Manned and Unmanned Ground Vehicle ISR Sensors Procurement Announcement
Broad Industry Announcement Title: Procurement Activity for Manned and Unmanned Ground Vehicle Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Sensors in Support of the U.S. Army Future Combat Systems (FCS) program
Broad Industry Announcement Type: This is an announcement of upcoming procurement activity for Ground Sensors for the Future Combat Systems program.
Broad Industry Announcement No.: Boeing No. 05-095
Proposal Due Date and Time: Specified in each Request for Proposal released under this announcement.
Additional Overview Content: In support of the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, Raytheon Company, the Ground Sensor Integrator (GSI) as a subcontractor to The Boeing Company, as Lead Systems Integrator (LSI), is announcing to businesses and academia the beginning of procurement activities and its intent to issue solicitations for proposals for various ISR sensor packages. Solicitations will be accomplished via Requests for Proposals (RFPs), issued at Bidders Conferences for the specific requirement. General descriptions of the sensor packages are included in the body of this announcement. All interested parties who have the technical capability, and the necessary financial stability to perform the processes and tasks described below should provide the information requested at the end of this announcement to the Point of Contact (POC) via email to the email address below. Interested parties' information must be received by the POC no later than 24 October 2005. All interested parties' information will be reviewed, however, only parties whose information reflects a sufficient technical capability and financial stability may move forward to be considered as potential offerors. Therefore it is possible that not all interested parties who respond to this announcement will be invited to participate as potential offerors. Those not being considered as potential offerors will be notified. This announcement does NOT request any proposals at this time. Any proposals received due to this announcement will be summarily rejected and destroyed.
Only those companies/organizations responding to this announcement whose technical capability and financial stability are sufficient will be included on the Interested Parties List. Those companies/organizations that are included on the resulting Interested Parties List will be provided with a draft RFP and will be requested to submit comments related to this draft RFP and their intent to bid on one or more of the presented sensors no later than 22 November 2005. This is the only opportunity to be considered for the Bidders List. No additional companies will be considered.
Interested Parties will be required to provide formal notification of their intent to submit a proposal in response to the anticipated RFP via email to the address at the end of this announcement. This formal notification must include the following information:
- 1. A statement that The Boeing Company or SAIC is not and will not be participating at any level in their proposal.
- 2. If Raytheon is identified as a subcontractor, describe the content and related portion of their bid that will be performed by Raytheon.
- 3. If subcontractors have not been identified, and a Raytheon division is being solicited for participation, provide the content and related portion.
Those Interested Parties who express in writing their intent to submit a proposal will be included on the Bidders List and will be invited to a Bidders Conference at which time the formal RFP will be released.
The Bidders Conference(s) and subsequent RFP releases are expected to take place over the next three months. Each RFP will be patterned after the Government's RFP format, including a Model Subcontract, with Statement of Work, Supplier Data Requirements List, Procurement Control Drawing (PCD), proposal instructions and evaluation criteria. Each RFP will have its specific proposal due date assigned.
It has been determined that solicitations issued will be restricted to U.S. companies only, with the sole exception of the Mine Detection Module for the SUGV. Small businesses are encouraged to participate in all solicitations. Foreign owned firms are asked to immediately notify the Point of Contact (POC) cited at the end of this announcement of your interest in participation for the Mine Detection module for the SUGV only. All potential offerors are asked to send to the POC your company's information that is requested at the end of this announcement. Please ensure a single Point of Contact for your company is identified in your correspondence. Companies who wish to be considered as potential offerors for more than one sensor package may identify separate Points of Contact for each sensor package, if necessary to facilitate efficient communication with separate company divisions/organizations. Proprietary Information Agreements (PIAs) will be required between all participating firms or institutions and SAIC, The Boeing Company, and Raytheon Ground Sensor Integrator.
It is Boeing's intent to engage Raytheon, the FCS Ground Sensor Integrator (GSI), to lead the Source Selection activity for the sensor packages identified in this announcement. However, to avoid any potential or perceived Organizational Conflict of Interest issues, should other organizations within Raytheon Company respond to this announcement, and following their review and response to the draft RFP provide written indication of their intent to submit a proposal or proposals in response to the anticipated formal RFP or participate as major team member on another company's proposal, the LSI/Army will administer the competition and assume responsibility for making the best value source selection decision. The LSI will ensure disposition of all comments associated with the draft RFP, and will be responsible for developing the final RFP package including sections L&M, and releasing the RFP .
Potential offerors are informed that International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) may apply to equipment and technical data provided and/or generated under this program. If ITAR applies, an export license will be required before the RFP or its contents can be provided to foreign persons or companies.
Offerors may be required to access militarily critical data in support of this program. If applicable, it will be stated in the RFP for each solicited package. If applicable, only offerors who are registered and certified with the Defense Logistics Services Center (DLSC) and have a legitimate business purpose may participate in this solicitation. Applicable RFPs will have additional information regarding this requirement.
SOW Overview
The following paragraphs provide a summary of the SOW requirements that will apply for each of the sensors contained in the upcoming RFPs.
Work to be performed by the Supplier shall consist of all effort and activity required for the design, development, integration, test and manufacture of the product set forth herein during the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the Future Combat Systems (FCS) Program. This includes providing personnel, material, services, facilities, data and management.
Work effort to be performed under the SOW shall emphasize a performance-based approach that includes:
- Described work tasks
- Specific and clearly defined contract goals
- Technical and schedule requirements stated in terms of desired results or outcomes
- Defined methods of performance measurements
- Clearly established deliverables and other reporting requirements.
With a performance-based SOW, accountability for final outcome is more clearly drawn; the Supplier remains responsible for achieving the required results based on their own proposed technical and management approach and internal processes which have not been dictated by the Buyer. Thus, the Supplier is given greater flexibility in defining the required approaches, processes and practices but also absorbs a commensurably greater risk share for contract performance.
FCS Program Goals
The following are the key tenets of the FCS Program implementation strategy:
- Create opportunity for Best of Industry to participate
- Leverage Government Technology Base to maximum extent
- Associate on-going enabling efforts with LSI and GSI-led activity
- Collaborative environment from design through life cycle
- As a minimum, commonality at subsystem/component level
- Design/Plan for technology integration and insertion
- Maintain and shape Industrial Base for the future
- Retain competition involvement in procurement processes
- Program affordability -- balance performance and sustainment
Supplier (Ground Sensor Developer) Objectives
The objectives of the Ground Sensors Developer supplier's effort are to:
- Provide system engineering and design tradeoffs, analyses and simulation.
- Develop individual sensor hardware and software needed to support the C4ISR and the FCS system of systems designs.
- Verify hardware and software performance and perform demonstration tests.
- Support integration testing by the Ground Sensor Integrator.
- Provide required programmatic deliverables and support meetings, working groups, and planning activities.
- Perform all activities in an IPT/collaborative environment with the Government, Boeing/LSI, other LSI subcontractors and the Ground Sensor Integrator.
Development Design Objectives and Processes
The Supplier shall work as part of an Integrated Product Team (IPT) which shall include other suppliers, Raytheon Company, the FCS Ground Sensor Integrator (GSI), LSI, and government customers, and which shall be led by the FCS LSI and government customers or their designee. In practice, the Supplier shall work as part of multiple sub-IPTs that the GSI will lead. The Supplier shall establish Associate Contractor Agreements (ACAs), Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), and/or other artifacts or instruments that are required for the supplier to work effectively with other suppliers and manufacturers as part of this IPT.
The Supplier shall employ a spiral design cycle that provides GSI reviews to assess the system performance, functionality and user functionality of the contracted services. These assessments drive the updates and scope of subsequent builds. The Supplier shall support the GSI in reviews, technical interchange meetings and shall participate in IPT related efforts.
The Supplier shall perform all system, hardware and software design activities in an IPT/collaborative environment. The Supplier's design effort shall focus on accomplishing the following design/development objectives:
- Maximum use of commercial practices and commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) items and commercial software reuse practices, that focus on reducing risks;
- Use of Non-Developmental Items (NDI), with special emphasis on commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) items and Government, off-the-shelf items (GOTS) to the extent practical
- Maximum commonality of and between components, assemblies, subsystems and systems;
- Maximum open system design, i.e., designing open systems and specifying widely-used interface standards that enhance interoperability and enable/promote multiple sources of supply;
- Maximum use of the design-to-cost concept, i.e., a concept that establishes cost elements as management goals to achieve the best balance between life-cycle cost, acceptable performance, and schedule. Under this concept, cost is a design constraint during design/development activities and a management discipline throughout the life of the program;
- Maximum use of the design-to-schedule concept for software blocks and builds, i.e., a concept that establishes schedule elements as management goals to achieve the best balance between development schedule and schedule-related risk, quality, and prioritized-functionality. Under this concept, software development schedule is a design constraint during design/development activities and a management discipline throughout the life of the program.
- Maximum use of performance-based specifications and performance-based SOWs with Supplier's supply base.
Ground Sensor Developer Tasks
The supplier shall perform the following tasks in accordance with the other requirements of this SOW:
- Design and develop the following configurations for each sensor defined in the RFP:
- Brassboards
- Prototypes
- Mechanical Fit-check Models
- Develop and deliver descriptive sensor simulation models
- Develop and deliver lab emulation software to emulate the developer's sensor systems interfaces and functionality. Integrate this emulator software into a GSI specified personal computer system for subsequent integration within the GSI SIL.
- Support the GSI and LSI's integration of the sensors into the FCS system of systems.
- The GSI will provide software licenses as appropriate for all emulator and simulator software and equipment delivered to the Supplier. The Supplier shall provide licenses (for use and replication) and on-site support as part of the integration support for all commercial software products delivered as a part of the lab emulators, simulations or other test articles.
- Supplier will conduct the following test program to verify overall sensor performance:
- Highly Accelerated Life Test (HALT)
- Reliability Enhancement Test (RET)
- Formal Functional, Performance, Development, Qualification, Safety, and Verification/Validation tests
- Conduct System design reviews including:
- System Requirements Review (SRR)
- System Functional Review (SFR)
- Preliminary Design Review (PDR)
- Critical Design Review (CDR)
- Technical Milestone reviews
- Functional Configuration Audit (FCA)
- Physical Configuration Audit (PCA)
- Conduct Software design reviews including:
- System Requirements Review (SRR)
- Software Architecture Review
- Preliminary Design Review (PDR)
- Critical Design Review (CDR)
- Test Readiness Review (TRR)
- Software Test Results Review
- Functional Configuration Audit (FCA)
- Physical Configuration Audit (PCA)
- Monthly status reviews
- The supplier will supply a full technical data package for the sensor in accordance with the SRDL containing all the required technical, engineering, manufacturing, test, quality, training, logistics, management, safety, security, and other data and reports as defined in the SOW.
- Management Functions:
The supplier will provide the following management operation in accordance with the Sensor SOW: - Develop the planning and control Integrated Management Plan (IMP) and Integrated Management Schedule (IMS) for each sensor.
- Weekly Earned Value Report (for subcontracts greater than $50,000,000.)
- Monthly Cost Performance Report (CPR)
- Implement and execute a Risk Management program
- Design-for-X program
- Enterprise Production Plan
- Production Readiness reviews
- Quality Assurance Program
- Training Program including analysis, support package, modeling, simulations, aids & devices, and data.
- Configuration Management
- Product Support and Logistics
- Human factors and Safety
- Security
Sensor Packages
Below are brief descriptions of the sensor packages that are anticipated for solicitation.
ShortRangeElectro-Optics/ Infrared (SREO)
The Short Range EO/IR Sensor will be used for both the ISR functions and as the sight for the line of sight weapon on the platform. The Short Range Sight will support fire control for short-range weapons, support ground surveillance and trafficability tasks.
The Short Range (SR) EO/IR sensor subsystem is an integrated subsystem consisting of the following subclass assets:
- Thermal infrared imager
- Visible imager
- Multi-function laser assembly
- Line of sight director
- Common Electro-Optics/Infrared (EO/IR) Electronics Unit (EU) consisting of:
- Automatic Target Tracker
- Sensor Data Manager Messaging Interface
- Range Map Generator
- Digital control and data interface to the vehicle data system
- Sensor Electronics, if required, consisting of any power conditioning, stow control, and/or other electronics located inside the vehicle turret or hull, not integral to the external sensor, and not included within the Common EO/IR EU.
The Common EO/IR EU shall be provided as Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) and shall not be designed, developed or produced by the SREO/IR supplier. The description and requirements for the Common EO/IR EU will be identified in BFX/GFX listing that will be part of the RFP package. The SR EO/IR bidder shall be responsible for Total Sensor Performance including Common EO/IR EU.
The SREO hardware deliverables include the following:
Emulators -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT May 2007
Simulations -- Qty 2 or 3 -- First delivery NLT Jul 2007
Brass boards -- Qty 3 -- First delivery NLT May 2009
Prototypes -- Qty 13 -- First delivery NLT Nov 2009
Last delivery NLT Jun 2010
Spares -- Qty 1 -- NLT Jul 2010
Qualification units -- Qty 3 (non-deliverable) -- Date to be proposed by supplier
Acoustic Locating Array Sensor
The Acoustics Locating Array Sensor (ALAS) is anticipated to consist of an array of acoustic transducers and a signal processor. The acoustic transducers will be mounted on manned and unmanned ground vehicles in a manner that provides complete hemispherical coverage above the horizontal plane where the sensor is mounted. The received signals will be filtered; A/D converted, and processed using algorithms that will be capable of detecting, classifying, recognizing, and persistent tracking of multiple targets. The signal processor shall be in the common Radio-Frequency (RF) Electronics Unit (EU).
The common RF EU shall be provided as Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) and shall not be designed, developed or produced by the ALS supplier. The description and requirements for the common RF EU will be identified in the BFX/GFX listing that will be part of the RFP package. The Acoustic Locating Array Sensor signal processing that is done in the Common RF EU will produce the data for target-bearing tracks and will supply these tracks to the Level 1 Fusion subsystem in the C4ISR Integrated Computer System for further refinement and storage. Each target will be classified and recognized based upon the target's radiated acoustic noise spectrum. The Acoustic Locating Array Sensor will also be called upon to record audio signatures within close proximity to the vehicle and provide this recorded media to the user for play back and analyses to local support Situation Awareness. The ALAS bidder shall be responsible for Total Sensor Performance including Common RF EU.
The Acoustic Locating Array Sensor hardware deliverables include the following:
Emulators -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT May 2007
Simulations -- Qty 2 or 3 -- First delivery NLT Jul 2007
Brass boards -- Qty 3 -- First delivery NLT Mar 2009
Prototypes -- Qty 44 -- First delivery NLT Sep 2009
Last delivery NLT Jun 2010
Spares -- Qty 4 equivalent systems -- NLT Jul 2010
Qualification units -- Qty 3 (non-deliverable) -- Date to be proposed by supplier
The following sensors are Mission Payload Modules (MPMs) and will be used with the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV), a man-portable mobility unit that is deployed at the squad and platoon level.
EO ISRMissionPayload for Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV)
The EO ISR Mission Payload will consist of a suite of sensors to provide observation capability to the operator. Sensors to be contained within the suite include Visual Imager, Thermal Imager, Laser Range Finder, and possibly a Laser Target Designator.
The EO ISR Mission Payload will have a weight-limit goal of six (6) pounds, and a power-limit goal of two (2) watts. When integrated into the SUGV, the EO ISR Mission Payload will permit soldiers to remotely execute the following ISR missions:
- Reconnoiter potential routes of advance to permit assessment of their practicality and risk.
- Detect, recognize, and identify the presence of enemy combatants and non-combatants.
- Detect the presence of combat vehicles and helicopters.
- Designate targets, using laser target-designation, for potential attack by other FCS assets.
The EO ISR Mission Payload hardware deliverables include the following:
Emulators -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT Jun 2007
Simulations -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT Jul 2007
Brass boards -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT Jun 2008
Prototypes -- Qty 5 -- First delivery NLT Oct 2008
Last delivery NLT Mar 2009
Spares -- Qty 1 equivalent system -- NLT Apr 2009
Qualification units -- Qty 3 (non-deliverable) -- Date to be proposed by supplier
Mine Detection Sensor for SUGV
The Mine Detection Mission Payload will have a weight-limit goal of six (6) pounds, and a power-limit goal of two watts. W,hen integrated into the SUGV, the Mine Detection Payloadwill permit soldiers to remotely execute the following ISR missions:
- Reconnoiter potential routes of advance to permit assessment of their practicality and risk.
- Detect the presence of mines, and unexploded ordnance.
The Mine Detection Mission Payload will support dismount operations by providing standoff detection of:
- Buried and surface laid mines,
- Unexploded ordnance (UXO),
- and possibly-- Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) along paths of travel.
The Mine Detection Mission Payload hardware deliverables include the following:
Emulators -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT Jun 2007
Simulations -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT Jul 2007
Brass boards -- Qty 2 -- First delivery NLT Jun 2008
Prototypes -- Qty 5 -- First delivery NLT Oct 2008
Last delivery NLT Mar 2009
Spares -- Qty 1 equivalent system -- NLT Apr 2009
Qualification units -- Qty 3 (non-deliverable) -- Date to be proposed by supplier
Interested Parties will provide the following information to the email address provided below.
Information Requested from Interested Parties
- Company name and address
- Point(s) of Contact with phone number, email address, fax number.
- Parent company name and address (if applicable)
- Dun & Bradstreet Number
- CAGE Code
- Supplier Classification (Large Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, etc.)
- Company Web site
- Company's nationality
- Has your company had commercial or government contracts for similar devices?
- Please list last three with Buyer contact information
- Statement of capabilities
- Core Competencies
- Size of business
- Related program development
- Related technology
- If foreign company, list experience working under International Trade of Arms Regulations (ITAR) (Applies to Mine Detection Module for SUGV only)
Type of Contract: Cost Plus Award Fee awarded under competitive source selection.
Source Selection Schedule: (Approximately)
RFP Release -- Nov-Dec 2005
Contract Award -- Apr-Jul 2006
Anticipated Number of Awards: One award per sensor
This announcement does not commit The Boeing Company or Raytheon in awarding any subcontract.
All interested parties' information must be received at the email address below not later than 28 October 2005. Failure to respond by this date will result in the exclusion of your organization from the Interested Parties list and therefore will not receive a draft RFP or a request for Intent to Bid. Information received by other means may not be entered into the review cycle and therefore may not be considered for further participation in the procurement of these sensors. Boeing will not be held responsible for the handling of submissions received in other forms other than email.
Raytheon Point of Contact: Howard Lund
Address:
Raytheon Company
Network Centric Systems
6620 Chase Oaks Blvd.
M/S 8519
Plano, Texas 75023
Email: GSIsourceselection@raytheon.com