ESC/DIGK, Global Grid (Product Area Directorate), 5 Eglin Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2100

58 -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION -- LASER RANGE FINDER POC Dale M. Pease, (781) 377-6395 WEB: ESC Business Opportunities Web Page, http://www.herbb.hanscom.af.mil. E-MAIL: Click Here to E-mail the POC, dale.pease@hanscom.af.mil. The Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Modernization Program Office of the Electronic Systems Center (ESC/DIGR) is conducting market research for the acquisition of a Laser Range Finder (LRF). The LRF shall meet the requirements as outlined in Operational Requirements Document (ORD), AC2ISRC (CAF) 307-97-I/II/III, for Tactical Air Control Party Modernization, dated 14 July 1999. ESC intends to purchase approximately 80 LRFs in fiscal years 2000 through 2002. Due to a compressed time schedule, only LRFs already developed and in operational use will be considered. A LRF that is currently used by commercial/civilian customers, such as construction firms, civilian law enforcement agencies or commercial fishermen is preferred. Vendors may be provided with the opportunity to offer their products which meet the threshold requirements of the ORD. TACPs provide numerous critical functions on the modern battlefield including: (1) Advising ground forces on aircraft employment and capabilities; (2) Coordinating andcontrolling aerospace operations; and (3) Participating in battle planning. To perform its mission, the TACP is equipped with vehicle-mounted communications pallets, manpack radios, and digital communications devices to interface with the ground forces it supports, aircraft conducting the air operations, aerospace command and control (C2) agencies, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) agencies. The TACP-Modernization effort will provide a technology refresh by adding/replacing manpack radios, a laser range finder, computers and software, and vehicular radios. The LRF is needed to provide a high degree of target and friendly forces positional accuracy in day and night operations and will be integrated with other components. The Government has an immediate need for the TACP Modernization program and must expedite its acquisition. Therefore, the Government is interested in identifying potential sources that meet the submission requirements listed below and also may have a Government contractthat could be used to satisfy the TACP Modernization program's laser range finder requirement. Specific minimum requirements for the laser range finder are as follows: (a) Size -- must be small enough to easily fit in a standard rucksack (a standard rucksack's dimension is approximately 20"x 19"x 11"); (b) Weight -- must not exceed 5 lbs. (not including external cables and battery); (c) Self-Location Data -- must support a means to provide self-location data through an external device (such as a GPS receiver via an RS-232 connection); (d) User Displayed Information -- The determined range, azimuth, and elevation differences must be displayed to the operator through the eyepiece; (e) Range and Designation Capability -- The laser range finder is needed to range targets, friendly positions, and to measure cloud ceilings, and must determine range from 100 to 9995 meters; (f) Data Exported -- must be capable of digitally exporting range, azimuth, and elevation differences; (g) Range Accuracy—must have an accuracy of +/- 5 meters and provide indication of multiple returns; (h) Azimuth Accuracy -- must provide azimuth within +/- 10 mils grid; (i) Laser Safety -- must be eye safe to the unaided eye; (j) Battery -- must support at least 60 minutes of continuous use in a night environment before requiring a change of battery; (k) Air-Droppable -- (when in a rucksack) must survive high altitude and atmospheric effects associated with military free fall operations conducted from 25,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) and survive static line parachute deployments; (l) Day and Night Operations -- must be capable of day and night operations; (m) Minimum Daytime Magnification -- must be able to detect a main battle tank at 9995 meters on a clear day; (n) Hot Basic -- must operate without degradation at temperatures up to 120F, while operated in relative humidity up to 95 percent  5 percent, and without significant degradation in blowing rain; (o) Desert -- must operate without degradation at temperatures up to 120F and without significant degradation when operated in blowing sand and dust; (p) Cold -- must operate without degradation at temperatures down to -10F, without significant degradation in snow or sleet, and be operable by operators wearing cold weather gear; (q) Biological and Chemical -- must be operable by an operator wearing Mission-Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) Level 4 gear; (r) Water Resistant -- must not be damaged or operations significantly degraded while operating in or exposed to rain, sleet, or snow. Also must not be damaged or operations degraded following immersion in water to a depth of one meter for one minute; (s) Tripod -- must include a miniature tripod that will fit in a standard rucksack. The size may preclude a single individual carrying the tripod from carrying other ancillary equipment such as the radio, laser range finder, or computer; (t) Exterior Covering -- must have a non-reflective exterior coating and a subdued color. In addition to the above minimum requirements, the following are desirable: (u) support an embedded self-location capability; (v) incorporate a target designation capability to mark targets for laser guided weapons and airborne laser tracking systems, as well as a laser marker night vision sight allowing the operator to see the laser spot on the target at night; (w) use batteries that are common to those used by other TACP Modernization and Army equipment; (x) (when in a rucksack) survive high altitude and atmospheric effects associated with military free fall operations conducted from 42,000 feet MSL; (y) integral legs included in the tripod. Respondents are notified that a formal solicitation may not necessarily result from this Request For Information (RFI). However, information received as a result of our market survey activities may be reflected in a formal solicitation. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this RFI, nor will the Government compensate a respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information provide to ESC. Without written permission from you, ESC will not release to any firm, agency, or individual outside the Government, any information marked with a Proprietary legend. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Responses to this RFI should include the following: (1) Documentation that shows that your existing product meets as many of the minimum and desirable requirements listed above as possible; (2) Brochures and/or other marketing material provided to civilian/commercial customers for the same laser range finder that you're offering in response to this RFI; (3) Reliability data [e.g. Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF), Mean Time To Repair (MTTR), etc]; (4) Information on basic and extended warranty coverage currently available; (5) If your product has been officially tested by a Government organization, participated in an operational exercise, and/or participated in a Government sponsored experiment, provide a copy of (or identify)any formal documentation that describes how your product was used and how it performed; (6) Recommended logistics and maintenance approaches for your product during acquisition and sustainment; (7) Indicate any additional functionality not in the ORD that your product provides that you believe would be beneficial to the TACP mission; (8) Delivery schedule for your existing product; (9) The size and socioeconomic status of your business (e.g. small, large, small disadvantaged). Information regarding this acquisition, including ORD AC2ISRC (CAF) 307-97-I/II/III, can be found on the Hanscom Electronic RFP Bulletin Board (HERBB)(http://herbb.hanscom.af.mil) [click on "Biz Opportunities", then click on "Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Modernization"]. Interested parties are encouraged to review the documents posted on the HERBB website and to provide us with information, comments, and suggestions regarding any aspect of this planned acquisition. The Government is currently developing the acquisition strategy for the TACP Modernization program. Please direct any questions on this RFI to Mr. Dale M. Pease, Contracting Officer, (781) 377-6395, e-mail: dale.pease@hanscom.af.mil or Ms Mary Stairs, Deputy Program Manager (781) 377-5537, e-mail mary.stairs@hanscom.af.mil. The RFI packages should be delivered in two paper copies, limited to 30 pages, including brochures; software copies may be delivered along with the paper copies. The RFI packages are due to Mr. Dale M. Pease (U.S. Postal Mailing Address: ESC/DIGK, 5 Eglin Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2100; Note -- for commercial delivery such as FedEx, address packages to 3 Eglin Street) within 10 business days of posting of this notice in the CBD. Packages received after 10 business days of the date this notice appears in the CBD may not be reviewed. An Acquisition Ombudsman, Colonel Steven H. Sheldon, Director, Commander's Staff, has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors during proposal development. You should only contact the Ombudsman with issues or problems you cannot satisfactorily resolve with the program manager and/or contracting officer. The Ombudsman role is to hear concerns, issues, and recommendations and communicate these to the appropriate government personnel. The Ombudsman will maintain strict confidentiality if desired. The Ombudsman does not evaluate proposals or participate in source selection. You can contact the Ombudsman at (781) 377-5106. Posted 10/20/99 (D-SN393236). (0293)

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