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Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle (Large USV) Sources Sought/Request for Information


District Of Columbia, United States
Government : Military
RFI
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NOTE: This Source Sought/ Request for Information is also posted under NAICS Codes (336611 and 334511) in order to reach all interested parties. Only one response is necessary for this announcement.

This notice is for market research purposes only and does NOT constitute a request for proposal. This notice shall not be construed as a contract, a promise to contract, or as a commitment of any kind by the Government. The Government is NOT seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals.

This Sources Sought/Request for Information (RFI) notice is issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Program Executive Office (PEO) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406) on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO). SCO is partnering with the Navy to conduct market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 to determine if sources exist that are capable of satisfying the anticipated program requirement for independently deploying Large Unmanned Surface Vehicles (Large USVs). OSD SCO is taking an accelerated approach with industry to leverage existing, manned or unmanned surface ship designs that can be designed and/or modified to rapidly deliver an unmanned or optionally manned surface ship capability.

In accordance with 10 U.S.C. Section 7309, no major component of the hull or superstructure of the Large USV may be constructed in a foreign shipyard.

To support Navy mission requirements, key attributes of Large USVs include higher top speed, extended vessel range and cruising speed, and high reliability. Specific attributes of the desired Large USV include:



•·          Endurance of 4,500 nm or more at 19 knots transit speed or higher

•·          Top speed of 27 knots (Threshold); 30+  knots (Objective) in calm water

•·          Capable of remaining sufficiently stable to operate payloads in up to Sea State 5 (per NATO STANAG 4194)

•·          Capable of surviving in Sea State 7 (per NATO STANAG 4194)  or higher

•·          Capable of operating for 30 days (Threshold) or more 90 days (Objective) without any manned maintenance, e.g. to shift lubricating oil or fuel oil strainers

•    Topside space and sufficiently reinforced deck to support 40,000 lbs of deck cargo  

•·          Ability to embark/debark crew in Sea State 5 (per NATO STANAG 4194) or less (request identify how this would be accomplished)

•·          300 kW (Threshold) to 500 kW (Objective) power generation capability, with at least 75 kW reserved for payload. 

•·          Equipped with redundant main engines, marine propulsion gear, and electrical generators such that failure of any single component will not reduce vessel maximum speed below 16 knots (Threshold; 20 knots Objective) nor reduce electrical generation capacity below 200 kW. Short-term berthing for no less than four Sailors to Surge personnel standards (e.g. Part II, Figure 4-4) in NAVSEA Technical Publication T9640-AC-DSP-010/HAB Revision 1 dated 21 December 2016.

•    Notional tasks for crew during short-duration stays on the vessel include piloting in/out of harbor, fueling at sea, and conducting emergency repairs topside and/or in engineering spaces

•    Short-duration crew will be unarmed and the vessel will not require a dedicated rescue vessel to recover a person from the water.  One life raft shall be included.

•·          Capable of piloting into and out of port with a tug and a crew of 4 or fewer (Threshold);  remote piloting without a tug  (Objective)

•·          Navigation autonomy

•    Threshold: Capable of autonomous safe pilotage to include path planning, obstacle avoidance and mission behaviors.  Pilotage shall require the ability to navigate around charted obstacles to include buoys and waters shallower than the vessel's depth

•    Objective: Threshold, plus capable of autonomously sensing its environment and maneuvering consistent with the International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea (COLREGS)

•    Autonomy system shall be IA compliant.

•·          Autonomy implementation plans, specifically industry's potential solutions to include leveraging existing industry systems or the option for GFE autonomy

•·          An autonomy architecture that allows for modularity of different autonomy components to include sensors, software components (i.e. navigation, obstacle avoidance, machinery control, health monitoring, mission behaviors) and payloads.  This architecture will be capable of being monitored and controlled remotely by an off-board Control system.  The USV shall be capable of being monitored and controlled by 1 person and ideally multiple USVs handled by 1 person.

•·          Resistant to boarding from unauthorized personnel while easy to access by appropriately trained and equipped U.S. forces

•·          Resistant to physical tampering from unauthorized personnel

•·          Able to be delivered and/or made available in 16-18 months

 The Large USV may be temporarily manned with as many as four personnel for periods of up to seven days.

The objective of this RFI is to assess industry's ability to provide a materiel solution within an accelerated timeframe at an affordable cost. The Navy is seeking information to help determine the interest, technical and manufacturing capabilities, knowledge, experience level, and qualifications of industry to meet the Government's needs to develop and build a Large USV. The OSD/Navy team has not yet determined the acquisition approach to Large USV. NAVSEA issues this RFI to obtain industry input to support the SCO program in collaboration with the Navy's Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406) within Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships. It should be noted that Large USV is not associated specifically with the Littoral Combat Ship. It is desired that respondents identify their materiel solutions, as well as the cost drivers and timeframe, for providing those solutions. Solutions that only cover a portion of the desired end product are welcome. It is expected that some unmanned or optionally manned surface vehicle solutions will require modifications to support Navy payloads to be specified at a later date. Navy is seeking the following in response to this RFI:

1. What vessels are available for near-term demonstration(s) and what would be avenues for that interaction with the Navy?

2. What technically mature systems/subsystems are available to meet the needs of Large USV? What is the manufacturing capacity and timeline to build a new vessel? What is the availability of existing vessels that can be repurposed for this mission

3. What is the time frame for each of the following:

a. Design of Large USV to incorporate a defined payload (with given Size, Weight, Power and Cooling requirements), fabrication of Large USV, contractor test of Large USV, and integration of future payloads after Large USV design is complete. Include suggested methodologies enabling:

1. program streamlining and acceleration and
2.methodologies supporting warranty, maintenance support to the vessel after delivery.

b Conversion of existing vessels into a Large USV to incorporate a defined payload (with given Size, Weight, Power and Cooling requirements), contractor test of Large USV, and integration of future payloads after Large USV design is complete. Include suggested methodologies enabling:

1. program streamlining and acceleration and
2. suggested methodologies supporting warranty, maintenance support to the vessel after delivery.

4. If your solution delivers a vessel designed for manned operation, describe how the craft systems lend themselves to automation and/or remote monitoring and operation (i.e. fly by wire, existing monitoring systems, etc.) If your solution is an autonomy system for a vessel designed for manned operation, or if your solution is an autonomous vessel, describe the autonomy architecture, capabilities, systems that use your solution and application to existing autonomy standards and interfaces.

5. Using Cost As an Independent Variable (CAIV), provide matrices (or equivalent) that compare the potential system and subsystems in your approach, technical maturity, performance and schedule trade-offs and risks associated with each system/subsystem.

6. What are the primary complexity and cost drivers associated with Large USV as they relate to your approach? Estimate total Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) using FY17 dollars for the build or conversion of one Large USV. The basis for cost should include: Recurring and Non-recurring Costs (including design), first unit cost, recommended sparing, logistics, and sustainment costs for a minimum of three years.

7. Specify trade space issues/concerns for both feasibility and cost.

8. Specify what, if any, damage control systems are available (i.e., dewatering for flooding, halon system for firefighting, etc.).


In addressing the questions above, interested parties should include the following information:

  

 


Vessel Description

o general vessel description
o classification society (e.g. ABS, NVR, DNV GL)
o vessel beam (feet)
o vessel length overall (feet)
o vessel displacement - lightship (tons)
o vessel displacement - fully loaded (tons)
o mast height (feet) and weight capacity (lbs)
o power generation capacity (kilowatts)
o cooling generation capacity (BTU)
o hull description (general hull form, material)
o propulsion approach
o vessel drawings and/or renderings
o software architecture approach, including autonomy architecture if any (to include description of open architecture capability)
o data rights availability for major subsystems and software (unlimited, government purpose rights, proprietary only)
o machinery control architecture and integration with autonomy



Vessel Performance

o vessel transit speed in calm water (knots)
o vessel transit speed in calm water (knots) with one component (i.e. engine, gear, or generator) inoperable
o maximum vessel speed in calm water (measured or estimated) (knots)
o vessel fuel consumption at top speed, transit speed, and at 5 knots or clutch-in speed, in calm water (gallons per hour)
o vessel fuel oil capacity (gallons)
o fueling at sea capability and concept of operations
o reliability (measured or estimated); provide details describing redundant systems and robustness of systems
o estimated hours between major overhauls
o station keeping capability



Vessel Payload Capabilities

o open deck space (square feet)
o deck materials and thicknesses (inches)
o modular payload space dimensions (feet)
o modular payload volume (cubic feet)
o modular payload weight capacity (tons)
o reconfiguration capability (e.g. tiedowns) for future payloads



Vessel Capabilities for Optional Short-Term Manning

o number of berths (racks)
o sanitation and meal preparation facilities



Vessel Operations

o guidance and control
o navigation
o autonomy
o health monitoring
o automated troubleshooting and self-repair
o situational awareness
o communication systems



Vehicle Employment

o signature & detection (acoustic, magnetic, optical, etc.)
o onboard sensors not specific to the payload
o freeboard when fully loaded 


  

ANSWERING THIS NOTICE:

Interested vendors shall respond by describing their capability to satisfy the above by leveraging existing designs that could be modified to a reasonable extent to meet the above requirements. The response shall identify how its surface vessel design can meet the above requirements. Respondents should provide a company profile to include, at a minimum, the following:



Business name
DUNS number
business address
business website
business size status (i.e., SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, SDB, WOSB, LB)
number of employees
point of contact name
mailing address (if different from business address)
phone number
email address


 The desired format for submissions is white paper or similar narrative (contractor's format). The response should be no more than fifteen (15) single-sided pages (including cover and administrative pages) and no less than 1-inch margins and 12 point font. Submissions shall be in Microsoft Word 2010 or searchable Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF). In order to be considered in this market survey, your response shall contain an electronic version on one (1) hard copy original (paper) copy and two (2) electronic submissions on CD-ROM and be received on or before 19 June 2017. All responses must be sent via mailing agent (e.g. FedEx and UPS) to the Contracting Officer, Eva Hochman, at the following address:

Naval Sea Systems Command
ATTN: Eva Hochman, Code 0263
1333 Isaac Hull Avenue, SE, Stop 2040
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20376-2040

Responses SHALL NOT be faxed, e-mailed, or hand delivered. NO CLASSIFIED MATERIAL SHALL BE SUBMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. To aid the Government in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Respondents shall mark any data included in its submissions that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose.

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES:
Respondents are advised that Booz Allen Hamilton and Metron may assist the Government in its review of responses received under this notice. Respondents shall provide notification on its cover page if the respondent does not consent to the use of the aforementioned contractors. Unless otherwise stated by the respondent, a submission received to this notice constitutes consent that the abovementioned contractors can have access to all information provided in the respondent's submission

This notice is not a request for proposals and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. Sources choosing to respond to this notice are wholly responsible for any costs/expenses associated with submitting a response. Therefore any cost associated with the market survey submission is solely at the interested vendor's expense. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this notice. The information obtained from submitted responses may be used in development of an acquisition strategy and a future solicitation. Submissions will not be returned.


Eva Hochman, Email eva.hochman@navy.mil - Cassandra Brese, Email cassandra.brese@navy.mil

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