RFI HVP_final 20240708.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

ARMY RAPID CAPABILITIES AND CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE

3307 WELLS ROAD

REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA 35898-3801

SAAL-RCC-B 8 July 2024

MEMORANDUM FOR: Hypervelocity Projectile REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

SUBJECT: The Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP) Request for Information

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP). NO SOLICITATION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS

TIME.

The Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) is seeking information on potential sources that could provide the necessary technical skills, facilities, tooling, and personnel to support prototyping a Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP).

Responses must clearly demonstrate technical qualifications, capability, and experience to provide a low-risk prototype HVP solution with prototype deliveries no later than 4QFY27 followed by an Operational Demonstration (OD) in FY28. Upon the conclusion of the OD, the prototype will be delivered to soldiers as a residual combat capability Assumption for contract award is 3QFY25.

1. Overview

a. Current air and missile defense munitions require onboard guidance and targeting components that drive high munition procurement costs. In contrast, the HVP seeks to significantly reduce munition costs and enhance expeditionary utility as an artillery cannon-based armament system integrated onto a 155mm caliber Wheeled Artillery Armament System firing HVPs. The HVP will communicate with off-board sensors that track both the HVP and the threat to complete the interception of the target.

b. The HVP OD in FY28 requires performance demonstration of prototypes delivered under this RCCTO effort. The HVP deliveries must be compatible with the Multi- Function Precision Radar (MFPR) and cannon delivered under separate Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) developed for the Hypervelocity Gun Weapon System (HGWS).

2. Scope of Support Effort

The contractor will be required to perform the following tasks to deliver HVP prototypes interoperable with SCO HGWS prototypes.

SAAL-RCC-B

The HVP Prototypes should:

• Be capable of being fired from rifled and smooth bore 155m cannons

• Be capable of supporting a launcher environment with peak pressures and setback greater than current surface-to-surface artillery

• Interface with Government provided off-board sensors that track both the HVP and threat to complete the interception of a target

• Interface with an inductive data transmission device to receive pre-launch mission data

• Enable rapid first-round response time and high rate of fire (e.g. initialization and loading approaches)

• Maintain projectile maneuverability through interception of target

• Minimize the minimum required time of flight to intercept targets

• Maximize the maximum supported time of flight to intercept

• Maximize the lethal effects against threat systems (Fixed-Wing aircraft, Rotary- Wing aircraft, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Subsonic Cruise Missiles, Supersonic Cruise Missiles)

• Enable a rapid ammunition resupply time via manual and automated means

• Demonstrate supportability, safety, and cybersecurity characteristics in the projectile design

3. Response Guidelines

a. Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a capability statement that describes the contractor’s ability to meet the requirements. Submissions cannot exceed five (5) pages, single spaced, 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font with at least one-inch margins on 8 1/2” X 11” page size. Tables, drawings and header/footer information shall be 10-point Arial font or larger. All questions, requests and submissions should be provided to the following Government POCs: Joshua Flinn, at joshua.e.flinn.civ@army.mil, and Sydney Horn, at sydney.m.horn.civ@army.mil.

mailto:joshua.e.flinn.civ@army.mil mailto:sydney.m.horn.civ@army.mil

Additional technical information for the scope detailed above and the prototype characteristics is available upon submission of a CAGE code to the Government POCs listed above. Upon validating the ability to access Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) a technical appendix will be provided.

All questions and clarifications from interested parties must be submitted to the Government POCs listed above, no later than Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at 12:00 p.m.

(noon) central time. Any questions submitted after this time may not be acknowledged.

b. The Government anticipates the receipt of UNCLASSIFIED capability statements in response to this RFI; however, if the offeror believes classified data is necessary to present a contractor's past performance and/or approach, then a written request must be submitted to the Government POCs listed above, no less than 5 calendar days BEFORE the capability statement due date. If approved by the Government, then a separate written classified annex may be included in the capability statement. This annex may not exceed the classification of collateral SECRET and must be delivered in accordance with the 32 CFR Part 2117, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM). Capability statements shall not contain any information above SECRET or contain any restrictive markings (e.g., special access program (SAP), NATO, CNWDI, WNTEL, etc.) The CONFIDENTIAL marking is reserved as a security marking in accordance with AR 380-5 and the NISPOM and shall not be used as a marking for company proprietary information. All material submitted in response to this RFI must be properly marked. The Government review team reserves the right to request further clarification to enhance our understanding of the respondent's submittal.

c. Interested sources responding to this RFI must have demonstrated expertise in production of technically sophisticated weapon system components, a facility clearance of “Secret,” demonstrated configuration management and quality controls, prototype experience, test experience, and the ability to support multiple concurrent weapon system integration activities. Information from submitted papers may be taken into consideration for future efforts. At a minimum, responses to this RFI must address the following:

(1) HVP concept for delivery no later than Q4FY27 and associated assumptions.

Assume the delivery of 200 HVPs.

(2) Pathway to incorporating Government provided off-board radar data and initialization mission data into the HVP.

(3) Total ROM cost, broken out by FY, including schedule.

(4) Pathway to incorporating prototypes into operational demonstration in FY28, to include safety and material release requirements, including schedule and specific proposed steps taken to achieve success.

(5) HVP Prototype Capabilities:

(A) Provide summary of HVP performance characteristics: Single Shot Probability of Kill (SSPK) estimates of HVP lethality against various air target types to include supporting aerodynamic / warhead data, minimum and maximum time of flights against various air threat types (Fixed-Wing aircraft, Rotary-Wing aircraft, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Subsonic Cruise Missiles, Supersonic Cruise Missiles).

(B) Provide summary of proposed HVP architecture: warhead, fuzing, guidance navigation and control (GNC), control surface actuation system, sabot (I.A.), off-board sensor interface, initialization interface, inflight power, airframe structure, safe and arm (S&A), ammo packaging and resupply concept.

Company data to include company name; address; point of contact; CAGE Code; socio-economic status under NAICS 541715 (e.g., other than small business (SB), SB, woman-owned SB, veteran-owned SB, etc.); and proposed role in the acquisition (e.g., prime offeror, subcontractor). If a SB, discuss your firm’s ability to perform at least 51% of the requirement. Responses from SB concerns will aid the Government in determining if any future efforts regarding this topic can be set-aside for SBs and/or small business subcontracting goals should the Government decide to issue a solicitation. Companies who wish to respond to this RFI should send responses via email no later than Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Central to the Government POCs listed above. Late responses will not be considered.

4. Non-Government Personnel

The Government may use Contractor Support Personnel (CSP) to assess responses to this RFI. The CSP will be required to submit to the Government a Non-Disclosure Agreement reflecting the effort(s) that they will be supporting. The Offeror’s submission of a capability statement under this RFI indicates concurrence with the aforementioned use of CSP.

Offerors are advised that employees of the firms identified below may serve as non-government advisors in the review and evaluation of capability statements. Such firms are expressly prohibited from competing on the subject acquisition.

KODA Technologies; 620 Discovery Drive Building 2, Suite 100 Huntsville, AL 35806-2816; (256) 900-1002

Radiance Technologies, 310 Bob Health Dr., Huntsville, AL 35806,

(256) 704-3400

Capstone Research Corporation, 1525 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 105, Huntsville, AL 35806, (256) 836-4550

In accomplishing their duties related to the capability statement evaluation, the aforementioned firms may require access to proprietary information contained in the offerors' capability statement. Therefore, these firms may execute an agreement with each offeror that states that they will (1) protect the offerors’ information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and (2) refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. To expedite the evaluation process, each offeror must contact the above companies to effect execution of such an agreement prior to the submission of proposals. Each offeror shall submit copies of the agreement with their capability statement, if applicable.