A -- TURBINE ENGINE RESEARCH CENTER (TERC) DATA SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT AND TEST ARTICLE EVALUATION

Notice Date

January 18, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL -- Wright Research Site, Det 1 AFRL/PK, Bldg 167, Area B, 2310 8th Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433-7801

ZIP Code

45433-7801

Solicitation Number

Reference-Number-SS-01-01-PRK

Point of Contact

Pete Lahanas, Contract Negotiator, Phone (937)656-9832, Email Pete.Lahanas@wpafb.af.mil -- Jane Hendricks, Contracting Officer, Phone (937) 255-5762, Fax (937) 255-8100, Email Jane.Hendricks@wpafb.af.mil

E-Mail Address

Pete Lahanas (Pete.Lahanas@wpafb.af.mil)

Description

SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS PRK-01-01. FOR: Turbine Engine Research Center (TERC) Data System Enhancement and Test Article Evaluation. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/PRTE), Propulsion Directorate, Turbine Engine Division is considering the award of a sixty (60) month program capable of developing, enhancing, managing and sustaining research capability for accessing the aerodynamic and aeromechanical performance of advanced turbine engine components. Anticipated RFP release date is 27 Mar 2001. The purpose of this synopsis is to provide the AF technical team with the ability to determine the capabilities of potential respondents. In order to provide a better understating of the requirements, the following information is provided: The selected contractor will be required to perform the assigned research tasks on-site at the Turbine Engine Research Center (TERC) of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The TERC includes all present and future turbine engine test facilities within AFRL. Facilities that are currently part of the TERC are: 1. Compressor Research Facility (CRF), an established benchmark for turbine engine compressor testing. 2. Turbine Research Facility (TRF), a full-scale turbine evaluation center. 3. Compressor Aero Research Lab (CARL), a state-of-the-art experimental facility for the study of fundamental turbomachinery aerodynamics. 4. Turbine Engine Fatigue Facility (TEFF), turbomachinery structural analysis center. 5. Flow Research Laboratory (FRL). 6. Turbine Wind Tunnel Research Facilities (TWTRF) 7. Turbine Engine Flat Plate Research Facility (TEFPRF) Future facilities may include, but are not limited to: 1. Combuster Research 2. Mechanical Systems 3. Fuels These facilities include complex networks of data acquisition and processing hardware, software, and related peripheral equipment used to control, measure, and analyze turbine engine component aerodynamic and structural performance. Each research task has unique requirements that will necessitate the development or modification of computer systems and software for data acquisition and analysis. During the performance of the assigned research tasks, one of the contractor's primary objectives shall be to insure that TERC computer systems and data acquisition systems continue to meet the present and future requirements of experimental component evaluation. Enhancements to computer system configurations and software shall be designed and implemented by the contractor to sustain or improve facility operations and test article evaluation capabilities. The contractor shall perform the assigned research tasks utilizing their own resources, government experimental facilities and computer systems, and subcontracts, as appropriate. However, the overall level of subcontracting shall be minimal. Respondents to this solicitation must demonstrate the capability of accepting and handling both classified and company-proprietary data; however, classified storage capability is not required. Classified storage capability will be supplied by AFRL/PRTE. ON-SITE PERSONNEL The level of the on-site work is projected to require a total of four professional people full time. Approximately five more on-site people may be required over the five-year contract life depending on the TERC test schedule. The contractor shall designate one of the on-site people to work as the managing Principal Investigator. This person will interface with the TERC Project Engineer, attend and report progress at the regular TERC management meetings, and will supervise the other contractor personnel. Based on experience to date the following type people and the experience needed at a work level from eighty to one hundred percent would be: CORE GROUP: Principal Investigator/Senior Engineer, Senior Programmer, , System Manager, Programmer, System Manager Assistant, Technical Writer (1) Program Manager/Lead Engineer (Principal Investigator/Senior Engineer): M.S. degree in computer science, electronics or related field; or a B.S. in computer science or electronics and an MBA. Technical and personnel management of data acquisition and/or computer systems experience of at least three years. Computer programming experience within the past five years in the following environments: UNIX and VMS. The principal investigator must have a demonstrated knowledge of DEC, CAMAC and VXI hardware including interface hardware for analog signal inputs and computer networking. (2) DEC application programmer/analyst (Senior Programmer): B.S. degree in computer science, electrical engineering or related field. A minimum of one year of experience programming DEC computer systems using VMS operating system is required. One year of programming in the UNIX environment is required. The DEC application programmer/analyst should have experience in programming in FORTRAN and assembly language in the DEC VMS environment. Graphics experience is desirable. (3) DEC system and LAN manager (System Manager): B.S. degree in computer science, electrical engineering or related field with a minimum of three years of experience operating and programming DEC computer systems using VMS or ULTRIX in the last five years or, in lieu of a degree, eight years experience in DEC system and LAN management using VMS or ULTRIX in the last 10 years. In either case the applicant must have experience in programming in FORTRAN, C and assembly language in the DEC environment, experience in management or design of local area networks, experience with the use of ETHERNET or DECNET along with experience in system (data computer and LAN) security. (4) Computer engineer/programmer (Programmer): B.S. in computer engineering or related field. The computer engineer/programmer must have a strong background in real time process control and control mechanism interfaces. At least two years experience in programming in FORTRAN and C language in a UNIX or DEC VMS environment. (5) System Manager Assistant: Must have at least five years experience in computer operation and network operations. The system manager assistant must have 3 years of DEC system experience including start up, shutdown and back up procedures. The assistant must be able to perform accurate data entry, execute classification procedures, and carry out data base management. (6) Technical Writer: Must have at least five years experience in technical writing. The experience should include the following, Computer based library management, file management of electronic reports and operations of web browser information gathering along with web based data entry. If personnel qualifications other than those mentioned above are required, they would probably consist of: (1) instrumentation engineer(s): B.S. in electrical engineering or related field. The instrumentation engineer must have documented experience with test facility operation and knowledge of transducer selection criteria. (2) electronic engineer(s): B.S. in electrical engineering is required. At least two years experience with analog and digital distribution, processing and recording. (3) aerospace/mechanical engineer(s): B.S. in engineering. Coursework or experience in turbomachinery preferred. The facilities in the Technology Branch require continuing equipment and software modifications to keep them operational for changing test requirements. The facilities are designed to be versatile, but each new test article usually requires modifications to equipment, software, and interfaces and will often require the addition of new functions. The computer and instrumentation subsystem interfaces with a large amount of equipment. When equipment is added, deleted, upgraded, or modified, interfaces and software often require a corresponding adjustment. Occasionally, while running the facility, it is determined that modifications are required because a function does not meet its specification, or the function does not meet the needs. There are many cases where improvements can be made to increase the efficiency of the facility operation. Some of the typical computer areas that may require redesign are: closed loop digital control, data acquisition and reduction, transducer calibration, software device handlers, operating systems, data base management, communications, on-line graphics displays, facility and test article graphics, and data analysis routines. Some of the typical instrumentation areas requiring redesign are analog signal distribution, on-line analog signal monitoring and analysis, transducer selection, FM signal recording and analog tape digitization. The contractor's on-site personnel, from time to time, may be required to perform 12 hour workdays, second shift work, third shift work, and/or weekend work. This will be necessary to meet TERC testing schedules, to implement changes on a non-interference basis, or to be active members of a TERC Test Team. The contractor may be required to man test station positions during testing which would require adjusting their work schedule according to the test schedule (usually second shift). They will normally be working in a computer room type environment. The duration of the contract is for 60 months, for an estimated 51,000 to 73,500 hours. Firms responding to this announcement should indicate their business size, particularly if they occupy one or more of the following categories; socially and economically disadvantaged business; a woman-owned business; a minority institution; or foreign-owned/foreign-controlled business and any contemplated use of foreign national employees on this effort. The general definition of to be used to determine whether or not your firm is small is as follows: ". A small business concern is one that is independently owned and operated; is not dominate in the field of operation in which it is bidding on government contracts; and with its affiliates, does not exceed 1000 employees. NAICS Code 541710 applies. "Concern" means any business entity or organization for profit with a place of business in the United States, its possessions, Puerto Rico, or the trust territory of the Pacific Islands, including, but not limited to, an individual, partnership, corporation joint venture association, or corporation. The Air Force reserves the right to consider a small business set-aside based on responses hereto. Foreign firms are asked to immediately notify the Contracting POC cited below before deciding to respond to this announcement. Foreign firms should be aware that restrictions may apply which could preclude their participation in this acquisition. All responses to this synopsis shall include their assigned Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code (i.e. Federal Supply Code for Mfrs., a five digit code assigned by Comdr., Def Logistics Service Center, ATTN: DECS-CGD, Federal Center, Battle Creek, MI, (616) 961-4381, (Ref DOD 5000.129M). Small businesses interested in this effort must respond with a complete capability/qualifications package describing the company's technical expertise, experience and facilities to accomplish the work described above. Responses may be submitted in writing (only the original is necessary) or electronically. Each response should reference Sources Sought Synopsis PRK-01-01. Responses should be sent to Attn: MR PETE LAHANAS, AFRL/PRKB, 2310 8th Street, Building 167, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7801, e-mail: Pete.Lahanas@wpafb.af.mil. Any non-technical and/or contractual questions should be referred to the individual above at (937) 656-9832. Technical questions may be directed to Mr. Carl Williams, AFRL/PRTE (937) 255-6802, ext. 253, e-mail: carl.williams@wpafb.af.mil. An Ombudsman has been established for this acquisition. The only purpose of the Ombudsman is to receive and communicate serious concerns from the potential offerors when an offeror prefers not to use established channels to communicate their concern during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. Potential offerors should use established channel to request information, post questions to, and voice concerns directly to the contracting representative before resorting to use of the Ombudsman. Lt. Col Sam Lopez, DET 1 AFRL/PK, (937) 255-4813, e-mail: Sam.Lopez@wpafb.af.mil, is the ombudsman for this acquisition. See Numbered Noted (s): 25.

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010122/ASOL019.HTM (D-018 SN50B1Q6)