A -- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT -- LANDING CRAFT UTILITY REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, LCU(R) CONCEPTS, STUDIES AND ANALYSES

Notice Date

December 21, 2000

Contracting Office

Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, 2531 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22242-5160

ZIP Code

22242-5160

Solicitation Number

n/a

Response Due

March 16, 2001

Point of Contact

11. Point of Contact: PMS325: J. M. Coughlin, 703-602-5400 extension 100. Contracting Officer: Stephen V. Piasecki, SEA 02222, 703/602-3102, x222

Description

The Naval Sea Systems Command and the Program Executive Officer, Expeditionary Warfare (PEO EXW) are seeking information from interested sources toward a potential future replacement of the LCU 1600 Class Utility Craft. (The nature and format of the information requested is discussed later in this announcement.) The LCU(R) will provide a technologically advanced, heavy lift, utility landing craft to complement the high speed, over-the-horizon, ship-to-objective amphibious lift required by Operational Maneuver -- From the Sea (OMFTS) and Seabased Logistics. The current status of the LCU(R) program follows. Milestone A has been approved and the Concept and Technology Development Phase has been authorized. The Government plans to begin Systems Development and Demonstration to support an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in FY06. Following that, affordably develop, build, deliver and support a craft that meets the Operational Requirements Document (ORD). The objective is to develop an ORD and a Performance Specification (PS) that responds to the approved LCU(R) Mission Need Statement (MNS). A competitive procurement (planned for issuance in first quarter FY04) will define industry's participation efforts prior to and following the next Milestone and leading up to a "Best Value" award of the contract(s) for the next phase. LCU(R) will provide an embarked Joint Force Commander and staff with mission capability for amphibious assault personnel and heavy lift. The craft will provide higher speed, Over-the-Horizon heavy lift capability to transport a number of M1A1 tanks from the mother ship to an unimproved beach. It will have Amphibious Task Force (ATF), Maritime Prepositioned Forces (MPF), and Strategic Sealift compatibility. The craft will have joint operational capability, including the installation of the AN/KSQ-1 system. The craft will have the capability to conduct sustained, independent operations for up to 10 days with an operational range of at least 1000NM. Current LCU manning requirements will be reduced by automation and other design features. The craft will be simple, rugged, and reliable with low maintenance and operational cost. To the extent practical, the craft will be built to ABS and commercial standards. The Mean-Time-Between-Failure shall be sufficient to support the primary amphibious assault mission for 5 days and 10 day independent operational mission. It will be fully supportable within the current Naval Amphibious Base infrastructure. The Government plans to replace all 35 operating LCUs at a rate of five (5) units per year for seven (7) years starting with contract award in early FY05. For reference, the current 135' LCU has the following principle characteristics: Length Overall 134' -- 9" Beam Max 29' -- 9" Hull Depth Amidships 8' -- 0" Lightship Weight 220 Long Tons Construction Steel Cargo Capacity 143 Long Tons including ballast Range 1200 NM at 8 knots in full load condition Maximum Speed 11 knots in full load condition Speed 11 KTS Other Kedging Anchor and Windlass for self-extraction from beach Operational requirements for the replacement craft have not been established. DESIRED enhanced characteristics compared to the existing LCU include: a. Cargo Capacity of up to 225 short tons. b. Reduced ship-to-beach cyclic time, including vehicle and cargo loadout and discharge time). This is affected by: (i) Average craft speed. This can for example be enhanced by increasing craft speed compared to the existing LCU in all load conditions, or by modestly increasing the full load speed compared to the existing LCU, while substantially increasing the light load speed. (ii) Reduced cargo loadout and discharge time. This can be enhanced by reducing the time required to load the craft aboard the amphibious ship, including but not limited to: drive through design with forward and aft ramps and/or other features that will provide improved efficiency of loading and unloading military vehicles and reduce total cycle time when offloading amphibious or MPF shipping, and propulsor and control systems designed to enhance the ability to back the craft into the amphibious well deck to facilitate drive-through loading of vehicles. iii) Propulsion, anchoring or other systems which facilitate rapid extraction from the beach. c. Range of 1000 NM (at a speed that may be less than maximum speed). d. Reduced draft or other design features to improve beaching and provide maximum utility in littoral regions. e. Automated systems and low maintenance design features to reduce workload and manpower requirements. f. Configurations which maximize the total lift capability (number of craft combined with individual craft capacity) of the landing craft that can be carried by a given amphibious ship, including LHA, LSD-41, LHD and LPD-17. g. Control systems, navigation systems, and maneuverability characteristics that maximize precision navigation and positioning capabilities for improved beaching evolutions and interfacing with amphibious and MPF operations. h. Configuration and features that allow the craft to serve as an alternative launch, recovery, and salvage platform for the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV). LCU(R) must contribute to future amphibious operations through the key mission capabilities of high speed, Over-The-Horizon heavy lift, ATF Compatibility, MPF Compatibility, Independent Operations, and Joint Command and Control. Delivery of military vehicles and personnel to unimproved beaches will be required. High point loads on the cargo deck from vehicles and cargo handling equipment are anticipated. Crew accommodations, habitability, and provisions will be required for missions up to 10 days. Transport in, and operation of the craft from, the well deck of existing amphibious ships will be required. The craft should be compatible with cargo handling systems of current and future MPF shipping, to include the Joint Modular Lighterage System (JMLS). The craft will be interoperable with existing and future amphibious forces in all respects. Rugged design, simplicity of operation and maintenance, and minimum total ownership cost (acquisition and operating costs) will be emphasized. It is recognized that it may not be possible to embody all of the desired characteristics to their full extent in a workable craft. Efforts will be focused on maximizing those desirable characteristics to the greatest extent possible in a craft that is rugged, utilitarian, and affordable. WHITE PAPER SUBMISSION: Companies shall submit white papers summarizing the proposed concept for the LCU(R). The information of interest to the Navy includes existing craft, designs, concepts, and components of particular applicability to obtaining the desired characteristics, including command, control, computers, communications, and navigation (C4N) equipment, propulsors, and materials. Anyone with existing craft design, components, or concepts that will address these characteristics is encouraged to respond. Companies may submit multiple concepts but must submit a separate white paper for each concept. Papers providing these industry ideas and concepts for program development and execution are requested as soon as thoughtful consideration permits and NLT 16 March 2001. Copies of the LCU(R) Mission Need Statement (MNS) and Mission Area Analysis (MAA) report will be available upon request to provide further clarification of the LCU(R) Program objectives. The White Paper should include: a. A description of the attributes, characteristics, and capabilities of the craft or component. b. Drawings, photographs, or depictions of the craft or component. c. The approximate cost and lead time required to deliver a craft to the government. [Average unit cost will be based on replacing all 35 existing LCUs at a rate of Five (5) per year for seven (7) years and FY06 IOC.] d. A brief description of your capabilities, experience, and facilities that would support development and construction of a craft for this purpose. e. Indicate large or small business (If small business, projection for transition to large business). All cost information will be held in confidentiality and will only be used for planning purposes. Use constant year 2000 dollars. A required format for submission is provided below. The information will not be returned, nor will compensation be provided for any response to this announcement. Proprietary information submitted should be so marked and will be protected. LCU(R) WHITE PAPER FORMAT 1. General: a. Maximum of 24 typed single space pages up to 8-1/2" x 11"(not including cover page). The White Paper shall be concise and to-the-point, avoiding "boilerplate", standard promotional literature and other filler material. b. Use Times New Roman at 12 Pitch for text. c. Drawings and diagrams may be included within the total page count limit. d. Standards and technical papers or methodologies may be referenced in the text. If referenced, a copy of the standard, technical paper or methodology shall be provided on request. e. Proposed commercial sources shall include a complete description of the item with explanation as to the applicability to the Program and/or Government requirement. Include an estimate of the durability and supportability of the commercial product. f. Color and/or enhanced graphics are not required. g. Items 1.d. and 1.e do not count against the page count limit. 2. Discuss the concept's impact on the DESIRED enhanced characteristics discussed earlier in this announcement, including design tradeoffs considered (e.g., tradeoffs between craft speed and cargo capacity and the impact on cycle time). 3. Craft Concept: Identify specific areas and capabilities in the proposals: a. Hull form and description b. Dimensions (Weight/Cube/Cargo Capacity/Ramps) c. Propulsion and Craft Maneuverability d. Beaching capabilities including sea state, beach angle, water depth and extraction. e. Stability f. Hull construction g. Corrosion Control h. Survivability and Damage Control i. C4N architecture and capabilities j. Crew manning, berthing, and messing, including automation impacts k. Growth capability for cargo, personnel, and C4N l. Personnel transport capability m. Speed, Range and Operational Limitations/Tradeoffs 4. This announcement will remain open, and white papers will be accepted through 16 March 2001. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is issued per FAR 6.102(d)(2)(i); there will be neither a formal request for proposals (RFP) nor other solicitation issued in regard to this announcement. This announcement should not be construed as a commitment or authorization to incur costs in anticipation of an award; the Government is not bound to make any awards under this announcement. Submission of a white paper does not assure the company of a subsequent award. The white paper shall be submitted as a Microsoft Word file either (1) as an e-mail attachment to piaseckisv@navsea.navy.mil or (2) on a ZIP 100 disk to the Contracting officer at the address at the beginning of this announcement. Hard copies are neither required nor desired. However, pictures, drawings, diagrams, and standard corporate literature may be provided in non-electronic media. WHITE PAPER EVALUATION: Following the completion of the industry's Brief/ Workshop and the final submission of the papers, a Review Committee will assess each paper. Further information may be requested for technical clarification. White papers will be evaluated using the following criteria in descending order of importance: a. Overall technical merit of design b. Operational feasibility of the proposed concept. c. Risk identification and mitigation. d. Proposed cost and realism of proposed cost. e. Company's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques or unique combinations which are integral factors for achieving the concept objectives For up to six papers that best meet the requirements specified herein, a stipend of up to $75K will be provided for further development and elaboration on the paper. Submission of papers and attendance at associated workshops(s) will not be compensated and is not a requirement for participation in the next or subsequent procurements nor will the data be used to qualify prospective companies for any future solicitations. NOTE: Information provided in response to this BAA shall not be disclosed outside the U.S. Government and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed, in whole or in part, for any other purpose than to evaluate the White Paper submissions. If, however, an order is issued to a company as a result of, or in connection with, the submission of information in response to this BAA, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting order. INDUSTRY BRIEFING/WORKSHOP: One or more LCU(R) workshops open to all qualified parties will be scheduled, at dates to be determined, to discuss fleet requirements and for presentation of these papers by the originators. The first industry briefing/workshop has been scheduled for the week of February 5th, 2000 at the Naval Amphibious Base (NAB), Coronado, San Diego, California. The purpose of the briefing will be to allow prospective Companies an opportunity to discuss, with Navy personnel, the requirements for the new LCU(R) and to view and tour the current LCU 1600 Series. Send a short statement of your interest in attending the industry briefing/workshop and receiving the MNS and/or MAA report to the Contracting Officer at the above address by 15 January 2001. No phone inquiries will be accepted. Questions and inquiries may also be sent to Contracting Officer by e-mail at piaseckisv@navsea.navy.mil. This BAA is not to be construed as a commitment to award a contract, nor is it a request for proposal.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001226/ASOL006.HTM (W-356 SN5094V9)