Quartz Disk Resonator Gyroscope (QDRG) with Gradient Field Control (GFC)
The Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground - Belvoir (ACC-APG Belvoir) is conducting market research on behalf of the Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Communications-Electronics Research Development and engineering Center (CERDEC), Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. NVESD is looking for capable suppliers who can demonstrate a Quartz Disk Resonator Gyroscope (QDRG) with Gradient Field Control (GFC) that demonstrates potential to achieve Navigation Grade performance.
The objective of the QDRG GFC project is to demonstrate navigation grade performance using a Quartz Disk Resonator Gyroscope employing a novel approach to drive control. Quartz (a.k.a. Fused Silica) has material properties such that high Q (in excess of 800,000) can be achieved. GFC enables a manufacturing process for quartz disk resonators that does not require metallization, thus maintaining their ideal performance for PNT applications. QDRGs resulting from this effort will be characterized and installed in a test bed Inertial Navigation System (INS) for TRL6 demonstration.
For the purposes of this RFI, Navigation Grade performance characteristics equate to turn-on to turn-on bias instability of ≤0.01°/hr and Angle Random Walk (ARW) of ≤0.001°/root hr. Inertial sensors from this effort will transition into a follow-on program in FY2021 to develop an Inertial Navigation System (INS) for North finding (NF), North Keeping (NK), and Position Keeping (PK) for dismounted targeting, navigation, and pointing applications.
If the Government decides to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP), the list of tasks below, could be considered representative of the anticipated technical effort.
• Baseline QDRG Gyroscope Design
• Resonant Structure Fabrication
• Environmentally Stable Low Stress Vacuum Packaging
• Front End Electronics Integration
RFI Submission:
A response (i.e. submission) shall consist of two documents: a Cover Letter and a Technical Narrative. Formats for each document are as follows:
A. Cover Letter Instructions:
1. The cover letter shall NOT exceed three (3) pages. The cover letter should briefly state the offeror's interest in the QDRG Demonstration project and their technical capabilities. The cover letter shall also include the following information:
Subject: QDRG Demonstration
o Company name
o Date of incorporation
o Number of years in business
o Number of employees
o Mailing address
o Company Website address
o The singular point of contact for all information pursuant to this RFI.
o Phone Number
o Email address
2. In addition to the body of the cover letter, respondents shall provide short concise answers to the following questions (not included in the 3 page limit):
a. Please identify your company's business size standard based on the primary North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code of 333314. For more information, refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/tablesmall-business-size-standards.
o Large Business Concern
o Small Business (SB) Concern
o 8(a)
o Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
o Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
o Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUB Zone)
o Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
o Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
b. Name/type of technology or model
c. Technology maturity: Existing technology or technology concept
d. Brief overview of company history, limited to three (3) paragraphs
NOTE: QUESTIONS (2e-2i) are not restricted to a page limit and ONLY APPLY TO SMALL BUSINESS RESPONDENTS all others proceed to 2j.
e. If you identify your company as a Small Business or any of the SB subcategories above, then is your company interested in a prime contract? If so, does your company possess the capabilities to provide the entire range of these requirements? If not, please list which requirements your company can provide?
f. Under the current SB recertification regulations, do you anticipate that your company will remain a small business, under the primary stated NAICS code 33314?
g. If you are a small business and plan to be prime contractor on this effort please inform us on how you will meet the limitations on subcontracting Clause 52.219-14.
h. If you are a small business, can you go without a payment for 90 days?
i. If you are a small business does your company have experience as a prime contractor administering Contracts? If you answered yes, please provide as much of the following information as possible; Contract number(s); Dollar value; and similarity of scope and effort. Have you experience as a prime producing commercial items that may be of similar scope, complexity and nature, (provide up to 5 efforts).
j. Please provide details regarding proposed joint ventures, teaming arrangements, strategic alliances, or other business arrangements to satisfy these requirements. Offerors are encouraged to identify teams, indicating each team member's size based upon the NAICS code of the work that the team member may be doing.
k. Has your Company performed this type of effort or similar type effort (to include size and complexity) in the past, if so provide Contract Number , Point of Contact (POC), e-mail address, phone number, and a brief description of your direct support of the effort? (provide up to 5 efforts).
B. Technical Narrative Instructions (maximum 15 pages)
1. The technical narrative shall be submitted as two (2) files. The content of each file shall be identical. The primary submission shall be in MS Word*.docx format. The second submission shall be in Adobe *.PDF format.
Page Size: 8.5 x 11.0 inches
Margins: 1 inch all around
Font: Ariel or MS Sans Serif
Font Size: 12 point
2. The technical narrative submitted shall NOT exceed fifteen (15) pages. Test data, drawings, model outputs, etc. can be provided as attachments and will not be counted against the 15 page limit.
3. The content of the technical narrative should address each bullet listed under the topics below:
a. QDRG Baseline Design
• Experience and current capability to design high performance Quartz (fused Silica) Disk Resonator Gyroscopes (QDRG).
• Experience and current capability to fabricate, and test Quartz resonators and fully functional gyroscopes.
• Baseline Gyro resonator Design in terms of the material selection, resonant structure, measured resonator metrics and vacuum packaging.
• Requirements for electronics to drive, sense, control, and electronic self-calibrate the device.
• Modeling, test data and analysis that indicates Navigation-Grade or near Navigation-Grade performance of the QDRG.
b. Quartz Resonant Structure Fabrication
• Quartz gyroscope resonator fabrication expertise, experience, and capabilities.
• Quartz resonator fabrication process to include yield, quality process steps, constraints, and lessons learned.
• Recommended changes to the baseline resonator and/or resonator fabrication process that will increase the yield while maintaining performance.
c. Environmentally Stable Low Stress Vacuum Packaging
• QDRG-GFC packaging concept (e.g. wafer scale or Leadless Chip Carrier (LCC)).
• Indicate environmental stability and control within the package to include temperature stabilization/compensation and vibration isolation.
• Package design for electrical connectivity and mounting to facilitate gyro operation.
• Test data on packaging scheme.
d. GFC Front End Electronics Integration
• QDRG Gradient Field Control (GFC) drive, sense and control electronics design.
• Identify critical parameters required to ensure Navigation Grade performance using a Quartz Disk Resonator.
• Effectiveness of the QDRG-GFC electronic self-calibration.
• Identify improvements to the baseline electronics that should be implemented.
C. Additional Instructions:
1. Interested parties who have the ability to immediately satisfy the above requirements should provide their electronic response NLT 28 April 2017 via e-mail to the following:
• Contracting Office: Sergio J. Molina, ACC-APG Belvoir, sergio.j.molina.civ@mail.mil
• Program Office: William Thodos, NVESD, william.t.thodos.civ@mail.mil
• Program Office: Gene Klager, NVESD, gene.a.klager.civ@mail.mil
2. All interested parties must include the following RFI number in the subject line:
• RFI: W909MY-17-R-C008 - QDRG Demonstration - Your COMPANY NAME
3. RFI respondents shall designate a single point of contact (POC) for receipt of all information pursuant to this RFI.
4. Any company proprietary information, performance capabilities and/or future plans should be clearly identified and MUST be marked accordingly and will be protected by the Government, if so marked.
5. Responses to the RFI will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed.
6. Responses to the RFI may be used to develop Government documentation.
7. All information marked as proprietary information will be safeguarded to prevent disclosures to non-government personnel and entities.
8. All interested companies or organizations are encouraged to respond to the RFI by providing information by 2:00 PM EST on 28 April 2017.
9. All requests for further information shall be in writing and via email; telephonic requests for additional information will not be honored. You may request additional information from the Contract Specialist, Sergio Molina at sergio.j.molina.civ@mail.mil and the Contracting Officer, Sabin Joseph, sabin.a.joseph.civ@mail.mil.
Data Rights
It is desirable that data be received with unlimited rights to the Government. However, it is recognized that proprietary data may be included with the information provided. If so, it is the responsibility of the interested party submitting data to clearly mark such proprietary information and clearly separate it from the unrestricted information as an addendum. No Classified data shall be provided via email.
Disclaimer:
Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is voluntary. The Army does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Respondents should not construe this synopsis as a commitment for any purpose. Respondents will not individually be notified of the results of any government assessments. The Government's evaluation of the capability statements received will factor into whether any forthcoming solicitation will be conducted as a full and open competition or as a set-aside for small businesses, or any particular small business designation (e.g. SDVOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), SDB, WOSB, VOSB, etc.).
Sergio Molina, Contract Specialist, Phone 7037040841, Fax 7037040800, Email sergio.j.molina.civ@mail.mil - Sabin A. Joseph, Supervisory Contract Specialist, Phone 7037040822, Fax 7037040800, Email sabin.a.joseph.civ@mail.mil
