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Revised: 8/20/02

Organic Air Vehicle (OAV) Platform Integration

BIA Number: 15250

Pricing Information
The Program anticipates a funding level of up to $100,000 for the contract award(s) resulting from this BIA.

Detailed Description of Effort and Tasks
The Future Combat System (FCS) Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) plan consists of a family of several types of airborne vehicles, including the Organic Air Vehicle (OAV). This BIA requests proposals for the definition and refinement of the OAV platform, definition of common subsystem interfaces, specification development, ROM costs models, and System Development and Demonstration (SDD) program plans.

Task 1
The contractor shall define and refine an integrated FCS OAV platform architecture. For the purposes of this award, the "platform" shall include the air vehicle and associated subsystems, integrated payloads/sensors, communication links, ground control station hardware and software, and payload control and data exploitation equipment. The architecture shall conform to the desired functional and performance characteristics described in Appendix A of this BIA. The contents of Appendix A may be updated and provided to the contractor at contract award.

Appendix A describes two sets of platform characteristics. The offeror may respond to either one or both of the platform characteristics sets. If the offeror wishes to respond to both platform characteristics sets, a separate technical proposal shall be submitted for each. Proposals shall clearly identify the platform characteristics set that is addressed.

The contractor shall provide key functional and performance characteristics of the platform architecture, and information on the sensitivity of key performance characteristics to readily sizable elements of the architecture.

The contractor shall identify elements of the platform architecture that are not currently at TRL 6, and shall propose design refinement and development activities required to achieve TRL 6 (for the entire platform architecture) by the first quarter of 2003.

Task 2
The contractor shall define an architecture that achieves a substantial degree of commonality between key elements of the FCS UAV types. (The other FCS UAV types are the SUAV, TUAV, and HALE; the characteristics of these UAV types are listed in their respective BIAs). The contractor shall recommend key areas where commonality can be achieved (such as ground control station hardware and software, communication links, etc.). The contractor shall indicate the degree of commonality that can be achieved and the benefits and limitations of incorporating the recommended common elements. The architecture definition shall include a description of the interfaces between the common elements and the air vehicle.

The contractor shall identify elements of the common subsystems & interfaces architecture that are not currently at TRL 6, and shall propose design refinement and development activities required to achieve TRL 6 by the first quarter of 2003.

Task 3
The contractor shall develop a draft technical specification and Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for the entire OAV platform (including air vehicle, payload interfaces, ground control station, payload control and data exploitation equipment, and common subsystem interfaces). The specification and ICDs shall use Mil-Std-490 as a guide, and shall be consistent with the desired platform characteristics specified in Appendix A (including modifications of Appendix A provided to the contractor at contract award).

Task 4
The contractor shall produce ROM cost models (recurring and non-recurring) for the proposed platform architecture.

Task 5
The contractor shall provide an OAV platform preliminary program plan for SDD that includes at a minimum: preliminary system manufacturing plan, long lead items list, program critical path, preliminary subsystem/vehicle system level test plan, and identification of program risk issues.

Task 6
The contractor shall provide a recommended OAV platform SDD Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

Schedule and duration of on-site support - None

Number, duration(s) and location(s) of meetings
Initial Coordination / Kickoff Meeting (Seattle, WA or Philadelphia, PA) - 10/8/02
Interim Coordination Meeting (Seattle, WA or Philadelphia, PA) - 10/25/02
Final Coordination Meeting (Seattle, WA or Philadelphia, PA) - 11/22/02

Schedule Milestones
Subcontract Start Date - 10/9/02
Subcontract Completion Date - 12/16/02

Data Requirements
Initial input - 10/25/02
Final input - 11/22/02

Deliverables
Refined OAV Architecture & Design Description:
Initial 10/25/02; Final 11/22/02

Common Subsystems Interfaces Architecture:
Initial 10/25/02; Final 11/22/02

OAV Platform Specification / ICDs:
Initial 10/25/02; Final 11/22/02

ROM Cost Models:
Initial 10/25/02; Final 11/22/02

SDD Plan / WBS:
Initial 10/25/02; Final 11/22/02

Evaluation Criteria
Offerors should ensure that their proposals address the following:

  • Demonstrated credibility of the proposed technical approach
  • Degree of understanding of the technical aspects of the work and related issues
  • Relevance and history of performing similar work
  • Availability of resources to successfully conduct the proposed work
  • Responsiveness to general BIA instructions

We will apply these considerations to the following areas:

  • Development of integrated UAV platform technology (including air vehicle development, air vehicle subsystems, payload integration, ground control station development, payload control and data exploitation systems, etc.).
  • Analytical and manufacturing capabilities associated with applicable UAV system development (including modeling, simulation, and test)
  • UAV platform specification development
  • Suitability to perform as a future OAV UAV platform integrator
  • Key personnel qualifications
  • Cost. Cost is NOT part of the evaluation criteria.

Appendix A - Organic Air Vehicle - Desired Functional & Performance Characteristics

PLATFORM CHARACTERISTICS SET A

Soldier level asset

Soldier transportable
Gross Weight: 20 lbs
Endurance: 15 minutes
Range: 1 km
Payload: 1 lb
Ceiling: 8000 ft MSL
Low Acoustic Signature: 75 db @ 20 ft
VTOL or STOL (Vertical or Short Takeoff/Landing)
Diesel fuel engine
Payload type: EO/IR
Performance characteristics based on Army Standard Day (4000 ft, 95 F)
Performance values noted above are approximate.

PLATFORM CHARACTERISTICS SET B

Platoon level asset

Carrier transportable (Hummer size)
Gross Weight: 75 lb
Endurance: 25 minutes
Speed: Vmax > 40 kts
Range: 2 km
Payload: 7 lb
Ceiling: 8000 ft MSL
Low Acoustic Signature: 75 db @ 100 ft
Day/Night operations
VTOL (Vertical Takeoff/Landing)
Diesel fuel engine
Tethered options will be considered
Primary Payload Type: EO/IR
Alternate Modular Payloads: Acoustic, Mine Detection, Comm-Relay, SIGINT
Performance characteristics based on Army Standard Day (4000 ft, 95 F)
Performance values noted above are approximate.