U.S. ARMY SOLDIER SYSTEMS COMMAND, ACQUISITION DIRECTORATE, ATTN AMSSC-AD, NATICK MA 01760-5011

16 -- ADVANCED TACTICAL PARACHUTE SYSTEM SOL DAAK60-96-R-9010 DUE 071996 POC Contracting Officer, JUDITH L. UTHOFF, (508) 233-4337 (Site Code DAAK60) The U. S. Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center, located at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command, Natick, MA desires to contract for an Advanced Tactical Parachute System (ATPS) that will enhance U.S. Army airborne operations by developing a new troop personnel parachute system consisting of main parachute subsystem, reserve parachute subsystem and harness. The ATPS will replace the venerable T-10 parachute system which has been in service for nearly 50 years. The ATPS will have the following characteristics: troop payload weight of 380 lbs; desired Sea Level Standard Day rates of descent of 15 ft/sec (19 ft/sec maximum) for the main parachute and 25 ft/sec (27 ft/sec maximum) for the reserve parachute, respectively; peak opening loads of 10G and 15G for the main parachute and reserve parachute, respectively; maximum altitude loss to stable vertical descent of 275 ft and 250 ft for the main parachute and reserve parachute, respectively. The ATPS harness shall be capable of being comfortably worn by a 1st percentile female through a 99th percentile male, and shall be designed to orient the paratrooper along the long body axis during both main and reserve parachute deployment. The ATPS shall be deployable from Air Force aircraft traveling at airspeeds up to 150 Knots Indicated Airspeed (KIA) and at altitudes as low as 500 ft Above Ground Level (AGL). The ATPS deployment system shall be an improvement over the current static line system, either through innovative use of new technologies or through other improvements to prevent static line entanglements. Additionally, the reserve parachute system shall provide for positive reserve parachute deployment and reduced entanglement with a malfunctioning main parachute. A three-phased development effort of 2-1/2 years duration is planned, using a tailored development approach. During this period, the contractor will primarily be responsible for development and fabrication of approximately 225 ATPS prototypes and for providing technical and engineering support during Government testing. A fourth phase is planned for production with options for producing up to 60,000 ATPS systems. The tailored development approach will leverage from commercially available technologies currently employed in parachute system design and manufacture to minimize program risk and facilitate minimal system development. Contractors may propose entire ATPS systems comprised of a main parachute subsystem, reserve parachute subsystem, and harness, or may propose individual subsystems or combinations thereof (e.g. main parachute and harness). Offerors may not propose the harness only. Phase I will consist of fabrication and delivery of four (4) each main parachute subsystems, reserve parachute subsystems, and harnesses, or subsystem combinations. Delivery shall be 60 days after contract award. The government will conduct preliminary evaluation of each subsystem and make downselection on the basis of subcomponent performance compliance with stated requirements. Phase II will consist of fabrication and delivery of twenty (20) each main parachute subsystems, reserve parachute subsystems, and harnesses, or combinations thereof. Delivery shall be 60 days after Government authorization to proceed. System integration will be conducted by the Government to determine subsystem compatibility, and will be followed by extensive developmental testing by the Government to validate performance and establish system reliability. An additional downselection process will be conducted if necessary. Phase III will consist of fabrication and delivery of two hundred (200) ATPS systems, subsystems, or combinations thereof. Delivery shall be 120 days after Government authorization to proceed. The Government will conduct extensive operational testing to validate operational performance and system reliability. The contractor shall be responsible for development of user and maintenance manuals and engineering drawings. Phase IV consists of production options for the ATPS system, subsystems, or combinations thereof. Production option quantities vary from 1,000 units delivered at 500 per month to 10,000 units delivered at 1,000 per month, with 500 units delivered in the first month. The Government will use best value source selection in the selection of contract awardee(s). The scope of work will be performance based. Final Request for Proposal DAAK60-96-R-9010 should be released by July 31, 1996. All firms who received the Draft RFP DAAK60-96-R-9010 will automatically receive the final version of the RFP. Firms which did not receive the Draft RFP DAAK60-96-R-9010 may request the final RFP either by regular mail or datafax (number 508-233- 5286). Telephonic requests will not be accepted. RFP DAAK60-96- R-9010 will be released as full and open competition. The address to request the final RFP is: U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command, Acquisition Directorate, ATTN: AMSSC-AD (J. Uthoff/045), Kansas St., Natick, MA 01760-5011. (0179)

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