SOURCES SOUGHT
58 -- Improved Communications Functionality for the OE-538/BRC
- Notice Date
- 4/30/2007
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- 4301 Pacific Highway Bldg OT4 Code 02, San Diego CA 92110-3127
- ZIP Code
- 92110-3127
- Solicitation Number
- SPAWAR_Headquarters_MKTSVY_44F3E
- Response Due
- 6/1/2007
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) Improved Communications Functionality for the OE-538/BRC Multi-Function Mast Antenna System 1.0 DESCRIPTION 1.1 The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), in support of the Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (PEO C4I), Submarine Communications Integration Program Office (PMW 770), is seeking information regarding improved high- capacity communications functionality using state-of-the-art Very Low Frequency (VLF), Low Frequency (LF), Medium Frequency (MF), High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF), and Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) mast mounted submarine antennas. This includes Line of Sight (LOS), Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS), and Satellite Communications (SATCOM) modes of operation. Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), Iridium, and Global Positioning System (GPS) capability enhancements are also included in this RFI. This RFI also includes Radio Frequency (RF) control and antenna tuning capability. PEO C4I (PMW 770) will use this information to help influence future product investments and to support Department of the Navy (DoN) Information Technology investment policy. 1.2 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes ??? it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service that may stem from this RFI. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party???s expense. Small Businesses having the capabilities to perform the tasking below are encouraged to reply to this RFI. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If an RFP is issued, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website at http://www.fbo.gov and the SPAWAR E- Commerce Central website at https://e- commerce.spawar.navy.mil. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. 2.0 BACKGROUND PEO C4I (PMW 770) has acquired the OE-538/BRC submarine antenna system for use with its strategic and tactical submarine satellite and LOS communications systems. The need for capability and performance improvements to this antenna system has been identified and an effort to acquire an enhanced OE-538/BRC submarine antenna system is planned. The objective of this RFI is to solicit information regarding antenna design solutions that could be incorporated into the existing mast mounted antenna group architecture and footprint (see Figures 1, 2, and 3 in the attachments). Note that the antenna will interface with inboard equipment via an outboard cable, hull penetrator, and junction box (Figure 2). The inboard equipment (Antenna Control Unit or RFDACS) will provide the operator interface, DC power and control, antenna status monitoring, and the RF interface to transceivers (Figure 3). 3.0 REQUIREMENTS Information is being sought for the design and implementation of an antenna group that would support the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), Wideband Networking Waveforms (WNW), GPS L5, and Iridium in addition to the existing OE-538 capabilities. Specifically, the areas of information being sought are as follows: ??? Antenna improvements using the existing OE-538/BRC mast mounted volume, footprint, and mast handling systems is a goal. However, solutions requiring additional volume will also be considered. ??? Support additional frequency bands with an emphasis on MUOS, WNW, Iridium, and GPS L5 Upgrade. Nominal antenna requirements are listed in Table 1 (see Attachment 4). New HF solutions will be considered but not critical to this RFI as it is desirable to keep the HF portion of the antenna mast unchanged. ??? Alternate antenna concepts to support potential WNW frequency bands of 174 MHz to 225 MHz and 400 MHz to 990 MHZ. ??? Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability (RM&A) estimates. ??? Decreased radar cross- section (RCS) signatures technology. ??? Platform compatibility and hardware integration concept. ??? Simultaneous operation for all communication functions (listed in Table 1) is desirable. ??? Prolonged transmission duration at 100% duty cycle. 3.1 Available Government Furnished Information (GFI) The following GFI is available upon request. Contractors requesting GFI must be registered with the Joint Certification Program (http://www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/default.asp). In order to register, Contractors must submit a DD Form 2345 to the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Office, along with a copy of the company's State/Provincial License, Incorporation Certificate, Sales Tax Identification Form or other documentation which verifies the legitimacy of the company. (1) OE-538 System Outline and Installation Drawings (2) OE-538 System Performance Specification (3) OE-538 Mast HM&E Drawings (4) OE-538 Hull Penetrator Drawings (5) OE-538 Outboard Cable Specification (6) OE-538 New Planned Hull Penetrator Drawings (7) OE-538 New Planned Preliminary Outboard Cable Specification 4.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION Provide detailed information on how the proposed product would meet the desired requirements specified in Section 3.0 of this RFI. The response should address the following areas.: 1. Describe the proposed antenna and mast design footprint installed in the submarine environment. 2. Discuss how the proposed antenna(s) would enhance bandwidth, provide multi-functionality, and decrease mast assembly radar cross section. Identify frequency limitations on simultaneous operation. 3. Discuss how the antenna system would be redesigned to support higher frequency bands, to include 2.0 MHz to 2.4 GHz while keeping existing GPS and IFF functionality. Consider the number of RF and/or fiber optic cables, and DC power requirements. 4. Describe alternate antenna concepts to cover existing frequency gaps from 174 MHz - 225 MHz and 400 MHz - 990 MHz. 5. Discuss which of the requirements specified in Section 3.0 of this RFI your proposed solution would be unable or difficult to meet. What alternative solutions are suggested to fulfill the Navy???s requirements? 6. Describe solution which incorporates only the UHF MUOS functionality into the current OE-538 antenna. 7. Provide rough order of magnitude non-recurring engineering and production unit cost of proposed system. 8. Provide a high-level development schedule which includes the design, development, and test phases of this concept up to Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) delivery milestone. 5.0 RESPONSES 5.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper. 5.2 White papers in Microsoft Word for Office 2000 compatible format are due no later than 14:00 PDT on 31 MAY 2007. Responses shall be submitted electronically, via e-mail only, to Mark Lopez Contracting Officer (mark.lopez@navy.mil)). Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. To aid the Government in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that even though all submissions will become Government property and will not be returned to the contractor the proprietary marking on the submissions will be respected. PEO C4I (PMW 770) intends to have the contractor support listed below assist in the review and evaluation of white papers submitted in response to this notice. Responses to this notice MUST clearly state that permission is granted or not granted allowing the contractor support identified below access to the contractor???s white paper. Should such permission be denied the government will review the contractor???s white paper without the contractor support identified below. If any respondent does not currently have a Proprietary Data Protection Agreement (PDPA) that would permit the Government support contractors listed below to review and evaluate white papers submitted in response to this RFI, the respondent is requested to sign PDPAs with these Government support contractors for this purpose. Reviewing Companies: Company: General Dynamics Information Technology POC: Earl Goodby, Project Manager Phone: (401) 849-5952 x3149 Email: earl.goodby@gdit.com Company: EC Systems Engineering POC: Mario Agripino, President/CEO Telephone Number: (401) 848-5800 E-Mail Address: magripino@epconllc.com Company: Client Solutions Architects POC: David Armstrong, Director of West Coast Operations Telephone Number: (619) 954-8907 E-Mail Address: darmstrong@csaassociates.com Company: Tele- Consultants, Inc. POC: Russ Gillis, Program Manager Telephone Number: (619) 400-5727 E-Mail Address: rgillis@teleinc.com Company: Alion Science and Technology POC: Mike Gainey, Program Manager Telephone Number: (202) 646-0122 E-Mail Address: mgainey@alionscience.com 5.3 Section 1 of the white paper should be limited to two (2) pages and provide administrative information, to include the following as a minimum: 5.3.1 Name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. 5.3.2 Recommended contracting strategy, with emphasis on whether the requirement can be met by items of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace, consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12. 5.3.3 Copies of Proprietary Data Protection Agreements (PDPAs) executed with the Government support contractors identified above and a statement that the respondent will allow or NOT allow the Government to release proprietary data to the Government support contractors identified above. In the absence of either of the foregoing, the Government will assume that the respondent does NOT agree to the release of proprietary data to the Government support contractors identified above. 5.3.4 Business type (large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, 8(a)-certified small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman- owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business) based upon North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19 for additional detailed information on Small Business Size Standards. The FAR is available at http://www.acquisition.gov/comp/far/ind ex.html. 5.4 Section 2 of the white paper should be limited to twenty (20) pages and should provide information in response to Section 3.0 of this RFI. 5.5 Section 3 of the white paper should be limited to two (2) pages and should address the maturity of the technology and provide a "road ahead" to the development of the capabilities described in Section 3.0. If known, the maturity of the technology shall be described using the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) metrics defined in DoD 5000.2-R, accompanied with supporting comments or data. If TRL is not known, then an outline of the development efforts and timeline required to achieve TRL 6 ("prototype demonstration in a relevant environment") can be included. 5.6 Section 4 of the white paper shall be a single page ???quad chart??? in Microsoft PowerPoint format that includes, at a minimum, the following data: 1. One or more graphics or photos that illustrate the technical concept addressed in the response. 2. Highlights of primary capabilities referenced to the requirements of section 3.0. 3. Maturity of the concept and the relevant technology components. 4. High-level development schedule from start up to Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) delivery. 5.7 Section 5 of the white paper should be limited to five (5) pages and should provide information on the changes to Section 2 of the white paper if the requirement is for MUOS only. 6.0 INDUSTRY EXCHANGES Government representatives may, or may not, choose to meet with potential offerors. Such exchanges, should they occur, would be for the purpose of obtaining further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks. 7.0 QUESTIONS Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing, via e-mail, to Contracting Officer (mark.lopez@navy.mil). Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. All questions will be answered via a posting of answers to the SPAWAR E- Commerce Central website; accordingly, questions shall NOT contain trade secrets or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 15 MAY 2007 will be answered. To access the SPAWAR E-Commerce Central website, go to https://e- commerce.spawar.navy.mil. Click on Headquarters, then Market Surveys to view other important information related to this RFI. Interested parties are invited to subscribe to this RFI to ensure they receive any updates. 8.0 SUMMARY THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide improved high-capacity communications functionality. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Navy has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Failure to respond to this RFI will not preclude participation in any future RFP, if issued.
- Web Link
-
Click on this link to access the SPAWAR E-Commerce Central Web Site
(https://e-commerce.spawar.navy.mil/Command/02/ACQ/navhome.nsf/homepage?readform&db=navbusopor.nsf&whichdoc=AE0239E67C2B73DA882572CD0073D398&editflag=0)
- Record
- SN01284349-W 20070502/070430221052 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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