Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Attn: AMSAM-RD-AA-C, Building 401, Lee Blvd, Room 117, Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577

A -- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT SOL DAAH10-00-R-0005 DUE 080300 POC Ms. Beth Jackson, Contract Specialist, Phone Number (757) 878-0086 E-MAIL: Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, Ft. Eustis,, ejackson@aatd.eustis.army.mil. DESC: The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) is soliciting technical and cost proposals for Research & Development (R&D) as described below. Proposals are required to be submitted in accordance with the guidelines set forth herein. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) constitutes the total solicitation. There will be no formal Request For Proposals (RFPs), other solicitation requests, or other information regarding these requirements. Subject areas of interest include: TOPIC 01-00: Self Actuating Structures for Application to Active Vibration Control. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Vibration isolation and absorption are currently the best design methods for reducing vibration in critical areas of a rotorcraft airframe, such as the cockpit or external sensor stations. Distributed closed-loop feedback control actuation systems, that significantly reduce overall airframe vibration levels without high mass isolation systems, that use embedded reactive or "smart" structures are an attractive solution to airframe vibration issues. Passive vibration treatment can weigh up to 2.5% of the aircraft structural weight and is generally effective only at one design frequency. Current state-of-the-art active vibration control systems use a limited number of sensors and superposition of vibration from a small number of mechanical actuators near the main rotor. Reactive smart skins have been demonstrated effective for actively suppressing external acoustic noise transmission into the cabin of a commercial test aircraft. Piezo-electric elements have also been demonstrated effective in wind tunnel tests for controlling flutter of supercritical wings in transonic and supersonic states. Actuating elements such as piezo-ceramic stacks have been shown capable of damping vibration in beam elements, and with proper control, could dampen entire truss and other type structures. Global optimization of sensor and actuator placement will ensure efficiency. Locally, actuator efficiency can be enhanced through dynamic modeling of the smart structure during the design process. Simple control algorithms can maintain actuator performance with limited processor power. We desire research and development of active vibration attenuation concepts for reducing vibration in critical areas of a rotorcraft airframe, such as the cockpit or external sensor stations, incorporating embedded adaptive materials or smart structures. Proposed technology solutions should address smart structure solutions such as: optimal actuator placement; structural response rates and forces required; vibration sensing schemes; and coordinated actuator response schemes. High efficiency, low power consumption solutions are desired. Investigation of optimal control algorithms is desired. The envisioned effort should include: (1) Evaluation of candidate areas for vibration treatment with adaptive materials; (2) Global optimization of sensor and actuator placement; (3) Design of self actuating structures; (4) Design of control scheme; (5) Hardware design, fabrication and testing, as appropriate to demonstrate or evaluate various concepts should be considered. ANTICIPATED FUNDING LEVEL AND PERFORMANCE PERIOD: Planned funding for all acquisitions to satisfy this topic is about $1,100k total over three (Government) fiscal years, beginning in FY00. Proposals must follow the guidelines described in this solicitation. Also, any Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) requirements should be detailed. TOPIC 02-00: ROTATING/NONROTATING INTERFACE FOR DATA AND POWER. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The Army is pursuing technologies for the development of variable geometry rotor concepts. Typical designs incorporate active on-blade control, active twist, high-lift and variable diameter rotor concepts. These concepts are needed to increase rotor aerodynamic efficiencies; reduce vibration and noise; and increase the maneuverability and agility of the next generation rotorcraft, and may be extended to provide primary rotor control. Lines of communication from the fixed system must be reliably provided to the rotating system for control commands, and from the rotating to fixed system for control feedback and health monitoring (at least 100 data channels with data sampling rates up to 20k samples per second with minimum 32 bit resolution). The efficient transfer of power across the fixed/rotating interface is also required (28v DC and 115v, 400hz AC) for on-blade actuation which will operate in an environment subjected to high voltage. We desire innovative research to develop methods of delivering data and power to the rotating rotor from the fixed platform of the fuselage with reliability and fail-safety. Conventional sliprings are historically unreliable and would need short-term replacement. Technology solutions must address non-contracting mechanisms that provide bi-directional data and power transmission. Proposals should address design, reliability, maintainability, modeling and simulation for risk mitigation, fabrication, testing and life cycle analysis. Full-scale hardware design, fabrication andtesting, as appropriate to demonstrate and evaluate the candidate and candidate concept(s) must be conducted for a modern military helicopter design. The envisioned effort should include: (1) Conceptual design; (2) Detail Design; (3) Fabrication; (4) Testing; (5) Life-cycle analysis. ANTICIPATED FUNDING LEVEL AND PERFORMANCE PERIOD: Planned funding for all acquisitions to satisfy this topic is about $1,500k total over three (Government) fiscal years, beginning in FY00. Proposals must follow the guidelines described in this solicitation. Also, any Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) requirements should be detailed. DELIVERABLES: All contracts awarded under this solicitation will require delivery of the following data items: (1) Contract Performance Plan; (2) Bi-Monthly Cost and Performance Reports; (3) Test Plan; (4) Test Report; (5) Final Report. FINAL BRIEFINGS: All contracts awarded under this solicitation will include a requirement for the Contractor to present the results of their work to Government personnel at Ft. Eustis, Virginia upon completion of all technical work under the contract. EVALUATION CRITERIA: The selection of one or more sources for contract award will be based on a scientific and/or engineering evaluation of proposals (both technical and cost as it relates to the technical effort) in accordance with the criteria set forth in this section. Proposals will be evaluated on their own merit without regard to other proposals submitted under this announcement. These evaluations will result in narrative ratings, which will be used to develop an order of merit listing for proposals submitted under each topic. Proposed cost will be evaluated, as appropriate, for realism and reasonableness. The evaluation criteria are: (1) The extent to which the proposed work satisfies an Army research need by use of innovative, efficient, affordable, and suitable approaches to the stated technical problem; (2) The merit of the offeror's proposed approach to accomplish the scientific and technical objectives; (3) the experience and qualifications of the scientists, engineers, technicians, and other proposed personnel; (4) the suitability and availability of proposed facilities; and (5) Cost and risk to the Government. There will be no formal RFP, other solicitation requests, or other information regarding these requirements. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: All work performed under resulting contracts will be unclassified and will not require access to classified material. A determination has been made that performance under the contracts will require access to and/or generate technical data the export of which may be restricted by the Arms Export control Act (Title 22, U.S. C., Sec. 2751 et. Seq.) or Executive Order 12470. Prior to award, the successful firm(s) will be required to provide an "Export-controlled DoD Data Agreement" certification number issued in accordance with DoD Directive 5230.25. This certification may be requested from the Defense Logistics Services Center, ATTN: DLSC-FBA Federal Ctr., Battle Creek, MI 49017-3084, Telephone 1-800-352-3572. Participation in the programs announced in this BAA is limited to U. S. firms. TYPE OF CONTRACT: The Government contemplates award of a cost reimbursable contract with cost sharing highly encouraged. However, a range of funding instruments other than a procurement contract including cooperative agreements or other transactions is available. GENERAL: Guidance provided in this section applies to all proposals submitted under this announcement. Proposals submitted must consist of a clear statement of objectives, a technical section which should include, but not be limited to, background experience, concepts and ideas, methodology, expected contribution of the research to the Army mission, a Statement of Work (SOW) and milestones, a technical plan, a biographical section describing key personnel, a funding profile by Government fiscal year (1 Oct 30 Sep), a cost proposal, and a program management section. The cost proposal must include cost breakdown providing man-hours by task, all pricing rates used, and equipment and materials listings, if applicable. Use of separate volumes for technical and cost data is acceptable but not required. Subcontractor proposals, if applicable, including pricing rate details, should be provided concurrent with the prime contractor's submission. This BAA topic will remain open until 4:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 3 August 2000. Proposals submitted after the cutoff date will be handled in accordance with FAR 52.215.1. NOTE: Submission by facsimile or electronic means is NOT authorized. A copy of this provision may be obtained from http://farsite.hill.af.mil. Awards under this announcement are anticipated to be made by 30 September 2000. However, unless the offeror specifies a different expiration time, proposals will be considered valid for Government acceptance through 31 December 2000. The Government anticipates multiple awards under this announcement, though no minimum or maximum number of awards can be guaranteed. The government reserves the right toselect for award only a portion of an offeror's proposal (i.e. certain tasks vs- total program). Multiple proposals from the same offeror that address different topics, that propose different solutions under a single topic, or that address only part of the problem under a topic will be accepted and evaluated independently. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not commit the Government to pay any response preparation cost. No pre-proposal conference will be held. Proposals must be submitted in original and four (4) copies. Proposals, excluding the cost section, shall not exceed 30 pages. Proposals should be marked the above solicitation number and addressed to the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, AMCOM, ANSAM-RD-AA-C (Beth Jackson), Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577. Offerors desiring an explanation or interpretation of this solicitation must request it in writing at the above address, datafax (757) 878-0008, or e-mail: ejackson@aatd.eustis.army.mil. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of any contract will not be binding. Any information given to a prospective offeror concerning this solicitation, which is necessary in submitting an offer or the lack of, which would be prejudicial to any other prospective offeror(s), will be published as an amendment to this announcement. Any additional contracting and technical issues should be submitted in writing to the contract specialist, Ms. Beth Jackson via the above datafax number or e-mail address. All responsible sources may submit a proposal that will be considered by this agency. Offerors are cautioned that only contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government. Posted 06/13/00 (W-SN464399). (0165)

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