FA4659-RFI-CSUAS SUAS v5 - PDBL.pdf

Request for Information (RFI) for C-sUAS and sUAS Solutions FA4659-RFI-CSUAS+SUAS v5

Request for Information (RFI) for C-sUAS and sUAS Solutions for Group 1-3 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Introduction:

The Point Defense Battle Lab (PDBL) is seeking information from industry to improve USAF understanding of market capabilities and identify qualified vendors to collaborate with who are capable of providing Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) and Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) integration, development, training, and sustainment services.

Responses to this RFI will help identify businesses with sUAS and C-sUAS technologies and expertise capable of collaborating with the PDBL to carry out its mission to “develop and validate Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures necessary to advance C-sUAS detection, tracking, interception, and neutralization, improving the ability of units to secure Air Force assets, personnel, and continuity of operations.”

All interested and qualified businesses (i.e., Small Business, Other than Small) submit your information on the PDBL Vendor Landing Page at the following link.

https://www.grandforks.af.mil/Point-Defense-Battle-Lab/PDBL-Vendor-Landing-Page/

The Government intends to keep this RFI continuously active to maintain open communication with industry and support dynamic market research. Rather than serving as a one-time RFI closure, the Response Date (or expiration date) published on SAM.gov represents the target milestone when PDBL anticipates publishing an updated Plan of Action and Milestones

(POAM).

Periodic POAM Updates To maintain program alignment, the Government will periodically update this notice with a current POAM. This updated schedule will demonstrate program milestones, acquisition timelines, and prospective windows showing vendor availability to be scheduled for engagement.

Submission Windows & Administrative Process Upon publication of each updated POAM, the Government will issue an administrative amendment to this RFI, resetting the SAM.gov Response Date to the next projected update cycle. Industry partners are encouraged to monitor this notice continuously and submit capabilities packages in alignment with the active POAM schedules.

https://www.grandforks.af.mil/Point-D https://www.grandforks.af.mil/Point-Defense-Battle-Lab/PDBL-Vendor-Landing-Page/ https://www.grandforks.af.mil/Point-Defense-Battle-Lab/PDBL-Vendor-Landing-Page/

Background:

The USAF established the PDBL to serve as a hub for collaboration, pushing boundaries in C-sUAS capabilities, ensuring the Air Force maintains tactical superiority against evolving threats, and as a key part of the service’s effort to develop and evaluate advanced technologies to defend installations from sUAS threats.

The PDBL priorities include:

o Shift installation defense against airborne threats to a more proactive posture.

o Integrate cutting-edge technology, unit expertise in tactical execution, and academic and industry to rapidly develop TTPs for defeating sUAS threats and ensuring robust force protection.

o Develop and evaluate advanced technologies to ensure the DAF maintains tactical superiority against evolving aerial threat

Requirements:

PDBL is seeking to collaborate with industry businesses that meet the following requirements:

1. Ease of Use: The technology or services should be easy to use and require minimal training for operators.

2. Rapidly Deployable: The technology or services should be capable of being transported via palletized cargo. Able to be set up with a small team (4 personnel or less) within 2 hours.

3. Extreme Weather: The technology or services must be capable of withstanding and operating in ambient air temperatures of -40, and 20-30 mph winds.

4. Proprietary Technology: The PDBL Prioritizes Non-proprietary technology, and will accept information on interoperable technology. The PDBL will also accept Proprietary Technology, note proprietary information should be clearly marked.

Technical Parameters for C-sUAS:

The PDBL is interested in technologies or services that meet the following technical parameters:

A. Ability to consistently detect and track all Group 1 UAS types at ranges of 2 km or greater;

increased range and track accuracy is preferred.

B. Autonomous classification of detected tracks, distinguishing small UAS from non‑UAS objects;

unresolved tracks may be designated as “unknown air tracks.”

C. Effective discrimination of biological clutter, ground clutter, and false tracks to maintain a clean air picture.

D. Simultaneous detection and tracking of multiple UAS threats.

E. Must function in GNSS denied or degraded environments and maintain low physical and spectral signatures to support survivability in contested battlespaces.

System Characteristics

E. Compatibility with existing shore power or standard U.S. military generators (5 kW–30 kW).

F. Provision of radar cross section (RCS) data for detected targets.

G. Rapid integration capability with Government‑designated C‑UAS fire control systems.

H. All‑weather engineering sufficient to maintain performance in adverse environmental conditions.

I. Ease of operator usability with a preference toward the ability to reduce sensor calibration times, mean time between failures, and maximize field maintenance efficiency by operators

Secondary Attributes

J. Capability to detect, track, and classify Group 2 and Group 3 UAS with actionable data on threat disposition

K. Provision of a 360‑degree azimuth and 30‑degree elevation search air picture, with up to 90‑degree elevation in track coverage; distributed architectures are acceptable.

L. Ability to steer search and track elevation below 0 degrees relative to sensor emplacement.

M. Desired minimum detection range between 50m and 500m, with preference toward shorter ranges.

N. Ability or path to detect and track hovering UAS exhibiting 0 Hz Doppler characteristics.

O. Capability or planned development path to provide physical target length estimates.

P. Tracking accuracy sufficient to support downstream effector, sensor cueing, and multi-modal sensor fusion, expressed in azimuth and elevation error.

Q. Track update rates between 4 Hz and 10 Hz.

R. Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) integration

Cybersecurity: If selected through prototyping phase, the technology or service will be required to comply with DoD Instruction 8510.01 (Risk Management Framework for DoD Systems), all information technology products and systems that receive, process, store, display, or transmit DoD information must obtain a formal Authorization to Operate (ATO), which signifies that an Authorizing Official (AO) has reviewed the system's security posture and deemed the residual risk acceptable to the Department of War.

Submission Requirements:

The information requested in support of the Capabilities Statement must be submitted in writing.

The submitted Capabilities Statement shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages, in addition to a one (1) page cover letter, for a total submission not to exceed sixteen (16) pages, including:

1. Company Overview: A brief overview of the company, including its experience and expertise around sUAS or C-sUAS.

2. Technology or Services Overview: A detailed description of the proposed technology or services the company offers, including its technical parameters, performance characteristics, and integration requirements.

At a minimum, the description must include:

• Power requirements and operating profiles.

• Detection and tracking ranges for Group 1 (small, medium, large) and Group 2 UAS, including test methodology or references to prior Government demonstrations.

• Minimum detection range.

• Expected performance below 50 m AGL.

• Track management limits, including merge and separation constraints.

• List of U.S. military C‑UAS command and control systems integrated to date.

• Azimuth and elevation search coverage and track elevation limits.

• Track update rates and azimuth/elevation error metrics (mrad).

• Identification of any cloud compute dependencies.

3. Technical Approach: A detailed description of the technical approach used for C-sUAS and sUAS technologies or services.

4. Performance Data: Performance data and test results that demonstrate the technologies or services’ ability to utilize C-sUAS measures to protect USAF assets.

All interested and qualified businesses (i.e., Small Business, Other than Small) submit your information on the PDBL Vendor Landing Page at the following link. https:// www.grandforks.af.mil/Point-Defense-Battle-Lab/PDBL-Vendor-Landing-Page/

Your submission should be organized in accordance with the instructions in this document to permit a thorough and accurate review by the USAF.

http://www.grandforks.af.mil/Point-Defense-Battle-Lab/PDBL-Vendor-Landing-Page/

Security:

This RFI is unclassified. Do not include any classified information submitted in response to this RFI. Proprietary information should be clearly marked.

Disclaimer:

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION IS SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND

PLANNING PURPOSES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION. In accordance with FAR 15.101(c), Requests for Information. The Government does not currently intend to award a contract, but wants to obtain delivery, market, or capabilities information for planning purposes. Responses to RFIs are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of the RFI or otherwise pay for the information requested; and Responses will be treated as information only and not as a proposal. Information received in response to an RFI must be safeguarded adequately from unauthorized disclosure. Contracting officers shall mark the information with date and time of receipt and provide the information to designated officials.

Appendix

Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Categorization Chart sUAS Category Gross Takeoff Weight (lbs)

Operating Altitude (ft

AGL)

Average Speeds (kts) Examples

Small Group 1

2 - 6

< 400

25 - 45

DJI Mavic, Teal 2, <10” quadcopters, Talon GT Rebel, Opterra

Medium Group 1

7 - 11

400 - 1,200

45 - 85

Neros Archer, Skyhunter (1.8m), Quadzilla

Large Group 1

12 - 20

< 1,200

50 - 90

Freefly Astro, IF1200A, PDW C100

(Light), Harris H6

Group 2

21 - 55

1,200 - 3,500

100 - 250

ScanEagle, RQ-21 Blackjack, Aerosonde, Puma LE