HQ Electronic Systems Center, R&D Contracting Division (ESC/PKR), 104 Barksdale Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806

A -- NEW WORLD VISTA PRECISION AIR DELIVERY SOL PRDA PL/GPO 97-01 POC John W. Flaherty, Division Chief, 617-377-2529; Lisa A. Maille, Contract Specialist, 617-377-4018; Mr. Robert A. Swirbalus, Technical Contact, 617-377-3685. PROGRAM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCEMENT (PRDA#PL/GPO 97-01) entitled, "NEW WORLD VISTA PRECISION AIR DELIVERY". The Optical Effects Division (PL/GPOR) of the PHILLIPS LABORATORY Geophysics Directorate is interested in receiving proposals relating to an ALL WEATHER SOLUTION FOR PRECISION AIR DELIVERY (PAD). PAD has been identified as a New World Vista topic that is critical to air mobility and future DOD operations. PAD requires the ability to predict the trajectory of an airdrop package from the release point to the ground. This knowledge allows the aircrew to determine the optimum release point. The most serious, but not the only uncertainty in this process is a knowledge of the range resolved wind field between the aircraft and the ground. Other uncertainties relate to the performance parameters of combinations of a variety of air drop packages and decelerators and how they react to particular wind conditions. Proposers should consider technologies capable of measuring the wind profile from theaircraft to the ground during adverse weather conditions; e.g., precipitation, smoke, fog, etc. Ideally, the wind field profiling technology will be located on the aircraft but the possibility of drop zone personnel assisting the PAD process is not excluded. Another important factor to be considered is the requirement for the PAD process to be successful over a broad range of terrain conditions; from desert to mountainous. Typically, mountainous terrain introduces significant vertical transport and it would not be unusual for the major wind component to be an updraft or downdraft. It is also unlikely in these circumstances that a measured range resolved wind profile will have significant spatial validity and will require frequent updates. PAD capability in a variety of atmospheric conditions and over a variety of terrain conditions is obviously not a simple problem. Proposers are encouraged to respond to all or part of this effort. The interest in approaching an all weather capability might require multiple technologies. The following PROJECT STATEMENT is provided: (1) BACKGROUND -- At the present time, air delivery is accomplished with only the knowledge of the wind speed and direction at altitude. The most logical assumptions are that wind speed decreases with decreasing altitude and wind direction is independent of altitude. These assumptions help the flight crew establish a payload release point but they are frequently not valid. The use of hand-held surface-to-air missiles has worsened the problem by forcing aircraft to release payloads at higher altitudes. The recent experience in Bosnia indicates how difficult things can become in a very complex wind field with significant vertical transport typical of mountainous terrain. (2) PROJECT STATEMENT -- The importance of air delivery to current and future DOD operations has resulted in Precision Air Delivery (PAD) being identified as a New World Vista topic managed by AFOSR. The key to the concept of PAD is knowledge of the range resolved wind profile (speed and direction) from the aircraft to the ground and the speed with which the profile can be updated. Ideally, the availability of this wind profile data will be independent of location, terrain, weather, and other adverse conditions in the drop zone; in short, All Weather PAD solution. Proposed technologies to measure range resolved wind profile situations that might be encouraged in rugged terrain situations. A single technology or a combination of technologies might approach the desired All Weather PAD solution. This PRDA seeks proposals for original and innovative research dealing with the development, implementation, and demonstration of the PAD concept. Successful proposers will have to demonstrate a basic knowledge of range resolved wind (speed and direction) profile data and how it might be applied to the PAD concept. Teaming of proposers is encouraged to produce a unified, coherent research project exploring the full spectrum of issues associated with this program. However, highly original and innovative proposals dealing with limited research topics relevant to this program will also be considered for funding. Successful proposers can expect to participate in PAD testing exercises conducted by the USAF Wright Laboratory and the U.S. Army Natick Laboratory. These tests provide proof of concept validation. Proposal selection will be based on the following evaluation factors: (a) overall scientific and technical merit and relevance of the proposed research; (b) the offeror's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques, or unique combinations of these that are integral factors for achieving the proposed objectives; (c) the qualifications, capabilities, and experiences of the proposed key personnel who are critical to the achievement of the proposal objectives; (d) the offeror's record of past and present performance; and (e) the cost/price reasonableness and realism of the proposal. No further evaluation criteria will be used. Proposals shall be submitted in two (2) parts: Volume I, Technical/Scientific Description, and Volume II, Cost Information. Volume I should not exceed twenty-five (25), single-sided, single-spaced, 12-point font size, typed pages (excluding covers, indexes, and resumes) on 8 1/2" X 11" bond paper. The Government will not review more than the page limit. There is no page limit for Volume II, Cost Information. An original and (5) copies of each proposal should be submitted to: ESC/PKR (Attention: Lisa A. Maille), Building 1520, 3rd Floor, Room 317, 104 Barksdale Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-1806. Proposals submitted using electronic media will not be accepted. The cost of preparing a proposal in response to this PRDA is not considered an allowable direct charge to the resulting contract or any other contract. It is, however, an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205-18. Proposals received in response to this announcement will be deemed to be in accordance with the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. In order that proposals are afforded proper handling, offerors must mark their proposals with the restrictive language stated in FAR 52.215-12. Offerors are cautioned that only Government Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. Firms responding should indicate if they are qualified as socially or economically disadvantaged. Foreign or foreign-owned offerors are not eligible to participate in this announcement. Offerors are requested to provide a name and telephone number of technical and contracting point of contacts. Responses should reference PRDA# PL/GPO 97-01. The Government estimate for this PRDA is approximately for a total of four (4) manyears, with the largest single award anticipated to be approximately two to three (2-3) manyears. The period of performance should not exceed thirty-six (36) months. Award is anticipated in the 4th quarter of FY97. Questions of a TECHNICAL nature should be referred to Mr. Robert A. Swirbalus, 617-377-3685. CONTRACTUAL and COST questions should be referred to LisaMaille, 617-377-4018. An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The Ombudsman should only be contacted with issues or problems that have previously been brought to the attention of the Program Manager and/or Contracting Officer and could not be satisfactorily resolved at that level. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. The Ombudsman is Colonel Lee H. Hughes, Director, Commander's Staff, ESC/CX, 617-377-5106. CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES IS FORTY-FIVE (45) DAYS FROM THE PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. (0150)

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