SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) under 10 U.S.C. 845 for Advanced
- Notice Date
- 5/19/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC - APG (W909MY) Belvoir, 2461 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia, 22331, United States
- ZIP Code
- 22331
- Solicitation Number
- W909MY-16-Q-NEST
- Point of Contact
- Jocelyn N Shively, Phone: 7037040825
- E-Mail Address
-
jocelyn.n.shively.civ@mail.mil
(jocelyn.n.shively.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) under 10 U.S.C. 845 for Advanced Development Efforts to Support the US Army's CERDEC NVESD Electronics and Sensor Technologies (NEST) Requirements 1.0 NOTICE The Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground Belvoir Division (ACC-APG-Belvoir), on behalf of the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Communications-Electronics Research, Development Engineering Center (CERDEC), Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) is releasing this special notice to inform interested parties about the Government's interest to establish an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) under 10 U.S.C. 2371 with an eligible entity or group of entities, to include industry, academic, non-profit, and not-for-profit partners, for advanced development efforts to support the CERDEC NVESD's technology support requirements as related to enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel. CERDEC NVESD is responsible for conducting research, development, and acquisition of night vision and electronic sensor and sensor suite technologies that enables United States forces to see, control, and assess the battlefield around the clock and in all battlefield conditions. CERDEC NVESD desires the ability to explore and collaborate with existing and emerging sensor developers to demonstrate and deliver prototypes to meet pressing Warfighter needs. NVESD desires a vehicle administered by the consortium lead but NVESD shall retain approval authority for funded efforts. This agreement will enable NVESD's ability to perform its mission of research, development and experimentation of Night Vision, Electro-Optical, Electronic Sensors and Countermine and Counter-Improvised Explosive Device systems. Technology areas include: a. Countersurveillance/Deception b. Persistent Surveillance System c. Forward/Side Ground Penetrating Radar d. Airborne and Ground-based Improvised Explosive Device (IED)/Mine Detection, location and Neutralization e. Thermal Imaging f. Cooled and Uncooled Focal Plane Arrays g. Image and Signal Processing, Image Compression, Image Fusion Boards h. Optics (small Adaptive) and Image Intensification i. Lasers, Fiber Lasers, Rangefinders, Designators j. Radio Frequency/Acoustics k. Explosive, Mechanical and Electronic Neutralization of Mines (including LASERs) l. Mine Detection m. Humanitarian Demining n. Unexploded Ordnance o. Physical Security Equipment p. Aided/Automatic Target Recognition q. Sensor Fusion r. Display, Helmet Mounted Displays s. Unmanned Air/Ground Sensors t. Modeling and Simulation u. Perception Testing v. Computer-Based Trainers w. Advanced Gimbals x. Imaging and Non-Imaging Systems for Through Foliage Capabilities y. Passive Millimeter Wave Cameras z. Objective Pilotage for Utility and Lift aa. Brownout/Whiteout, Obstacles Detection and Avoidance System bb. Ultra-Compact High Definition TV and Ultra-Compact Infrared Imagers cc. Unmanned and Manned Platforms System Integration dd. Infrared Systems and Technology (Corrugated Quantum Well IR Photo Detectors and Arrays, Strained Layer Super lattice) ee. Hyperspectral Infrared (IR) ff. Multispectral IR gg. Short Wave IR hh. Light Detection and Ranging ii. Acoustic Mine Detection jj. Near IR and Shortwave IR systems and components (tube and solid state) kk. Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) Radar ll. Augmented Reality mm. Sensor Interoperability nn. Digital Read-Out Integrated Circuits The Secretary of the Army (SA) is authorized to carry out prototype projects that are directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of military personnel and the supporting platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the DoD, or to improvement of platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the Armed Forces. See 845(a)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 1994, Public Law (P.L.) 103-160, as amended (Title 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 2371 note). The Government is required to ensure that no official of an agency enters into an OTA for a prototype project under this authority unless there is significant non-traditional defense contractor(s) participation in the prototype project; or at least one third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by parties to the transaction other than the Federal Government. More information regarding DoD use of OTA can be found at the following website: www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/Docs/otguide.doc. The Government is interested in gaining additional information regarding the establishment of a prototype OTA pursuant to 845 of P.L. 103-160 (10 U.S.C. 2371 note), with a new or existing consortium that has significant nontraditional contractor participants. At this time the Government is not ruling out the possibility of establishment of a prototype OTA pursuant to 845 of P.L. 103-160 (10 U.S.C. 2371 note) with a single entity that is not a consortium. However, more information is needed from industry to help the Government determine the appropriate course of action. The Government is interested in gaining additional information from industry such as: - Under what conditions/circumstances would industry participate in an OTA consortium? - What barriers does industry see in working with the DoD in an OTA consortium strategy? (e.g. legal, intellectual property rights, royalties, inclusion of DoD Advance Development & Manufacturing Capability, membership rules (Any company, university, or research organization should be eligible to join the consortium.), FAR applicability). - What incentives would industry like to see included as part of an OTA consortium strategy? (e.g. number and value of projects to be awarded within the consortium, time frame for the awards to be made and work to be accomplished, limited liability). 2.0 TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES 1. Identify new material growth and processing techniques that will yield high-resolution large-format cooled Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) that have reduced dark current, improved operability, and the ability to operate at high temperatures without loss of performance. 2. Develop new techniques and processes for the growth and processing of very large area high performance cooled focal plane arrays (mega pixel size) using low cost substrates for IR sensors. 3. Research, develop, demonstrate, and evaluate novel Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) for the inclusion in hyperspectral sensing systems. 4. Research, develop, demonstrate, and evaluate high resolution, high dynamic range solid state visible/near IR low light focal plane imagers. 5. Research, develop, demonstrate, and evaluate optical designs, materials and manufacturing processes with the goal of reducing cost, and size while maintaining optical performance in transmission and resolution. 6. Research, develop, demonstrate, and evaluate micro displays and display modules suitable for low profile; high resolution mounted virtual imaging applications with the goal of decreasing power and improving display properties of contrast, luminance and color gamut. 7. Develop models used in camouflage analysis, including models to predict the thermal signature and/or susceptibility of camouflage systems (e.g, nets) in deployed environments. 8. Research, design, develop, test, and evaluate multi-functional lightweight laser components for supporting unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) and soldier-based applications. 9. Research in the areas of human signatures for military tactical, biomedical, and biometric applications. 10. Develop, test, and evaluate primary and confirmatory standoff and close-in sensor technologies as well as developing signal-processing techniques specifically designed to identify the location of buried and non-buried explosive hazards in all environments. 11. Develop, test, and evaluate hardware and software for the standoff defeat of buried, non-buried, and obscured explosive hazards in all environments? 12. Research and engineering development, technology demonstration, prototype fabrication, sensor/aircraft integration, field testing and data collection to assist CERDEC NVESD in accomplishing its mission to demonstrate and transition superior Intelligent Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to Army aviators. 13. Develop the following technologies and/or capabilities: - Cockpit displays to include Heads-Up Displays - Helmet mounted displays - Real time image stitching and orthorectification - On-board electronic image stabilization, data acquisition, and processing - Passive/active systems and processing to detect hostile fire - Passive/active systems and processing to detect wires and other man-made obstacles, providing warning, and guidance command (symbology) during clear/inclement weather conditions and/or through brownout/whiteout environments - Large format focal plane arrays - Image intensified (I2) imagers - Cooled/Uncooled Infrared imagers - HDTV and day TV imagers - Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), scanning to form a 3D image and augmented with passive imagery - Sensor fusion to include Radar and other sensor technologies - Multi-Band Intelligent Fusion Algorithm - High resolution plus step stare for maximum persistent area coverage for route reconnaissance and vehicle tracking - Medium resolution plus step stare for enhanced RSTA - Search at recognition/Identification resolution - Multiple Target Tracking in both Wide Field of View (WFOV) & Near Field of View (NFOV) Infrared (IR) Sensors - Hostile Fire Detection for vehicles and fixed sites including small arms, RPGs and ATGMs - Infrared Search and Track (IRST) algorithms for ground based systems - Large format focal plane arrays for long range ground based situational awareness - Threat sensor detection and countermeasures - Multispectral Facial ID for handheld applications 14. Explore sensor fusion to expand the limits of operation in Degraded Visual Environment (DVE), develop systems to pursue narrow-band LWIR atmospheric transmission windows in DVE; assess/increase the performance/penetration of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) in DVE; assess/improve the SWAP-C, resolution and false alarm rate of radar systems; provide additional image-processing enhancements to include, but not be limited to, synthetic vision, image fusion, additional DVE symbology, and local area processing; and provide additional situational awareness through distributed aperture schemes and purpose-built pilotage sensors. 15. Demonstrate a High Definition (HD) digital monocular Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) to overcome limitations imposed by the current analog, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)-based Apache pilotage HMD and reduce Apache HMD operating and support cost. 16. Develop algorithms and prototype hardware for sensor technologies designed for the detection of buried high and low metal Anti-Tank (AT) landmines, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and triggering devices. 17. Support the integration and modification of existing sensor technology into Soldier and vehicle platforms to provide the Warfighter with advanced sensor technologies capable of improving standoff distances and situational awareness 3.0 INDUSTRY DAY An industry day is planned to occur in July 2016 at Fort Belvoir, VA. This event will provide industry/academia the opportunity to obtain further details and engage in discussion of Government requirements with the Government sponsors. The industry day will also provide another venue for discussion of the barriers and incentives associated with the establishment and use of an OTA consortium to meet CERDEC NVESD mission requirements. Additional details of the industry day will be provided in a forthcoming notice. This industry day will serve as an initial opportunity for interested members of industry and academia to meet and discuss details with the key Army stakeholders. 4.0 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION In preparation for the industry day, the Government requests submissions from interested parties. An eligible party or group of parties, may include; industry, academic, non-profit, and not-for-profit partners, for research and development efforts to support CERDEC NVESD mission technical objectives. Responses can be sent via email to jocelyn.n.shively.civ@mail.mil with the subject NEST OTA RESPONSE - Entity Name. NO TELEPHONE INQUIRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED. Responses should contain the interested parties' experience and capability information. Electronic responses are to be in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word format using a size 12 font with one inch margins. Adobe PDF format is preferred. Responses should include a cover letter and at a minimum, provide the following: 1. A cover letter 2. A cover page labeled with the heading, NEST OTA RESPONSE, name of company, name of corporate point of contact (POC), name of technical POC, telephone number for each POC, full mailing address, e-mail addresses for each POC, CAGE Code, and any other pertinent information. 3. No more than twenty (20) pages including: (a) Responses to the questions - Under what conditions/circumstances would industry participate in an OTA consortium? - What barriers does industry see in working with the DoD in an OTA consortium strategy? (e.g. legal, intellectual property rights, royalties, inclusion of DoD Advance Development & Manufacturing Capability, membership rules (Any company, university, or research organization should be eligible to join the consortium.), FAR applicability, Government expectation of use of ADM). - What incentives would industry like to see included as part of an OTA consortium strategy? (e.g. number and value of projects to be awarded within the consortium, time frame for the awards to be made and work to be accomplished, limited liability). (b) Questions to be answered/discussed at the industry day. (ALL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WILL BE PUBLISHED) (c) Narrative describing capability (past and present) with respect to technical objectives listed in this notice. Please submit all pages as a single (.doc or.pdf) file. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 5.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION This Special Notice is for information and planning purposes only, shall not be construed as an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or a commitment by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this announcement. All information is to be submitted at no cost or obligation to the Government. The U.S. Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this announcement. The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any private sector input, as a result of this announcement. If a formal solicitation is generated at a later date, a separate solicitation notice will be published. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. No sensitive or classified information will be discussed. Foreign-owned, controlled, or influenced firms are advised that security restrictions may apply that may preclude their participation in these efforts.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/62ffd605c5416d82e31acdde7a2c27a9)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, 10221 Burbeck Road, ATTN: RDER-NVO-TP, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 22060, United States
- Zip Code: 22060
- Zip Code: 22060
- Record
- SN04122460-W 20160521/160519234347-62ffd605c5416d82e31acdde7a2c27a9 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |