SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- III-V Infrared Focal Plane Array Based Sensors
- Notice Date
- 11/20/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- ACC-APG - Washington, ATTN: CCCE-CW, 10205 Burbeck Road, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5863
- ZIP Code
- 22060-5863
- Solicitation Number
- W909MY14QIIIV
- Response Due
- 12/19/2013
- Archive Date
- 1/19/2014
- Point of Contact
- MICHELLE HODGES, 703-704-0846
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-APG - Washington
(michelle.l.hodges10.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The US Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground, Belvoir Division (ACC-APG Belvoir) on behalf of the US Army RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) is conducting market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. Responders to this Sources Sought/Request for Information (RFI) are asked to provide their technical capability information (aka Statement of Capabilities) required to perform the requirements provided below. Statements should address the specific requirements of this notice and identify the vendors' specific capability to complete these requirements, including, but not limited to a description of corporate experience with similar projects and information on applicable industry certifications at the individual and organizational level as well as describing investments in quality/process improvement activities. The planned effort will address the development and testing of III-V infrared focal plane array based sensors by increasing the performance and yield of antimony-based IR Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) while reducing costs for a myriad of Warfighter applications. Examples of applications include wide area overage for situational awareness, persistent surveillance and plume/gunflash detection; infrared search, identification and tracking, missile detection and interception, and hyperspectral imaging. Technical support is required for the development and evaluation of III-V related sensor components including III-V superlattice large format, small pixel mid wave infrared (MWIR), long wave infrared (LWIR), and very long wave infrared (VLWIR), and dual-band (MW/LW, LW/LW, and short wavelength [SW]/LW) detector arrays; high-performance low cost III-V epitaxial wafers at increasing size; large gallium antimonide substrates with improved quality; advanced readout integrated circuits supporting advanced III-V detectors, FPA hybridization including small pixels, thermally compatible FPA packaging; and integrated cooler/dewar assembly (IDCA) units for demonstration. The acquisition may be set-aside for small business. The government is seeking additional information from small businesses to aid in the acquisition strategy for this requirement. Small Businesses interested in this opportunity may decide to partner/team with other businesses in order to meet the requirements of the acquisition. The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code is set as 541712 with a size standard of 500 employees. Responders should identify up to three relevant contracts and describe specific engineering experience, knowledge, understanding, and expertise under NAICS code 541712 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology). SECURITY: The contractor shall be required to have a facility clearance classified SECRET with SECRET classification safeguarding capability. Contractor personnel working on-site at NVESD (Ft. Belvoir, VA.) must have a security clearance of SECRET (minimum). The contractor shall be required to access defense information controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and (at a minimum) For Official Use Only (FOUO). The contractor must be authorized to use the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). The contractor will be required to have automated information system (AIS) processing at their site. Administrative duties performed by the contractor will not require a clearance but will require an investigation for IT sensitive duties. The Government has unlimited rights to all data and hardware produced under this contract. The Government seeks companies with key competencies to comprehensively meet, in total, all of the following requirements: Task 1: Fabrication and demonstration of antimony-based III-V Long Wave Infrared (LWIR), Very Long Wave Infrared (VLWIR) Dual Color and Dual Band Infrared Focal Plane Arrays. This task includes the fabrication of multiple lots of mid and large format small-pixel antimony-based III-V focal plane arrays with repeatable performance. Task 2: Custom Lab/field testing components, infrared sensors, dewars and packaging. This task includes development of integrated dewar/cooler assemblies containing mid and large format single and dual band FPAs, spectral characterization system and cryogenic dewar-cooler assembly and supporting electronics. Task 3: Affordable growth of III-V antimony-based epitaxial materials on large substrates. This task involves the growth of a total of 400 dual-band, VLWIR, LWIR, and high operating temperature (HOT) MWIR (T greater than 130K) epitaxial material wafers with good performance, uniformity and quantum efficiency, and low NEDT on substrates ranging from three to six inches in size. Task 4: High well capacity Analog Readout Integrated Circuit (ROIC) design and fabrication for LWIR FPAs. This task involves design and development of analog small-pixel large format (for e.g. 2Kx2K 10 um pixel) ROIC with increased charge well capacity and dynamic range, compatible with SLS LWIR and dual-band detectors. Task 5: High Operating Temperature Antimony-based III-V MWIR Infrared Focal Plane Array Repeatability. This task involves demonstrating multiple lots of large format III-V antimony-based high operating temperature small-pixel MWIR FPAs ( greater than 5 um cutoff) repeatedly with high uniformity to demonstrate high yield and low cost production. Task 6: Quality and uniformity improvement of large gallium antimonide (GaSb) substrates. Production improvement of 160 5- and 6-inch double-sided polished gallium antimonide substrates with excellent surface qualities, doping density uniformity, total thickness variation, and low haze and surface roughness. The Government requests that interested offerors submit an electronic response of not more than twenty (20) pages, 8.5 quote mark x 11 quote mark paper, 12 pitch, Times New Roman font, with a minimum of one (1) inch margins all around. Responsible sources having relevant experience may submit their statement of interest and technical capabilities. They should also identify whether they are a Large Business, Small Business, Very Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, 8(a) Program Small Business, Women-owned Small Business, HUB Zone Small Business, Veteran-owned Small Business, Service-disabled Veteran-owned Small Business, and/or a Native American Small Business under the proposed NAICS code 541712. Responses should also include the company name, CAGE code, point of contact, and address. All information received in response to this Sources Sought Synopsis that is marked quote mark Proprietary quote mark will be handled accordingly. Responses will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed. Provide answers to the following questions (No more than 3 pages)(Not included in the above 20 page limit). 1.If you identify your company as a Small Business or any of the SB subcategories, is your company interested in a prime contract? 2.Under the current SB recertification regulations, do you anticipate your company remaining a small business, under primary NAICS Code 541712? 3.Does your company possess the capabilities to provide the entire range of services called for in the above task list? ______ YES _______ NO 4. If you answered YES to Question # 3, please provide specific capabilities and examples for how your company can provide these services. 5.If you answered NO to Question # 3, please list what services in the RFI your company can provide? Please provide specific capabilities and examples. 6.Does your firm possess an approved Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system? 7.Does your company meet the Non-manufacturing Rule? If so How? 8.If you are a small business how do you select your partners and/or subcontractors? Responses are due no later than 19 December 2013, 10 am Eastern Time (ET). Email responses should not exceed 5 Megabytes (MB). Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is voluntary. The Army does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Respondents should not construe this synopsis as a commitment for any purpose. Respondents will not individually be notified of the results of any government assessments. The Government's evaluation of the capability statements received will factor into whether any forthcoming solicitation will be conducted as a full and open competition or as a set-aside for small businesses, or any particular small business designation (e.g. SDVOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), SDB, WOSB, VOSB, etc.). Submit responses electronically to Ms. Michelle Hodges, Contracting Officer, at michelle.l.hodges10.civ@mail.mil by no later than 10:00am Eastern Time on 19 December 2013. All requests for further information must be made in writing or via email; telephonic or facsimile requests for additional information will not be honored.
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