28 -- NON GASOLINE BURNING ENGINES

Notice Date

September 5, 2001

Contracting Office

Coastal Systems Station, Code SP10, 6703 W. Hwy. 98, Panama City, FL

ZIP Code

00000

Solicitation Number

N61331-01-Q-JJ05

Response Due

October 5, 2001

Point of Contact

CONTACT POINT/CONTRACTING OFFICER: JESSE JOHNSON 850-234-4539/Carol Dreger, 850-234-4863, FAX 850-234-4251

E-Mail Address

Contract Specialist Jesse Johnson (JohnsonJL@ncsc.navy.mil)

Description

On 17 July 2001, representatives from United States Special Operations Command, United States Marine Corp Systems Command, Naval Sea Systems Command, Commander Naval Surface Fleet Atlantic, Space and Aeronautical Warfare, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Coastal Systems Station (CSS), and Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division Detachment Norfolk met to discuss common interest in lightweight non-gasoline burning engine (NBE) development for military applications. From this meeting an ad hoc NBE Steering Group was established to facilitate a collaborative development and acquisition approach and to foster the sharing of information. Two primary needs were identified for NBE technology application. They are outboard engines that range in horsepower from 25-hp to 225-hp and personal watercraft engines. A secondary but less common need is avia tion engines for ultra light unmanned aerial vehicles In response to the Department of Defense (DOD) single fuel initiative and the Department of Navy policy to remove gasoline from ships by 2010, several DOD activities have surveyed the commercial industry for both Non-Developmental Items and developmental programs aimed at solutions for lightweight non-gasoline burning engines. In an effort to consolidate the findings of these surveys, and to validate the claims of industry respondents, the NBE steering group is planning a NBE Industry Days Symposium 23 25 October, 2001. The NBE Industry Days 2001 will include vendor presentations and engine/technology demonstrations. The purpose of this symposium is to provide industry participants with the opportunity to learn of the current NBE initiatives from multiple agencies, and identify areas of commonality/diversity among the varying military applications. Also, Government participants will have the opportunity to learn of past, current, and future research and development and production plans from various vendors, and identify current maturity levels of identified NBE technologies and product applications. The primary focus of the NBE Industry Days 2001 presentations/demonstrations is marine applications for outboard engines and personal watercraft engines. However, vendors involved with ultra-lightweight non-gasoline burning aviation engines may choose to attend for informational or networking purposes. Vendors not currently involved in the development of NBE are not invited to attend. Vendors wishing to make presentations of capabilities without demonstrating a NBE only may submit a request to attend, but the government reserves the right to not invite them to attend based on the immediacy of the need for a solution. NBE Industry Days 2001 general information: 1. The symposium will be hosted by NSWCDD CSS, Panama City FL. All presentations will be held in the Coastal Operations Institute Facility (Building 452) and the waterfront demonstrations will be conducted from Building 293. 2. Each vendor will be allotted a maximum of 3 hours to be divided among an oral presentation and an engine/technology demonstration. When the vendor proposes to utilize the government test equipment, all vendor equipment must be installed for the demonstration, the demonstration completed, and the equipment removed within the 3 hour period allotted. The vendor shall decide how the time ratio between presentation and demonstration is allocated. This information shall be provided at the time of registration. The presentations will be restricted to the vendor and the Gover nment participants. The demonstrations will immediately follow the presentations and will be open for all government and industry participants to observe. 3. Vendors must register for this event by contacting one of the following NSWCDD CSS points of contact (POC): Mr. Bill McCrory (850) 235-5139 Mr. Todd MacDonald (850) 235-5165 Mr. Carl Walters (850) 235-5513 All vendors must register no later than 5 October 2001. 4. Vendor presentations/demonstrations will be assigned time allotments at random following the closure of the registration period. It is anticipated that all presentations/demonstrations can be accommodated within the three day period indicated. Should industry interest exceed the government's expectations, the daily schedule may be extended, or an additional day may be added to the symposium. 5. Maps of NSWCDD CSS, a vendor presentation /demons tration schedule, instructions regarding access to the base, and any special instructions will be forwarded via email to each vendor (POC) no later than 12 October 2001. 6. In addition to the Government commands represented by the NBE Steering Group, representatives from the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard will be invited to participate. NBE Industry Days 2001 Oral Presentation Requirements: 1. Oral presentations may utilize overhead projector or MS PowerPoint. slide presentations. The host Government activity will provide overhead projection and computer projection capability. Presentation materials may be on IBM PC compatible floppy disk, Zip disk, or Compact Disk. Ten (10) presentation hardcopies are also required at the time of presentation. 2. Each presentation should include responses to the following ques tions: a. State your company s experience in developing engines to burn non-gasoline fuels, including the horsepower, number of cylinders, type of fuel used, operational application, and the type of engine load (dynamic or constant). b. What are the dimensions and weight (wet and dry) of your engine? c. Describe the engine technology in detail including spark or compression ignition, two or four stroke, method of delivering fuel to the combustion chamber, method of controlling fuel and ignition timing, etc. d. Do you expect a horsepower loss when converting a gasoline engine to burn JP-5, JP-8, or diesel? If so, what is the percent loss? e. Explain the nature of the fuel/air mixture in terms of being stratified or homogeneous. Does the fuel/air mixture state vary with rpm? Do you compensate for varying air density? f. Explain the ignition method used? Doe s your system require batteries, fuel cells, or any type of stored energy source for starting or operating? g. Does your engine have the ability to switch among multiple fuels (JP5/8, diesel, gasoline)? If yes, what technique do you use to change from one fuel to the other? h. Does your engine require any starting assistance such as a heating element or ether spray? What is the minimum temperature at which the engine can be started unassisted? Does this temperature vary with fuel type (JP5/8, diesel, gasoline)? i. In terms of reliability, how many hours have been accumulated on your engine with each type of fuel and describe any failures that you have encountered. What was the frequency of these failures? Under what operating conditions were these hours accumulated? j. Do you recommend special maintenance procedures when using these engines with non-gasoline fue ls as opposed to the gasoline burning engine? k. Address pre-ignition (knock) issues with your engine. If pre-ignition existed, what was your solution to reducing or eliminating this condition? l. Is your engine design submersible? What is your purge and start methodology? How much time does this process require before the engine is fully operational? m. If fuel injection is implemented in the engine design, how do you address purging the air trapped in the fuel line as a result of running out of fuel? n. What is your production lead-time and your maximum unit output capability for your engine? o. What is your logistical support philosophy (spare parts distribution, technical manuals, training, special tools, configuration mgmt, quality control, etc.) for your engine? p. Does your multi-fuel engine exceed the cost of an equivalent gasoline engine? If s o, what is the percent increase over the equivalent gasoline engine? q. Can your engine technology be applied to multiple engine applications (i.e. outboard engines, personal watercraft, ultra-light aircraft engines, all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, chainsaws, etc.)? r. What teaming arrangements, if any, do you have? NBE Industry Days 2001 Engine/Technology Demonstrations Rules: 1. Engine/technology demonstrations will operate on JP-5 fuel. The fuel will be provided by the host Government activity. 2. Engine/technology demonstrations will be conducted from a waterfront facility. Marine engine demonstrations may be conducted in a test tank or on a boat. If a boat is required, vendors are encouraged to supply their own. The Government will have available a Zodiac F-470 Combat Rubber Raiding Craft. If the Government boat is used, the demonstra ting vendor must supply material and labor to mount the engine. No modifications to the boat will be allowed. Arrangements must be made with the host activity by 5 October 2001 for use of the Government test boat. 3. Vendors must provide all applicable controls, indicators and load-test wheels for the engine/technology demonstrations. Available Government support for demonstrations will be minimal. The Government will not be liable for any damage to vendor-supplied equipment, components, or materials as a result of burning the Government-supplied fuel or using the Government supplied test facility/equipment.

Web Link

Coastal Systems Station Sources Sought (http://www.ncsc.navy.mil/Contracts/Ztables/Sourcestab.htm)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010907/28SOL005.HTM (D-248 SN50W8W7)