SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- TacSat Payload Design and Development
- Notice Date
- 12/1/2006
- 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, Space Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland AFB, 2251 Maxwell Ave, Kirtland AFB, NM, 87117, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-TACSAT-5
- Response Due
- 1/31/2007
- Archive Date
- 2/15/2007
- Description
- This is a full and open request for information and market survey to locate qualified companies and to develop an acquisition and technology planning approach for the next tactical satellite experiments. The DoD Operationally Responsive Space S&T partners (AFRL, NRL, SMDC, and DDR&E ? Force Transformation) acting thru the Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/VS) are requesting technology and payload ideas and follow-up discussions to determine the best payload options for the next tactical satellite experiments, TacSat-5 and -6, as part of the DoD Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) initiative. The TacSat-5 mission selection is expected in summer of 2007 and is expected to be the first TacSat experiment under the new ORS Joint Program Office currently in the process of being established. AFRL and SMDC will be hosting an Industry Day on 14 and 15 December, 2006 in Huntsville, AL. Time will be provided for one-on-one discussions between government representatives and industry. Please indicate your desire for such a meeting. The purpose of this Industry Day is to describe this RFI and the associated capability gaps identified in the limited distribution capabilities document described below and present possible contracting options. Attendance at this event will be limited to a maximum of two people per organization. Please contact the AFRL technical focal point for additional information regarding this event. This RFI is part of the ongoing collaboration between service and agency S&T organizations in developing and demonstrating payloads applicable to Operationally Responsive Space. Previous industry days have been held by AFRL at Kirtland AFB and by NRL in Washington DC. Holding this industry in Huntsville, AL reflects the importance of the Army SMDC Technical Center, Army SMDC Space Battle Lab, and Army Space Program Office contributions to the TacSat experiments and of the joint nature of Operationally Responsive Space. The location of this Industry Day is not connected with the organization, staffing, operation and location of the Congressionally Directed ORS Office. The details of that Office are still in development. The TacSat experiments have dual purposes: to support a current warfighter need and to advance the development of an ORS capability by advancing the state of technology, CONOPS, TTPs, and overall ORS system understanding. At this time, AFRL is interested in proposals both for operational prototypes and developmental payloads. After responses to this RFI have been evaluated, senior leadership direction will determine the thrust for TacSat-5. Therefore, two important references are 1) needs papers submitted by the COCOMs and Services each year to begin the TacSat selection process and 2) the DoD S&T Vector #2 ? for ORS. The needs papers describe the most current needs the warfighter would like a TacSat experiment to address. The S&T Vector #2 contains ORS goals requiring near-mid-and long term S&T investments to enable and increase ORS capabilities. This vector is led by AFRL for the DoD S&T community. Key points of these references have been summarized in this RFI. Highlights of Current Needs Papers from the COCOMs and Services: The needs papers submitted for TacSat-5 consideration fall into the following categories: 1. Communication: DoD utilizes space based communications relay systems and data retrieval systems. DoD must have the ability to augment these systems in times of crisis as well as mitigate unplanned losses of these assets. 2. Position, Navigation and Timing (PN&T): US industry and commerce, and DoD utilizes on the Global Positioning System for global availability of position, navigation, and timing reference signals. DoD must have the ability to augment these systems in times of crisis as well as to mitigate unplanned losses of these assets. 3. Battlespace Characterization: US industry and DoD utilizes space-based systems for increasing awareness of the environment by gathering imaging and non-imaging data in the ultraviolet, visible, and infra-red spectrum; collecting space and terrestrial weather data, and gathering terrestrial electromagnetic environment data, including characterization of portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. DoD must have the ability to augment these systems in times of crisis as well as to mitigate unplanned losses of these assets. 4. Space Situational Awareness and Defensive Countermeasures: US industry, civilian and DoD utilizes space-based systems for communications; PN&T; and environment and battlespace characterization. DoD must have the timely ability to understand potential natural and man-made threats to these assets and to appropriately react. A classified, limited distribution (LIMDIS) document has been created that amplifies and details the various capability shortfalls identified above. To get access to the LIMDIS document mentioned above, qualified participants should contact the below listed technical points of contact. DoD S&T Vector #2 Highlights: The DoD S&T Vector #2 for ORS has the overall objective to develop the necessary technologies and capabilities to enable rapid development, acquisition and employment of low-cost space assets in order to responsively support joint tactical warfighters. The four investment focus areas of this vector are: ? Tactical operations and data dissemination ? Advance small/micro satellite technologies ? Modular design for flexible and rapid integration and testing ? Rapid deployment on orbit The payloads developed under this initiative attempt to meet or move the DoD closer to meeting the following long term ORS goals: ? Support the needs of the tactical warfighter ? Recurring total spacecraft cost < $20M, mass < 400kg ? Less than 1 year development time ? Enable rapid integration of new technologies and payloads (i.e. Plug-n-Play capable) ? Support 1-3 years of on-orbit operations ? Support rapid/responsive bus and launch vehicle integration timeline ? Support on-orbit check-out in less than 1 orbital revolution ? Support satellite command operations by team of less than 4 people for the bus and payload, including operational control of the payload by the appropriate organization attached to the Joint Force Commander Furthermore, proposed payloads should advance the state-of-the-art of avionics standards with an emphasis on the plug and play being defined in the AIAA Space Plug and Play Avionics (SPA) standards. Modularity of structural and thermal design is also a desirable attribute. Payloads submitted should be compatible with existing and planned theater command, control, and communications (C3) architectures and support the ORS requirement to provide tactical tasking from and direct downlink to the theater forces. To develop the necessary technology to achieve this vision and these goals, the DoD is attempting to regularly develop tactical satellites, called TacSats and to fly them on missions to explore their military utility. To determine the payload and mission for the upcoming TacSat-5 and -6 missions, the government is requesting Industry ideas for payload technologies and payload hardware. RFI Submission?s Content, Guidelines, and Points of Contact: With this Request for Information, the ORS program is requesting information and follow-up discussions to support research and development of rapid response payloads suitable for integration on a Government provided spacecraft bus and interface to Government furnished data storage and processing systems in response to the capability gaps identified in the TacSat-5 selection process. Responses should be no more than 10 pages, single-spaced, standard font size 12 point, and must adhere to the following format: ? Paragraph #1: Description of proposed payload technology or hardware ? Paragraph #2: Brief summary of the candidate payload technology and payload?s mission objective. ? Paragraph #3: Please quantify the specific benefit of this proposal to the warfighter. ? Paragraph #4: Conceptual plans for payload development and payload to bus integration and launch in 12-18 months from program start. ? Paragraph #5: Does this proposal satisfy a COCOM/warfighter requirement and to what extent? How will the payload proposal seamlessly fit into existing and planned battlefield architectures? ? Paragraph #6: How does this proposal support the goals, to include increased responsiveness, outlined by the ORS program? ? Paragraph #7: Description of payload to bus interface and required bus performance necessary to support the payload. ? Paragraph #8: What are the technology readiness level(s) of the components and/or overall system of this proposal? ? Paragraph #9: To what extent can the proposed payload adhere to the AIAA Space Plug and Play Avionics (SPA) standards? ? Paragraph #10: Description of proposed costs ? Paragraph #11: Identify all efforts related to this proposal which is/are currently government funded ? Paragraph #12: Additional information required to completely describe the payload. ? Paragraph #13: What is the expected traceability of the payload its TacSat experiment mission to an operational system? ? Paragraph #14: What is the expected cost of a TacSat mission and the operational payload unit cost? ? Paragraph #15: Additional Information as deemed appropriate by participants (e.g., Concept of Operations points of interest, company history, etc.). The proposed technologies will be considered based on their ability to satisfy a COCOM/Service mission need, technical feasibility and affordability in addition to their applicability to ORS. Senior DoD officials representing each service will make the final selection for the TacSat-5 mission as soon as reasonably possible, with anticipation of release of a solicitation pending availability of funds and IAW senior leader direction. AFRL is considering funding development in this specific technology area under a broad agency announcement and is attempting to gauge industry interest and ability to create capabilities to fill tactical requirements and needs. Contact the AFRL technical focal points for assistance, if needed, in transmitting classified responses. This industry survey does not obligate the Government in any manner for any future acquisitions. Any reference to the word ?proposal? only constitutes a request for information. The Government will not award a contract based solely on this RFI or otherwise to pay for the information being requested. Participants are invited to submit their interests and capabilities in writing. Any information that is considered proprietary should be clearly marked with the appropriate restrictive language. Participants are advised that technical information submitted to the Government in response to this request may be released to non-Government advisors. Clarification on non-Government advisors will be provided under a subsequent amendment to this request. Information received will be considered solely for the purposes of determining the acquisition planning approach for the Government if AFRL should decide to pursue a payload in support of the Responsive Space initiative. Tentative TacSat-5 Timeline: Below is the projected schedule for the TacSat-5 program. This schedule is subject to change and does not obligate the Government in any way ? 01 December, 2006 ? Release of AFRL Request for Information ? 14-15 December, 2006 ? Industry Day, Huntsville, Al ? 31 January, 2007 ? Industry responses to RFI due ? 1 June, 2007 ? TacSat-5 mission rankings by General Officer (GO) board ? 1 July, 2007 ? Release of results from GO board to Industry ? 15 July, 2007 ? Government decision on way to proceed All responses should be sent to the following address: AFRL/VS 3550 Aberdeen Avenue Kirtland AFB, NM 87117 ATTN: Mr. Chris Olmedo Please contact one of the technical POCs identified below before sending classified responses. Points of Contact Contracting Officer: -Ms Jean Barnes, jean.barnes@kirtland.af.mil, (505) 846-4695 Technical Focal Points: - Mr. Chris Olmedo, chris.olmedo@us.army.mil, (505) 853-2867 - Capt Kellie Turner, kellie.turner@kirtland.af.mil, (505) 846-3115 Additional References: - 1Lt Dan Showalter, daniel.showalter@kirtland.af.mil, (505) 846-2587 - Mr. Tom Mead, SAIC, thomas.mead@kirtland.af.mil, (505) 710-9138
- Place of Performance
- Address: AFRL/VS, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue, Kirtland AFB, NM,
- Zip Code: 87117
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 87117
- Record
- SN01189349-W 20061203/061201220828 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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