Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Contracts Department, Building 129-2, Highway 547, Lakehurst, NJ 08733-5083

A -- BAA FOR SHIPBOARD WEAPONS LOADER (SWL) SOL N68335-99-BAA-900 DUE 052499 POC Technical -- Steve Singer (732)323-7072;Contracts -- Cindy Rolenc (732)323-2408 The Naval Air Warfare Center -- Aircraft Division, Lakehurst (NAWCADLKE) is interested in receiving proposals (technical and cost) for conducting concept studies for a Shipboard Weapons Loader (SWL). The proposals should describe the proposed weapons loader design and include costs associated with conducting the proposed studies. Submission of proposals to this BAA within 45 days of this announcement is strongly encouraged. Responses will be accepted at the procurement office any time during the three-month period from the date of this announcement. Background: Currently, aircraft loading takes place aboard several different classes of ships. These include the aircraft carrier (CV/CVN) the amphibious assault ship (LHA/LHD/LPH) and aviation capable ships (FFG/DD/CG). There is a variety of equipment used to load/download weapons/stores to/from Navy/USMC aircraft at sea. This equipment includes Single Hoist Ordnance Loading System (SHOLS), Bomb Lift Trailer and manual loading. SHOLS consists of pulleys, hoist adapters, anchor fittings, clevises, hoisting bands and bomb hoist and is the primary shipboard aircraft loading method. Each aircraft has hoist adapters that allow a bomb hoist to be attached to the aircraft pylon. Additional adapters attached to the weapon/store are configured with pulleys. The hoist cable is threaded through the pulleys and then attached to the hoist adapter opposite the adapter that holds the hoist. As the cable is taken up onto the hoist's drum, the weapon is raised. Based on different aircraft and various loads, peculiar adapters are required. SHOLS requires the weapon/store to be positioned on the munitions transporter and then be positioned directly beneath the weapons station to be loaded. Depending on the weapon/store, various adapters are required to be rigged which adds to the overall loading time. Once rigged, the weapon is inherently stable and the time to load is minimal due to its self-aligning nature. The gasoline powered HLU-196B/E Bomb Hoist has a maximum lift rateof 0.33 fps but cannot be used in bomb bays due to the exhaust. The manual powered HLU-288/E Bomb Hoist is primarily used in bomb bays and aboard amphibious assault ships and aviation capable ships. The typical SHOLS load crew required is 4-5 people. The Bomb Lift Trailer is a low profile hydraulically actuated push-up loader used primarily to load the AV-8B centerline weapons station and is located only on amphibious assault ships. The hydraulic system is powered by a manually actuated pump. The overall unit is maintenance intensive and has a limited range of lift. Additionally, the weapon must be pre-positioned on the trailer before being loaded on the aircraft. Load crew required is 4-5 people. Manual loading is the primary loading method for loading AIM 7, AIM 9 and AIM 120 missiles and 500 lb. class weapons/stores based on operational experience and preference. Additionally, under high tempo operations, manual loading becomes the preferred method of loading for the fleet for up to 1000 lb. class weapons/stores. This method allows maximum density of ordnance on transport skids and is faster to load by hand than to wait for equipment positioning/setup to be accomplished. However, it is labor-intensive. Load crew required is 4-8 people. A large portion of maintenance man-hours is expended on scheduled inspections and preventive maintenance. An additional labor intensive process is the inventorying and accounting for numerous small SHOLS adapters. Aboard ship, hazardous material (HAZMAT) usage is highly discouraged. Introducing new fuel types and batteries aboard ship is also discouraged. The shipboard environment includes temperature extremes ranging from -- 20 F up to 130 F. The SWL will have to operate in precipitation of all kinds, and on snow and icy surfaces. The SWL will have to operate in all outdoor lighting conditions from bright sun to nighttime. The SWL must be compatible with operators wearing Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare protective clothing and also cold weather gear. The flight deck environment includes broadband noise ranging up to 140 dB from 50 Hz to 40,000 Hz. This environment also includes high levels of EMI, salt spray, and a dynamic, high tempo environment including moving aircraft, personnel, and numerous ground vehicles. Deck obstacles include steel cables up to 2 inches in diameter, elevator/deck edge spaces up to three inches and hangar bay compartment door tracks to 3 inches high. The SWL must be able to easily traverse under aircraft through crowded hangar and flight decks exhibiting various aircraft parking and tie-down arrangements. The SWL shall be capable of operating on aircraft carriers under flight deck conditions (simple harmonic motion) of 11 in roll with an 18 second period and 2 in pitch with an 8 second period. It shall also be designed to remain stable on a static 15 slope in a loaded/operating configuration. This stability requirement applies at any axis relative to the SWL. Additional detail and information addressing shipboard environments is contained in MIL-STD-1365, General Design Criteria for Handling Equipment Associated with Weapons and Related Items. Constraints: A typical load process starts with the weapon being presented to the aircraft environment on an MHU-191 Weapons Skid. The SWL will be required to either lift the weapon off the skid or lift the weapon and skid together. It must then move in and around tie down chains and other obstacles in order to position and load the weapon to its station with a clean motion. A representative aircraft strike package consists of eight F/A-18's, one EA-6B, one S-3B and two F-14's. This strike package is cycled up to eight times during high tempo operations in a 24 hour period and must be reconstituted each time within 30 minutes. Aircraft loads can be found in respective aircraft loading manuals. The operating environment for the SWL will include the following constraints: (1) Incorporate controls for roll, pitch, yaw, lateral, fore/aft, with precision control at theweapon; (2) Aircraft applications (in priority order): (a) F/A-18, (b) S-3, (c) EA-6B, (d) AV-8B, (e) F-14, (f) H-60, (g) H-1, (h) JSF; (3) Weapons and Stores (in priority order): (a) Bombs up to 2500 lbs., mines/torpedoes, and empty fuel tanks; (b) Missiles (air to ground); (c) Missiles (air to air); (d) Pods; (4) SWL shall not exceed a footprint of 105 in. (L) x 44 in. (W) with height requirement being minimized. As an objective, cube and footprint should be minimized; (5) Unloaded weight of the SWL shall not exceed 4000 lbs. nor have a contact pressure exceeding 280 psi. As an objective, weight and contact pressure should be minimized; (6) SWL shall have a payload capacity of 3000 lbs. Goals: (1) Reduce manpower; (2) reduce maintenance; (3) decrease load times. Proposal Guidance: Proposals should consist of two separately bound volumes. Volume I shall provide the technical proposal and management approach and Volume II shall address cost. Offerors shall submit five copies of Volume I and three copies of Volume II. Additionally, the offeror must identify restricted rights to any part of the offer, if any, and mark all pages that contain proprietary or restricted use data. Volume I should be limited to 60 pages and include, as a minimum: (1) conceptual design, (2) resources and facilities available to conduct studies, (3) qualification of personnel, (4) related projects/performance, (5) approach for conducting detailed design & analysis, (6) maturity of proposed technology. Additionally, conceptual designs should have considerations for system affordability and reduced life cycle costs. Volume II should be limited to 25 pages and include costs associated with performing the concept study and delivery of associated reports. Proposals will be evaluated as they are received. Award decisions will be based on the availability of funds and the following criteria: (1) soundness of proposed concept, (2) the offeror's ability to demonstrate feasibility, (3) the offeror's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques or unique combinations of these which are integral factors for achieving the proposed objectives, (4) soundness of scientific/engineering approach and (5) validity of proposed cost. The cost of preparation of the response to this BAA is not considered an allowable direct charge to the resulting contract nor any other contract. The point of contact for technical issues is Steven Singer, (732) 323-7072. The point of contact for contractual matters is Cindy Rolenc (732) 323-2408. Offerors may contact these individuals at any time for clarification of technical/contractual issues and cost response format. In concert with this announcement, NAWCAD will conduct an Industry Briefing on 16 March, 1999 at 9:00am at NAWCAD Lakehurst, New Jersey in Building 562, Room 307 to present detailed information regarding weapon loads as well as information regarding related ongoing programs. Offerors are cautioned that only contracting officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. If selected, a contract will be awarded for conducting the proposed concept study. These concept studies may lead to the development of a prototype. The concept studies will include, but not be limited to, the following deliverable reports: (1) detailed design, (2) concept of operation, (3) major and critical dimensions, (4) risk assessments, (5) major systems and subsystems and (6) costs and a proposed scheduled associated with building one functional prototype (per design), representative of a production unit. Expected delivery date for the completed studies is four months after award or 01 Sep 99, whichever occurs first. Contract type will be firm fixed price. All proposals submitted under this announcement should be considered government property. No formal solicitation will be issued; this BAA is the solicitation. Exterior markings on the responses to this BAA shall be as follows: N68335-99-BAA-900, Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Attn: Cindy Rolenc, Code 2.5.2.1.4CR (Contracts Division), Building 129-2, Highway 547, Lakehurst, NJ 08733-5082. Posted 02/23/99 (W-SN301084). (0054)

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