SOURCES SOUGHT
58 -- Advanced Tracking and Recovery System
- Notice Date
- 5/17/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334511
— Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- ACC-APG - Aberdeen Division D, ATTN: AMSSB-ACC-A, 4118 Susquehanna Avenue, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-3013
- ZIP Code
- 21005-3013
- Solicitation Number
- W91CRB12ATRS
- Response Due
- 6/1/2012
- Archive Date
- 7/31/2012
- Point of Contact
- Sabrinna Cosom, 410.306.2852
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-APG - Aberdeen Division D
(sabrinna.r.cosom.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION: No award will be made as a result of this request. This request is for informational purposes only. This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Proposal or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach. This Sources Sought Synopsis should not be construed as a commitment by the Government for any purpose. All interested parties are encouraged to respond to this synopsis. The Government will not pay for information and materials received in response to this synopsis and is in no way obligated by the information received. 1. SCOPE: 1.1 Background: The mission of the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force (REF) is to rapidly increase mission capability while reducing risk to Soldiers and others by equipping operational commanders with off-the-shelf (government or commercial) solutions or near-term developmental items that can be researched, developed and acquired quickly. The REF receives requirements from operational commanders in war zones setting forth the capabilities needed. The REF is chartered by the Senior Army leadership to provide material solutions to meet these requirements in a significantly reduced timeline compared to traditional Department of Defense acquisition procedures. 1.2 The purpose of this RFI is to obtain potential solutions to provide an advanced tracking and recovery system. Alternative solutions submitted by companies responding to this RFI will also be considered. 1.3 Experience and information obtained from this request for information will be provided to Army Product Manager REF who will evaluate the information and feasibility of issuing a procurement action to resolve the stated problem. 1.4 Prospective Solution Basic Concept of Operation: In an event of an airborne assault, the paratrooper, after landing, must locate their assigned equipment and navigate to a planned assembly area. The basic scenario for an airborne assault is as such: a formation of aircraft executes a flight path over a pre-planned drop zone, often at night; heavy equipment and supplies are parachuted into the drop zone first; personnel follow the heavy equipment and supplies into the drop zone, also by parachute; upon reaching the ground, some personnel navigate directly to one or more pre-planned assembly areas; other personnel locate their assigned equipment and then navigate to the assembly area. This must be accomplished as fast as possible in a hostile environment. 1.5 Current Utilized Method: Current methodology is to use Stiner Aids, which employs chemical lights. Infrared chemical lights ("chemlights") are placed on the outside of all heavy equipment and supply bundles and activated prior to pushing out of the aircraft. Chemlights are also placed on vertical poles erected at the designated assembly areas by personnel after touchdown. Individuals use night vision equipment to acquire and discern the chemlights via line-of-sight, identify their designated equipment or assembly area, and then navigate to that location. The current method is inadequate due to such things as the drop zone is often a large, unfamiliar area in which is being conducted a complex, night operation; natural features such as terrain or foliage can obstruct an individual's line of sight to the chemlights; other visible and infrared sources (moonlight, fires, runway lights, etc) can reduce or eliminate an individual's ability to acquire and discern chemlights; chemlights on any particular piece of equipment or assembly point must be configured into unique shapes/symbols that personnel must then remember and recognize. Furthermore, hostile forces are often sufficiently equipped with night vision capability that they can also detect the chemlights. The result of the current method is often an unacceptable level of confusion and too long a duration in finding equipment and assembling the personnel. 2. REQUIREMENTS: 2.1 The REF has an immediate need for an airborne delivered asset tracking system within 90 days ARO. 2.2 The proposed solution must have the following features: 2.2.1 Must be capable of supporting paratroopers with find their units and equipment identification/recovery within two (2) hours from distances of up to 7 kilometers utilizing only the capabilities deployed by the airborne force. 2.2.2 Shall be capable outfitting a unit of at least 2000 paratroopers and the recovery of at least 60 heavy drops/bundles of equipment. 2.2.3 Shall not interfere with Soldier protective equipment and airborne operational maneuvers; no interference with in-flight operations. 2.2.4 The Soldier component shall be a wearable navigational device that points the user toward an assembly area or equipment drop. 2.2.5 Components used on heavy drops or bundles shall be capable of rigging onto the applicable equipment without interfering with the mission. 2.2.6 Components used on heavy drops or bundles shall have an auto shut off capability or a manual shut-off capability. 2.2.7 Must be significantly robust to operate reliably after experiencing the shock and impact of a parachute landing. 2.2.8 Shall operate during day, night and all weather conditions. 2.2.9 Day/Night system operations shall limit light pollution in both visible and IR ranges. 2.2.11 Shall incorporate encryption to reduce the likelihood of mission compromise. 2.2.12 Runs off of battery power. Specify other power options. 3. INSTRUCTIONS TO POTENTIAL RESPONDENTS/DELIVERABLES: Specific information on industry capability to produce a system that can meet the requirements identified in paragraph 2 above. This is NOT a Request for Proposal. Companies who desire to participate in this market survey are encouraged to submit a white paper which supports the company's claim that it presently has the technology, qualifications, and capabilities to satisfy one or more of the performance and technical objectives described above. The white paper should discuss the company's ability to provide existing equipment to meet the need. Company should provide a ROM (rough order of magnitude) price and its anticipated delivery for the solution proposed. The company should provide information as to if this equipment has been purchased by the US Military, if it has been tested by a DoD Agency, and possible existing contract vehicles for further procurements. The white paper should also discuss related company experience and include point(s) of contact. The white paper should be prepared in MS Word, limited to ten (10) pages, and submitted electronically to the contracting specialist listed below. RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 1 June, 2012 AT 11:00 AM EST. The company shall be responsible for any costs associated with preparing responses to this market research. All requests for further information must be made in writing or via email; telephone requests for additional information will not be honored. The government will review submissions as they are received. The government reserves the right to close this Sources Sought Synopsis at any time. For questions potential respondents shall contact the contract specialist via email, sabrinna.r.cosom.civ@mail.mil to obtain information. Email communication is highly encouraged.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/97d89cbd7207f5b4e32d3dd58c69bd02)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-APG - Aberdeen Division D ATTN: AMSSB-ACC-A, 4118 Susquehanna Avenue Aberdeen Proving Ground MD
- Zip Code: 21005-3013
- Zip Code: 21005-3013
- Record
- SN02751654-W 20120519/120518001343-97d89cbd7207f5b4e32d3dd58c69bd02 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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