U.S. Army CECOM, CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, NJ 07703-5008

A -- COOLED STARING FOCAL PLANE ARRAY MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT SOL DAAB07-00-R-J693 DUE 052500 POC Raemon Samuels, NVESD, 703-704-1323 WEB: Interagency Interactive Business Opportunity Page, https://abop.monmouth.army.mil. E-MAIL: Click here to email the POC, rsamuel@nvl.army.mil. The US Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) is soliciting proposals in the area of Staring Two Color (MWIR/LWIR) and/or Broadband Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT) Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) through the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) process. This BAA addresses development of improved FPA manufacturing processes demonstrated in bare FPAs and FPAs in tactical Dewar configurations. Benefits include increased yield, lowered acquisition/logistics costs compared to current cooled staring MCT FPAs, and may include improved radiometric performance. The cooled staring FPA technologies meet the needs of a wide range of potential military applications. Specifically, the two color and broadband FPAs support long range target identification, and the advanced image processing algorithms used for rapid wide area search in Future Combat System applications for the Full Spectrum Army. TYPE OF CONTRACT: The Government anticipates the use of a Cost Plus Fixed Fee type contract. Offerors may propose alternate contract types provided that the alternative is supported in the proposal and the Government agrees. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The contractual period of performance is anticipated to comprise approximately thirty (30) months commencing mid calendar year 2000. DESCRIPTION: The Government is interested in enhancing the manufacturing base of cooled staring Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) and related packaging technology. NVESD anticipates a 30-month program for manufacturing technology development of cooled staring FPAs. This program will develop and demonstrate improved manufacturing processes for Staring Cooled Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) and components operating in the Mid-Wave IR (MWIR), and Long-Wave IR (LWIR). The intent is to leverage processes that apply to multiple staring FPA types. (i.e. Single-color, broadband, and multi-color FPAs). Thereby maximizing the benefits obtained from available funds. The program's goals for the following, in order of decreasing priority: 1. Manufacturing Technology to identify and implement process changes, and a, fabrication and test approach for the FPA/Dewar/Cooler assemblies which improves producibility, and enables a 3X decrease in the unit cost. The ability to meet this goal can be demonstrated in the proposal by a projected unit production cost analysis on the basis of a hypothetical production buy comprising 45 units/month over a 24-month period. 2. The program shall develop and demonstrate a process that maximizes commonality between the dual color, broadband, and single color FPA types. 3. The program shall provide 4 FPAs (dual color and/or broadband), in prototype tactical Dewars. The Dewars shall be capable of being cooled by the Army's standard 1.0 W and/or 1.75 W Linear Drive Cryogenic Coolers. 4. The program shall develop and demonstrate a process to fabricate staring two-color and/or broadband FPAs sensitive in the MWIR and LWIR bands. The spectral response shall cover between 3.4 0.1 m to 5.0 0.1 m in the MWIRand between 8.0 0.1 m to 9.8 0.1 m in the LWIR, as a minimum. These FPAs shall consist of a 480 x 640 MCT detector array, as described herein. The offeror shall include the production of 100 FPAs as demonstration of the process enhancements. 5. The offeror shall include a method of technology transfer to provide processes developed on this program to other IR vendors. This shall include process documentation and an industry wide final program review as a minimum. The Government is aware that there are engineering trade-offs involved in the production of these FPAs. These trade offs have been discussed with various members of the IR vendor community. As a result of these discussions, the Government has defined a set of questions that should be answered by the individual manufacturers in their proposal. The Government is aware that this information is considered proprietary therefore the proposals will not become part of the public record. Each prospective offeror should ensure that the following questions are addressed in detail in their proposal: 1. What is the current state of your staring FPA capability? Please include the following FPA configuration information as a minimum: a. Spectral bands (Please provide information on all of the following types: single color, multi-color, broadband, etc) b. FPA sizes (240x320, 480x640, etc) c. ROIC configurations (snapshot, sequential, simultaneous, etc) d. Provide performance data on the existing products. (Responsivity, D*, Noise, etc. ) 2. What are you projecting for a future product growth path. a. Identify the FPA configurations. b. Provide a schedule for development. 3. What is the applicability of a MANTECH program? a. Describe in detail the manufacturing technology initiatives with the associated cost reductions. Discuss a clear linkage between the reductions and your cost model. b. Provide a suggested schedule for such a program. 4. The Government is interested in a detector with all the following parameters: a. 480 x 640 Mercury Cadmium Telluride b. Two color MWIR/LWIR (3.4 0.1 to 5.0 0.1 um / 8.0 0.1 to 9.8 0.1 um) c. 20 um unit cell d. Simultaneous ROIC e. Frame Rate = 120Hz f. D* = SEE CLASSIFIED ATTACHMENT Please provide the following information about the detector described in item 4, above: a. Are you presently capable of building this device? b. If not, when would you envision being able to build this device, if ever? c. Identify and explain which of the above parameters would you trade to make the FPA, or a similar device, if all parameters are not concurrently achievable. d. Justify the trade-offs in consideration of realistic system requirements. This should include considerations for both human and machine observers. PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS: A. TECHNICAL: Technical proposals shall include the following sections: 1) Table of Contents; 2) Proposal Synopsis; 3) Analysis of Approach; 4) Technical Overview; and 5) Technical Data. The Table of Contents shall include the section number, title and page number. The Proposal Synopsis section shall summarize theproposed concept, objectives, how the objectives will be accomplished, and the anticipated outcome. The reader of this synopsis should gain an overview of all aspects of the proposal. The synopsis shall be limited to two (2) pages. The Analysis of Approach section shall explain how (and to what degree) the proposed approach would meet each of the overall program goals listed above. Supporting calculations, modeling, and data are appropriate to this section. Data obtained from laboratory/field tests of related hardware is encouraged. The Technical Overview section shall detail the technical tasks under the proposed effort, and the schedule for performance of those tasks. A program chart which includes a detailed list of tasks/subtasks and the duration of same must be provided. Contract deliverables shall be clearly listed on this program chart. The milestones shall include the time frames for delivery of all reports, demonstrations, and hardware as appropriate. The Technical Data section shall identify any data proposed for delivery with less than unlimited rights. Unless specifically stated otherwise in the proposal, all data delivered to the Government shall be considered to have unlimited rights Technical proposals shall not exceed a total of 50 pages in length (double-spaced on 8.5 x 11-inch paper) exclusive of references, biographical sketches, and cost proposal data. B. PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS: Include a description of each team member, brief resumes of key personnel, and the organizational structure of the overall team. C. COST: The cost proposal must be prepared in a clear and concise manner, which accurately reflects the breakdown of costs expected to be incurred. The proposal shall include all supporting information including, but not limited to: breakdown of labor hours by category, materials (vendor quotes or method of establishing cost), travel, direct and indirect costs. The technical and cost proposals shall be submitted in one volume in order to facilitate a concurrent review and evaluationprocess. Submit one hard copy original and one electronic copy of the proposal in Microsoft Word 97 to Commander, US Army CRDEC NVESD, ATTN: AMSEL-RD-NV-LWS-CCFI (Samuels), 10221 Burbeck Rd., Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5806. E-Mail Address: rsamuels@nvl.army.mil. All proprietary data must bear an appropriate restricted legend. Any classified material must be marked and transmitted in accordance with the Industrial Security Manual for Safeguarding Classified Information, DOD 5220.22-M. EVALUATION CRITERIA: The Government reserves the right to select for award any, all, part or none of the responses received. The Government anticipates having available approximately $5,000,000 in R&D funding for this Broad Agency Announcement. Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following three criteria. Factor 1 is more important than Factor 2, and both factors are considerably more important than Factor 3. 1. Scientific and Technical Merit: Including, but not limited to, the process design and implementation; and its relevance to BAA goals, and to potential military and commercial applications. 2. Experience, Personnel, and Facilities: Research and development efforts related to the BAA topic which demonstrate experience in this field; recent/current IR&D efforts and R&D contracts listed with a brief status statement; previous experience, past performance and overall personnel qualifications; availability and type of in-house test/evaluation facilities for FPAs, MCT processing, and night vision system components; the degree of in-house versus outside activity anticipated for the proposed fabrication, packaging, and test efforts. Due to limited funds, the Government does not intend to award contracts to start-up, inexperienced or ill-equipped organizations. 3. Cost: The proposed cost will be evaluated for both realism and reasonableness of the proposed resources, and the ability to achieve cost reductions in line with the MANTECH goals. OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION: A. CERTIFICATE OF CURRENT COSTAND PRICING DATA: Upon completion of negotiations and agreement on contract price, a Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data may be required in accordance with FAR 15.406-2. In addition, any offeror who is required to submit and certify cost or pricing data shall submit or procure the submission of accurate, current and complete cost or pricing data from his prospective subcontractors. B. RESTRICTIVE MARKING ON PROPOSALS: Notwithstanding Army policy, if information contained in the proposal is in the public domain or cannot be protected under law as trade secret (e.g., a patent application), the Army will not accept liability for failure to safeguard it against open disclosure. If an offeror wishes to restrict the proposal, the offeror should mark the title page with the following legend: "This data shall not be disclosed outside the Government and shall not be duplicated, used or disclosed in whole or in part for any purpose other than to evaluate the proposal; provided that if a contract is awarded to this BAA responder as a result of or in connection with the submission of this data, the Government shall have the right to duplicate, use or disclose the data to the extent provided in the contract. This restriction does not limit the Government's right to use information contained in the proposal if it is obtained from another source without restriction. The data subject to this restriction is contained on page ___________." Posted 05/03/00 (W-SN451041). (0124)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 20000505\A-0002.SOL)