NCCOSC RDTE Division Code 02214B 53570 Silvergate Avenue Bldg A33 San Diego CA 92152-5113

A -- DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF LIGHTNING PROTECTION FOR SHIPBOARD COMPOSITE STRUCTURE SOL N66001-96-X-6007 POC Contract Specialist, Ed Brown, (619)553-5725. Contracting Officer, Mark Lopez. Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center (NCCOSC), RDT&E Division (NRaD) is seeking proposals (technical and cost) with innovative approaches for a research and developement effort to support the Electromagnetic Compatibility Task (RH21C13) of the Surface Ship Technology Block Program (PE0602121N) sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Arlington, VA, 22217-5000. One potentially serious problem for navy ships using advanced composite structures is that of providing adequate lightning protection. This is especially critical for large ships using advanced frequency selective surface (FSS) composite masts and superstructures. A direct lightning strike on or through an FSS composite structure could cause catastrophic damage. Present practices for design of lightning protection systems for composites on Navy ships is to rely on MIL SPECS, common engineering practices used in civilian building construction, and a limited experience base for composite minesweepers. The best analytical analysis capability is a graphical technique rooted in 18th century lightning lore and 20th century building trades practices. The Navy at this juncture does not have an adequate capability for the design and analysis of lightning protection systems for advanced FSS composite structures on surface combatants. The Navy needs an analytical capability to predict lightning generated currents (and fields) on FSS composite structures and proposed lightning protection systems. The objective is to develop a Navy capability to design and analyze lightning protection systems for advanced FSS composite structures. The ability to effectively design and analyze lightning protection systems will substantially reduce the probability of a direct lightning strike to FSS composite masts and superstructures. A direct result will be an increase in war fighting capability by preventing or minimizing lightning caused damage to surface combatants with FSS composites. For the purpose of this BAA: FSS structures consist of assemblies of metal and dielectric materials arranged to perfrm as deck houses and masts. Composite structure parts may be in various shapes including flat and curved surface plates. Composite parts may be homogeneous or consist of a composite sandwich of lossless an lossy dielectric materials with metalized or otherwise conducting substrates. These substrates may form an uninterrupted conducting surface or a discontinuous plane of isolated conducting fractional inch elements spaced in smaller fractional inch increments. This BAA will address the following areas: 1. Methodologies for the design and analysis of lightning protection systems for Naval warships which have entensive FSS composite superstructures. 2. Computational techniques for prediction of lightning currents and the associated fields on the conductors of a shipboard lightning protection system including the currents and fields for all conducting paths over the surrounding shipboard composite structures. This includes induced or secondary lightning currents and fields due to near neighbor strikes as well as direct strikes. 3. Techniques for computing the probability of a lightning strike to shipboard composite structures and shipboard lightning protection systems. 4. Validation of computational tools for prediction of lightning currents and fields. 5. Phenomenology studies to determine the appropriate lightning threat levels for Naval warships leading to the definition of ship lightning source design waveforms. 6. Measurement techniques for validation of lightning designs. This includes injection techniques and ''live'' testing techniques for both fractional scale and full scale testing. 7. Instrumentation for monitoring of lightning strike data suitable for shipboard installation. Monitoring devices include strike count and current amplitude capabilities. It is anticipated that task areas (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) will begin at award of contract and continue for at least 24 months. During the first 12 months, it is anticipated that existing computational techniques and design methodologies will be demonstrated on a DD963 with a composite mast to establish the baseline benchmark capability. That is, an analysis using existing techniques will be applied to a composite mast mounted on a DD963 to demonstrate the existing capability. Areas (6) and (7) will be initiated as options in the second 12 months leading to actual testing in optional follow-on years. The possibility exists for the effrts under all task areas to be extended under options for an additional 24 month period. Every 12 month contract period should include demonstrable milestones and tangible deliverables (such as scientific and progress reports). All technical approaches will be considered. Proposals may address one or more technical areas but completeness will be considered due to the interrelationship of the technical areas. Emphasis will be placed on demonstrated previous experience in each technical area and related work. Contract award is anticipated for mid year 1996. Proposed efforts will be evaluated according to the following selection criteria: 1. Offerer's overall demonstrated experience and capabilities, in particular, background and experience in the design, analysis and testing of lightning protection systems with emphasis on shipboard lightning protection systems, other military lightning protection systems, and other lightning protection systems. 2. Scientific and technical merit of proposal, as it relates to the Navy requirement for a design and analysis capability for lightning protection systems on ships with FSS composite structures. 3. Potential risk of the proposal to meet the final objectives. 4. Demonstrated qualifications, capabilities, and relevant experience of the proposed principle investigator and key personnel. 5. Management and facilities, and past performance on similar efforts. 6. Realism on proposed costs. The Government anticipates multiple contract awards, however, the availability of funds will be a determining factor as to the actual number of proposals accepted by the Government. Contracts may range in size from $50,000 up to $500,000 per contract year. Contracts may be incrementally funded. The Government desires unlimited rights with regard to data and computer algorithms delivered under this procurement. Proprietary concepts and information should be clearly identified up front and marked in the proposal. It is anticipated that the following deliverable items will be required under the resulting contract: 1. Monthly progress reports. 2. Bi-annual progress reviews and reports. 3. Applicable test plans, procedures and reports. 4. Interim and final reports. Offerers may propose alternative and additional deliverables deemed appropriate. The technical volume of proposals is limited to 25 pages (8 1/2 by 11 inches), excluding resumes, and management and facilities informaion. The technical volume should also include a separate section of specific task and subtask statements of the proposed work, so that these could be incorporated into a Government contract Statement of Work (SOW). The cost volume should: 1. Be a separate document that shows the cost of each task separately by year, as well as a Total Cost Summary Sheet for the entire proposed effort. 2. Provide a Standard Form 1411, Contract Pricing Proposal Cover Sheet, supported by adequate breakout of cost elements and rates for the purpose of cost and price analysis. Each Task should be separately costed. Cost proposals should be valid for a 120 day period after the submission data. An original plus 4 copies of the technical volume, plus 3 copies of the cost volume should be submitted to: NCCOSC RDT&E DIV, Attn: Ed Brown, Code 02212, San Diego, CA 92152-5000. Any further questions of a technical nature may be addressed to: Mr. Jim Logan, NRaD Code 822, (619)553-3780. Proposals are to be submitted no later that 30 days after pulication of this announcement for initial consideration of contract award. Proposals should be unclassified. The Government will accept proposals for up to one year after publication. However, proposals submitted after 30 days will be considered separately from the initial proposal submissions and evaluations. Contract award will be based upon technical merit, the same evaluation criteria, and funding availability. The Government reserves the right to select for award, all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. The Government may also select specific tasks within a proposal for award. This notice constitutes a BAA as contemplated in FAR 35.016. No additional written information is available, nor will a formal request for proposal (RFP) or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. (0333)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 19951130\A-0002.SOL)