MODIFICATION
A -- Aerial System" vice original Title of "Aerostat System
- Notice Date
- 11/13/2012
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 336411
— Aircraft Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Acquisition Management, EPA/Ohio, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45268
- ZIP Code
- 45268
- Solicitation Number
- SOL-CI-12-00049
- Archive Date
- 12/14/2012
- Point of Contact
- Lisa Ryle, Phone: (513) 487-2851, David A Plagge,
- E-Mail Address
-
ryle.lisa@epa.gov, plagge.david@epa.gov
(ryle.lisa@epa.gov, plagge.david@epa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items for Solicitation Number: SOL-CI-12-00049 which was posted on October 29, 2012 is amended to reflect a change to the Performance Work Statement as well as to respond to vendor questions. (1) Relative to the Performance Work Statement, any and all references to ""aerostat system" shall be changed to "aerial system". The change will be reflected in the award document when award is made. Please also see change to Title" of this combined synopsis/solicitation. (2) The following questions were received in response to the combined synopsis/solicitation. Answers are provided below each question. Question 1. In order to properly account for density altitude effects and to offer the appropriately sized lighter-than-air system, can the EPA provide the highest means sea level elevation the system will be operated from? Answer: 5,500 feet Question 2. Under Minimum General Specifications there is a requirement "of lofting an approximately 23 kg payload to heights up to 300m". What is the maximum ground elevation and temperature? Answer: ~5,500 feet, ~100 dgrees F Question 3. Having read the minimum general specifications, the Contractor is concerned that the EPA is potentially requesting an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system based on the following descriptions, "aerial system must be maneuverable at a user-controlled altitude and coordinates either via electronic or non-carbon fuel self-propulsion" and on the phrasing of ‘or' a "ground-based tether on a mobile platform." For untethered systems, has the EPA considered the restrictions imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the operation of UAVs in domestic airspace? Answer: Yes. Question 4. The requirements state that the system must be capable of being transported in a 20' trailer. Must the Contractor assume that for systems comprised of a lighter-than-air envelope, that the system is inflated or deflated? Answer: Deflated. Question 5. Does the trailer transport requirement referred to in question #3 include pressurized gasses and storage, winch, and ground control station components? Answer: All but the gases. Question 6. The structural requirements require a "quick change payload amount, allowing change out in less than two minutes." Can the EPA provide drawings and additional detail about the payload to allow the contractor to design a mount? Answer: A similar payload is described in detail in Aurell, et al., Chemosphere. 2011 Oct, 85(5):806-811. This payload was attached with three main lines and 6-8 others, all taut, to Quicklinks on an aluminum frame. Question 7. Will the EPA supply its own ground control station for the payload system? Answer: Yes. Question 8. The requirements mention operation of system components off of a trailer or an ATV using a winch weighing no more than 150 lbs. This requirement creates concerns that the winch weight alone would be insufficient to anchor the system safely. Is the Contractor expected to provide a means to secure the winch system to a specific vehicle? If so, what are the requirements for attachment? Answer: The Contractor is not expected to provide the means of securing the winch to the mobile platform other than providing a reasonable base with which to do so. The winch weight is a desired amount. Question 9. The Contractor is concerned that the lift generated by sudden wind gusts or rapid changes in local weather could generate sufficient lift or drag to present a significant operator hazard. What human safety factors has the EPA considered for aerostat operation tethered to an ATV, Gator, or like system? Answer: The EPA's mobile system (ATV, etc.) must, of course, be of sufficient weight and durability to counter anticipated wind gusts. Question 10. Will the EPA consider a proposed aerostat system that can remain aloft for significantly longer than 2 hours and provide continuous payload power on more favorable or more preferential terms for exceeding specifications? Answer: Yes. Question 11. Under Minimum Operational Requirements it is not clear what is applicable to tethers aerostats versus RPVs. Does a weathervaning tethered aerostat meet all of the manoeuverability, controllability, and positioning requirements? Answer: Potentially, yes, although the EPA is not familiar with the performance of such devices. The vendor should provide sufficient documentation to enable EPA to determine that the minimum specifications are met by the proposed device. Question 12. Under Minimum Operational Requirements one bullet has a requirement for the winch to be "capable of 0 to 50 m/min, while another bullet states "can be retrieved from 150 m altitude within 2 min" or 75 m/min. What is the maximum winch speed required and what is the assumed maximum wind speed for this performance? Answer: 50 m/min Question 13. Under Minimum Operational Requirements there is a requirement for a "Battery operated (use of 12 V) electric winch...". Is it acceptable to use a supplemental generator to meet the speed requirements listed above? Answer: Yes. Question 14. Under Minimum Operational Requirements there is a requirement for "flight-tolerant of turbulence such as that expected from open fire thermals such as forest fires." Will this level of turbulence be defined, and will an analysis be required to validate the system operates in the defined conditions? Answer: An analysis will not be required. Past operations have encountered an extreme case of a 7G force. Question 15. Will a tethered aerostat be subject to the FAA FAR 101 requirements for tether markings? If so will the weight of the flags and/or strobes be counted as part of the payload weight? Answer: This will be site-dependent. The markings will be counted against the payload capacity. Question 16. Will the system be expected to operate in day and night conditions? Answer: Day only. Question 17. For a tethered aerostat systems, is there a requirement for the aerostat to be flying while the gator is driving? If so, what is the maximum required speed and the maximum distance it will travel? Answer: Yes, approximately 5 mph, but only for distances of 500 feet or less, the exception being the situation in which the system was being transported for short (~2 miles) distances to a different site location but with the payload optional. (3) All of other terms and conditions posted in the original combined synopsis/solicitation remain unchanged.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/EPA/OAM/OH/SOL-CI-12-00049/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02929918-W 20121115/121113234756-f90b2eb1a27435b96ce4f5d32f656b7b (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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