MARKET RESEARCH The Unmanned Ground Vehicles/Systems Joint Project Office (UGV/S JPO), U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal AL is conducting a market research effort to assess the capabilities and maturity of small, remotely operated, unmanned ground vehicles. The UGV/S JPO is interested in examining small Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) capable of meeting the performance requirements listed in this announcement. This effort is in support of the Dismounted Battlespace Battle Lab's (DBBL) upcoming Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). The UGV/S JPO intends to conduct brief field trials during the week of 9 November 1998 at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. These field trials are intended to assess the availability and maturity of small robotic ground vehicles. Additionally, the trials held at Redstone Arsenal are designed to ensure that only those systems capable of meeting MOUT ACTD performance requirements (listed below) are invited to participate inthe MOUT ACTD pre-qualification field trials. All systems, after successfully demonstrating their ability to meet the performance requirements during the field trials at Redstone Arsenal will be invited to participate in a MOUT ACTD pre-qualification field trial at Ft. Benning, GA. These pre-qualification field trials will occur during the second week of December 1998. Systems passing the pre-qualification trials may then be selected to participate in the Technical Assessment program (TAP) for the MOUT ACTD Field Experiment #5 in February 99 at Ft. Benning, GA. Performance Requirements. Employment: Small UGVs will be used by dismounted Infantry forces to enter buildings, examine the inside (1st floor only) of the building for obstacles or enemy forces, and report that information (in near real-time) to a remotely located operator. These UGVs should be sufficiently reliable and maintainable to support their repeated use throughout the ACTD period. Safety: All systems must be capable of receiving a safety release for operations during live exercises. Weight: Less than 500 lb. required. Less than 80 lb. Desired. Width: Must fit through a 32" wide doorway. Height: Must fit through an 82" high doorway. Mobility: Capable of negotiating an 8" high vertical obstacle required. 12" desired (curb/step). Speed: Sustain 4mph over a flat paved surface, 10 mph desired. Optics*: Day Camera required, night/multi-spectral capability desired. Endurance: Not less than 2 hours w/o refueling/recharging. Operating Environment: -- Daylight required, day/night desired. -- Urban (primary & secondary roads) required, unpaved/unimproved/open terrain desired. -- Temperatures: (0-100 degrees Fahrenheit ambient air temperatures) -- Ability to operate in rain is required; all weather capable is desired. Operator to Remote Unit Range: Not less than 50 meters required, with 2000 meters desired. Tele-operation required, semi-autonomous or autonomous operation desired. Command and Control: Operator control unit must accommodate an RS 232 dataport to support connections to command and control devices. DBBL's intent is to allow, at a minimum, the remotely located operator to capture and print the video images provided by the small UGV. *DBBL may desire to integrate additional cameras or sensors to some of these platforms. Cameras or sensors will be provided by the Battle Lab. Although the primary mission is to look at systems for the MOUNT ACTD requirement of Intelligence collection and dissemination, other capabilities may be evaluated as well. PARTICIPATION IS VOLUNTARY. ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIELD TRAILS, PRE-QUALIFICATION TESTING, AND PARTICIPATION IN ALL MOUT ACTD RELATED ACTIVITIES WOULD BE BORNE BY THE CONTRACTOR. NO PROCUREMENTS OR SOLICITATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED TO RESULT FROM THE TRIALS OR MOUT ACTD. Contractors must contact Mr. Mike Harris, UGV/S JPO, telephone (256) 842-9124, by close of business on 26 October 1998 stating their intent to participate and schedule a demonstration time of their small UGV system during the week of 9 November 1998. THE U.S. ARMY AVIATION & MISSILE COMMAND, UGV/S JPO, SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COSTS OR DAMAGES WHICH MAY ARISE DURING THE FIELD TRAIL, PRE-QUALIFICATION TESTING, AND PARTICIPATION IN ALL MOUNT ACTD RELATED ACTIVITIES TO CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL OR PROPERTY. Posted 09/23/98 (W-SN253168).

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