SOURCES SOUGHT
16 -- Improved Automated Parachute Canopy Release Assembly
- Notice Date
- 1/14/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Navy, Naval Air Systems Command, NAVAIR HQ, Building 2272 47123 Buse Road Unit IPT, Patuxent River, MD, 20670
- ZIP Code
- 20670
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-N00019-03-P7-ZD055
- Archive Date
- 3/15/2003
- Point of Contact
- Karen Collier, Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 757-6984, Fax 301-757-6995, - Pam Gray, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 757-6726, Fax 301-757-6902,
- E-Mail Address
-
collierks@navair.navy.mil, graypk@navair.navy.mil
- Description
- The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD, PMA-202C, is requesting information from potential sources which would be helpful in defining the level of effort required to develop a parachute canopy release assembly with improved performance characteristics. The desired release assembly would include features to allow ease of manual operation while under tension loads, an automatic release capability that would be activated upon immersion in either salt water (threshold) or fresh water (goal), and reduced size to minimize the potential affects of helmet slap during an ejection. Ideally, the automatic release feature would be integral to the canopy release vice requiring a separate automatic release unit. A Built-In-Test (BIT) capability is also a desired feature and the new release shall be a common device that can be used by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force. Currently, the U.S. Navy utilizes the Parachute Harness Sensing Release Unit that is comprised of a Sea Water Activated Release System (SEAWARS) attached to the canopy release assemblies the seat mounted parachute riser assemblies. The Parachute Harness Sensing Release Unit provides a backup automatic mode of separating the parachute from the crewmember within 2 seconds after water immersion (manually activating the canopy release assembly is the primary mode of separating the parachute). The U.S. Air Force utilizes the Universal Water Activated Release System (UWARS) that is also a sea water activated release system designed for in-line attachment to the three different types of canopy release assemblies utilized on the crewmember's restraint harness. These different types of release systems used by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force are costly to procure, support, and maintain. In an effort to reduce these support costs, the U.S. Government is exploring potential efforts to evaluate a Non-Developmental Item (NDI) or mature technology that will lead to the qualification of a new, common parachute canopy release assembly that will be compatible with the parachute riser assemblies and personnel restraint harnesses of both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. The purpose of this request is to define the scope of potential efforts and assist in the preparation of detailed requirements. To limit the range of technologies to consider, respondents may assume any potential program for this effort, including qualification, would be required to be completed within 3 years of initiation. The parachute assemblies and restraint harnesses with which the improved parachute canopy release assembly must be compatible include but are not limited to the following: U.S. Navy: NES-12 Parachute Assembly; NES-16 Parachute Assembly; NES-14 Parachute Assembly; NES-25 Parachute Assembly; A/P22P-21 Parachute Assembly; A/P28S-28/30/31 Parachute Assemblies; A/P28S-24 Parachute Assembly; A/P28S-32(v) Parachute Assembly; PCU-56/P-series Restraint Harnesses; U.S. Air Force: ACES-II Parachute Assembly; BA-18 Parachute Assembly; BA-21 Parachute Assembly; BA-22 Parachute Assembly; BA-25 Parachute Assembly; BA-27 Parachute Assembly; B-20 Parachute Assembly; C-12 Parachute Assembly; PCU-15/P Restraint Harness; PCU-16/P Restraint Harness; JPATS Parachute Assembly. The specific information requested to be provided is as follows: 1. Overview of off-the-shelf designs for an improved parachute canopy release assembly that could be adapted to interface with the above parachute assemblies and restraint harnesses, a description of its shape including size and weight, a description of its operation, its activation mechanism, the force required to manually release the assembly for a given riser tension, features that would preclude inadvertent automatic operation, the time required to automatically activate upon water immersion, the maturity level of the design, the testing conducted to verify its operation, extent of testing recommended to qualify proposed design for use by both services and a description of its uses elsewhere, if applicable. 2. A description of technologies available which could be developed to produce an improved parachute canopy release assembly in the event off-the-shelf designs cannot be adapted. 3. A description of performance, reliability, maintainability, and compatibility improvements. Specifically, the integral nature of the proposed device as well as the incorporation of a BIT capability should be addressed. 4. Anticipated modifications to the restraint harnesses/parachute risers and any special support equipment required to accommodate the new release. 5. Risk areas related to technical requirements outlined in this announcement with specific input related to the fresh water operation requirement. 6. Specific recommendations for us to consider for inclusion in any subsequent requirements document. 7. Whether the schedule is reasonable for the effort outlined. 8. Other innovative suggestions to consider; i.e., automatic ground impact release system. 9. Address whether data rights would be available to the Government. Companies responding to this request should provide responses to Ms. Karen Collier, NAVAIRSYSCOM, 47123 Buse Road, Patuxent River, MD 20670, or by E-mail, CollierKS@navair.navy.mil. Please address all technical inquiries to F. Richards Code 461300D, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, (760) 939-1454. Proprietary information submitted in response to this request MUST be marked as such on each page. This Request for Information (RFI) does not in any way constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) and, as such, is not to be construed as a commitment by the government. The government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice, nor otherwise pay for information/items solicited. Data, drawings and other materials submitted will not be returned. To be of maximum benefit to the program, responses must be received by 28 February 2003.
- Record
- SN00239163-W 20030116/030114213953 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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