Active

Contract Opportunity

25 August 2023

Request for Information

USAF, AFLCMC/HBZIA

Atmospheric Early Warning System (AEWS)

AEWS Slip Ring Assembly Study

1. Request For Information

United States Air Force (USAF) is hereby soliciting information on sources of radar systems, including innovative and cost-effective approaches to Atmospheric Early Warning Systems. USAF seeks information on the capability of vendors able to provide a sustainable slip ring design solution to 2035 and possibly beyond.

The 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 USAF reserves the right to consider a Small Business 8(a), Women-owned Small Business (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (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 System for Award Management (SAM.gov). Interested firms are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

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

Please advise if the requirement is considered to be a commercial or commercial-type product. A commercial item is defined in FAR 2.101.

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 (AEWS) 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 Key System Attribute

The USAF is seeking design solutions for a hybrid rotating slip ring rotary joint that supplies an interconnection interface between the rotating components and the stationary (nonrotating) components of the radar transceiver group at a rotation rate of 5-6 and 12 rotations per minute (RPM). Any design solution for consideration must successfully integrate within the AN/FPS-117 radar system. The design must also include the successful integration of modern fiber optic rotary joint and encoder technology not effected by electromagnetic interference (EMI). Other considerations are wear, dust intrusion, and static resistance, as well as contactless silver-graphite brushes for successful power and signal transmission. Gold wire technology is required for signal and data transmission. Other key parameters for design consideration must have extremely low electrical noise and contact resistance, low-maintenance service life and long meantime between critical failure. The design must have high contact reliability, crosstalk isolation and reliable operation under shock, vibration and extreme temperatures.

Capability statements of any design solution will be evaluated considering its operability, maintainability, repairability, and sustainability through the year 2035. Submittals should include factors such as supplier availability, spare parts, repair and modernization, facilities, MIL-Standards, qualification, expertise, and support.

4. Minimum Environment Specifications

Operating Temp

-57 to +54 C

Non-Operating Temp

-62 to +71 C

Operating Altitude

15,000 FT

Non-Operating Altitude

40,000 FT

Shock

MIL-STD-202, Method 213, test condition A (50G, 11ms, ½ sine)

Vibration

MIL-STD-202, Method 201, (10G, 10-55 Hz)

Salt

MIL-STD-202, Method 101, Test Condition B (48 hrs, finish only)

Sand and Dust

MIL-STD-202, Method 110

5.0 Development Approach

The development approach reference parameters described in this section have been defined as a point of departure, based upon processes used to develop similar acquisitions in the past. Proposed development approaches that deviate from these reference parameters will be considered. To appropriately evaluate various approaches and relative risks, it is important for the study team to understand how proposed approaches adhere to, and/or differ from, the reference approaches.

6.0 Systems Engineering

The vendor should perform the necessary systems engineering (SE) required to ensure that the Slip Ring Assembly meets all the performance, interface, and implementation requirements of the slip ring assembly, including the analyses, flow-down of technical requirements, allocation of system budgets, verifications, definitions of interfaces, technical risk evaluations, system design tradeoff analyses, requirements for GSE, 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 Reviews

As part of the development approach, the vendor should conduct and provide technical and programmatic data for the following reviews:

• System Requirements Review (SRR)


• Preliminary Design Review (PDR)


• Critical Design Review (CDR)


• Pre-Environmental Review (PER)


• Pre-Shipment Review (PSR)


• Test Acceptance Review (TAR)

These reviews should meet the USAF Criteria for Integrated Life Cycle Management AFI63-101_20-101

8.0 Analysis

Appropriate analyses should be performed to validate the design will meet requirements within appropriate margins or verified requirements.

9.0 Documentation

The vendor will develop, deliver, and maintain all documentation for the test facility

and its interfaces, including, but not limited to:

• Slip Ring Performance Specification


• Slip Ring Design and Verification Analyses


• Slip Ring Performance Verification Plan


• Interface Control Document (ICD)


• Slip Ring Technical Data and Drawings


• Slip Ring Test Plans


• Slip Ring Test Procedures


• Slip Ring 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

10.0 Performance and Environmental Verifications

• EMI


• Vibration


• Acoustics


• Shock


• Salt, Sand, and Dust


• Thermal (hot operational, cold operational, and cold survival)


• Developmental performance testing may be completed at vendors facility and witness by US Air Force personnel.


• Functional/ Integration, Interface, Qualification, acceptance tests will be on a government owned and operated Engineering Facility AN/FPS-117 Radar
  
  
  
  • This testing will occur at ambient temperature.
  
  
  • The testing will last approximately 90-120 days each (not including setup time).
  
  
  
  

11.0 Responses to this RFI

Responses to this RFI should be submitted to Captain Jaime Arias AFLCMC/HBZKA, at jaime.arias.2@us.af.mil. Accepted formats are Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Portable Document Format (.pdf). The appendices should follow the templates provided and should be in Microsoft Excel format (.xls or .xlsx). Responses should be submitted via electronic mail (email) no later than 11:59 pm Mountain Standard Time on the date listed. The subject line of the submission should be "RFI for AEWS Slip Ring Assembly Study". Respondents are encouraged to submit any questions regarding this request 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 AEWS Slip Ring Assembly Study." The Government reserves the discretion to determine which questions are practical to respond to and post.

Engineering data in support of this synopsis can be obtained by contacting Captain Jaime Arias AFLCMC/HBZKA. The request can be emailed to jaime.arias.2@us.af.mil. This request for data should contain the synopsis number, a reference to "Request for Information", a copy of the contractor's DD Form 2345 and a list of data that is required. Please respond within 45 days after posting date.

12.0 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.

Respondents to this request will be retained in a file and subsequently provided a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP), if or 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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