SPECIAL NOTICE
16 -- H-65 Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS); Request for information - Attachments
- Notice Date
- 10/21/2011
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 336413
— Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Commanding Officer, USCG Aviation Logistics Center, HU25, HH65, H60J, C130, ESD, IOD, ISD, CASA or ALD, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, 27909-5001, United States
- ZIP Code
- 27909-5001
- Solicitation Number
- HSCG38-12-Q-200005
- Archive Date
- 2/2/2012
- Point of Contact
- Ryan M. Suchy, Phone: 2523345472
- E-Mail Address
-
Ryan.M.Suchy@uscg.mil
(Ryan.M.Suchy@uscg.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- System Specification Industry Day registration form General Information Document Type: Sources Sought Notice Solicitation Number: H-65 Posted Date: Oct 21, 2011 Original Response Date: Dec 16, 2011 Current Response Date: Dec 16, 2011 Original Archive Date: Feb 2, 2012 Current Archive Date: Feb 2, 2012 Classification Code: 16 -- Aircraft components & accessories NAICS Code: 336413 -- Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing Contracting Office Address Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Commanding Officer, USCG Aviation Logistics Center, H65, Elizabeth City, NC, 27909-5001, UNITED STATES Description H-65 Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS); Request for information This is not a request for proposals. This is a Request for Information (RFI) released pursuant to FAR 15.201(e). This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. This is not a solicitation announcement for proposals and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All submissions become the property of the Federal Government and will not be returned. The Coast Guard is offering a proposed AFCS specification for industry comment. This is intended to be an opportunity for qualified vendors to provide suggestions to improve the specification that will be included in the MH-65E AFCS acquisition project. The H-65 avionics system modernization plan includes the incorporation of the US Army Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS). The AFCS will be integrated with the proven flight director in CAAS. A draft AFCS system specification is attached for review. Potential suppliers are encouraged to review the attached document and provide written suggestions to the contracting officer. Please respond to the following questions: Company Profile (1) Is your business a large or small business? (2) If small, does your firm qualify as a small, emergent business, or a small, disadvantaged business? (3) If disadvantaged, specify under which disadvantaged group and is your firm certified under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act? (4) Is your firm a certified "hub zone" firm? (5) Is your firm a woman-owned or operated business? (6) Is your firm a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned? GSA and Product Users (7) Is your product listed on a GSA schedule? (8) Do you have other government agencies using the product, and if so which agencies, POCs and contract numbers? (9) Do you have other (non-government) customers using the product, and if so please provide POCs and contract numbers? After the review of the responses to this RFI announcement, and if the Government still plans to proceed with the acquisition, a solicitation announcement will be published in FEDBIZOPS. Responses to this RFI are not an adequate response to any future solicitation announcement. Again, this is not a request for proposals and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract. All companies that can meet the specification are encouraged to provide a capability statement, company literature, brochures, or any other information that demonstrates that the specification can be met. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than 16 December at 3 p.m. EST. This notice is intended to provide interested parties with an opportunity to improve the H-65 specification only. All firms responding to this request for information are advised that their response to this notice is not a request to be considered for a contract award. All interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this announcement. Responses to this RFI are NOT a request to be added to a prospective offerors list or to receive a copy of the solicitation. Reimbursement will not be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow-up information requests. Point of Contact The Coast Guard is publishing this request for information and will consider suggestions from qualified suppliers. Suggestions must be received at the following address no later than 16 December 2011. Contracting Officer Attn: AFCS H-65 Product Line Division USCG Aviation Logistics Center Elizabeth City, NC 27909-5001 Advance copies may be sent by e-mail to ryan.m.suchy@uscg.mil (the contracting officer) including the following in the subject line "H-65 AFCS Comments, Company Name". Correspondence must include a company point of contact with address, phone number and email address. At the discretion of the contracting officer, the Coast Guard may quote all or part of any suggestions or questions received in future correspondence regarding the AFCS acquisition. The original author will not be identified. The Coast Guard will consider the information provided by qualified suppliers in the development of the AFCS technical specification and acquisition planning for the H-65. Additional Project Details 1.0 Scope The AFCS may be installed in all H-65 aircraft. The requirement will include spares. The system and associated support plans will be designed to minimize Coast Guard inventory requirements. 2.0 Background The Coast Guard currently operates (102) H-65 aircraft. The aircraft is in the process of being upgraded by incorporation of the US Army Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS). The H-65 is a derivative of the Eurocopter Dauphin aircraft. The current configuration is similar to the AS 365N3. The aircraft was originally built to FAR part 29 standards. Modifications to the aircraft are designed to current FAR 29 standards with exceptions approved for Coast Guard specific requirements. 2.1 Technical Data The Coast Guard has limited data rights for the H-65 aircraft. Design data available for the AFCS integration has been developed through measurement and test. In addition to the system specification, the final acquisition package will include mechanical interface drawings and an aerodynamic model. 2.2 Schedule The current plan is to issue a request for proposals in the 2nd quarter of FY12 with first article delivery in early FY13. 3.0 Modernization Planning The H-65 avionics systems improvements will replace existing equipment with current available commercial and government-supplied components. The system will include dual Honeywell HG764/GU Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation systems (EGI) and a HG7210CA01 RADAR Altimeter system (RADALT). The flight management system will be incorporated in the Collins CDU-7000 and other processors. The AFCS will be fully integrated with the flight management system. The complete system will be capable of full control of all axes of flight from a stable hover to flight and back to a stable hover at a designated position. AFCS mode annunciation will be incorporated into the CAAS display system. All lighting, displays, controls and indicators will be optimized for viewing with the unaided eye and compatible with aircrew Night Vision Goggle (NVG) operations. For planning purposes, it should be assumed that the AFCS will be certified under FAR 29. However, the Coast Guard will work in partnership with NAVAIR for the airworthiness certification. 3.1 Support A Support By the Hour (SBH) support strategy is desired. The support requirement will be based on existing Coast Guard support contracts. The support requirement will be included in the system acquisition documents. System performance parameters offered in response to the solicitation will be incorporated into required performance in the support contract. The support contract will include performance guarantees in the form of liquidated damages related to Coast Guard availability targets. 3.2 Open Architecture The AFCS will be designed to incorporate an open architecture to the greatest extent possible and use standard government and commercial protocols. The system should minimize proprietary interfaces and systems. Data developed at government expense will be used by the government without restriction. 3.3 Integration The Coast Guard will integrate the AFCS into the MH-65E airframe. The AFCS supplier will be required to support the integration effort. The final request for proposals will include a government managed development and certification plan. The government will provide and operate a test aircraft complete with flight test instrumentation. Potential suppliers will be provided with an opportunity to offer alternative plans that would reduce cost and delivery time for the government. 4. Vendor Qualification The supplier must be an original equipment manufacturer for AFCS. The supplier must have been approved by the US Department of Defense (DOD) or GSA (or equivalent as determined by the best value source selection team) as an aircraft AFCS supplier or have been included as part of an approved supplemental type certificate for installation of AFCS on US commercial aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration. The supplier must have experience working with civil and military airworthiness authorities. The supplier must have or establish a permanent presence in the United States staffed with English speaking technical support personnel. All system documentation must be available in readily understandable English language format. 5. Evaluation After evaluation of the information received, the Coast Guard may issue a separate request for proposals. Selection and contract award will be made to the responsible offeror whose offer provides the best value to the Government determined by a balanced, performance based evaluation of system capabilities, acceptance of the government defined comprehensive support requirements, past performance, delivery and price. The planned system evaluation criteria are: Technical Capability, Past Performance, Risk, Experience, Delivery and Price. Proposals that exceed the basic requirements will be considered. The evaluation and source selection process will consider each offeror's capability to provide a technical solution that best aligns with the requirements, is within the proposed schedule, and is affordably priced. An integrated assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, and risks of each offeror's proposal, together with the cost proposed, will be used to determine which proposal offers the best overall value to the Government. 6. Industry Day The H-65 Conversion Sustainment Project will host an AFCS Industry Day for all interested vendors on 16 November 2011 at the Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City, NC. The Industry Day will provide a forum for both the government and industry to receive feedback and obtain clarifications on AFCS specifications. The event will also provide the opportunity for vendors to acquaint themselves with an MH-65C which will be available for orientation and measurements. The AFCS Industry Day will be held at the Aviation Logistics Center at Coast Guard Station Elizabeth City: Building 75, 1664 Weeksville Road, Elizabeth City, NC 27909 from 0900 to 1600 EST. Directions to the Coast Guard Station can be found at http://www.uscg.mil/alc/directions.asp. Registration will begin at 0845 EST. Please allow 15 minutes for security screening required to enter Coast Guard Station Elizabeth City. The event is open to both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals. Interested vendors are required to register for the event by emailing the attached registration form to Jeffrey.C.Henkel@uscg.mil by October 28, 2011. Please only send one registration request per vendor, including a maximum of four (4) representatives. Please indicate if any special accommodations for disabilities are required. Government issued photo ID (i.e. driver's license) will be required for admittance. While the event will not be webcast, a summary of the event, including all presentations and questions, will be posted to this announcement within 2 weeks of the event. A schedule* of presentations/events planned for the Industry Day includes:  Project History & Overview  Requirement Description  Project Organization  Recent Program Documentation  Project Schedule  Specification Roundtable Discussion  H-65 Demo *Subject to change. Attachments (1) System Specification for the MH-65E Automatic Flight Control System, Revision 2, 26 September 2011, United States Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center, Elizabeth City, NC 27909 (2) Industry Day registration form
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DHS/USCG/USCGARSC/HSCG38-12-Q-200005/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: TBD, United States
- Record
- SN02611200-W 20111023/111021234430-9d4ab7e0b0dfdbc3262495107a1ee179 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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