Contract_N00178-19-Q-3001.pdf

MARK FOR:

( ) PRE-SOLICITATION SYNOPSIS

( ) MODIFICATION TO PREVIOUS PRESOLICITATION NOTICE

( ) SOURCES SOUGHT

(X) SPECIAL NOTICE

( ) COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION

THIS IS FOR RFI #: _N00178-19-Q-3001_

If for CDSA enter SAP or PR #:_N/A_

Submitted by: Michael P. Butler_ NAICS Code: _541519_ PSC Code: _R412_

Anticipated Date to be published in FEDBIZOPS: 21 December 2018_ Anticipated Issue Date: _TBD__ Anticipated Closing Date: TBD___ Anticipated Award: _TBD__

POC Code/Name: 023/Michael P. Butler Telephone#: 540-653-7080

FAX #: ________________

Email Address: michael.p.butler2@navy.mil

Description (Subject): Virtual/Augmented Reality Technologies

Type of Action: Request For Information

Description:

Request For Information (RFI) – Virtual/Augmented reality technologies for simulating environments that support human-in-the-loop human performance and ergonomic assessments

Disclaimer:

This is a Request for Information (RFI) by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). This RFI is published in accordance with FAR Part 15.201(e), and is for PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), or a commitment by the U. S. Government, nor should it be construed as such.

Respondents are advised that NSWCDD is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information received, or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI and will not reimburse RFI preparation costs incurred by any vendor when providing the information requested under this notice or otherwise pay for the information requested. There shall be no basis for claims against the Government as a result of any information submitted in response to this RFI.

Subject

Request for information on technical solutions for developing, testing, and validating virtual and augmented reality technologies for simulating environments that support human-in-the-loop human performance and ergonomics assessments.

Summary

Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Human Systems Research and Development Branch (V13) is looking for technical solutions for developing, testing, and validating virtual and augmented reality technologies for simulating environments that support human-in-the-loop human performance and ergonomics assessments.

Solutions will span Virtual (VR), Mixed (MR), and Augmented (AR) Reality techniques that combine computational models and physical mock-ups to form a VR, MR, and AR based prototyping environments that allows designers and users to achieve desired levels of perceptual (i.e. visual, auditory, and haptic feedback) and task fidelity.

Background

Low cost physical mock-ups allow designers and potential users to experience the true size and scale of a proposed space designs, helping to identify potential issues in space layout, ergonomics, workload, communication, and safety. While such mock-ups are substantially less expensive than simulating spaces with functioning real systems and equipment, they are time consuming to create and reconfigure, and take up valuable laboratory/design space. Conversely, emerging technologies such as Augmented (AR), Virtual (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) offer new ways of leveraging computational approaches for simulating and presenting possible design alternatives to users, but often lack the tools needed by designers and human factors professionals to quickly and easily develop, evaluate, and reconfigure possible designs. While AR, VR, and MR are enticing alternatives to traditional methods, research is limited on how to maximize the effectiveness of such tools in accessing human performance, and how varying levels of perceptual fidelity within such environments effects the results and conclusions from assessments relying on such technologies.

NSWCDD will partner with responders to identify requirements and functionalities needed to support designers and users within the virtual environments, initial use cases and scenarios for use in research efforts, and will assist in creating and executing experiments. Experimentation will focus on usability of virtual design environments/approaches, assessment of impacts of simulation fidelity on human performance results, and development and validation of design/human performance predictive models (e.g., Digital Human Modeling (DHM), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)).

Requested Information

The Government asks that interested parties provide responses limited to 12 pages or less, not including a cover page, using 12 point font or larger. Responses are desired for technical objectives 1-5. The technical response to this RFI should contain the following information:

- Industry’s recommendation regarding how Industry can help the Government meet the following technical objectives:

Technical Objectives 1-5

1. Develop basic VR, MR, and AR Tools: Provide designers with basic ability to select, register, and configure/reconfigure one or more virtual environments and the associated physical mock-ups. Track up to 10 designers/participants.

2. Integrate Software Redirection Capabilities: Provide designers with the ability to integrate virtual environments as part of a networked Live, Virtual, and Constructive simulation.

3. Conduct Experiments Evaluating Virtual Environments Fidelity and Computational Validity: Investigate the impact of using mixed prototyping on the accuracy and precision of human performance model predictions and findings.

4. Integrate Human Performance Computational Modeling Capabilities: Provide designers with an ability to get near real time feedback from human performance model predictions regarding system designs and layouts (e.g., SALT scores) based on real time interaction. Allow objective and subjective data captured by system to be automatically formatted and entered into DHM and SEM tools.

5. Distributed Participation: Provide and investigate multiplayer networked capability that allows participants to participate remotely via PC based and/or AR/VR based portals, allowing observers and user bases to participate in an observational capacity remotely.

- A description of the vendor’s technical approach to meeting technical objectives 1-5

- Sufficient information to allow the Government to understand the vendor’s experience with these technical objectives

- Examples of other projects that delivered similar objectives, an explanation of why that work is relevant to the current challenge, the rough-order of magnitude of project cost (per year and total), scope of work describing roles, responsibilities and deliverables, and the project schedule including technical and programmatic milestones

- Key personnel and a synopsis of their experience with Technical Objectives 1-5, including when that work was performed

- Non-binding cost estimate information for technical objectives 1-5

- Any key assumptions relevant to the responses above

Cost estimates are for budgetary purposes only. The Government may request additional information upon review. Any results of any Government analysis will not be provided.

Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged in Microsoft or Adobe PDF format.

Information received shall be treated as Business Sensitive and will not be shared outside Government activities and agencies without permission of the provider. Any information supplied under this RFI shall be provided free of charge to the Government. All responses shall be unclassified. Information and materials submitted in response to this request will NOT be returned. If responses contain proprietary data, it shall be marked appropriately. It is the respondent's responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary information.

The closing date for this request for information is 31 January 2020. Initial responses are requested by 1 February 2019.

Point of Contact

Questions shall be directed to the Contract Specialist Michael Butler at michael.p.butler2@navy.mil. This RFI is being posted by the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, NSWC Dahlgren Division, 17362 Dahlgren Road, Suite 102, Dahlgren, Virginia, 22448-5100, United States mailto:michael.p.butler2@navy.mil