SOURCES SOUGHT
15 -- MDA Airborne Sensor Platform Test Asset
- Notice Date
- 5/21/2007
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, Missile Defense Agency, MDA Deputy for Contracting (MDA/DAC), 7100 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC, 20301-7100, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-HQ0006-ABSTestAsset
- Response Due
- 7/31/2007
- Archive Date
- 8/14/2007
- Description
- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is soliciting ideas/solutions for a test asset for airborne open air optical sensor operation. Information is desired for any of three options below: (1) Hosting a primary sensor for radiometrically calibrated data collection, (2), Hosting one or more guest sensors (primarily MDA interceptor seekers in a captive carry configuration), or (3), Both 1 and 2 above. This announcement is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). There is no solicitation available at this time and no funding has currently been allocated for award. This notice is published for information purposes only and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract nor otherwise pay for information/items provided in response to this RFI. Background: MDA developed and operated the Widebody Airborne Sensor Platform (WASP) as a test asset supporting missile defense flight tests by performing optical data collection and hosting guest sensors in a captive carry configuration. The WASP is a DC-10 aircraft modified for open air sensor viewing, and includes a primary sensor system (PSS) for radiometrically calibrated data collection. The PSS is similar to MDA's High Altitude Observatory-II (HALO-II) sensor. The WASP was removed from service for an indeterminate time period. MDA is soliciting options for a replacement or at least partial replacement of the WASP capability. MDA requires an airborne platform for open air optical data collection at missile defense flight tests. Both manned and unmanned aircraft options will be considered. For the radiometrically calibrated data collection mission, MDA's PSS sensor is available, or the contractor may propose an alternative primary sensor; however the alternate sensor must meet or exceed the PSS sensor performance. For the captive carry mission, the platform must have the ability to add or interchange guest sensors in a common configuration. The contractor will propose, and the contractor and government will jointly establish, the common configuration. The contractor performing the platform development activity will operate (provide mission support) and maintain the platform and data collection primary sensor (if included on the platform). More than one platform may be considered depending on technical and programmatic considerations. Top-level technical requirements: 1. Possess the payload flexibility (weight, volume, power, thermal, environmental, communications, etc.) to accommodate the primary sensor and/or guest sensor(s) with open port viewing. 2. Support MDA flight tests and events of interest at locations from the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean) with the corresponding deployment/logistics limitations, and communications requirements. 3. Operate the aircraft at or above 40,000 feet altitude for data collection events for a minimum time of 4 hours. 4. Operate the aircraft with an endurance of at least 6 hours. 5. Provide real-time mission communications to uplink and downlink trajectory tracks and reference times, and downlink sensor imagery (images and video (256 kb/s minimum bandwidth)) over the entire operational range of MDA test events. 6. Designed for a minimum of 10 years operational life (700 maximum endurance flights). Should this request for information result in a request for proposal, potential offerors will have access via FedTeds to all MDA airborne test data, information, and documentation on the following MDA developed test assets for use in their evaluation/solution: the High Altitude Observatory (HALO) I & II test assets and the Widebody Airborne Sensor Platform (WASP). All interface control documents (ICD) for the government furnished equipment (GFE) sensors will also be provided. Offerors should be registered on FedTeds (https://www.fedteds.gov/) for document access. Potential offerors must be willing and able to work/interface with foreign nationals as directed by the MDA. Submission Procedures: Respondents should submit a white paper of a maximum of 25 pages that provides the following information: 1. Company name, address, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address. Company must certify that it is a U.S. business. 2. Technical approach(es) to meeting MDA's test needs for an airborne optical sensor platform 3. Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM ) Cost 4. Estimated schedule, with major milestones highlighted, for platform development 5. Technical, schedule, and cost risk assessments A briefing package summarizing the white paper is also required with a limit of 20 slides. Offerors should mark all proprietary data as appropriate. The responses must be provided in electronic form with the white paper in Microsoft Word format and the briefing in Microsoft PowerPoint format. Responses are due no later than July 31, 2007. MDA Government and contractor support personnel will review all responses. Responses to the RFI will not be evaluated for any purpose other than determining potential competition and capabilities for the proposed effort. Any responses not received by the due date will be considered late and therefore will not be considered.
- Record
- SN01299828-W 20070523/070522000329 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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