SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- ADAPTIVE PHOTONIC PHASE-LOCKED ELEMENTS
- Notice Date
- 9/15/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- 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-RFI-04-PKDA-APPLE
- Archive Date
- 10/1/2004
- Description
- This is a Request For Information (RFI) only as defined in FAR 15.201 (e). Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. The Air Force Research Laboratory, (AFRL), and DARPA/MTO do not presently intend to award a contract, but are in need of information on potential sources in the area of Adaptive Photonic Phase-Locked Elements. The technical areas of interest are all technologies required to build an array of sub-apertures capable of transmitting, receiving, and rapidly steering spatially phased optical energy and images in which each sub-aperture should be transmissive. AFRL and DARPA are potentially interested in demonstrating a modular, scaleable architecture capable of scaling to large apertures and high powers. A potential objective at program?s end would be for the components, as well as the entire system, to be available commercially. We are interested in company capabilities to manufacture and commercialize required components. Applications of interest include: laser weapons, laser targeting/sensing, laser communication, and laser countermeasure. Compensating for atmospheric effects is required as part of any technical approach. Primary wavelengths of interest are approximately 1.5 mm and 1 mm. The Government contemplates a program which would consist of 2 or 3 phases. The first phase is expected to be 12 months, with total program length expected to be up to 5 years. Potential goals for the first phase include: transmissive optical phased array sub-aperture elements of 2 cm diameter or more. Actual shape of the sub-aperture elements is a trade space item. Less than 2 msec beam switching time, >50 % fill array factor, and, an array strell ratio of at least 60 %, and imaging on receive with resolution at least a factor of two beyond the diffraction limited resolution of a single sub-aperture. The array of sub-apertures should include at least one sub-aperture surrounded on all sides by other sub-apertures. Nonmechanical beam steering should be continuous to at least 20 degrees in any direction, covering a field of regard of at least 40 degrees. Algorithms should be demonstrated to allow for necessary atmospheric compensation to meet final program goals. Over-all transmission efficiency from electrical power to far field energy steered to 20 degrees in any direction should exceed 1 %, and be higher for smaller angle beam steering. Goals for the final phase(s) would be as follows: Demonstration of a half meter array of sub-apertures using 100 or fewer sub-apertures, including the ability to compensate for any atmospheric effects in real time. The demonstrated technology should be scaleable to powers of at least 100 kW for the weapon application and one or more kilowatts for the sensing application. A significant fraction of those power levels should be demonstrated in this program. An array fill factor of greater then 90 % is desired and a strell ratio >90 %. Efficiency from electrical power to a far field transmitted beam steered to a 45 degree angle in any direction should exceed 7%. Total efficiency at smaller steering angles should be higher. Imaging resolution through moderate turbulence should be within a factor of 1.5 of a monolithic unsteered beam emitted from a half meter aperture through clear air or vacuum. Steering time should be under 1 millisecond from any location in the field of regard to any other location. As a goal any sub-aperture, or any combinations of sub-apertures, should be capable of being used independently for all functions. Interested parties should have documented expertise and existing capability in the design, development, and production of optical phased array beam steering, phased lasers, sub-aperture receive technologies, atmospheric compensation techniques, and/or the integrations of these technologies and should identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement including their capability to manufacture and commercialize the end-product. Comments on the above objectives are also welcome. Corporate capabilities are of strong interest, preferably with a discussion of technologies actually demonstrated, and of laboratory/manufacturing facilities already in place. Respondents should indicate which portions of their response are proprietary and should mark them accordingly. Formal responses should be e-mailed (preferred), faxed or mailed to: AFRL/PKDA (Attn: Mr. Mark A. Wade) 2310 8th Street, Bldg 167 Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7801 e-mail: mark.wade@wpafb.af.mil Phone: (937) 255-2206 FAX: (937) 656-9074 Technical questions regarding this RFI should be directed to Dr. Paul F. McManamon, AFRL/SNJ, (937) 255-4039 ext. 4024, or 2Lt Troy Ellis, AFRL/SNJM, (937) 255-9614 ext201, or Mr. Tim Finegan, AFRL/SNJM (937) 255-9614. ext. 215. Responses are requested NO LATER THAN 6 October 2004. Given the need for a rapid response to this RFI, lengthy and elaborate presentation material and explanations are optional. Marketing materials are not a sufficient response to this RFI. Please limit responses to no more than 15 pages. Information requested under Note 25 does not count towards the 15 pages. Submissions shall be in font equivalent to a standard 10-pitch type or larger. Examples of standard 10 POINT business fonts which are equivalent to 10 pitch are Arial, Bookman, or Roman. Pages shall be double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11 inches. This limitation includes all information, e.g., indices, photographs, foldouts, appendices, attachments, etc. The government will not consider pages in excess of this limitation. Submittals via e-mail are preferred. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. In addition, a security clearance will be required. Interested parties must maintain, or have the ability to provide, secure facilities and possess, or have the ability to obtain, a US Secret level security clearance. All routine communications regarding this announcement should be directed to the technical or contractual points of contact listed above. All responsible sources may submit information that shall be considered by the agency. See Note(s): 25.*** Note 25. Information submitted should be pertinent and specific in the technical area under consideration, on each of the following qualifications: (1) Experience: An outline of previous projects, specific work previously performed or being performed and any in-house research and development effort; (2) Personnel: Name, professional qualifications and specific experience of scientist, engineers and technical personnel who may be assigned as a principal investigator and/or project officer; (3) Facilities: Availability and description of special facilities required to perform in the technical areas under consideration. A statement regarding industry security clearance. Any other specific and pertinent information as pertains to this particular area of procurement that would enhance our consideration and evaluation of the information submitted.
- Record
- SN00673920-W 20040917/040915212042 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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