SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Request for Information (RFI) for Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) Technology to Support PATRIOT Radar
- Notice Date
- 8/17/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- ACC-RSA - (Missile), ATTN: CCAM, Building 5303, Martin Road, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5280
- ZIP Code
- 35898-5280
- Solicitation Number
- W31P4Q-12-R-0158
- Response Due
- 10/31/2012
- Archive Date
- 12/30/2012
- Point of Contact
- Ruth A. Woodham, 256-876-2105
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-RSA - (Missile)
(ruth.a.woodham@us.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR SOLICITATION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES (OCT 1997): (a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. (b) Although "proposal" and "offeror" are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. (c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of acquiring information on Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) Technology to Upgrade or Replace PATRIOT Radar. Pursuant to FAR 15.2, this notice is being issued as a Request for Information. The Contract POC is Ruth A. Woodham, US Army Contracting Command Aviation and Missile-Redstone, CCAM-RD-B, Redstone Arsenal, AL and can be contacted via e-mail: ruth.a.woodham@us.army.mil This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). The US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) is currently conducting market research only. No award is intended as a result of this synopsis nor does the Government intend to pay for information received. Responses to this notice are not an offer and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. AMRDEC is interested in receiving information on AESA based radar technology already developed or in development that could be utilized to upgrade or replace the PATRIOT radars fielded by the US Army and International Partners. AMRDEC will assess industry proposals for AESA-based upgrades to the existing PATRIOT radar and/or proposals to replace the existing PATRIOT radar with an AESA based radar. The maturity of the AESA technology must be at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 or higher to support a demonstration test within eighteen (18) months and/or initiating a full scale Design & Development (D&D) program in FY14. The objective of this process is to assess current AESA capabilities within the US defense electronics industrial base, particularly as they relate to existing and future PATRIOT radar specifications and capabilities. The key objective for a potential PATRIOT radar upgrade to AESA technology is to reduce overall radar Operation & Support (O&S) cost out to FY40 while maintaining radar performance and/or improving radar performance by providing growth potential to counter the emerging threat by leveraging the inherent capabilities of AESA technology. Reducing radar O&S cost and extending the service life of PATRIOT legacy missiles to 40 years is the foundation of the PATRIOT 30 year strategy. AMRDEC estimates that the potential AESA upgrade to the existing PATRIOT radar must minimize impact to the existing PATRIOT radar hardware and software architecture to remain affordable. As a result, the AESA upgrade will most likely have to interface with the existing PATRIOT radar shelter, waveform generator, exciter, receiver, and signal/data processors. However all upgrade solutions are encouraged. The AESA upgraded radar must support all requirements of the current passive space-fed array to include incorporating multiple apertures for the main array, Track-Via-Missile (TVM) array, auxiliary arrays, and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) array. The AESA upgraded radar must meet existing volume, weight, and prime power requirements. The AESA can be liquid cooled, but air cooled is desired. The AESA architecture must be modular and assembled as line replaceable units (LRU) with built in test (BIT) features that provides LRU level fault status (RF and command & control) that support PATRIOT field repair and replace requirements. A potential AESA based radar replacement must meet or exceed all existing PATRIOT radar requirements to include (not all-inclusive list): 1) Operate on the US Army Integrated Air Missile Defense (IAMD) network; 2) Provide sectored surveillance and fire control for the PATRIOT missile interceptor inventory to include both PAC-2 and PAC-3 class missiles; 3) Operate with the existing PATRIOT radar generator; 4) Mobility and transportability requirements; 5) Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM) requirements. Innovative industry solutions that improve PATRIOT radar capability in any of the above areas without significantly increasing development, procurement, or O&S cost are encouraged. Additionally, if these innovative solutions require changes to other PATRIOT equipment (e.g. generator, prime mover) to realize an improved radar capability or require changes to the existing PATRIOT logistics support structure to realize a reduced O&S cost, then these changes should be clearly defined as part of the proposed radar solution. As part of this RFI, AMRDEC has developed a classified radar requirements document describing the key requirements that an AESA based radar must meet to satisfy PATRIOT upgrade objectives. This requirements document is not intended to define the complete set of requirements for integrating an AESA into the PATRIOT radar or for replacing the existing radar with an AESA based radar. Its purpose is to provide industry enough information to meet the intent of this RFI; which is to assess industry's capability to provide an AESA based upgrade that can be integrated into the PATRIOT radar or build an AESA based radar replacement that can be integrated into the US Army IAMD network and the PATRIOT legacy system. Additionally, it is recognized by AMRDEC that the radar requirements document associated with this RFI may need to be supplemented by a site visit during the RFI response phase to allow interested industry participants to get further clarification in specific requirement areas. If it is determined a site visit is required, AMRDEC will host the site visit for all interested industry participants that meet the security requirements for receiving the AMRDEC radar requirements document. The assessment criteria used to evaluate the information received in response to this RFI will be 1) technical feasibility of implementing proposed concept within desired acquisition time frame, 2) technical feasibility of meeting existing radar requirements, 3) potential for expanding radar performance capability and 4) development and production cost. Responses to this RFI should include non-recurring development cost, unit cost per radar or upgrade kit, proposed development and production schedules, options for releasing technology to PATRIOT International partners, life-cycle O&S costs for a 20 year lifespan, and O&S models used to derive O&S costs to assist AMRDEC in the assessment. If proposed replacement/upgrade includes AESA technology associated with an existing platform/program, the response must include information to identify platform/program from which design originated. As a follow-up to this RFI, it's anticipated that the US Army will use the results from this RFI assessment to determine the appropriate procurement approach: upgrade of existing radar; or replacement of existing radar. Additionally, the US Army will determine if a 12-18 month demonstration program is required to further assess industry's capability or elect to proceed with issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for D&D contract. If a D&D contract is awarded for the PATRIOT radar upgrade, it is anticipated that a separate integration contract would be awarded to the PATRIOT prime contractor to develop the detailed interface requirements for the D&D contract to integrate an AESA into the existing PATRIOT radar. If a D&D contract is awarded for a PATRIOT radar replacement, it is anticipated that separate integration contracts would be utilized to provide the detailed interface requirements for operating on the US Army IAMD network and operating with PATRIOT legacy equipment being utilized by PATRIOT International partners. Given a successful D&D program, production of approximately 75 to 200 AESA upgrade kits or new AESA based radars is anticipated which includes Foreign Military Sales (FMS). The AMRDEC radar requirements document, which is classified at the SECRET level, can be obtained as noted below. As a condition of responding to this RFI, it is a requirement that the responder have an approved facility for storing and processing classified information. Only US based and owned companies are eligible to respond. Foreign participation is not authorized, US citizens only. Interested responders must request the AMRDEC radar requirements document, entitled "Patriot AESA Radar Set (RS) Performance Guidelines (U)," in writing or via e-mail. Requests and/or any questions shall be sent to US Army Contracting Command Aviation and Missile-Redstone, CCAM-RDB, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5000, ATTN: Ruth Woodham or the following e-mail address: ruth.a.woodham@us.army.mil Telephone requests for additional information WILL NOT be honored. Requests must include: Solicitation number, company name, Company and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, classified mailing address, and appropriate point of contact information. All requests must be received within TWELVE (12) calendar days of the date of this notice. After validation by the AMRDEC Security Office of each interested responder's security accreditation and eligibility to receive the AMRDEC radar requirements document, a complete copy along with the appropriate security classification guide will be mailed to each validated responder. Responses to this RFI should only include candidate AESA upgrades or AESA based radars that have been successfully demonstrated in a similar application or those that are in a lab-prototype stage (TRL 6 or higher) to meet US Army acquisition program needs (e.g. FY14 D&D start). The response should include a white paper of no more than 20 pages or a Power Point presentation of no more than 40 charts describing the proposed AESA based solution, including corporate information, certifications, and drawings. Responses shall be submitted with no less than 10 font. The response should describe how it supports the AMRDEC radar requirements document and how the AESA based design solution addresses any applicable export restrictions. The response should include performance results-to-date of any prototype hardware, rough order magnitude (ROM) cost and schedule estimates for development, production, and sustainment of proposed solution out to 2040, and where applicable, points of contact for Government sponsors. Responders are encouraged to provide explanations for those areas in which their product attributes differ significantly, either favorably or unfavorably, from the AMRDEC radar requirements document, as well as to provide commentary on the reasonableness of the radar requirements document. Additionally, responders are encouraged to identify high cost driver requirements and suggest lower cost alternatives via a requirement/cost trade assessment that would satisfy US Army objectives to maintain/improve PATRIOT performance while reducing overall PATRIOT Radar sustainment cost. Based on the responses, AMRDEC, solely at its discretion, may request unfunded, follow on, face-to-face briefings. RFI responses must be received within 45 calendar days of the mailing date of the classified AMRDEC radar requirements document. All responses must be submitted in writing. Unclassified responses will be received via mail or by email. Mailed unclassified responses should be sent to US Army, AMRDEC, RDMR-WG-R, Redstone Arsenal, AL, 35898-5000, ATTN: Mr. Jonathan Lyles. Emailed unclassified responses should be sent to the following e-mail address: jonathan.p.lyles@us.army.mil. All classified response information will be accepted by mail only; please mark it accordingly, and send it via proper channels. Classified information should be sent to USARDECOM, AMRDEC, RDMR-WDG-R, Bldg 5400 Room 269, ATTN: Jonathan Lyles, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5000. The inner wrapping shall be addressed to: ATTN: RDMR-WDG-R (Mr. Jonathan Lyles). Acknowledgement of receipt will be issued. If response includes proprietary information, please mark it accordingly. Appropriate proprietary claims will be honored and protected to prevent improper disclosure. ** ATTENTION:** AMRDEC plans to use non-Government support contractors in assessing industry responses resulting from this RFI. Thus, if responses include proprietary information, it must be marked accordingly. Each respondent must be willing to sign non-disclosure agreements with these non-Government support contractors so AMRDEC can properly protect the proprietary information submitted. The following list of non-Government support contractors will be used during this assessment: 1) Dynetics, Inc., PO Box 5500, Huntsville, AL 35814; POC: Aaron Ezell, ph# 256-964-4391. 2) Wyle CAS Group, PO Box 11190, Huntsville, AL 35814; POC: Chick Collins, ph# 256-971-6126. 3) Torch Technologies, 4035 Chris Dr, Suite C, Huntsville, AL 35802; POC: Kenneth Lonnes, ph# 256-319-6019. In accomplishing their duties relating to the review process, the above mentioned firms may require access to P r o p r i e t a r y I n f o r m a t i o n contained in the industry responses. Therefore, pursuant to FAR Part 9.505-4, these firms must execute an agreement with each industry respondent that states that they will (1) protect the respondent's information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and (2) refrain from using the information for any purpose other than which it was furnished. To expedite the review process, each industry respondent is requested to contact the above companies to effect execution of such an agreement prior to submission of -responses. Each industry respondent shall submit copies of the agreements with their response or provide a definitive statement that the industry respondent does not consent to the release of the information to the aforementioned firms.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/94255fe7203df6d3f3f3d6eee10eb767)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-RSA - (Missile) ATTN: CCAM, Building 5303, Martin Road Redstone Arsenal AL
- Zip Code: 35898-5280
- Zip Code: 35898-5280
- Record
- SN02844319-W 20120819/120817235354-94255fe7203df6d3f3f3d6eee10eb767 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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