Pre-Solicitation_Conference_Questions_and_Answers.docx

Pre-solicitation Conference Industry Questions and Answers

1. Question:

Can I have a brief with the Technical POC in regards to independent information outside this solicitation?

1. Answer:

No individual presentations/briefs are to be provided that involve the solicitation. The Government does not want to present even a perception of a competitive advantage to any party. If it is information independent of this solicitation, material may be provided to Contracts and the Government will contact if there is further interest.

2. Question:

The Technical POC mentioned COTS in his presentation. Are the systems USN or COTS (FLIR, etc)?

2. Answer:

Most of the system type hardware that is flown is either specialty build proprietary hardware from a contractor or it is Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) items that have been built into a system. The USN is paying for the development of the overall system and testing. The sensor suites may sometimes include sub-systems that are fully COTS, like a FLIR, etc. but that depends on the system being investigated and the problem being solved. These system test beds are usually being investigated at the S&T level, as opposed to the acquisition level, and usually required regular modifications and/or re-works. The support hardware is usually built and/or re-built for each new mission as things change.

3. Question: How Firm is the “35 minutes from NSA” such as to Crestview?

3. Answer:

After review and consideration of Government travel time and expenses while also taking into account of promoting competition, the Government will change the location radius to 35 miles from NSWC PCD. The change from minutes to miles is more consistent and less restrictive.

Depending on the event, much time may be spent back and forth to the facility/hanger areas resulting in daily travel time and expenses. Due to traffic fluctuations, the time and expenses traveling back and forth between facilities are not beneficial to the Government or the taxpayer.

Crestview, FL is approximately 80 miles from NSWC PCD which is beyond the 35 mile radius.

4. Question:

Are UAV’s to be used as targets or information platform?

4. Answer:

The program is targeting its hardware for eventual use on UAVs. The UAV will serve to carry the system over the areas of interest. However, this stage of work is the S&T stage and may be flown mostly on surrogate platforms.

5. Question: For design & Integration, what are the power limits?

5. Answer:

The S&T test beds being flown may operate under various power loads. Many past systems have been powered in various ways including directly from platform bus, directly from batteries, directly from externally flown generators, and/or any combination of the above. A number of the systems push up to or beyond the capacity of the platform alone and so must be integrated appropriately.

6. Question:

Is the data relayed or recorded? What type of data?

6. Answer: Most data is stored internally in the system to allow for processing at later times. Most data is of the imagery type with ancillary data as needed.

7. Question:

On System Integration; Installed wiring to which avionics? FMS, UNS, or our design?

7. Answer:

Installed wiring typically consists of wiring to provide appropriate power distribution the system and/or safety interlocks, wiring to transit from one system component to another, wiring to support GPS or other antenna needs, support specialty plugs or demand load, and wiring to support headset intercoms throughout the cabin. Wiring may need to be appropriately shielded, bundled together, and safety strapped appropriately.

8. Question:

Is there a list of GFE? Test equipment available or is that GFE?

8. Answer:

There is not a list of GFE. Most support structures are built new and/or re-worked from previously built items for each new test event so there is not a long list of past support items, however there are some specialty items such as speakers, cradles, amps, generators, inverters, and perhaps a few generic frame pieces that could become GFE. GFE would be listed per each delivery order. Test equipment such as power meters are typically brought by the Navy personnel to each test if needed. Most test hardware under investigation is typically built by non-air services contractors and brought to the test event. Test support equipment (racks, cradles, frames, power distribution units, wiring, etc.) are usually built new and are typically different (or some modified version of an older design) for each new test event and so support requirements are always changing.

9. Question:

Who supplies equipment racks? Who supplies facility Helicopters? Who supplies large test area? Who supplies the laser ranges?

9. Answer:

The contractor builds and supplies racks and support equipment as required to address the requirements/demands of the job. The contractor supplies facility helicopters. The contractor supplies all local area facilities (hangar, storage, heliport, maintenance, fields, etc.), platforms, and test checkout areas/ranges, especially for initial integration and engineering checkouts or quick-check testing required to get the hardware working. Final testing and demonstration usually involves the use of various government ranges, such as the Gulf of Mexico Joint Range Complex, ranges at Eglin AFB, or other ranges.

10. Question:

Does Night Flying require Night Vision Goggles (NVG)?

10. Answer: NVGs are certainly recommended to help on dark nights. One must take caution with their use due to the light in the cockpit from the equipment.

11. Question:

Who supplies fuel to sites?

11. Answer:

The contractor supplies all fuel for flying at any location.

12. Question: You have standard category Aircraft listed. Will experimental certification be acceptable?

12. Answer:

It is up to the contractor to supply an appropriately acceptable and FAA approved and certified aircraft to meet the needs of the job.