AFFTC/PKAE Directorate of Contracting, 5 S. Wolfe Ave, Edwards AFB, CA 93524-1185

A -- INTEGRATED HIGH PAYOFF ROCKET PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY IV PROGRAM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCEMENT (PART 1 OF 2) SOL PRDA 98-01-PKAE DUE 041798 POC Teresa Weber, Contract Negotiator, AFFTC/PKAE, 805-277-3900 ext 2273; P.J. Barnhill, Contracting Officer, AFFTC/PKAE, 805-277-3900 ext 2235 WEB: Click here for the On-Line Acquisition and Solicitation Information System, http://AFFTC_PK.elan.af.mil/scripts/xindex.asp. E-MAIL: Click e-mail link to contact the POC, webert%pk@mhs.elan.af.mil. INTRODUCTION: Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology IV. This announcement is in two parts. Part 1 of 2, PRDA 98-01-PKAE. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Propulsion Directorate, Rocket Propulsion Division, (AFRL/PRR), Edwards AFB, CA, is seeking firms interested in participating in this PRDA for the acquisition of projects supporting the Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology (IHPRPT) program, which includes the Strategic Sustainment Technology Area. Potential offerors are hereby notified that funds are not presently available for this acquisition and this announcement is issued in accordance with FAR 52.232-18, Availability of Funds. Responses from all responsible sources will be considered. However, foreign owned or influenced firms and foreign governments are advised they will not be allowed to participate as prime contractors nor will they be allowed to participate in any capacity on the Strategic Sustainment Topics. (See the Supplemental Package for details). Although not mandatory, it is highly recommended that a prospective offeror have either a government coordinated Advanced Rocket Propulsion Plan (ARPP), or develop an ARPP prior to or in conjunction with abstract submittal, or have a documented working relationship with a company possessing a government coordinated ARPP to ensure IHPRPT relevance of any proposed technology. Information regarding the IHPRPT program in general and the ARPP process is available at the AFRL/PRR, Edwards AFB, CA. The Standard Industry Code (SIC) applicable to this acquisition is 8731 with 1000 employees. Small Businesses are encouraged to propose on all or any part of this solicitation. In addition, teaming arrangements between universities and private industry or within private industry are encouraged. A supplemental package for this PRDA has been prepared which contains technical and abstract/proposal preparation information necessary to respond to this announcement. It can be requested by accessing the On-Line Acquisition Solicitation Information System at Edwards AFB, CA (see below) or by contacting the contracting points of contact. Any DoD or NASA agency/facility is authorized to award contracts based on the responses received. REQUIREMENTS: Responses to this announcement are sought to develop an advanced technology base for rocket propulsion concepts and components aimed at supporting the IHPRPT program, including the Strategic Sustainment Technology area. The IHPRPT program is the DoD/NASA/Industry coordinated effort to develop revolutionary and innovative technologies by the year 2010 that will permit a doubling of rocket propulsion capabilities over 1993 state-of-the-art technology. Capability infers the full spectrum of technological needs, such as performance, affordability, operability, reliability, and maintainability. The IHPRPT program is structured in four phases to achieve predetermined measurable increases in all rocket technology capabilities. Phases I, II, and III specify technology demonstrations for each phase by the years 2000, 2005 and 2010 respectively. The fourth phase demonstration date, for the Strategic Sustainment Technology efforts is 2003. The IHPRPT program is organized along three mission application areas: Boost/Orbit Transfer Propulsion, Spacecraft Propulsion, and Tactical Propulsion. Within each of the mission application areas, there are five identical technology areas that specify the particular technologies being advanced to meet the goals of IHPRPT. The Strategic Sustainment Technology area is a sixth technology area, but exists under the boost/orbit transfer propulsion and the tactical mission application areas only. A seventh area, entitled Materials, supports the other 6 technology areas. No abstracts or proposals are being solicited in the following technology areas in this PRDA: CONTROL SYSTEMS (No topics). The topics of interest that represent the immediate exploratory development and advanced development challenges for the IHPRPT program by technology area are: PROPELLANTS -- Phase III Solid Propellant Ingredients; PROPELLANT MANAGEMENT DEVICES -- 1. SRM Integrated Case/Insulation Development, 2. Reliability Protocol for Materials Integration; COMBUSTION AND ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICES -- Lightweight Engine Nozzle; TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATORS -- Phase I Solid Boost Demonstrator; STRATEGIC SUSTAINMENT -- Critical Defect Assessment Program; MATERIALS -- Structural Ceramics for Rocket Engines. All interested firms are highly encouraged to request the supplemental package as it contains descriptions of the individual projects including projected funding by fiscal year and a technical POC. INSTRUCTIONS: This PRDA consists of two separate steps. Step 1 requires the submission of proposal abstracts. Abstracts will be evaluated and ranked from highest merit to lowest merit within each topic. Step 2 invites the offerors of selected abstracts to submit full proposals. Abstracts will be selected for each topic in order, starting with the highest merit. The number of abstracts selected to participate in Step 2 will depend on the quality of the abstracts received and the amount of available funding for a particular topic. Full proposals will be evaluated and categorized as Category I, II, or III IAW AFMC FAR Supplement 5335.016-90(d)(2). Only proposals receiving a rating of Category I or II will be eligible for selection for award. Within each topic all category I proposals will normally be awarded before a category II is selected. If there are no category I proposals for a specific topic, a category II proposal may be selected for award. Abstracts and subsequent proposals shall be prepared in accordance with this announcement and the companion Supplemental Package. Proposed projects should significantly contribute towards achieving the IHPRPT technology area objectives provided in the Supplemental Package. Responses to this announcement should be unclassified. Proposal abstracts may be submitted on all or part(s) of the PRDA. Offerors are encouraged to submit multiple abstracts against one or more topics; however, each abstract shall address only one solution to one topic. Each abstract shall include a technical discussion, a brief overview of capability, a schedule, and a Rough Order of Magnitude of price including major cost drivers and shall not exceed 10 pages plus cover in length. Complete instructions for preparing an abstract can be found in the Supplemental Package. Electronic submissions of abstracts are authorized and must be received at the initial point of entry at the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, CA, by 5:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time on 16 Apr 98. If the electronic method is not used, the original and one copy of each abstract shall be submitted by 1600 hours Pacific Daylight Time, 17 Apr 98 to AFFTC/PKAE, Directorate of Contracting, Attn.: Teresa Weber, Bldg. 2800, 5 South Wolfe Avenue, Edwards AFB, CA 93524-1185; and six copies of each abstract shall be submitted to the facility listed in each topic description as instructed in the Supplemental Package. Abstract evaluations will consist of a scientific and engineering assessment in accordance with the evaluation criteria described below. This evaluation should take approximately 2 weeks and will result in invitations to those offerors whose abstracts are selected to participate in step 2, the preparation and submittal of a full proposal. The Government reserves the right to select for further consideration any, all, part, or none of the abstracts received. Offerors, whose abstracts are not selected for participation in the second step, will be so notified. However, any offeror not selected to submit a full proposal may still do so, if he/she wishes. It is possible that proposals might be requested at different times for different topics. Also, if additional funding is allocated to this effort, an additional round of invitations to submit full proposals for a specific topic may be issued. All offerors invited to participate in Step 2 will be given at least 30 days to prepare and submit a full proposal. Projected proposal due dates are indicated at the end of Part 2 of this PRDA. Actual proposal due dates will be identified in the invitations to submit full proposals. The original and 2 copies of each proposal shall be submitted to Directorate of Contracting, Attn: Ms. Teresa Weber, AFFTC/PKAE, 5 S. Wolfe Ave., Edwards AFB, CA 93524-1185. Six copies of each proposal shall also be submitted to the facility(ies) listed in each topic description as instructed in the Supplemental Package. The full proposal shall include a written Statement of Work, a schedule, an oral technical proposal, cost data, alternate data items, if any, key personnel resumes, and past performance data. The oral technical proposal will be solicited in lieu of a written technical proposal and will be mandatory. Instructions for the preparation of all submittals including the oral proposal are contained in the Supplemental Package for this announcement, which is available upon request or via the electronic address below. Responses must separate technical and cost submittals.Offerors are advised that representatives from DoD and NASA; as well as employees of Aerospace Corporation; SPARTA, Inc.; Sverdrup, Inc.; and, General Physics Corporation may assist the Government as advisors in performing technical evaluations of abstracts/proposals submitted under this announcement. These advisors will be authorized access to only those portions of the proposal data and discussions that are necessary to enable them to provide specific advice on specialized matters, or on particular problems. The non-government advisors will not be allowed to determine strengths or weaknesses, establish initial or final assessments of risks, or actually rate or rank offerors proposals. They will also have access to offeror proprietary, confidential or privileged commercial or financial data. Any objection to disclose information to these non-government advisors should be provided in writing BEFORE the date set for receipt of abstracts/proposals and shall include a detailed statement for the basis of the objection. Include in your proposal specific authorizations for release of information to the above listed contractors. (End of Part 1) (0083)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 19980327\A-0002.SOL)