Aviation Applied Technology Dir., ATTN: AMSAT-R-TC, Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577

A -- ADVANCED ROTORCRAFT TRANSMISSION II SOL DAAJ02-96-R-0003 DUE 030596 POC Hilda E. Fowler, Contract Specialist, (804) 878-4818. The ART II program is a technology demonstration effort aimed at improving U.S. military rotorcraft drive system performance, reliability, and cost of ownership. ART II builds on component design and testing efforts performed under previously conducted Government sponsored exploratory development efforts, industry IR&D, and other drive system research. The U.S. military requires future rotorcraft drive systems which are lighter, quieter, and more reliable. This will provide benefits in payload/range, affordability, and crew performance. These benefits would be applicable to upgrades of current military and commercial rotorcraft as well as future rotorcraft such as the Joint Transport Rotorcraft (JTR). In the past, rotorcraft drive system technology advancements have been slow to transition into new and upgraded rotorcraft, thus resulting in drive systems which have shown only small improvements in specific weight, noise reduction and reliability over the past generation. This is largely due to the high level of risk associated with incorporating advanced component technology and approaches which have not been proven in a system level application. ART II is a rotorcraft drive system demonstrator program which will greatly reduce this risk. The objective of ART II is to validate through design, fabrication and demonstration testing, significant advances in rotorcraft drive system technology on a subsystem level. Potential subsystems include: lube system/accessory drives, input module, tail rotor drive system, or main gearbox. The ART II program will consist of preliminary and detailed design, fabrication, affordability analysis, component/bench tests, and subsystem/module development, noise, and durability tests. Specific technology goals of the ART II program are a 25% weight reduction, 10 dB noise reduction, and a 2X increase in Mean Time Between Removal (MTBR) of the drive system from the aircraft. These goals are for a total rotorcraft drive system which includes all items necessary to transmit power from the engine output spline to the rotor hub(s). This includes accessory drives and drives for anti torque devices. The baseline for these goals is moder U.S. military rotorcraft currently in production. Options for additional testing are included in the solicitation. The Government anticipates multiple awards no later than June 30, 1996. However, the Government reserves the right to make no award or only one award. Funding for this requirement is included in the financial plan for FY96. However, funds are not presently available for this acquisition. No contract award will be made until appropriated funds are made available from which payment for contract purposes can be made. It is anticipated that cost reimbursement-no fee type contracts with a period of performance of fifty-two (52) months will be awarded. It is estimated that approximately 58,000 manhours of manufacturing, engineering and subcontract labor plus an attendant amount of material cost would be required to conduct the program on a subsystem which contained a single gear mesh such as an engine mounted reduction gearbox. It is estimated that approximately 98,000 manhours of manufacturing, engineering and subcontract labor plus an attendant amount of material cost would be required to conduct the program on a subsystem which contained a more complex multi-stage set of reduction gearing such as a main rotor reduction gearbox. Performance under this effort will require access to and/or generation of technical data the export of which is restricted by the Arms Control Export Act (Title 22, U.S.C. Sect 2751 et seq) or Executive Order 12470. The following countries have been determined to be eligible to participate in the ART II program: Canada and England. A determination has been made that this solicitation is not releasable to countries other than those listed. Requests for this solicitation must be submitted in writing to the above address. (Facsimile requests are authorized at (804) 878-0008). Requests from U.S. firms must include business size. Prior to award, any successful U.S. or Canadian firm will be required to provide a ''DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement'' certification number issued in accordance with DoD Directive 5230.25. Firms which submitted proposals for information and planning purposes in response to DAAJ02-95- R-0013 will automatically be retained on the solicitation mailing list for this RFP. (0352)

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