SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Thunderstorm Technology Demonstration 18-1 Support for Small Unit Operations
- Notice Date
- 11/22/2017
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541715
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Rapid Reaction Technology Office, 5611 Columbia Pike, Suite 04C20, Falls Church, Virginia, 22041, United States
- ZIP Code
- 22041
- Solicitation Number
- RRTO-18-1-RFI-01
- Archive Date
- 1/6/2018
- Point of Contact
- RRTO Thunderstorm,
- E-Mail Address
-
Thunderstorm-SUO@arl.psu.edu
(Thunderstorm-SUO@arl.psu.edu)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THUNDERSTORM TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM Request for Information Pursuant to FAR Part 15.201(e) RAPID REACTION TECHNOLOGY OFFICE (RRTO) THUNDERSTORM TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION and EXPERIMENTATION 18-1 Support for Small Unit Operations Distribution Statement A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited SYNOPSIS: Technology Demonstration and Experimentation Collaboration A.INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this request for information (RFI) is to solicit technology candidates from private industry, government research and development (R&D) organizations and academia for inclusion in future capability demonstration and experimentation events focused on the support for small unit operations. This effort is sponsored by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Emerging Capability & Prototyping, Rapid Reaction Technology Office (RRTO). The intent is to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter by demonstrating and experimenting with the capability in an operationally relevant environment. The results of this effort will be used to inform decision makers of emerging and available technology solutions that enhance or improve existing capabilities with a focus on small unit operations. Interested parties are welcome to submit their applications to participate in the demonstration and experimentation events. Technologies at all classification levels will be considered, but the event is planned for the unclassified level. This RFI is for Thunderstorm 18-1, with demonstrations and experiments planned for March 2018 at or near Fort Bragg, NC. Thunderstorm 18-1 will be the first of a series of FY18 planned events in support of small unit operations. The application deadline is 5:00 PM EST on 22 December 2017. This RFI is NOT a solicitation for procurement or other acquisition proposals, proposal abstracts or quotations. The government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. B.BACKGROUND: Thunderstorm provides an opportunity for technology developers to demonstrate and experiment with new and evolving technological capabilities in an operationally relevant environment, as well as to obtain insight into federal technology gaps and emerging needs. The demonstration and experimentation environment enables a collaborative working relationship between government organizations, academia and industry. This promotes the identification of emerging needs and an assessment of maturing technologies with the primary goal of accelerating the delivery of technology discoveries to the Department of Defense and interagency partners. Thunderstorm provides a realistic demonstration environment for technology developers to interact with operational personnel. Materiel solutions brought to the event are at a technology readiness level (TRL) of 4 or greater (reference DoD TRL definition: http://www.acqnotes.com/acqnote/tasks/technology-readiness-level ). The Thunderstorm technology demonstration and experimentation event(s) involves individual or multiple technologies and is conducted with interagency partners. The technology developer provides the capability for demonstration and experimentation and personnel for installation and integration into the overall event. The technology developer operates the system during the event and uninstalls the system upon completion. The Thunderstorm staff plans, coordinates and assists with the associated logistics of the technology demonstration and experimentation, and provides limited assistance for the installation and integration efforts. The Thunderstorm staff will not assist with engineering changes to the demonstrated technology or system. Industry, academia and other government organizations are invited to submit demonstration and experimentation applications addressing innovative technologies leading to possible government/industry collaboration for further development of emerging capabilities or fielding of mature capabilities. C.DESCRIPTION: The Thunderstorm 18-1 demonstration and experimentation event will focus on the support for small unit operations. Multiple demonstration events are planned. The first event, 18-1, will primarily focus on developmental and mature technologies (TRL 4-9) and is planned to be conducted over a one week timeframe in March 2018 at or near Fort Bragg, NC. Participation may not necessarily require the demonstrator to be present the entire period. Depending on the level of interest, additional demonstrations and experimentations may be held in subsequent months. Under the direction of RRTO, the Applied Research Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University (ARL/PSU) will lead the 18-1 demonstration and experimentation event, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) will provide support as required. The notional scenario is a small team is deployed for an operation in a potentially hostile region. The team is lightly equipped and required to be highly mobile to support the mission requirements. The operational area may have a variety of physical and electromagnetic environmental constraints. The team is required at all times to operate in all types of terrains (desert, forest, mountain, open, urban, etc.), vegetation (desert, grassland, brush, forest, etc.) and in all environmental conditions. The top-level objective of the demonstrated technologies is to provide support for small unit operations. Respondents are invited to submit technology demonstration and experimentation applications related to the following capabilities as they apply to the support for small unit operations: •Wireless tactical headsets for improved tactical communications: resistant to jamming, secure, use within vehicle and with dismounted personnel. •Power for individual and squads - battery longevity: wearable power generation/harvesting technologies, proximity charging, next generation batteries for Soldier and squads (potential combination of battery & body armor); power management tools (analytics/AI to decide when/how each item is powered for max efficiency). •Goggle or helmet mounted heads-up display - capability to improve Situational Awareness (SA), Augmented Reality (AR), etc.: oDisplay of networked information (sensor display(s), mapping, alerts, etc.), networked to command center, identification of persons of interest; •Sensor technologies providing enhanced SA - next generation night vision, see through walls, see around corners/over roofs, ID/alert potential threats (predictive analysis), 360° awareness/vision, see through smoke & other obscurants, magnification, stand-off biometrics, etc. •Sniper training platform - augmented reality and/or virtual reality system for maintaining sniper training. •Robotic technologies & automation - improved operations thru unmanned systems, automated processes, etc.: support/improve decision making, reduce number of personnel required for mission, remove person from dangerous jobs, e.g. possible CBRNE threats. oUnmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) - small, light, man-portable, tactical systems operating autonomously/semi-autonomously; modular payloads to support multiple missions, all terrains. •Small unit Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) - ability to operate in buildings or tight spaces •Covert UAS - stealth to perform surveillance and reconnaissance missions without attracting unwanted attention due to its visual and/or acoustic properties; small UASs (Group 1 (0-20 lb.) and Group 2 (21-55 lb.)) that can be launched and recovered without the use of a runway. •Personnel signature management - textiles/material to manage signature of radar, electronic, thermal, infrared, visual, electro-optical, and acoustic detection technologies. Alter or camouflage aspects of the operator or their equipment to make them undetectable and/or unrecognizable. •Soldier down/medical alert - person in need of medical care, reports medical condition/status, contains pertinent medical records. oAbility to scan personnel (with associated wearable technology or leads as required). oAbility to determine Soldier workload, hydration, heartrate, blood pressure, temperature, and other vital health indicators to support Soldier efficiency and "The Golden Hour" from injury to medical support. •Multispectral beacon - non-signals ability to quickly identify all personnel and their positions in all weather and climate conditions; providing positive identification to overhead close air support. •Security for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) apps - ability to utilize standard apps with an encryption level to support communications with Partner Nation Force (PNF). •Cellphones teamed with HF/VHF transceivers - ability to send text and other data (encrypted) from a cellphone over an HF / VHF transceiver. •Tactical hotspot or denied area internet - providing LTE and Wi-Fi and an information gateway in a denied environment. •PNF communications and sensor control systems using indigenous commercial systems - exfiltration of secure data (AES encryption) from PNF via commercial system; data pulled, viewed and heard in real-time. •Suppressed weapon system - accurate fires providing quieter, less flash, reduced recoil, lighter, stronger system. •Lensless cameras - lightweight systems that do not require mechanical movement to capture images. •LED LIDAR - lightweight systems that can provide near range measurements. All capabilities should emphasize individual mobility and automated operations with a goal of limiting/reducing size, weight, power, etc. and reducing or eliminating operator workload requirements. After a review of the vendor applications, the government may invite candidates to brief their capability to support the selection process and/or invite candidates to demonstrate and experiment with their capability during the Thunderstorm 18-1 demonstration and experimentation event with the intent to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities. In addition, vendors may be selected for follow-on events at facility specific locations in support of future acquisition activities. Industry participation in the demonstration and experimentation activities does not suggest or imply that the government will endorse, procure or purchase equipment. D.SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Submit demonstration applications to the Thunderstorm demonstration and experimentation program electronically. Please use the application provided in Appendix 1 or email Thunderstorm-SUO@arl.psu.edu to request an application or if you have any questions. The application submitted under this RFI shall be limited to three pages. Applications shall be clearly marked with RFI number: RRTO-18-1-RFI-01. The application shall be formatted to print as typewritten on single-sided paper with one-inch margins on all sides and 1.5-spaced text. 10-point font or larger with normal (uncondensed) spacing shall be used. All applications shall be submitted in the portable document format (PDF) file format and shall be less than two MB in size. All applications will be submitted via email to Thunderstorm-SUO@arl.psu.edu and will include the following information: Subject: Thunderstorm 18-1 Application Company name/business division/address Capability name Primary POC info for the application: name, email & phone number You will receive an email within two business days verifying your application was received. Multiple applications addressing multiple systems may be submitted. Each application must address only one technology. Thunderstorm will provide venues, supporting infrastructure and personnel for assessment (operational and technical), based on availability of resources. Costs specific to running the technology developer's equipment, as well as the technology developer's travel costs will be at the technology developer's expense. Invited technology developers must be prepared to be self-sufficient during the execution of their demonstration and not dependent on venue resources. If you have questions regarding the submittal, please contact: Thunderstorm-SUO@arl.psu.edu. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION in the application. Thunderstorm 18-1 is planned to be held at the unclassified level. Capabilities may be For Official Use Only (FOUO) and may be subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) restrictions. It is incumbent on the demonstrators to ensure that these restrictions are outlined in their application. DO NOT SUBMIT ACQUISITION PROPOSALS. Submit demonstration applications and white papers only. Thunderstorm technology demonstration and experimentation applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM EST on 22 December 2017. No contracts will be awarded based solely on this announcement. Submission of an application does not guarantee an invitation to participate in the demonstration and experimentation event. E.BASIS FOR SELECTION TO PARTICIPATE: Submissions will be reviewed by the RRTO and appropriate supporting government organizations and support contractors. The RRTO will determine whether a submission will be accepted for invitation. Selection of respondents to participate shall be based on the extent to which the technology represents a particular class or level of capability that can be provided to interested commands or interagency partners. Other considerations include: •Relevance to event focus area •Technical maturity •Relevance of or adaptability to Department of Defense or interagency partner operations/missions •Relevance to current operational needs F. Additional Information Technology developers shall assure that all proprietary information, documentation and equipment are appropriately and clearly marked. Be advised that lessons learned from these demonstrations may be broadly disseminated within the government. If selected for participation, technology developers may be requested to provide additional information that will be used in preparation for the event. G.USE OF INFORMATION: The purpose of this notice is to gain information for potential future use and/or collaboration for development of technology capabilities. All proprietary information contained in the response shall be clearly marked. Any proprietary information contained in response to this request will be properly protected from any unauthorized disclosure. The government will not use proprietary information submitted from any one firm to establish future capability requirements. H.SPECIAL NOTICE: University affiliated research centers (UARCs), federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) and/or contractor consultant/advisors to the government will review and provide support during evaluation of submittals. When appropriate, non-government advisors may be used to objectively review a particular functional area and provide comments and recommendations to the government. All advisors shall comply with procurement integrity laws and shall sign non-disclosure and rules of conduct/conflict of interest statements. The government shall take into consideration requirements for avoiding conflicts of interest and ensure advisors comply with safeguarding proprietary data. Submission in response to this RFI constitutes approval to release the submittal to government support contractors. I.FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) 52.215-3: Per FAR 52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Oct 1997): 1.The government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI notice or to otherwise pay for the information. 2.Although "proposal" and "technology developer" are used in this RFI, your responses will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. 3.In accordance with FAR Clause 52.209(c), the purpose of this RFI is to solicit technology demonstration candidates from R&D organizations, private industry and academia for inclusion in future Thunderstorm technology demonstration and experimentation events sponsored by RRTO. Appendix 1 Application to Demonstrate and Experiment at Thunderstorm 18-1 Company / Organization: Provide full name of company / organization POC: Provide name of person submitting application; office and mobile telephone numbers and email address(es). Note: This application should be limited to three pages maximum including the cover page. Technology and/or Capability Name: Commonly referred to name INSERT PICTURE OF PROPOSED SYSTEM HERE Company / Organization: -Provide full name, address and other contact information for your organization. Include specific division if applicable. -Provide brief company description, discussion of company capabilities with respect to the purpose and objective described in this RFI. -Note if your company is designated as a "Small Business" and/or is "Foreign Owned". Objective: Briefly describe demonstration/experimentation objectives and goals. Capability Description: -Describe the capability that you plan to demonstrate and how it works. -Describe past, present and future uses, and predicted performance. -Describe the design outcome of the capability and its intended value to the user. -Describe the problem that you are solving (current / future) with your capability. -Describe the capability application for the Department of Defense and interagency partners (to include law enforcement, or Department of Homeland Security). -Describe installation, integration, and operating requirements to include time to install /uninstall. -Describe the level of product maturity. Is it in the commercial marketplace or still under development? If under development, please describe status. Also indicate its technology readiness level (TRL). Capability Classification: Provide the classification level of the capability proposed for demonstration. (Unclassified, Confidential, Secret, Top Secret). Note: Thunderstorm 18-1 is planned to be conducted with systems operating at the unclassified level. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR): Identify what (if any) parts of your capability have EAR and/or ITAR restrictions. Set-up Requirements: Briefly describe the details of the proposed capability set-up for the demonstration. •Major System Dimensions: •Estimated Total Weight: •Power Requirement: •Operational Frequency(ies): (if required, see below additional information needed) •Network Connections: (if needed) •Data Requirement: (internet connectivity, GPS, etc.) •Special Handling: (crane, forklift, etc.) •Restrictions: (i.e. cable length, conditioned space, environmental constraints, etc.) •Anticipated Number of Personnel for Demonstration: •Hazardous Materials: •On-site Storage: If applicable, please provide all pertinent information about any transmitter or receiver that you intend to operate as part of this demonstration. Frequency, transmit power, antenna information, required separation from other emitters, etc. Please include a basic system diagram. Government Contracts (if applicable): Identify any government contracts and the supporting agencies that have or are expected to support the system and/or system components. Demonstration Team: Include name, email, phone number and complete address of key stakeholders / focal point and identify if any are foreign nationals, including: a. Demonstration Lead: b. Technical Lead: c. Team Members:
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