SOURCES SOUGHT
23 -- Sources Sought for Foster-Miller Inc. Talon EOD Robot
- Notice Date
- 8/22/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 336999
— All Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899-1640
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1640
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-05-821-2719
- Response Due
- 8/29/2005
- Archive Date
- 8/30/2005
- Description
- The Intelligent Systems Division (ISD) of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL) at of the U. S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a mission to develop the measurements and standards infrastructure needed for the application of intelligent systems by manufacturing industries and Government agencies. ISD is being funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop performance standards and test methods for homeland security robots. These two projects focus on standards for two main types of robot applications, respectively: (1) bomb disposal (also known as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) in the military) (2) urban search and rescue (US&R) ISD is designing and implementing extensive test suites for both types of robots, which will be proposed as standard test methods. No such unambiguous measures of the performance of robots currently exist. In order to help in the design, execution, and refinement of the tests being developed, ISD requires having one or more robots to exercise the tests. Although the application domains are different, there is significant overlap in the capabilities required for the robots and we intend to leverage this as much as possible. ISD is designing and implementing extensive test suites for bomb disposal and urban search and rescue robots, which will be proposed as standard test methods. In order to do so, ISD requires access to specific commercial robots for devising, refining, and validating the tests. The performance characteristics specified below are based on initial requirements defined in conjunction with the intended end-users of the robots (bomb squad members, military EOD responders, and emergency responders). The NIST Acquisition Management Division (AMD), on behalf of ISD, currently seeks to purchase one Foster-Miller Inc. Talon EOD robot specifically for testing and evaluating this robot??s capabilities and performance per the NIJ and DHS Standards being developed. The robotic platform has the following capabilities and, based on NIST??s market research, appears to only be available for purchase from Foster-Miller Inc. of Waltham, MA. - With minimum capabilities to assist in explosive ordnance disposal capable of supporting Explosive Ordnance Disposal operations to include o Remote examination by operator of suspicious devices using on-board sensors (e.g., video cameras) o Remote manipulation of suspicious devices using on-board arm and gripper(s) as well as transportation of disruption devices to target. This includes picking up, orienting, transporting, and releasing objects o Able to fire disrupters at targets - Has a payload capacity (on main body) of 45 kg - Able to traverse non-improved roadways and areas containing debris from collapsed building (light rubble) at speeds of at least 1 meter per sec. - Robot vehicle weight not to exceed 50 kg - Robot shall be able to fit under most vehicles with arm stowed (height not to exceed 28 cm) - Include tracked locomotion (heavy duty track and sprocket) - Be able to attain speeds of 8.3 km/hour velocity on paved surfaces - Shall have variable speed settings - Shall be able to navigate 45 degree concrete stairs - Shall be able to navigate 56 degree inclination perpendicular to path of robot travel. - Shall be able to traverse 38 cm of snow. - Is to be powered by a rechargeable and replaceable batteries, and includes a battery charger. - Shall include an Operational Control Unit (OCU) (also known as operator station) with multiple simultaneous displays from on-board video camera(s) and all other controls for moving the robot and the manipulator. OCU is to be powered by Batteries and have an OCU AC-to-DC power supply. - Shall include a Wireless Data and Video Communications Package with 500 m line-of-sight capability - Shall include a tethered communications line (spooled fiber-optic) of 450 m length - Shall include a two-way Audio Microphone providing Communication to/from robot platform to/from operator station (OCU) - Shall include an Arm Assembly with gripper affixed to the robot vehicle. Arm??s length at full extension is to be at least 1.5 m. Payload capacity for arm at full extension shall be 2.2 kg. - Shall include forward-looking lights (illumination) - Shall include rear-looking illumination - Shall include global positioning system - On-vehicle sensor systems that provide remote displays at OCU: ?X Four body-mounted Color Video Cameras ?X Platform for aiming camera (pan-tilt) with 360 degree pan and 180 degree tilt, situated on a mast for higher perspective view ?X Remote-controlled color camera with 40:1 zoom ?X Mountable Infrared-illuminated video camera (in order to see in little or no light) ?X Mountable Night vision video camera (i.e., camera able to see in very low ambient light conditions) - Pan Disrupter Mount with Recoil Reduction Vehicle-mounted explosively actuated tools and the ability to place explosive charges to destroy explosive devices. NIST AMD intends to negotiate an open market purchase order on a sole source basis, under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106(1)(b), with Foster-Miller Inc. to purchase a Foster-Miller Inc. Talon EOD system that meets or exceeds those specifications unless additional sources that can provide the Foster-Miller Inc Talon EOD system that meets or exceeds the above specifications are identified as a result of this sources sought notice. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, parties that can provide the Foster-Miller Inc. Talon EOD product that meets or exceeds the above minimum specifications shall provide a detailed written capability statement to provide evidence to substantiate that claim. Such evidence shall be provided to Joseph.Widdup@nist.gov no later than August 29, 2005; if it cannot be emailed, it may be faxed to Joseph Widdup at fax (301) 975-8884. The Government will then determine whether the procurement for the system noted above could be competed. A determination by the Government whether to compete the proposed acquisition will be based solely upon responses to this notice.
- Record
- SN00875891-W 20050824/050822211818 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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