Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 23, 2005 FBO #1397
SOLICITATION NOTICE

A -- Request For Information: Advanced Track Illuminator Laser; Cryo Yb:YAG

Notice Date

9/21/2005
 

Notice Type

Solicitation Notice
 

NAICS

541710 — Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
 

Contracting Office

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, ASC/TMK, 1350 Wyoming Blvd SE, Bldg 20200, Kirtland, NM, 87117
 

ZIP Code

87117
 

Solicitation Number

BAA-AL-2006-01
 

Response Due

10/21/2005
 

Archive Date

9/21/2006
 

Description

THIS DOCUMENT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THE GOVERNMENT DESIRES TO ASSERTAIN INDUSTRY INTEREST/CAPABILITY AND TO ATTAIN INDUSTRY INPUT ON THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR POTENTIAL REFINEMENT PRIOR TO ISSUING A FORMAL SOLICITATION. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS RFI OR TO OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION RECEIVED EXCEPT AS AN ALLOWABLE COST UNDER OTHER CONTRACTS AS PROVIDED IN FAR 31.205-18, BID AND PROPOSAL COSTS. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THIS RFI, THE GOVERNMENT DOES INTEND TO SUBMIT A BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT, BAA AL-2006-01, REQUESTING PROPOSALS UNDER THE SAID TOPIC. DO NOT PREPARE OR SUBMIT PROPOSALS IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. THE PURPOSE OF THE RFI IS TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM INDUSTRY ON THE FOLLOWING TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. TECHNICAL QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE TECHNICAL POC LISTED BELOW. SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THE DOCUMENT. RESPONSES TO THIS RFI ARE DUE BY ***21 OCTOBER 2005***. SEND RESPONSES TO MR. STEVE POST AND CAPT DAX PRESUTO, MDA/AL, 1350 WYOMING BLVD SE, BLD 20200, KIRTLAND AFB, NM 87117-5536; OR (PREFERABLY) STEPHEN.POST2@KIRTLAND.AF.MIL AND DAX.PRESUTO@KIRTLAND.AF.MIL . CONTACTS Technical questions, comments, or suggestions should be directed to Mr. Stephen Post, MDA/AL, at (505) 853-3811 or Stephen.Post2@kirtland.af.mil. / Contracting questions should be directed to Capt. Dax Presuto, MDA/ALK, at 505-846-0758 or Dax.Presuto@kirtland.af.mil. / RFI TECHNICAL INFORMATION: Advanced Track Illuminator Laser (ATILL) A. INTRODUCTION: The Department of Defense (DoD) is interested in receiving proposals for a high average power diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) development program. Based on research the Government has funded and/or reviewed, it is believed that the requirements of this BAA procurement can best be met with a cryogenically cooled, Ytterbium-doped YAG (Yb:YAG) laser that operates at ~1.03 microns. However, the Government is also willing to consider other DPSSL approaches. The program will consist of two phases: Phase 1 will cover a system performance trade assessment of the BAA technical requirements, preliminary laser system modeling and simulation, risk reduction experiments, a ?compelling? sub-scale laboratory breadboard demonstration of the proposed laser technology/architecture approach at the contractor?s facility, and an Advanced Track Illuminator Laser (ATILL) brassboard preliminary design review (PDR); Phase 2 will cover laser system modeling and simulation, a laboratory breadboard demonstration at the contractor?s facility of the full ATILL output performance requirements, and an ATILL brassboard critical design review (CDR). The Phase 1 system performance trade assessment will allow the contractor to perform a detailed evaluation of their proposed design, covering system performance and packaging parameters such as laser wavelength, average power, beam quality, pulse repetition frequency, pulse length, run-time and recycle time, start-up time, wallplug efficiency, output power to mass/volume ratios, operating/storage temperature ranges, operating/storage humidity ranges, and other operating/storage environmental specifications. The primary purpose of the system performance trade assessment is to arrive at a design for airborne applications that optimally balances laser technical performance with system packaging, maintainability and reliability constraints. As part of the trade assessment, the contractor will also generate an error budget tree for identifying and monitoring key technical performance and packaging issues during both phases of the technical effort. The brassboard design effort in Phases 1 and 2 is for a ruggedized, flight-qualifiable laser brassboard (TRL 6) that meets all technical performance and packaging requirements listed herein. Deliverables will be those called out in BAA AL-2006-01. Delivery of a ruggedized brassboard laser is not part of this program solicitation. The total program budget for the technical effort is approximately $16.5M for Phase 1 and $20M for Phase 2 (~$36.5M total funding). Depending on funds availability and quality of the BAA technical proposals, one or two contractors may be funded for the first phase, which should be for approximately 30 months at ~$8M per effort. Only one contractor may be funded for the second phase (~24 months). The projected start date is near the end of the second quarter GFY06. Open communication with the technical point of contact (POC), Stephen G. Post, MDA/AL, 505-853-3811, is encouraged until proposals are received. Contracting questions should be directed to Capt. Dax Presuto, MDA/ALK, at 505-846-0758. In addition, the DoD proposal evaluation team may contact an offeror to clarify a point of information before completing the proposal evaluation process. B. TECHNICAL TOPIC AREA: Any contractor funded for both phases under this Advanced Track Illuminator Laser development program will use modeling and simulation, analysis, design, risk reduction experiments, and laboratory breadboard testing to demonstrate a 5.5 kW-class, near diffraction limited, diode-pumped solid-state laser to the DoD. During both phases, all modeling and simulation shall be validated by risk reduction experiments and testing of the laboratory breadboard (subscale during Phase 1, and full-scale during Phase 2). Emphasis will be placed on solid-state laser architectures that are favorable in terms of size, weight, efficiency, affordability, reliability, maintainability, supportability, environmental acceptability (for airborne platforms), and ruggedness. The contractor(s) is(are) expected to address these issues both in the proposal and throughout program execution. The DoD is specifically interested in approaches that address the following diode-pumped solid-state laser output performance goals (in descending order of importance): 1) Wavelength: The laser wavelength shall be at ~1.03 microns. 2) Radiance (W/cm^2-sr): The Radiance (Brightness) of the laser output beam shall be greater than or equal to a laser of 5.5 kW average power with a Beam Quality (BQ) better than or equal to 1.5 times the diffraction limit (xDL) as directly measured by a far-field power-in-the-bucket (PITB) technique, where the bucket extent is nominally defined by the energy/power contained in the laser?s far-field central lobe. The laser shall have a minimum average output power of 5.0 kW over the entire run-time duration specified in paragraph (a) below. 3) Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF): The laser?s PRF shall nominally be 5.0 kHz, variable plus or minus 15 percent with a controlled PRF slew rate of up to 1500 Hertz per second. 4) Pulse Length: The laser?s full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) temporal pulse length shall be less than or equal to 15 ns, with a goal of less than or equal to 5 ns. As part of the laser system trade study during the first contract phase, the effect of pulse length on laser system performance and reliability will be investigated. 5) Coherence Length: The laser output temporal coherence length shall be less than or equal to 5 centimeters (goal of 2 centimeters). 6) Polarization: The laser output polarization shall be linear with a contrast ratio of greater than 100 to 1. 7) Beam Jitter: The total beam jitter shall be no greater than 10% of the far-field instantaneous beam diameter as measured at the FWHM power points. The contractor should assume that the laser will be mounted on an isolated table?the table will not induce jitter in the laser head. 8) Pulse-to-Pulse Energy Stability: The pulse-to-pulse energy variation shall not exceed plus/minus 2 percent. Additionally, the DoD is interested in approaches that address the following design-to diode-pumped solid-state laser brassboard goals (in descending order of importance): a) Run Time: The laser brassboard shall be designed to operate continuously for at least 300 s (goal of 600 s). All performance measurements on the Phase 1 sub-scale and Phase 2 full-scale laboratory devices (power, beam quality, efficiency, beam jitter, etc.) shall be recorded over a time period of at least 300 s. Additionally, the device shall be capable of reasonable on/off cycling (e.g., ten or more twenty-second bursts with five-second periods of non-lasing between bursts, then return to stand-by). In this mode of operation, the requisite run time only includes the sum of the ?laser on? periods. The laser power supply and cooling system recycle times are mission and platform dependent; recycle time impact on system weight, volume, efficiency, etc. will be evaluated as part of the Phase 1 system performance trade assessments. b) Start-Up Time: The laser start-up time, defined as the time required to transition from a stand-by condition (defined during the Phase 1 system performance trade study) to a condition where all output requirements are met, shall be no more than 1 s. c) Wallplug Efficiency: The laser wallplug efficiency shall be greater than or equal to 12%, where wallplug efficiency is defined as the average optical output power of the laser divided by the sum of all electrical average power delivered to all power supplies, drivers, cooling systems, pumps, and control devices used to operate the laser. The contractor is required to design a 5.5 kW-class laser brassboard meeting this specification for airborne applications. d) Output Power-To-Mass Ratio: During the system trade study, risk reduction and laboratory demonstration efforts, the contractor must clearly show through appropriate systems engineering methodology and calculations that their laser brassboard design will meet an output power-to-mass ratio requirement of 12 W/kg (goal of 15 W/kg) for a nominal 5.5 kW average power laser system, which equates to a total system mass of less than 459 kg (goal of 367 kg). The laser is nominally defined as the laser head plus the system heat exchangers (no externally available thermal reservoir should be assumed), power supplies, controller, wiring, tubing, etc. The laser head typically includes gain media and associated fixed attachments (diodes, heat exchanger manifolds, mechanical structures, etc), optics, mounts, along with an optical mounting assembly, cover, and other necessary fixtures. The contractor is required to design a 5.5 kW-class laser brassboard meeting this specification for airborne applications. e) Output Power-To-Volume Ratio: During the system trade study, risk reduction and laboratory demonstration phases, the contractor must clearly show through appropriate systems engineering methodology and calculations that their deliverable brassboard laser will meet an output power-to-volume ratio of 0.01 W/cm^3 (goal of 0.02 W/cm^3) for a nominal 5.5 kW average power laser system, which equates to a total volume of less than or equal to 0.55 cubic meters (goal of less than or equal to 0.28 cubic meters). See item (d) for a definition of what constitutes the laser system. The contractor is required to design a 5.5 kW-class laser brassboard meeting this specification for airborne applications. f) Temperature Range: The ambient operating temperature range of the laser brassboard design for ground-based and airborne applications shall be 15 to 35 degrees C, and its storage temperature range shall be ?50 to 50 degrees C. Herein, ?storage? is defined as the periods between tests or missions (e.g., an aircraft in an unheated aircraft hanger). g) Humidity: For ground-based operations, up to 95% humidity from 2 to 35 degrees C; for airborne applications, up to 85% humidity from 15 to 35 degrees C. h) Operating/Storage Pressure: ?1,000 ft to 10,000 ft. i) Platform operating angles, acceleration, vibration, shock, and other operating/storage parameters will be provided early in Phase 1 during the system performance trade assessment effort. As a minimum, offerors should provide a laser system design that is compatible with an airborne environment similar to a 747-type aircraft. For item (2), the contractor shall discuss in their proposal how they intend to measure the laser?s Radiance (Brightness), output power and beam quality and what the possible technical issues are in making such measurements. Additionally, the contractor shall provide in their proposal a discussion of beam quality based on PITB (not M-squared). The contractor must also define and discuss how measurements will be made for items (3) through (8) and (a) through (i). Again, it is noted here that, though a laser system brassboard design shall be developed through PDR level during Phase 1 and CDR level during Phase2, there is no laser system brassboard deliverable for the future BAA. As noted previously, the program shall be carried out in two phases. Each phase shall be priced separately, with Phase 1 offered as the basic contract and Phase 2 offered as a contract option. It is also noted here that hardware procured and used in Phase 1 may be also used in the Phase 2 contract option (if exercised). As part of the brassboard laser system design effort, the contractor will ensure through appropriate evaluation/assessment techniques that the laser beam?s output characteristics do not somehow preclude ready insertion into an agreed upon beam delivery system at a Government facility or on a specified platform. This effort will be included in the Phase 1 system performance trade assessment, which as mentioned previously will also cover laser wavelength, average power, beam quality, pulse repetition frequency, pulse length, run-time and recycle time, start-up time, wallplug efficiency, output power to mass/volume ratios, operating/storage temperature ranges, operating/storage humidity ranges, and other operating/storage environmental specifications. For the intended BAA solicitation, flight qualifiable means that the laser brassboard is designed to undergo flight qualification testing with minimal system hardware/software changes required. This approximately corresponds to a Technology Readiness Level 6. The proposal expectations (not for the RFI) are as follows: Offerors shall limit the length of their Technical Proposals to 75 pages or less, including all pages (no exceptions). Additional information on required fonts, page formatting, etc., may be found in the BAA Proposal Preparation Instructions (to be added when the BAA is published). Cost proposals will be limited in length to 50 pages or less, including all cost sheets, basis of estimates and other supporting information. Cost proposal preparation instructions will be included in the RFP package when the BAA is issued. As part of the Technical Proposal, offerors must demonstrate through past performance and corporate/institutional capabilities that they possess the resources and technical capabilities necessary to perform successfully on this BAA. This should include identified experience designing, developing, fabricating, and testing ruggedized (TRL ~6), fieldable, high Radiance, high average power diode-pumped solid-state laser systems. The Government encourages any interested, qualified not-for-profit laboratories/institutions (e.g., FFRDCs) or Universities that are based in the United States to team, or form suitable partnering relationships in conformance with their by laws and applicable statutes and regulations, with qualified industrial partners on this solicitation. The intent of the intended BAA is to develop the technology and industrial base necessary to build a ruggedized, ~1.03 micron wavelength, high average power, diode-pumped solid-state laser system (TRL 6) that may be procured through a follow-on contract. Responses to this Request For Information (RFI) are due no later than Close of Business on *** 21 October 2005 ***.
 

Place of Performance

Address: 1350 Wyoming Blvd SE, Bld 20200, Kirtland AFB, NM

Zip Code: 87117-5536

Country: USA
 

Record

SN00900317-W 20050923/050921211836 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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