RFI_7_July_2016.docx

Request for Information: DSU 33 Proximity Sensor

Solicitation Number: FA8213-17-R-DSU33 Notice Type: RFI

NOTICE: This is not a solicitation but rather a RFI to determine potential sources for information and planning purposes only.

The United States Air Force Munitions Division is seeking sources for the DSU-33 proximity sensor that provides Height of Burst (HOB) functionality to general purpose warheads. The DSU-33D/B electronics design has been in production for over 10 years. Due to the age of the design, the DSU-33D/B has components that are now obsolete and are no longer available for future production. No drop in replacements exist for these items and the replacement of these components will require significant redesign and sensor requalification. Unclassified drawings and specifications for the DSU-33D/B will be released upon request.

The DSU-33E/B will be a modification program established to resolve current obsolescence issues with the DSU-33D/B sensor. The DSU-33E/B will maintain the same form, fit, and function as the DSU-33D/B. However, due to the nature of the changes required to address the obsolescence issues, certain targets of opportunity to futureproof the sensor will be addressed. These include both manual and in-cockpit selectable height of burst via interface with a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kit and tighter tolerances on system performance. During this effort, hardware will be added to the sensor for future proofing. Hardware and software, external to the sensor, for cockpit selectability will not be realized under this program but will be implemented at a later date.

Any potential improvements to the DSU-33D/B not addressed in the Systems Requirements Document and Draft System Performance Specification can be addressed on a case by case basis.

The purpose of this RFI is to conduct market research to determine if responsible sources exist, to assist in determining if this effort can be competitive and/or a total Small Business Set-Aside. The proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 332993 which has a corresponding size standard of 1,500 employees. The Government will use this information to determine the best acquisition strategy for this procurement. The Government is interested in all small businesses to include 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned, Hubzone, and Women-Owned small business concerns. The Government requests that interested parties respond to this notice if applicable and identify your small business status to the identified NAICS code. Additionally, please provide any anticipated teaming arrangements, along with a description of similar supplies/services offered to the Government and to commercial customers for the past three years. Any responses involving teaming agreements should delineate between the work that will be accomplished by the price and the work accomplished by the teaming partners.

This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this RFI. The Air Force will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by interested parties in responding to this request for information. This FedBizOpps notice is an announcement seeking market information on businesses capable of providing the supplies/services as described herein. The Munitions Division is currently conducting market research to determine qualified, experienced, and interested potential sources. The information requested by this RFI will be used within the DoD to facilitate decision making and will not be disclosed outside the department. However, respondents submitting business information pursuant to this RFI should be familiar with the regulations concerning the release of such information to third parties under the Freedom of Information Act. All information submitted by respondents that they consider confidential/proprietary and not releasable to third parties outside of the DoD, and its employees, agents, consultant, and representatives, must be clearly and conspicuously so marked.

RFI Questions

1. Company info: provide name, cage code, and DUNS.

2. What is the size of your company under NAICS 332993?

3. If you intend to propose on this requirement, would you propose as a prime or a subcontractor?

4. Cost and Schedule

4.1 Provide a baseline cost and schedule ROM for a sensor meeting threshold requirements In the DSU-33EB System Requirements Document (SRD). Include NRE (Non-recurring Engineering)/qualification/testing, and production unit cost for production quantities of 5,000, 10,000, & 15,000 per year:

Threshold Cost & Schedule ROM

4.1.1 Which threshold requirements contribute most to NRE cost and schedule and production cost?

4.2 For each of the objective requirements in the SRD give a delta cost and schedule ROM to the above baseline.

4.3 Objective cost & schedule deltas:

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.1.2 pre-release data sharing

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.1.3 post release data sharing

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.2.1.3 internal physical form

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.2.1.7 operating life

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.2.1.8.2 HOB increments

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.2.1.8.3 HOB tolerance

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.2.1.8.5 HOB detection

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM SRD Requirement 3.9.2 shelf/service life

Delta (Δ) Cost & Schedule ROM Captive Carriage Hours*

*Requirement not captured in SRD.

5. Threshold (per 3.1.3.5.2 of PRF 2016XXXX Draft Performance Specification for the DSU-33EB Proximity Sensor):

5.1 In multiple sorties with up to 20 hours in a single sortie, for the 1000-lb and 2000-lb class JDAM weapons, the Sensor shall be operable after cumulative captive carriage of l00 hours or 50 hours (attack/fighter). In multiple sorties with up to 20 hours in a single sortie, for the 500-lb class weapon, the Sensor shall be operable according to the following table:

Table 1 Captive Carriage Life

5.2 The sensor shall also be operable after exposure to environmental elements associated with aircraft loading and captive carriage. Aero-thermal heating will be present. Rain, snow and other visible moisture may also be present. The Sensor shall be fully operable after captive carriage, internally or externally for up to 20 consecutive hours at 45,000 ft. MSL. The Sensor shall also be capable of captive carriage at Mach 1.5 for up to 10 minutes

6. Objective:

6.1 Captive carriage life shall be double that of the threshold hours in the same environments.

7. Technology Readiness:

7.1 Estimate the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) for a sensor meeting the threshold requirements

7.2 For which threshold requirements are the TRLs lowest?

Lowest TRL requirement:____________ 2nd Lowest TRL requirement: ____________ 3rd lowest TRL requirement: ____________

7.3 What are the estimated TRLs for each of the Objective requirements?

3.1.2 Pre-release data sharing TRL:__________

3.1.3 Post release data sharing TRL: __________

3.2.1.3 Internal physical form TRL: __________

3.2.1.7 Operating life TRL: __________

3.2.1.8.2 HOB increments TRL: __________

3.2.1.8.3 HOB tolerance TRL: __________

3.2.1.8.5 HOB detection TRL: __________

3.9.2 Shelf/service life TRL: __________

Captive Carriage Live TRL: __________

7.4 What strategies or methods will be employed to ensure operation in an electronic countermeasures environment? (Requirement 3.2.1.2 from SRD, keep answer to a high level, un-classified response.)

7.5 What strategies or methods will be used to mitigate the impact of future obsolescent parts or components?

7.6 If using differing materials from the DSU-33 D/B, what materials would be used for sensor construction i.e. radome, sensor housing, gaskets? What advantages would these materials have?

7.7 What technologies in life limiting items will be used to meet shelf and service life requirements?

7.8 What hardware, software or other technology changes are required to meet objective HOB detection requirements over the threshold requirements (SRD section 3.2.1.8.5)? (i.e. does the objective requirement require a completely different design compared to the threshold, or can it be done with smaller changes?)

7.9 What are the prices for the following rights: Unlimited Rights, Government Purpose Rights and Limited Rights/Restricted Rights?

7.10 Are there any potential improvements not addressed in requirements documents that we should consider implementing? (i.e., “low hanging fruit” that should be implemented “while we are in there”.)

7.11 At the time of RFI posting it appears that funding for implementation of full cockpit HOB selectability will be available in FY18. What capability, or experience do you have in integrating fuzes or sensors with JDAM? What risks do you envision with JDAM integration and how do you plan to address them?

A draft of the DSU-33EB Performance Specification and DSU-33DB Technical Data Package will be released only by request IAW its corresponding Distribution Statement contingent upon the interested party being registered with the Joint Certification Program and providing a copy of a signed DD Form 2345 “Military Critical Technical Data Agreement.” If a DD 2345 has not been completed, follow the instruction on http://www.dlis.dla.mil/JCP# to complete a DD 2345.

RFI responses are to be in report format not to exceed twenty (20) printed single sided pages. A page is defined as each face of a sheet of paper containing information. Page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches and printed on one side. The text shall be Times New Roman and font size shall be no less than 12 point font and lines shall be singled spaced. Use at least 1 inch margins on the top, bottom and side. Foldout pages are not allowed. For tables, charts, graphs and figures, the text shall be no smaller than 10 point.

Respondents to this RFI are to provide their report no later than 8 August 2016 5:00 PM MDT. Send reports to antonio.mccartney.1@us.af.mil and darin.huler@us.af.mil.