to the armature or bias toward the upper or lower hardstops of the magnetic actuator and degrade performance or potentially render the system unusable. The magnetic actuators are located at the vertices of a structure forming an equilateral triangle approximately 8 m on a side. This structure is known as the intermediate gimbal structure or IGS. The IGS itself consists of three (3) IGS Tubes and three (3) IGS Vertex Structures. These components are also precision aligned and bolted together at precision machined interfaces to generate the equilateral triangle relationship and maintain high alignment tolerances necessary to insure the 5 mm magnetic actuator gap requirements. The lower stators of the magnetic actuators are precision aligned and bolted to the IGS Vertex Structures. Three (3) pairs of long stroke linear actuators are connected to the ''Y'' shaped aftbody simulator via support trunnions and to the IGS Vertex Structure via spherical bearings in clevis. The aftbody has a centrally located aftbody support system. The aftbody is also connected to the disturbance sources at the extends of the ''Y''. The disturbance sources are three (3) pairs of MB Dynamics C-10 electro-magnetic shakers. The C-10 shakers are connected to the floor through reference base plates. The three (3) reference base plates and the aftbody support structure must be aligned relative to one another to ) 5 mm tolerances prior to their connection and grouting to the floor. The relationship between the reference base plates and the aftbody support structure define the first of several critical alignments that must be performed to insure the 5 mm magnetic actuator gap requirements. The magnetic and linear actuator pairs at each vertex are driven by a vertex electronics assembly (VEA). Each VEA contains sophisticated 100 VDC control and amplifier electronics. The VEAs are powered by custom eleven cell battery stacks. The three (3) VEAs are slaved to the master electronics assembly which contains the primary controls processors for system command and control, data telemetry and external fire control commands. The SAVI Device isolator control system architecture consists of a series of control loops for both the magnetic and linear actuators. For the magnetic actuators, there are high bandwidth magnetic flux loops and low bandwidth forward position loops. For the linear actuators, there are high bandwidth tach rate loops to control flexibility and cross-coupling and low bandwidth follow-up loops. The system has the capability to generate feedforward retarget rate and acceleration directly to the high bandwidth inner loops and to provide retarget position command to forward position loops. As the SAVI Device is designed to perform in a micro-g environment, a gravity offload system must be used. The gravity offload system currently being used in Building 765 will not be relocated with the SPICE Test Article. A new three point floor standing pneumatic gravity offload system will be used. Due to this change in boundary conditions, the SAVI Device rigid body control laws must be modified. REQUIREMENTS: This solicitation deals exclusively with the engineering and technician support necessary to disassemble critical SAVI Device interfaces and to reassemble and align the SAVI Device in Building 472 and perform functionality tests to demonstrate the required isolation (-80 dB) and retargetting capability (+ 2 degrees) goals. The Offeror shall be required to perform the following: (1) Develop a program plan to be approved by the government which shall: identify technical tasks, manpower requirements, and schedule, coordinate with the government move plans for the SPICE Test Article as it pertains to the SAVI Device, and evaluate the current status of the SAVI Device and identify items to be repaired/replaced. (2) Provide technical expertise for coordinating the disassembly of critical SAVI Device interfaces and subcomponents by the government and provide written handling and packaging instruction to the government. (3) Provide technical expertise to accomplish the precision locating of the SAVI Device reference base plates and aftbody simulator support structure. Upon completion, the Offeror shall (4) coordinate the installation and reassembly of the C-10 shaker disturbance system and aftbody simulator by the government in the SPICE Test Chamber located in Building 472. (5) Provide technical expertise for coordinating the re-integration of the SAVI Device linear actuators, IGS, and magnetic actuators. (6) Perform alignment of the SAVI Device once it is assembled and modify the control laws to accommodate the dynamics of the new gravity offload suspension system. (7) Perform a functional checkout to insure the SAVI Device is performing at the required isolation and retargetting goals established by the SAVI Device when located in Building 765. Offerors must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performing all tasks. The Government will be responsible for the physical packing and relocation of the hardware from Building 765 to the SPICE Test Chamber in Building 472. It is expected that the Offeror shall not be required to procure hardware or materials under this solicitation. The offeror shall provide the government a list of required hardware and suggested procurement sources for hardware that must be replaced or repaired to insure functionality of the SAVI Device when installed in Building 472. The Government shall provide engineering and technician manpower to assist in the tasks identified above. The offeror is required to maximize the available government manpower wherever possible to control overall cost. The Government will provide a new gravity offload mechanism and interface to the SPICE test article for transition into Building 472. This will require that the offeror have the ability to adjust the SAVI Device control system to accommodate changes in boundary conditions generated by the new gravity offload device. MINIMUM PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS: LEAD ENGINEER. The lead engineer must have demonstrable technical expertise in multi-input multi-output, real-time control system design and implementation, the modification of real-time control software, familiar with system level software operations and programming on a DEC VAX 8650 mainframe, familiar with operation and use of Tektronics hardware debugger systems, magnetic circuit design and operation, magnetic actuator alignment and calibration, operation of pulse width modulated amplifiers, implementation, calibration and alignment of instrumentation (in particular, differential impedance transducers (DITs), Hall Effects Sensors, linear variable differential transducers (LVDTs) and their conditioning electronics), trouble-shooting, analyzing, and tracing electronic component failures in custom electronic circuits, mechanical alignment and precision shimming to required tolerances, calculation of rigid body dynamics necessary to develop control system parameters, inertial balancing necessary to align the magnetic actuators, and acquisition, reduction, analysis, and interpretation of experimental data. LEAD TECHNICIAN: The lead technician must have demonstrable technical expertise in the operation of precision measuring or surveying equipment necessary to locate the reference base plates and aftbody simulator support system, installation of mechanical systems onto concrete including anchoring and grouting to required tolerances, and mechanical alignment and precision shimming to required tolerances. Responses to this synopsis will demonstrate the necessary technical expertise described in tasks 1 through 7 above, provide a draft program plan, and include resumes of key personnel. Submit responses to Ms. Lynne Adams, 2251 Maxwell Ave SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5772 no later than fifteen (15) calendar days after the date of this announcement at 3:00 PM, Mountain Standard Time. Responses are limited to a total of ten (10) pages (including program plan, resumes, attachments, diagrams, etc). A read file has been established and consists of available mechanical and electrical drawings and printouts of control algorithm software. The read file is located in the conference room of building 762. Access to the read file will be from 0900 to 1500 Monday through Friday, by appointment only, during the fifteen day period that this announcement is open. Two three-hour blocks of time (0900-1200 and 1200-1500 hrs) will be available each day. Interested parties must contact Ms. Elizabeth Witherspoon (505) 846-4699 to make arrangements for an appointment. Potential offerors may only make hand-written notes. The Government will not allow material to be copied. No documentation may leave the conference room. Site visits will be allowed for interested offerors who need to see the SAVI Device and buildings, on 14 Mar 95 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Call Mr. Ninneman for further information and reservations. Foreign firms are advised they will not be allowed to participate as the prime contractor. Firms responding should indicate if they are a Small Business, a Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Business, an 8(a) Qualified Business or a Woman-owned Business. For the purposes of being considered a Small Business the following applies: SIC Code 8731, Size standard 1,000 employees. The Government reserves the right to set this acquisition aside for small business, SBA 8(a) Program, SDB firms, Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCU) or Minority Institutions (MI) based upon known sources and/or responses to this synopsis. Firms responding should indicate whether they fall into any of these categories. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The purpose of the Ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the Program Director or Contracting Officer, but to communicate contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. Before contacting the Ombudsman, potential offerors should first communicate with the Contracting Officer. In those instances where offerors cannot obtain resolution from the Contracting Officer, they are invited to contact the PL Ombudsman, Colonel Dayton L. Silver, Phillips Laboratory Vice Commander, at (505) 846-4964, or at 3550 Aberdeen Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5776. The alternate PL Ombudsman is Bruce Grunsten in the Directorate of Contracting at (505) 846-8273, or at 2251 Maxwell Ave SE, Kirtland AFB, NM, 87117-5772. When requested, the Ombudsman will 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. For contracting issues please contact Ms. Joan Fulkerson at (505) 846-5011. For technical issues, please contact Mr. Rory Ninneman at (505) 846-4699. (0065)

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