Active

Contract Opportunity

Sources Sought Synopsis

USAF, AFLCMC/HBZIA

Atmospheric Early Warning System (AEWS)

AEWS AN/FPS-117 RADOME

1. Request For Information

United States Air Force is hereby soliciting information on sources of radar systems, including innovative and cost-effective approaches to Atmospheric Early Warning Systems. We seek information on the capability of vendors able to provide RADOME for the AN/FPS-117 Radar weapon system.

The US Air Force (USAF) is seeking capability statements from all interested parties, including all socioeconomic categories of small and large businesses, women owned, and historically black colleges and universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI), for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals. The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Women-owned (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran (SD-VOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Business (EDWOSB) or HUBZone business set-aside based on responses received.

No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on SAM.gov. Interested vendors are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

Interested vendors having the required capabilities necessary to meet the requirements described herein should submit a capability statement of no more than 15 pages indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort.

This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

2.0 Background

The Atmospheric Early Warning System is a joint United States and Canadian early warning radar surveillance system. It provides surveillance of airspace from potential incursions or attacks from across North America's polar region. The Atmospheric Early Warning System consists of both long range AN/FPS-117 and short range AN/FPS-124 surveillance radars, operated and maintained by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). There are 28 long range sites and 36 short range sites.

3.0 Characteristics

Request for information on capabilities and The US Air Force is seeking vendors and supplier services with the current capabilities to manufacture, remove, transport, construct, and install 55 foot RADOMES for the AN/FPS-117 radar in Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada. RADOME design for consideration must be a microwave transparent structure providing environmental protection for an enclosed satellite communication system tracking antenna, must include all coatings and mounting hardware and be made of a truncated spherical assembly composite construction.

Interested vendors and suppliers must show past performance of removing and installing proposed replacement radomes in very remote locations and climates. Proposed RADOMES for consideration must include a 25-year service life with minimal maintenance, hydrophobic exterior surface, and resistant to delamination. Any RADOME design consideration must be a proven, and already developed, concept to meet performance as defined.

• Provide protection from water penetration and intrusion.


• Hydrophobic, non-water filming, exterior surface


• Protect against exterior deterioration, cracks, craze, or delaminate from all environmental conditions.


• Meet or exceed criteria of UL 94HB for flammability and Combustibility.


• Retain its physical and electrical stability throughout a specified temperature range.


• Be equipped with a lightning protection system


• Be equipped with Aircraft Obstruction lights


• Be equipped with a Fall Arrest Zenith Safety Panel


• Be designed to operate and withstand the loads produced by the combined effects of ice accretion and wind

Capability statements of any design solution will be evaluated considering its maintainability, repairability, and sustainability. Submittals should include factors such as supplier availability, spare parts, repair and modernization, facilities, MIL-Standards, qualification, expertise, and support.

4.0 RADOME Performance References, Specifications and Standards

Industry Standards

• ASTM C1549 Standard Test Method of Solar Reflectance w/ a Portable Solar Reflectometer


• ASTM D256 Standard Test Methods for the Izod Pendulum Impact Resistance of Plastics


• ASTM D-570-98 Standard Test Method for Water Absorption of Plastics


• ASTM D635 Standard Test Method for Rate of Burning and/or Extent and Time of Burning of


• Plastics in a Horizontal Position


• ASTM D-638-03 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics


• ASTM D-695-02a Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Rigid Plastics


• ASTM D-732-02 Standard Test Method for Shear Strength of Plastics by Punch Tool


• ASTM D-790-03 Standard Test Methods for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and


• Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials


• ASTM D-2240-04e1 Standard Test Method for Rubber Property—Durometer Hardness


• ASTM D-2583-02 Standard Practice for Fusion of Poly (Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Compounds


• Using a Torque Rheometer


• ASTM D4414 Standard Practice for Measurement of Wet Film Thickness by Notch Gages.


• ASTM D5725 Standard Test Method for Surface Wettability and Absorbency of Sheeted


• Materials Using an Automated Contact Angle Tester


• ASTM E-132-04 Standard Test Method for Poisson’s Ratio at Room Temperature


• ASTM E-1925-04 Standard Engineering and design criteria for rigid wall relocate able


• structures


• ASTM G21-96 Standard Practice for Determining Resistance of Synthetic Polymeric


• Materials to Fungi.


• ASTM G151 Standard Practice for Exposing Nonmetallic Materials in Accelerated Test


• Devices that Use Laboratory Light Sources


• Engineering Specification for the AN/FPS-117 RADOME Page 2


• ASTM G154 Standard Practice for Operating Fluorescent Light Apparatus for UV Exposure of


• Nonmetallic Materials

Military Specifications & Standards

• MIL-DTL-14072 Finishes for Ground Based Electronic Equipment


• MIL-E-4158 Electronic Equipment, Ground, General Specification


• MIL-HDBK-454 Standard General Requirements for Electrical Equipment


• MIL-HDBK-1812 Type Designation, Assignment and Method for Obtaining


• MIL-HDBK-1791 Designing for Internal Aerial Delivery in Fixed Wing Aircraft


• MIL-STD-130 Identification Marking of U.S. Military Property


• MIL-STD-454 Standard General Requirements for Electronic Equipment


• MIL-STD-464 Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Requirements for Systems


• MIL-STD-810F Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests


• MIL-STD-882D Standard Practice for System Safety


• MIL-STD-1520 Corrective Action and Disposition System for Nonconforming Material


• MIL-STD-2073-1 Standard Practice for Military Packaging

Other Documents

• ASME Y14.100 Engineering Drawing and Related Documentation Practices


• FAA AC70/7460-1 Obstruction Marking and Lighting


• FED-STD-595C Colors Used in Government Procurement

6.0 Systems Engineering

Any design consideration should have the necessary systems engineering (SE) required to ensure that the RADOME meets all the performance, interface, and implementation requirements, including the analyses, flow-down of technical requirements, allocation of system budgets, verifications, definitions of interfaces, technical risk evaluations, system design tradeoff analyses, performance analysis, software requirements analysis, and lower-level requirements (eg. subsystem, components, assemblies, parts). This includes documenting all information from the design, qualification. testing, acceptance testing, and compatibility testing of the hardware and software, together with analysis and assessment of the data with respect to expected performance.

7.0 Production and Implementation Reviews

As part of the production approach, the vendor or supplier will be expected to conduct and provide technical and programmatic data for the following reviews:

• System Requirements Review (SRR)


• Pre-Environmental Review (PER)


• Pre-Shipment Review (PSR)


• Test Acceptance Review (TAR)


• Technical Interface Meeting (TIM)

These reviews should meet the US Air Force Criteria for Integrated life cycle Lifecycle AFI63-101_20-101

8.0 Documentation

The vendor may be required to deliver, and maintain all documentation for the RADOME production including, but not limited to:

• Performance Specification


• Design and Verification Analyses


• Performance Verification Plan


• Interface Control Document (ICD)


• Technical Data and Drawings


• Test Plans


• Test Procedures


• Test Reports


• Interfaces, Models and Analysis

• Packaging, Storage, Transportation and Handling Plan


• Installation and maintenance Training


• Installation Manual and/or technical Order Procedures


• Engineering Change Proposals, Deviations and Waivers


• Travel Documentation


• Secure Authorization Requests

10. The Response

Responses should be in Microsoft Word (.doc or docx) or Portable Document Format (.pdf). Responses should be submitted via electronic mail (email) to both points of contact below by 5 pm Mountain Standard Time on the date listed on page-1. The subject line of the submission should be "RFI for AN/FPS-117 RADOME". Respondents are encouraged to submit any questions regarding this request to both points of contact below within one week of release of this RFI to allow the Government time to develop responses prior to the due date for submissions. The subject line of questions should be "Questions regarding RFI for AN/FPS-117 RADOME" The Government reserves the discretion to determine which questions are practical to respond to and post.

Information to support this synopsis can be discussed by contacting David Harris AFLCMC/HBZIA. The request can be emailed to david.harris.8@us.af.mil. This request for data should contain the synopsis number, a reference to "Sources Sought". Please respond within 45 days after posting date.

11.0 Disclaimers

This notification is for market research purposes to identify potential contractors who have the skills, experience and knowledge required to successfully complete this effort for AFLCMC and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement will be accomplished. This is not a request for proposal or invitation for bid.

To be considered as a potential repair source for this requirement, a Contractor will be required to submit technical data, in response to a solicitation, verifying their capabilities to design, manufacture and repair this item. All costs incurred by the Contractor in responding to this request for information will be covered by the Contractor. The Government does not intend to pay for any cost incurred by the Contractor in providing this information to this request in no manner guarantees a contract will be awarded to the respondent for the repair of this item.

Respondents to this request will be retained in a file and subsequently provided a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) when issued. Responding to this request in no manner guarantees a contract will be awarded to the respondent for the supply of this item.

All information received in response to this announcement that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses will not be returned. In accordance with FAR 15.202(e), a response to this notice is not an offer and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this announcement.

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