Bid Office, SPAWARSYSCEN, Code D21B, 53570 Silvergate Avenue, Bldg. A33, Room 0061, San Diego, CA 92152-5112

A -- ADVANCED ANTENNA SYSTEM ARCHITECURES AND TECHNOLOGIES SOL N66001-99-X-6901 DUE 101999 POC Contract Specialist, Ms. M. Battern, Code D212, Contracting Officer, Ms. L. Joye Socha, (619) 553-7515 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC), Electromagnetics and Advanced Technology Division, is conducting research and development efforts for advanced antenna system architectures and technologies for current and future Naval surface combatants. Many current shipboard antennas, particularly those required for satellite coverage and airplane data links, are highly directional and require precise steering with heavy, complex pedestals. The negative result is that these antennas are maintenance intensive, add weight aloft compromising ship stability, and add large radar reflecting surfaces. These large reflecting surfaces will dominate the Radar Cross Section (RCS) of future low signature, surface combatants. The objective of this BAA is to identify phased array antenna capabilities for demonstrating shipboard satellite communications (SATCOM) and Common Data Link (CDL) operations. Emphasis is on demonstrating the capability of SATCOM and CDL antenna apertures (e.g., in the S-Band, X-Band, Ku-Band and Ka-Band and above frequency bands). At X-Band, the interest is in demonstrating SHF SATCOM capabilities from 7.25 to 8.4 GHz and Common Data Link capabilities from 9.7 to 10.5 GHz. Interoperability with a variety of satellites at S-Band (2.2 to 2.3 GHz) is desired. At Ku-Band, demonstrations with Common Data Link (14.4 to 15.35 GHz) and commercial SATCOM (10.95 to 14.5 GHz) are desired. At Ka-Band and above, demonstrations with GBS (20 GHz), EHF SATCOM (20 GHz, 44 GHz) and commercial SATCOM (17.7 -- 20 GHz, 27.5 -- 30 GHz) are desired. Although desirable, it is not necessary that the same array aperture provide multiple capabilities. The antenna system must employ phased array antenna apertures, either full arrays or subarrays that can be fielded in a shipboard demonstration within technology and cost considerations. Affordability is recognized as a principal area of risk. Affordability includes unit cost of the antenna system, installation costs and life cycle costs over a thirty-year period. The apertures must be suitable for completing demonstrations of the array capabilities, and of being scaled-up to meet existing satellite communication signal, gain, and sensitivity requirements in a planar architecture while achieving seamless array-face to array-face hand-off during satellite communications. GFE and shipboard resources required for demonstration must be identified. Low RCS is desired. As a minimum, the demonstration arrays must have a development plan for implementing low RCS. A complete engineering model development (EMD) plan will also be required with projected production unit, installation and life cycle costs over a thirty-year period. A goal of this effort is to leverage to the greatest extent possible commercial, related Department of Defense, or any other efforts in order to minimize both time, cost and risk to achieving the successful shipboard demonstration of SATCOM and CDL operation using antenna phased arrays. The following describes the Navy's concept for the configuration of the SATCOM and CDL Phased Array Demonstrations. The apertures will be mounted to a test structure to be placed on the ship. The shipboard environment must be endured by the apertures and test equipment for the duration of the installation aboard, but benign conditions (reduced emissions and calm weather) are anticipated during the actual demonstrations. It is anticipated that the test ship will be the USS Coronado, operating from San Diego. It is recommended that the demonstration be as self-contained as possible. The government will supply SeaLand vans. The contractor will plan to install the antenna systems within the van with arrays mounted on the van. The installation will take place in San Diego at SPAWAR Systems Center. Specific requirements for government and/or shipboard capabilities must be identified. These requirements could include cooling, power and/or location information. It is anticipated that the contractor will supply the radio suite required for demonstration. It is necessary that the contractor assure interface compatibility between their antenna systems and the government and/or shipboard capabilities prior to installation aboard ship. The proposal must address the approach to this assurance. The antenna apertures will consist of two-dimensional phased arrays that are electronically steerable. Because of cost considerations, multiple apertures with handoff to provide full hemispherical coverage are not anticipated for the demonstration. However, maximum coverage of the upper hemisphere, in order to minimize the restrictions on ship motion and orientation, is desirable. The X-, Ku-Band and Ka-Band demonstrations will both involve receive and transmit operations, but the individual apertures do not need to be capable of full-duplex operation. A separate aperture may be used to demonstrate each of the CDL and SATCOM capabilities, described above. However, multiple function apertures are desirable (i.e., more than one capability per aperture). The contractor shalladdress the capability of the design to scale to more than one beam/function. It is anticipated that more than one contractor array will be implemented in an individual SeaLand van. Therefore, it is desirable to demonstrate all apertures within a minimum physical area. Coordination with the ship and among all suppliers of apertures is required. Low RCS is desired. As a minimum, the demonstration arrays must have a development plan for implementing low RCS. A complete engineering model development (EMD) plan will be required with projected production unit, installation and life cycle costs over a thirty-year period. Within the EMD plan the Contractor will consider the shipboard EMI environment and define the cost and complexity of required EMI mitigation hardware. This plan may be submitted after the demonstration. The contract should be awarded by 1 April 1999. A demonstration is planned for August 1999 aboard the USS Coronado. Ship installation dates for this demonstration has been tentatively planned for 1-7 May 1999 and/or 1-17 June 1999. A second demonstration aboard the USS Coronado is planned for November 1999. September and/or October 1999 installation dates have not yet been scheduled to meet the November 1999 demonstration. It is anticipated that systems installed in time for the August demonstration will also be operated during the November demonstration. All equipment will be removed after the November demonstration, possibly in the second quarter of FY99. In order to ensure timely and affordable demonstration a variety of purchase and lease options for the antenna systems will be considered. This BAA requests submittals to provide the following capabilities: SHF SATCOM Aperture. One or more phased array apertures will be provided, suitable for operation with the governments SHF SATCOM system, the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS). Receive and transmit operations will be provided, not necessarily simultaneously, at the proper frequencies, polarizations and signal levels to provide a demonstration level data rate link through the satellite. Alternate links, such as via a pseudo-satellite, may be proposed. The bidder should consider data rate performance versus cost in the submittal. X-Band Common Data Link Aperture. One or more phased array apertures will be provided, suitable for operation with the Common Data Link system. Receive and transmit operations will be provided, not necessarily simultaneously. The frequencies will be 9.7 to 10.5 GHz, polarization right hand circular and signal levels adequate to provide a demonstration level data rate link from an aircraft or UAV. S-Band SATCOM Data Link Aperture. One phased array aperture will be provided, suitable for operation with a variety of S-band SATCOM systems. Receive operation will be provided in the 2.2 to 2.3 GHz frequency band, with right hand circular polarization, and with G/T levels appropriate to provide a demonstration level data rate link through the satellite. The bidder should consider data rate performance versus cost in the submittal. Ku-Band Common Data Link Aperture. One or more phased array apertures will be provided, suitable for operation with the Common Data Link system. Receive and transmit operations will be provided, not necessarily simultaneously. The frequencies will be 14.4 to 15.35 GHz, polarization right hand circular and signal levels adequate to provide a demonstration level data rate link from an aircraft, UAV or simulated platform. A commercial SATCOM (10.95 to 14.5 GHz) capability is also desired, but is secondary to the CDL operation and should be proposed as an option. Ka-Band and above. At Ka-Band and above, demonstrations with GBS (20 GHz), EHF SATCOM (20 GHz, 44 GHz) and commercial SATCOM (17.7 -- 20 GHz, 27.5 -- 30 GHz) are desired. Receive and transmit operations will be provided, not necessarily simultaneously. Respondents having knowledge of these technologies and their applications to Naval shipboard SATCOM antenna design and development are encouraged to originate and submit their ideas for evaluation and potential funding. Offerors are invited to submit full proposals within 30 days for consideration. Proposals must be submitted in two separate volumes, a technical volume and a cost volume. The technical volume is limited to 35 pages (eight and one-half by eleven inches, double-spaced, one-inch margins on all sides, 12-point font). The technical volume should include the technical approach and rationale of the proposed effort, schedule and milestones, proposed metrics for gauging technical advances, potential risks, a statement of work (actual tasks that will be performed), description of anticipated results, brief, pertinent resumes of the principal investigator and key personnel, similar work experiences in the proposed area, and a description of the facilities. The technical volume should also list deliverables (monthly progress reports, meeting minutes, review presentation slides, plans, reports, etc.), and the offeror should anticipate hosting a kickoff meeting, milestone reviews, and a final review. Proposals may address one or more technical areas, but completeness will be considered due to the interrelationship of the technical areas. Offerors may submit more than one proposal. This BAA will remain open for one year from the date of publication. Proposals will be accepted up to one year after BAA publication. However, initial evaluation of proposals will be based upon those proposals received within the first thirty days after BAA publication. Initial awards are anticipated for April 1999. Proposals will be referred to a review panel for the evaluation process. Proposals may be evaluated and selected as received or may be grouped for review and evaluation. However, proposals will not be evaluated against other proposals. SSC reserves the right to conduct discussions or request revised proposals. SSC also reserves the right to select parts of proposals or selected tasks contained in proposals for award and to conduct discussions to facilitate such awards. Proposals should be submitted at the unclassified level. If absolutely necessary material up to the secret level may be submitted in a separate attachment. Contract award will be based upon technical merit as indicated in the evaluation criteria, and funding availability. The Government reserves the right to select for award, all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this announcement. The Government may also select specific tasks within a proposal for award. The Government further reserves the right to issue contracts, grants, cooperative agreements or other transactions. Technical proposals will be evaluated based upon the following: In descending order of importance, 1) Relevance and effectiveness with which the proposed technology and application meets the objective of this shipboard SATCOM and CDL array demonstration effort; 2) Scientific and technical merit of proposal, as it relates to the Navy requirements for surface combatant topside design and development; 3) Potential risk of the proposal to meet the final objectives; 4) Experience and knowledge of the principal investigator and key personnel; 5) Offeror's capabilities, past experience, and facilities, and 6) Realism, completeness, and reasonableness of the proposed cost including estimated costs for demonstration models; 7) Past performance; 8) The extent to which offerors identify and commit to small business and to small disadvantaged business (this applies to contract awards only with large business only). There is no page limit on the cost volume. The cost volume should clearly show the costs of each proposed task separately, and provide a Standard form 1411, Contract Pricing Proposal Cover Sheet, supported by adequate breakout of cost elements and rates. Cost proposals should be valid for a period of six months after the date of submission. A total of approximately $4M is presently available to support proposed demonstrations. Demonstrations integrating technical areas are encouraged. The total effort will depend on funds available. The Government desires unlimited rights with regard to data and computer algorithms delivered under this procurement. Proprietary concepts and information should be clearly identified up front and marked in the proposal. An original plus 4 copies of the technical volume, plus 3 copies of the cost volume should be submitted to: Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Attn: Maureen Battern D212, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, CA 92152-5001, Any further questions may be addressed to: Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Attn: Dr. J. W. Rockway, Code D8505, R. W. Major, Code D8505, San Diego, CA 92152-5000. This notice constitutes a BAA as contemplated in FAR 35.016. No additional written information is available, nor will a formal request for proposal (RFP) or other solicitation regarding this announcement be issued. Interested parties are invited to respond to this synopsis. All responsible parties' responses will be considered. Posted 10/19/98 (W-SN263375). (0292)

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