Commander, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Acquisition Center, Research Development and Engineering Center, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5000

A -- DEVELOP MICRO-MECHANICAL SYSTEM INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT MANUFACTURING AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO REDUCE COSTS SOL DAAH01-00-R-R007 DUE 041700 POC Monica Williams, Contract Specialist, 256-876-8431; Harold Smith, Contracting Officer, 256-876-0908 MODIFICATION TO SYNOPSIS NUMBERS 434834 AND 434842 FOR BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT, (BAA) DAAH01-00-R-R007, ENTITLED: DEVELOP MICRO-MECHANICAL SYSTEM INTERIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT MANUFACTURING AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO REDUCE COST THIS MODIFICATION IS ISSUED TO PROVIDE AN ANSWER TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT WITH RESPECT TO THIS BAA. QUESTION 1 -- The purpose of the subject BAA is directed at fulfilling the guidance requirements for the Low Cost Precision Kill (LPCK) 2.75" guided rocket and the Modernized Hellfire. In order to propose a solution that will meet this desire, it would be useful to have a clear understanding of the Army's expectation for these guidance requirements. A brief explanation of these requirements at your earliest convenince would be appreciated. QUESTION 2 -- In order to respond completely to the subject BAA, it is our desire to obtain documentation that contains the IMU requirements for the Modernized Hellfire and LCPK applications. Should you not have access to this information which you can conveniently provide to us, please indicate where we may obtain it. ANSWER TO QUESTIONS 1 AND 2- Provided below are the specification numbers for Low Cost Precision Kill (LCPK). They can be obtained from Government publications, Philadelphia. MIL-W-50987 for M151 Loading, Assembling, and Packing;- MIL-W-50504A for M151 Warhead Parts;- MIL-W-70467 for M274 Practice Warhead -- For Modernized Hellfire, MIS-46363E can be used as a reference. The Modernized Hellfire document can be obtained from the Air-to-Ground Missile Systems Project Office, POC Jim Springer,256-842-0301,email:jim.springer@msl.redstone.army.mil These documents can serve as a starting baseline. Proposers should realize that as additional information becomes available, the requirements may change. Proposers will need to use their experience/judgement to estimate what will be required. Nevertheless, the items delivered to the Government must meet the form, fit and function requirements. QUESTION 3—With reference to my telephone conversation with Mr. Smith regarding the subject solicitation, we would like the following clarification. The solicitation is for a manufacturing and process cost reduction effort for MEMS based IMU's, which covers many areas, including integration, process consolidation, packaging and alignment automation, and automation of in-process and final testing. The solicitation acknowledges that & quote "Due to the numerous areas that can be proposed under this BAA, the Government may elect to fund selected tasks/sub-task that will provide the best benefit to the Government". However, the solicitation then continues to state & quote; "Qualification and validation of improvements shall be accomplished via the manufacture of 20 MEMS based IMUs. These IMUs shall be delivered to the Government for evaluation". This second statement implies what the government wants to procure is 20 prototype IMUs. This appears to be inconsistent with the intent of the solicitation for a broad range of efforts that can contribute to reducing the cost for manufacturing of IMUs. The specific question I have, therefore, is if automation of in-process and final testing as well as many of the other types of efforts mentioned in the solicitation that can be used in the manufacturing process to lead to reducing the cost and improve the yield of IMUs in general is of interest to this solicitation; or is this a solicitation just for procuring prototypes of lower cost, specific designs of IMUs? ANSWER TO QUESTION 3 -- The 20 items will be used to ensure that the manufacturing/process improvements do in fact result in the production of a MEMS IMU that is of equal or better quality of those made with the previous methods. For those who only have abilities to improve specific parts of the MEMS IMU manufacturing process, they could submit a proposal to the Government to see if it might be incorporated into the overall MEMS IMU manufacturing process of one or more of the MEMS IMU manufacturing companies or they could contact one or more of the MEMS IMU system houses to help them improve their processes by either being a partner or a sub to that system house. Posted 04/10/00 (W-SN443274). (0101)

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