R&D Contracting Directorate, WPAFB OH 45433-7607

A -- COMPUTED RADIOGRAPHY FOR AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS - PART 1 OF 2 SOL PRDA NO. 97-20-MLKT POC Contact Sue Palmer, Contract Negotiator, 513-255-7143 or Bruce Miller, Contracting Officer, 513-255-7143. INTRODUCTION: Wright Laboratory (WL/MLKT) is interested in receiving proposals (technical and cost) on the research effort described below. Proposals in response to this PRDA shall be submitted by 20 Nov 96, 1500 hours Eastern Time, addressed to Wright Laboratory, Directorate of R&D Contracting, Building 7, Area B. Attn: Sue Palmer, WL/MLKT, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7607. This is an unrestricted solicitation. Small businesses are encouraged to propose on all or any part of this solicitation. Proposals submitted shall be in accordance with this announcement. Proposal receipt after the cutoff date and time specified herein shall be treated in accordance with restrictions of FAR 52.215-10, a copy of this provision may be obtained from the contracting point of contact. There will be no other solicitation issued in regard to this requirement. Offerors should be alert for any PRDA amendments that may permit subsequent submission of proposal dates. Offerors should request a copy of the WL Guide entitled, ''PRDA and BAA Guide for Industry'' dated November 1992. This guide was specifically designed to assist offerors in understanding the PRDA/BAA proposal process. Copies may be requested from the contracting point of contact stated herein. The Guide is also available on the internet, address: www.wl.wpafb.af.mil/contract/hp.htm. B. REQUIREMENTS: (1) Technical Description: The purpose of this effort is to develop, demonstrate and implement a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) capability to eliminate or significantly reduce the use of radiographic film, chemicals, and ancillary equipment used in the process of developing, viewing, and storing radiographic images of aerospace structures at Air Force (AF) Air Logistic Centers (ALCs) and field environments. Radiography is frequently used to assess the quality of aerospace parts and assemblies. In addition, radiography is used extensively by the Air Force at the field and depot level to evaluate the condition of in-service aircraft. X-ray inspections are a vital part of maintaining the fleet and are utilized for detecting entrapped water or moisture, foreign objects (FO), and cracks. They are also used for bonded assembly inspection. Conventional X-ray inspection methods require the use of film packages and associated processing chemicals. The amount of X-ray film utilized in the Air Force has been estimated to cost over $ 1 million per year. This cost does not include the cost of film processors, film processing chemicals, or silver recovery units necessary to recover environmentally hazardous byproducts of the film development process. In addition, significant manhours are expended to continuously maintain and manage film processing and archiving. This effort will evaluate the feasibility to develop or modify a computed radiography system with digital storage capability for aerospace structures and transition it to Air Force depots and field environments. The system proposed must be able to detect entrapped water or moisture, foreign objects (FO),and cracks in aerospace structures. It must also provide the capability for bondline inspection. The goal of the proposed filmless system is 2% resolution. The proposed film replacement system must be able to be used in the same places that film is currently applied. There are inspections which require film to be rolled up to gain access or bent to conform to the inspection area. The filmless system detector would have to be as flexible as film in order to ensure that it can be used for identical inspections both in the field and at the depot level. This effort will focus on a replacement for the film media (for example, a reusable image plate as a sensor in place of film). This PRDA announcement is not focused on direct digital image display or data capture. The solution proposed should be compatible with existing X-ray equipment available at AF ALCs and within the industrial base. This effort will utilize a phased approach. The Air Force Contracting Officer will provide written notification to proceed to Phase II no later than 30 May 97, following demonstration and validation of the proposed system. Phase I will focus on the development, feasibility demonstration and validation of the capabilities of the proposed technical approach. This will require close coordination with at least one ALC, an economic analysis of the benefits of the proposed system to the Air Force, and may involve modifications to existing systems or software development. The system developed should be production hardened and usable in a field environment. Limitations and areas for further development should be identified. Phase II will involve the transition, installation, and training of a field ready prototype to a minimum of one Air Force Air Logistic Center (ALC) targeting aircraft such as the F-15. Transition plans for production and commercial viability shall be provided. Transition plans shall include as a minimum: user training, equipment maintenance, and plans for hardware and software maintenance and upgrades. Teaming arrangements will be considered and are encouraged. (2) Deliverable Items: (a) DI-MGMT-80368/T, Status Report, monthly, (b) DI-FNCL80331/T, Funds and Man-hour Expenditure Report, monthly (c) DI-MGMT-81468/T, Contract Funds Status Report (CFSR), quarterly, (d) DI-ADMN-81373/T, Presentation Material, as required (e) DI-MISC-80711/T, Informal Technical Information Contractor's Billing Voucher, monthly, (f) DI-MISC-80711/T, Scientific and Technical Reports, (Draft and Reproducible Final), (g) DIMGMT-80169/T, Still Photo Coverage (As Required), (h) Hardware,Field Ready Prototype. (3) Security Requirements: This will be an unclassified proposal and technical effort. (4) Other Special Requirements: None. C. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: (1) Anticipated Period of Performance: Technical effort: 10 months with additional 4 months for processing/completion of the final report. (2) Expected Award Date: 20 December 1996. (3) Government Estimate: FY97 - $1,000 K (Phase I: $650K, Phase II: $350K). (4) Type of Contract: In accordance with DFARS 235(IV) a cost-sharing arrangement must be used for contracts awarded in support of the Manufacturing Science and Technology program. The government funding estimate comprises multiple sources of funding of which $650K is Manufacturing Technology. Offerors should only consider the Manufacturing Technology funding amount when determining a cost share percentage. (5) Government Furnished Property: Aircraft / components for system demonstration/validation - to be arranged by the proposer through the participating ALC. (6) Size Status: For the purpose of this acquisition the size standard is 500 employees (SIC 8731). (7) Notice to Foreign-Owned Firms: Such firms are asked to immediately notify the Air Force point cited below upon deciding to respond to this announcement. D. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: (1) General: Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in the provision at FAR 52.215-12, Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data, to trade secrets or privileged commercial and financial information contained in their proposals. Proposal questions should be directed to one of the points of contact listed elsewhere herein. Offerors should consider instructions contained in the WL PRDA and BAA Guide for Industry referenced in Section A of this announcement. Technical and cost proposals, submitted in separate volumes, are required and must be valid for 180 days. Proposals must reference the above PRDA number. In an effort to move toward paperless contracting, you are encouraged to submit your cost and technical proposals via electronic means on computer disk. Please note that classified information shall NOT be submitted on disk. If proposals are not submitted on computer disk, proposals shall be submitted in an original and five copies. If proposals will be submitted by electronic means, submit 2 hard copies and 5 electronic copies. The disks shall be 3 1/2 inch high density disks. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered against the criteria set forth herein. Offerors are advised that only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to contractually bind or otherwise commit the government. (0277)

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