SPECIAL NOTICE
99 -- Single Source Announcement - Subject Matter Expert support in conducting gap analysis of current FAA regulations and guidance material.
- Notice Date
- 6/29/2015
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541611
— Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, AAQ-620 CT - William J. Hughes Technical Center (Atlantic City, NJ)
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- 21481
- Response Due
- 7/1/2015
- Archive Date
- 7/1/2015
- Point of Contact
- Nicole Saiauskie, nicole.saiauskie@faa.gov, Phone: 609-485-4781
- E-Mail Address
-
Click here to email Nicole Saiauskie
(nicole.saiauskie@faa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
- Description
- Single Source Announcement - Subject Matter Expert support in conducting gap analysis of current FAA regulations and guidance material as it pertains to rotorcraft enhanced flight vision systems and flight operations quality assurance programs. A full and competition is not available for this procurement. If your firm does not agree with the single source determiniation, please provide evidence of your firms capabilities and experience in providing the below service, the FAA will evaluate this accordingly. All responses to this announcement must be directed to Nicole Saiauskie at Nicole.Saiauskie@faa.gov, no later than 5pm EST on July 1, 2015. Purpose of this Announcement: In accordance with the FAA Acquisition Management System (FAAMS) paragraph 3.2.2.4, to inform industry of the basis of the FAA's decision to contract with a selected source via single source procedures. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC) proposes to award single source Purchase Order to The Giles Group. Helicopter instrument approach procedures are almost exclusively developed as Point-in-Space (PinS) procedures, with Proceed Visually or Proceed VFR visual segments. These visual segments are flown in obstacle-rich, low-altitude environments, sometimes requiring substantial maneuvering to the landing location. One reason for using PinS procedures is the fact that no facilities in the US qualify as IFR heliports, mainly because they do not have approach lighting. It is unlikely that this situation will change because heliports are usually located in urban areas where space (for lighting) is limited or non-existent. Many operators use Night Vision Goggles (NVGs), but the mandated deployment of LED lighting is making it harder for pilots to see the landing area with NVGs. Recent technological developments in head-mounted Enhanced/Synthetic Vision Systems (EVS/SVS) allow for new low-visibility operational concepts in helicopters. It is expected that original equipment manufacturers and operators will increase their requests for systems certification and operational approvals. The FAA has limited experience approving operations using these technologies on helicopters and needs more in-depth knowledge and experience in this field. In addition, 14 CFR 91.175 allows the use of Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS) in lieu of natural vision for descent below decision altitude/decision height or minimum descent altitude for fixed-wing aircraft, and new rulemaking is now in progress to expand operational credit for EFVS. It is only a matter of time before the helicopter community makes similar requests for head-mounted devices (HMDs) as opposed to heads-up devices (HUDs). A mile reduction in visibility requirements for PinS approaches can make a significant difference in the dispatch reliability for operators. The FAA needs to determine whether these advanced visual technologies in helicopters can provide equivalent visual operations . The successful implementation of these technologies has even bigger potential safety benefits in helicopter visual flight rule operations, where the majority of fatal accidents occur as a result of controlled flight into terrain and inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions. EVS/SVS can provide flight crews with the required essential elements for increased day or night situational awareness, minimizing the potential occurrence for both controlled flight into terrain and collision with unknown obstacles. Also, the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) has identified flight data monitoring (FDM) as a primary intervention to the risk associated with flight operations. The FAA seeks to facilitate the use and value of FDM to operators by providing the IT infrastructure and expertise to collect, analyze, aggregate and disseminate the analysis for both end-users (operators), research bodies (universities and government analysis groups), and the industry as a whole. Data capture, confidentiality and sharing agreements will be sought from all stakeholders to ensure the mission of safety data collection is maintained. This effort, Rotorcraft ASIAS research, will form the foundation for bringing helicopter flight data monitoring data into the overall ASAIS program. However, in this approach the FAA is mindful of concerns arising within the industry regarding data protection that require clarification of existing Federal Aviation Regulations, Advisory Circulars, and FAA Policy/Guidance documents. The research team (FAA, HAI, PEGASAS) needs clarification on the basis for qualifying a helicopter flight data monitoring program as approved along with the basis for this determination from the fixed-wing community; as without an approved program an operator may not have the protections afforded under 14 CFR 13.401 (FAA enforcement actions based on flight data or other info) and 14 CFR Part 193 (flight data and FOIA request). Under the Rotorcraft ASIAS research initiative, the FAA is partnering with rotorcraft operators that have both Unapproved and Approved programs and needs to provide the helicopter community with assurances that voluntary submission of data via this research effort will not result in adverse enforcement actions or release of proprietary operator data via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. No other source has the level of experience and expertise to meet this requirement. All responses to this announcement must be directed to Nicole.Saiauskie@faa.gov no later than 5pm EST on July 1, 2015. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. If you're viewing this announcement from a source other than Federal Aviation Administration Contract Opportunities (FAACO), visit https://faaco.faa.gov/index.cfm/announcement/view/21481 to view the original announcement.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOT/FAA/WJHTC/21481/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03779682-W 20150701/150629235024-db8ac5536a5bfd1db2992663b37a7063 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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