R&D Contracting Directorate, Bldg 7, 2530 C Street, WPAFB, OH 45433-7607

A -- AEROSPACE SUSTAINMENT THRUST POC Contact Persis A. Elwood, AFRL/MLME, (937) 255-2461 INTRODUCTION: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/MLM) is interested in receiving white papers (Non-Proprietary) on the research effort described below. White papers in response to this announcement shall be submitted by 15APR98, 1500 hours Eastern Time, addressed to Air Force Research Laboratory, Manufacturing Technology Division, Building 653, Attn: (Persis A. Elwood, AFRL/MLME), 2977 P St. Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7739. This is an unrestricted solicitation. White papers submitted shall be in accordance with this announcement. B -- REQUIREMENTS: (1) Technical Description: The Air Force must reduce operations and support costs so that these funds can be made available to support force structure modernization requirements. In pursuit of this objective, the Air Force Manufacturing Technology Program shall initiate three O&S cost savings initiatives in FY99 aimed at catalyzing substantial cost reductions in the maintenance and repair of legacy weapon systems. Planned initiatives shall emphasize cycle time reduction and/or failure avoidance, two high-payback opportunity areas for achieving major O&S cost savings and for elevating mission readiness. The three planned initiatives are identified and described below: Manufacturing for Sustainment Six-sigma manufacturing, involving large volume production, has achieved significant gains in product reliability and/or customer confidence. In previous years, the force structure was constantly updated with major weapon system acquisitions, characterized as large in size, that introduced new product and process technologies enabling significant advancements in equipment reliability. During this period, avionics system mean time between failure (MTBF) rates soared from under 100 hours to 1000 hours and above; however, the acquisition pipeline that facilitated this shift is no longer in place because of competing national priorities. Future force structure changes are more apt to involve modification and/or upgrade to aging legacy systems that are dwindling in numbers. Therefore, if sustained advancements in equipment reliability are to be realized in this environment then the manufacturing community must be equipped with the required methodologies, capabilities and expertise for generating higher-reliability systems despite low-volume, high product variability production constraints. The Manufacturing for Sustainment initiative will focus on enhancing product life cycle sustainment affordability by improving sustainability design features and on eliminating process variability that degrades reliability. Optimum approaches for assuring reliability advancement, involving exchangeable end items such as avionics and/or accessories, that can lead to significant reductions in O&S costs are requested to help establish the framework for this initiative. Suggested recommendations for this initiative should 1) apply to modifications and/or upgrades, 2) have pervasive tri-service relevancy, and 3) lead to enhanced sustainment affordability. Examples include, but are not limited to, design for sustainment modeling and simulation tools and methodologies, process variability control methodologies involving low volume production, and best manufacturing infrastructure and business practices. Just-In-Time for Low Volume, High Variability Production Innovative and/or improved adaptations of "Just In Time" concepts, tailored to low-volume, dynamic aerospace repair and overhaul operations, are required to affect major cost reductions in the affordable sustainment of an aging force structure. Timely repair of high-value systems requires agile materiel support capabilities that can generate and/or assure required replacement parts are available on demand to avoid critical warfighting assets being stood down due to materiel deficits. Awaiting parts is a major constraint in assuring the rapid movement of reparable assets through the repair pipeline. Massive spares inventories were used in the past to accommodate extended cycle time; however, this approach is no longer an affordable alternative. Capabilities and/or methodologies must be established that can facilitate pervasive, unimpeded implementation of JIT concepts in aerospace repair and maintenance operations (organic and civil). World class supply chain operations capable of rapidly adapting to unforeseen random materiel requirements are required to ensure maximum exploitation of JIT principles. Continuous operations improvement is required to ensure product velocity within the depot level repair pipeline is maximized. Recommendations from interested parties are requested to ensure this initiative targets the correct constraints and that it is capable of facilitating significant movement in shifting the depot maintenance enterprise (organic and civil) towards maximum JIT exploitation comparable to that being achieved in original equipment manufacturing operations. Enhanced Overhaul Repair for Aging Subsystems Opportunities to affect major reductions in depot level overhaul and/or remanufacture of common aerospace subsystems (exchangeable end items such as constant speed drive generators or wheel and brake assemblies) require immediate exploitation to facilitate required O&S cost reductions. Exchangeables represent over 40 percent of the total depot maintenance burden and their annual support will exceed $1.8 billion by 1999. As systems remain in the inventory longer, maintenance support costs associated with this workload category are expected to grow unless innovative processes and/or business practices are established. In previous years, process modernization was a regular occurrence because weapons system acquisition programs were the catalyst for change; however, this approach can no longer be relied upon as weapons systems are now remaining in the inventory well beyond their original projected system life. The proposed initiative will target systemic cost drivers that could be eliminated through innovative change. Inputs and/or recommendations are required from the aerospace community on suggested approaches for affecting major cost reductions in the support of common subsystem workload categories. High payback potential such as cycle time reductions in excess of 50 percent and /or cost subsystem overhaul reductions exceeding 25 percent are priority objectives. (2) Security Requirements: No classified material shall be generated or submitted for this announcement. C -- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: (1) Anticipated Period of Performance: The total length of these technical efforts resulting from this activity is estimated to be 48-60 months. The contractor shall also provide for an additional 4 months for processing/completion of the final report. (2) Expected Award Date: 1998 4th quarter (3) Government Estimate: The government anticipates approximately $3-5M per contract award. This estimate is for planning purposes only to appropriately scope the problem areas addressed in the white paper. (4) Type of contract: Cost Shared. Any contracts, grants or cooperative agreements awarded will be cost sharing type instruments (no fee). (5)Government Furnished Property: None contemplated. (6) Notice to Foreign-Owned Firms: Foreign contractors should be aware that restrictions may apply which could preclude their participation in future acquisitions in this area. D- WHITE PAPER PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: (1) General Instructions: No more than five copies of each white paper should be submitted. White paper submissions should be free of any restrictions and should not contain any proprietary information. However, no submittal will be duplicated or distributed outside of AFRL without permission of the author. Questions should be directed to one of the points of contact listed elsewhere herein. (2) Technical Proposal: The white paper shall include a discussion of the nature and scope of the problem area and what areas government investment would be most useful. Additional information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, data and facilities can be included as attachments to the technical white paper. (3) Page Limitations:The white paper shall be limited to 3-5 pages (12 pitch or larger type), double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11 inches. The page limitation includes all information, i.e. indexes, photographs, foldouts, appendices, attachments, etc. Pages in excess of this limitation will not be considered by the government. In a move towards paperless contracting, submit the white papers electronically on a 3 inch floppy disk. This will be in a Microsoft Word for Windows, Version 6 format. Please send four (4) copies. (4) Preparation Cost: This announcement does not commit the Government to pay for any response preparation cost. The cost of preparing white papers in response to this BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any contract. E-POINTS OF CONTACT: Technical Contact Point: Engineer, Persis A. Elwood, AFRL/MLME,, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433-7739, 937-255-2461, email elwoodpa@ ml.wpafb.af.mil***** (0069)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0008 19980312\A-0008.SOL)