Questions and Answers_14 Nov 2011.doc

Questions and Answers

B-1 Advance Radar/Electronic Warfare Test Station (ARTS)

14 Nov 2011

The following questions have been received in the WR-ALC/GRVKBB, Major Programs Contracting Office on the above ARTS requirement. The questions as well as the applicable answers are provided below for assistance to all potential offerors for the greater understanding of the Government’s requirement.

Question 1: One of the great concerns is centered around the need for digital testing.

a. Are the digital stimulus and measurement tables associated with the TPSs going to be available for us to reuse?

b. Would you expect to be able to reuse the existing patterns without modification and satisfy the Government’s requirements for test program performance?

c. What software package was used to generate the original patterns?

d. Are the models available and re-useable?

Government Response: a) The Test Requirements Documents (TRDs) and TPS source code were made available with the draft solicitation issued on April 1, 2011. These sources of data contain the digital stimulus and measurement information associated with the TPSs.

b) The existing, legacy TPSs were written in ATLAS. Therefore, the existing patterns as written in the current ATLAS code will likely not work without modification in the software environment requirements of ARTS. Additionally, the hardware used in ARTS for digital stimulus and measurement will dictate the manner in which the digital stimulus and measurements are executed.

c) The existing legacy TPSs (and generation of digital patterns) were written in ATLAS.

d) See answers above.

Question 2: What are the complexities of the current ITAs in terms of embedded active circuitry?

Government Response: There is some active circuitry in the some of the current ITAs. Some LRUs generate Aircraft Ground Equipment (AGE) signals; there are Signal Conditioning Units (SCUs) that are used in conjunction with the ITA for level changing, amplification, and other signal conditioning techniques in order to maintain signal integrity and properly measure the signals. This is primarily due to the low levels of the signals from the LRU(s) and the length of the interface cables between the LRUs and the ITA and/or station. The TWF R/P (P/N 435097-6) currently has an 8088 CPU as p/o the ITA. To reiterate from section 3.6.4 of the PD, ITAs shall be designed to be "passive" to the maximum extent possible.

Question 3: The answers to the Reference (B) Q&A implied a reasonable level of satisfaction with the existing tests being performed. The new test programs would be based on the existing ATLAS code but written in a different language. What would you expect would be the difficulties during integration of these rewritten test programs assuming the new ARTS test station was highly functional?

Government Response: The level of complexity for integration of the TPSs is essentially dictated by the design approach and implementation of the system software architecture and hardware of the ARTS.

Question 4: Are the instances of RTOKs/intermittent failures low which implies highly predictable UUT/test station results or is there a high degree of uncertainty in terms of test results?

Government Response: Although no firm data or specific numbers could be obtained for RTOK rates, the general consensus of the using community is that the current TPSs detect and isolate failures with a relatively high degree of PCOF (probably cause of failure).

Question 5: The quantity of expected ITAs based on the answers to the Reference (B) Q&As seems high. There are 25 TPSs required. The answer to question #71 was eight ITA sets required for each TPS. This means that 200 ITAs will be required. Is this a misinterpretation?

Government Response: There are a total of 25 LRUs that require a TPS as p/o this procurement. The total number of ITAs is calculated as follows:

(2 ITAs / location) X (4 locations) X (25 LRUs) = 200

The total number of ITAs for station self-test and calibration is calculated as follows:

(2 ITAs / location) X (4 locations) = 8 (for self-test)

(2 ITAs / location) X (4 locations) = 8 (for calibration)

However, if the self-test and calibration ITA is combined, then there would be a total of 8 “station” ITAs.

Questions 6 - 28: Reference:

SOW for Advance Radar/Electronic Warfare Test Station (ARTS), dated May 2011 and PD10 WRGBGBEA3, Rev A, dated 30 November 2010

Question 6: SOW 1 Scope –Many of the specifications in the PD are not required to test the LRUs specified in Attachment A of the SOW. In order to provide the lowest price and best value to the Government, can electrical specifications identified in the PD that are not required to support the testing of the specified LRUs in the SOW, be eliminated from the proposal response. SOW Paragraph 3.3.1.1 does not allow the contractor flexibility to eliminate unnecessary PD requirements.

Government Response: Offerors shall prepare their proposals IAW instructions in the final RFP. The exact requirement will need to be verified by the contractor via analysis of LRU testing requirements IAW SOW paragraph 3.3.1.1 and presented at System Requirements Review (SRR). The specifications identified in the PD reflect the Government’s minimum, mandatory requirement, and offerors shall propose to those terms and conditions in the RFP package which includes the solicitation, the Statement of Work, PD, and all CDRLs.

Question 7: SOW 3.4.1 Technical Order (T.O.) Requirements. The contractor shall submit Operation and Operator Maintenance Instruction; Maintenance and Overhaul; Illustrated Parts Breakdown (IPB) manuals in accordance with TM-86-01, Air Force Technical Manual Contract Requirements. Separate Technical Orders shall be created for the ARTS station and for each TPS. (TM-86-01, Technical Order). Was Technical Order “TEST PROCEDURE MANUAL” erroneously missing from SOW? All ARTS associated LRU “TEST PROCEDURE MANUALs” will need to be updated. Also on the legacy REW there is a TEST PROCEDURE MANUAL.

Government Response: Technical Order requirements shall be delivered IAW the Technical Manual Contract Requirements (TMCR) included with the final RFP.

Question 8: The prior legacy test station TOs, IATE, RF DAAE and Digital DAAE, supplied in support of the Draft RFP contained Operation and Operator Maintenance Instructions and Illustrated Parts Breakdown (IPB) manuals but not the Maintenance and Overhaul Manual. Is the Maintenance and Overhaul manual requirement for the test station new?

Government Response: No, this requirement is an error which will be corrected in the final RFP.

Question 9: PD Para. 3.2.1.2, Table 3-2 AC Power Stimulus –

a. The Frequency Programmable Resolution is a requirement for AC1 but not AC2. Is this correct?

b. The Programmable Phase Accuracy is a requirement for AC1 but not AC2. Is this correct?

Government Response: The requirement for Phase Accuracy should be for both AC sources. Updated PD will be provided with final RFP.

Question 10: PD para. 3.2.2.1 Analog Stimulus - Does the requirement for 2 Pulse generators include the Programmable Square Wave as incorporated into each of the 2 pulse generators, or is the Programmable Square Wave a separate generator?

Government Response: It is separate.

Question 11: PD para. 3.2.2.1 Analog Stimulus - The AFG high voltage output is specified as 0 ±122 Vp-p and Max Current is specified as 500 mA. This corresponds to a minimum load (output) impedance of 244 Ohms. What is the required load impedance for the AFG high Voltage Output?

Government Response: The exact requirement will need to be determined by the contractor via analysis of LRU testing requirements IAW SOW paragraph 3.3.1.1 and presented at System Requirements Review (SRR). Offerors shall propose to the requirements identified in the final RFP.

Question 12: PD para. 3.2.2.1 Analog Stimulus – The requirement for two (2) Arbitrary Waveform Generators (AFG) includes an AFG Low Voltage Output and an AFG High Voltage Output.

a. Do these 2 outputs constitute the 2 AFG’s, one AFG with Low Voltage Outputs only and one AFG with High Voltage Outputs only?

b. Or does the requirement for 2 AFG’s require each AFG to have an independent AFG Low Voltage Output and an independent AFG High Voltage Output?

Government Response: Each AFG is to have an independent AFG Low Voltage Output and an independent AFG High Voltage Output.

Question 13: PD Para. 3.2.2.1, Table 3-3. - Pulse Generator Specifications. Voltage Accuracy is listed as “+/- 3% of setting, +/- 50 mVp”.

a. What are the settings?

b. Do the terms, “+/- 3% of setting, +/- 50 mVp”, get added or is there a missing qualifier?

c. Does mVp stand for millivolt peak?

Government Response: Verbiage will be clarified to read “+/- (3% +/- 50 mV).” The terms get added; for instance accuracy within 350 mV for a 10V pulse. Yes, mVp stands for millivot peak.

Question 14: PD Para. 3.2.2.2, Table 3.4 - The frequency ranges listed in the AC voltage; Voltage Range requirement does not cover the entire frequency range of 2 Hz to 50 MHz. What are the voltage requirements between 2 Hz and 10 Hz and 1 MHZ and 50 MHz?

Government Response: The 10 Hz should read 2 Hz in the PD, and the 1 MHz should read 50 MHz. Updated PD will be provided with final RFP.

Question 15: PD Para. 3.2.2.3, Table 3.5 - The frequency ranges listed in the Accuracy requirement does not cover the entire frequency range of 1 Hz to 200 MHz. What are the requirements for accuracy between 1 Hz and 2 HZ and 10 MHz to 200 MHz?

Government Response: The low range should be 1 Hz to 5 kHz, and the high range should be 5 MHz to 200 MHz. Updated PD will be provided in final RFP.

Question 16: PD Para. 3.2.2.3, Table 3.5 - Does the “F.S.” in the Accuracy requirement represent “Full Scale”? What are the “Full Scale” values?

Government Response: Yes, F.S. is full scale, so the maximum applicable instrument values within the range specified.

Question 17: PD Para. 3.2.2.4, Table 3-6. - The frequency ranges listed in the Sinusoidal Waveform Frequency Resolution requirement does not cover the entire frequency range of 1 Hz to 50 MHz.

a. What are the voltage requirements between 10 MHZ and 50 MHz?

b. In addition is the requirement “<= 10 Hz for 100 HZ <= Fc 10 MHz” missing a qualifier (<=) between the “Fc” and “10 MHz”?

Government Response: a. The range which ends at 10 MHz will be corrected to end at 50 MHz.

b. Yes, it will be corrected to read “≤ 10 Hz for 100 Hz ≤ Fc ≤ 50 MHz”

Question 18: PD Para. 3.2.2.5, Table 3-7 - Please note that ±5 Volt Discretes Voltage Accuracy states “+0.1 Vdc”. Should this be “±0.1 Vdc”?

Government Response: Yes. Updated PD will be provided with final RFP.

Question 19: PD Para. 3.2.2.5, Table 3-7. - The +/- 12 Volt Discretes and the +/- 30 Volt Discretes – Voltage Accuracy is listed as 1% setting to + 50 mV, what does this mean?

Government Response: Accuracy should be within 1% of the setting plus an additional 50mV. EX: If setting is 12 V; then the UL would be 12.17 V and the LL would be 11.83. The final RFP will provide an updated PD.

Question 20: PD Para. 3.2.2.6, Table 3-8 – Please note that Vector Voltage Accuracy states “± 0.5% or range”. Should this be “± 0.5% of range”?

Government Response: Yes. The final RFP will provide an updated PD.

Question 21: PD Para. 3.2.4.1 – Sources 4 and 5 are derived from any one of the three primary sources. Is there a requirement to provide the primary source signal simultaneous with the source derived from that primary source signal? Example: Source 5 output (with phase shift) derived from Source 1 simultaneous with Source 1 output without phase shift. If the answer is yes, what are the modulation requirements for the primary source and the derived source?

Government Response: Yes, they are required simultaneously. Modulation requirements are detailed throughout the rest of 3.2.4.1.

Question 22: PD para. 3.2.4.1.4, Table 3-25 “Frequency Modulation”- the row” Peak Deviation: The smaller of” the requirement column lists Range 1, Range 2 and Range 3. Are these ranges the ranges specified for the requirement column in the row “Carrier Frequency Range Resolution”? If not, then where are these ranges defined?

Government Response: Yes, it is the ranges in the “Carrier Frequency Range Resolution” row. The final RFP will have an updated PD.

Question 23: PD para. 3.2.4.1.5 Biphase Coded Modulation- How does Biphase RF Modulation relate to 3.2.3.1 (Manchester II Buses)? Should this be referenced to the classified reference in Table 3-33?

Government Response: Biphase coded modulation has been determined not to be a requirement for the ARTS station. The final RFP will have an updated PD.

Question 24: PD Para. 3.2.4.1.7, Table 3-26 Frequency Range is listed as 3 discrete 100 MHz frequency spans. Are these 3 discrete ranges specified in the classified characteristics listed at the end of Table 3-33? Will specific ranges be provided?

Government Response: Yes, ranges will be provided after contract award.

Question 25: PD para. 3.2.4.2.4, Power Measurement - What are the “full” and “narrow” frequency ranges? Only a single frequency range is supplied.

Government Response: The full frequency range is 50 MHz to 18 GHz. The narrow frequency range is dependent on the pulse width of the signal being measured. The final RFP will have an updated PD.

Question 26: PD para. 3.2.4.2.8 Noise Source- Does this noise Source need to be provided as an output? It is not listed in the RF Stimulus paragraphs. What type of noise source (white, Gaussian, etc) is required?

Government Response: The requirement is for pseudorandom noise signals.

Question 27: PD para. 3.3.3.2.1 Output port- 7 spares are listed. Is a spare an RF I/O bulkhead connector which can be used for future growth? If not, what is the definition of a spare?

Government Response: Yes, that is correct.

Question 28: PD Para. 3.4.2.2 Electromagnetic Interference - MIL-STD-461F contains a vast number of electromagnetic compatibility control requirements for Conducted emissions and susceptibility and Radiated emissions and susceptibility. Are the specific tests (e.g. CE101) that are required for the ARTS station going to be identified and provided?

Government Response: Each test listed in the document contains an individual explanation of when it is required. Only those tests which apply to the design of the ARTS equipment shall be pertinent to this requirement.