Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, U.S. Army Aviation and Troop Command, ATTN: AMSAT-R-TC, Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577

A -- ADVANCED ROTORCRAFT TRANSMISSION II SOL DAAJ02-95-R-0013 DUE 110295 POC Hilda E. Fowler, Contract Specialist, (804) 878-4818. 17. The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate is soliciting Proposals for Information or Planning Purposes for the Advanced Rotorcraft Transmission II (ART II) Program. In accordance with FAR 52.215-3, incorporated herein by reference, 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 provided in subsection 31.205-18, ''Bid and Proposal (B&P) Costs,'' of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. This solicitation is issued for the purpose of obtaining ideas and concepts regarding potential approaches and preliminary cost estimates for such efforts. Further, it is intended to allow potential offerors an opportunity to comment on the program goals and approach relative to the company's future military and commercial business plans. Proposals are required to be submitted in accordance with the guidelines set forth herein. ART II OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the ART II program is to integrate the most modern rotorcraft drive system components into a major rotorcraft drive subsystem or module. These modules will then be designed, fabricated and tested to demonstrate the goals to the maximum possible degree. Examples of subsystems or modules include engine input gearboxes, main reduction gearboxes, engine power combining gearboxes, tail rotor drive systems, accessory drive gearboxes, and others, depending on the specific type of rotorcraft application. The proposed subsystem/ module demonstrator shall validate the synergistic benefits of integrating the most technologically advanced materials, manufacturing techniques, lubrication approaches, gear, bearing, overrunning clutch, housing, shaft/ coupling designs, and health monitoring techniques. The demonstrator will produce technological advances applicable to current fleet upgrades and future aircraft. The majority of components selected for integration shall have been demonstrated previously in rig/bench or other testing at operating conditions similar to those expected in the selected module/subsystem. TECHNICAL GOALS: The specific technical goals of the ART II program re a 25% reduction in the weight of the total rotorcraft drive system (engine output spline to rotor hub), a 10dB reduction in transmission generated internal cabin noise, 2X increase in mean time between removal of the major drive system modules, 50% reduction in total drive system maintenance man- hours per flight hour, and a 10% reduction in acquisition (initial production) cost. The baseline from which these goals are to be measured is current modern production rotorcraft. It is most important that any proposed approach has a well-established baseline from which progress towards the goals can be realistically measured and validated by the demonstration testing. TRANSITION POTENTIAL: The proposed approach(es) should have a logical transition path into upgrades of current military rotorcraft. In addition, it is desired that the technology/capability demonstrated be applicable to a currently evolving aircraft concept known as the Joint Transport Rotorcraft (JTR). JTR is envisioned as a tri-service rotorcraft which would replace the aging military rotorcraft cargo fleet of CH-47D and CH-53D/E aircraft. ACQUISITION PLANS: Upon receipt of the appropriate administrative approvals, it is the intent to issue a complete solicitation on the basis of which proposals may be submitted, negotiations may be conducted and award may be made. Release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the ART II program is planned for January 1996 with a projected award date late in the 3rd quarter of Government FY96. Respondents to this solicitation will automatically be retained on the solicitation mailing list for the ART II RFP. The Government anticipates multiple awards but reserves the right to award only one contract if necessary to maintain a high probability of successful achievement of the goals. Funding is programmed for Government FY96-FY00 with the following distribution: FY96 - 7%, FY97 - 9%, FY98 - 17%, FY99 - 38% and FY00 - 29%. FORMAT OF SUBMITTAL: Responses to this solicitation should be clear and concise and limited to 25 pages inclusive of combined text, figures and tables. The Government desires that the following items be addressed as a minimum: (1) The company's military and commercial business plans as they relate to ART II, (2) A description of candidate ART II subsystem/module demonstrators, (3) Identification of technology baseline and how it relates to candidate ART II demonstrators, (4) Th method of assessing/bookkeeping the contributions of the subsystem/module demonstration relative to the total drive system characteristics on which the ART II goals are based, (5) Initial analysis of a candidate subsystem/module's potential to achieve the goals and identification of highest risk items, (6) Approach to conducting demonstration tests (duration/type/location), (7) Potential need for use of Government furnished resources (facilities, equipment, property, etc), (8) Preliminary schedule for conducting design, fabrication and demonstration testing of candidate subsystem/modules, (9) A rough order of magnitude cost estimate (man-hours, materials and total cost) for conducting design, fabrication and demonstration testing of candidate subsystem/modules, identification of significant ''cost drivers'', and comments concerning the suitability of the Government's expected funding distribution, and (10) Methods of minimizing costs by utilizing existing or modifications to existing system test equipment. SUBMITTAL DEADLINE: Written responses shall be submitted, in triplicate, no later than 4:15 p.m. Eastern time, 2 November 1995, to the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, ATCOM, Attn: AMSAT-R-TC (H. Fowler), Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577. Government personnel will make every effort to accommodate any respondent who wishes to visit AATD to present their comments to project personnel during the period 6-9 November 1995. Four-hour blocks of time will be made available to respondents during this week on a first-come, first-served basis. These briefings may be scheduled by calling Hilda Fowler at (804) 878-4818. Visit authorizations should be sent to: Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, U.S. Army Aviation Systems Cmd, Attn: AMSAT-R-TMS (Ms. Brooks), Bldg 401, Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577. Alternately, visit authorizations may be faxed to Ms. Brooks at (804) 878-0008. For additional information, please contact Ms. Fowler at (804) 878-4818. (0257)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 19950915\A-0002.SOL)