RQ_Sources Sought - ICPR.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Air Force Research Laboratory Aerospace Systems Directorate

Innovative Combustion and Propulsion Research (ICPR) Program 11 Feb 2021

INTRODUCTION

The Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate (AFRL/RQ), Wright- Patterson AFB (WPAFB), is conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet US Air Force (USAF) needs for research and development (R&D) in the areas of aircraft gas turbine and reciprocating engine mechanical system. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. This is not a solicitation and therefore no proposals will be accepted. Additionally, this RFI serves as the required notice of proposed contract action in accordance with FAR 5.2.

OBJECTIVE

The awardee(s) will perform R&D that will advance the technology development capabilities of AFRL/RQ at WPAFB. The mission of the Directorate is to create and transition propulsion, power, thermal, integration and digital engineering enterprise technologies for military dominance of air and space. This effort is an important part of that mission to provide expertise focused on solving pressing issues for current and future advanced defense systems.

SECURITY

Tasks under this effort will be conducted at security classifications up to and including SECRET.

EXPORT CONTROL

Information involved in this research effort will be subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120-131, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710-774). Therefore, a certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, will be required.

BASE SUPPORT

Base support will be provided at the Aerospace Systems Directorate facilities, to include Mechanical Systems Research Laboratory (MSRL) and Engine Environment Research Facility (EERF) and building 490. All facilities shall be available upon Government approval on a non-interference basis and may be used in connection with this task. Desk and office space for up to six employees will be provided in the MSRL facility. Current specialized equipment includes Ball-on-Rod Rolling Contact Fatigue facility, 40mm bearing fatigue facility, Versatile Bearing test rig, Ultra-Hot bearing test rig, Wedeven Associates ball-on-disc tribology rig, Rtec Multi-function tribometer, FZG-Ryder

Gear rig, and other test rigs as developed in cooperation with government personnel in building

490. In addition to the listed test equipment, a fully equipped metallography laboratory is available on site with cutting, mounting, polishing equipment. Tools, test measurement equipment, diagnostic equipment, computers and workspace will also be provided for use as needed.

See the following link for a summary of the RQTM facilities at WPAFB:

https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/RQ/rq-mechanical-systems-research-MSRL- 2018.pdf?ver=2020-08-28-132038-177

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

The scope of this effort is to advance the state-of-the-art of air breathing propulsion, power, and thermal management technologies for transition to the warfighter. The basic, applied, advanced and transitional research of this effort should focus on air breathing propulsion systems and include component design and development; subsystem integration; bench, rig and engine testing of technologies to advance the capability and affordability of Air Force systems. Efforts are anticipated to utilize advanced analytical; computational; and experimental tools/facilities available at WPAFB to conduct research on emerging and future engine and vehicle concepts, as well as, the system level technologies that address the electrical power;

thermal management; and integration of these systems. The research will target established Advanced Turbine Technologies for Affordable Mission Capability (ATTAM) goals for specific next generation propulsion engine technology development, as well as, advancements that address fielded-engine issues. Technology assessments; operational benefits analysis; and Advanced Framework for Simulation Integration and Modeling (AFSIM); should be an integral part of the effort to assess reductions in life cycle costs or increases in capability to meet current and future propulsion, power and thermal management needs. Propulsion system classes may include, but are not limited to, the following: turbofan/turbojet;

turboshaft/turboprop; expendable; limited life; high speed; hybrid; electric; and unique/novel concepts.

Research under this program will largely take place at WPAFB and will focus on advancing the state of the art of the following four core technical areas:

1) Bearing and Lubrication Technology for Fielded/Emerging Large and Medium Scale Engines: Investigate, develop, demonstrate, and assess novel and disruptive aircraft engine lubrication/material technologies for current and next generation aircraft engine mechanical systems. Evaluate non-traditional/low technology readiness level (TRL) material and lubricant technologies required to meet the challenging tribological/load carrying capability, thermal stability, material compatibility, and heat transfer/thermal management characteristics for future unmanned and manned large and medium scale engine designs. Investigate the fundamental performance and failure mechanisms of mechanical components (bearings and gears) in support of enhanced physics-based modeling and simulation tool development and DoD digital engineering enterprise https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/RQ/rq-mechanical-systems-research-MSRL-2018.pdf?ver=2020-08-28-132038-177 https://www.afrl.af.mil/Portals/90/Documents/RQ/rq-mechanical-systems-research-MSRL-2018.pdf?ver=2020-08-28-132038-177 objectives. This will include, but is not limited to: rolling contact fatigue (RCF) life and spall propagation testing, tribology of advanced bearing materials and lubricants, full-scale bearing and lubrication system validation and integration, and assessment of mechanical systems prognostics health monitoring technologies. The contractor shall complete data analysis and make recommendations on the various technologies suitability for military engines and weapon systems.

2) High-Temperature Mechanical Systems Technology for High Speed Systems: Investigate, develop, demonstrate, and assess novel and disruptive aircraft engine lubrication/material technologies for high-Mach and high-temperature applications. This will include, but is not limited to: friction, wear, and lubrication investigation of bearing/gear/lubricant material systems at high-temperature (>500°F) through sub-scale (TRL 3-4) experimentation to assess feasibility for high-temperature mechanical system implementation. This will involve use of existing and/or modified R&D facilities such as the WAM ball-on-disk tribometer, R- Tec pin-on-disk tribometer, hi-temp ball-on-rod RCF, scanning electron microscope (SEM), metallurgical analysis equipment, and laser/surface profilometers. This will also include test and validation of promising high-temperature concepts through full-scale bearing, lubricant, and lubrication system configuration testing at engine-relevant conditions (TRL

5) of speed, load, and temperature to meet reusable supersonic and hypersonic engine performance requirements. This will require updating and maintaining the existing High Mach Engine bearing test rig. Complete data analysis and make recommendations on the various technologies suitability for military engines and weapon systems.

3) Mechanical Systems for Low Cost/Attritable Systems: Investigate, develop, demonstrate, and assess novel and disruptive aircraft engine lubrication/material technologies for small, low-cost/attritable and expendable unmanned air systems. This will include, but is not limited to: investigating friction, wear, and lubrication of bearing/gear/lubricants for low-cost and limited-life components through sub-scale (TRL 3-

4) experimentation, generating fatigue life data and assessing fatigue crack growth characteristics of bearing materials operating at/beyond design capabilities for limited-life, low-cost applications (TRL 3-4), testing and validating oil-free and low-cost bearing concepts and mechanical system architectures for low-cost/limited-life propulsion systems (TRL 4-5), collaborating with academia/industry/government to develop and validate mechanical systems design tools for low-cost/attritable engines.

4) Research Laboratory Enhancements and Modifications: Design, and/or modify experimental test facilities/equipment/rigs as needed, including, but not limited to, test hardware, experimental test cell control systems, experimental data-acquisition systems, and computational resources using the latest state-of-the-art computer aided design and modeling tools in support of research and development requirements.

STATEMENT OF CAPABILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

Interested parties are invited to submit a Statement of Capabilities (SOCs) reflecting their interest and capability in meeting the above requirements. Information submitted should be pertinent and specific in the technical areas under consideration as outlined above, and on each of the following qualifications:

(1) Experience - provide an outline of projects, specific work previously performed, or any in-house R&D effort or similar type work that is currently being performed.

(2) Personnel - provide the titles/proposed functions, professional qualifications, certification levels, years of experience, security clearance and specific experience of scientists, engineers, and technical personnel (i.e. principal investigator, project officer) who may be assigned to perform in the technical areas under consideration.

(3) Security - provide a statement regarding industry security clearance.

(4) Analysis - provide information regarding the analytical capability and experience to perform mechanical and thermal analysis, statistical analysis and data reduction, as well as operational benefits analysis. Also, identify whether or not these capabilities are owned and operated within the company or require outside services or subcontracting.

(5) Other - provide any other specific and pertinent information as it pertains to this particular area of procurement that would enhance our consideration and evaluation of the information submitted.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVE

A draft Statement of Objectives for the anticipated Innovative Combustion and Propulsion Research program is available upon request. Please submit a copy of your approved DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, with the request.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The anticipated period of performance for any contractual effort is expected to be 96 months with an ordering period of 60 months.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Limit RFI responses to thirty (30) single-sided, single-spaced pages. Responses shall be unclassified and any proprietary information shall be marked accordingly. Please utilize Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format in any RFI submittals. All responses shall be submitted to the below stated contracting POCs, via email, no later than 10 March 2021.

POINTS OF CONTACT

Please submit all responses to this RFI and any clarifications questions to the below stated contracting POCs via email. Please note that clarification questions and answers may be posted to the Government-Wide Point of Entry (GPE) located at https://beta.sam.gov/ unless a https://beta.sam.gov/ contractor specifically states that a particular question is proprietary or may give away a potential competitive advantage in the anticipated upcoming solicitation.

Contracting:

a) Contracting Officer: Eric Carretta, eric.carretta@us.af.mil, (937) 713-9961

b) Contracts Specialist: Megan Wetzel, megan.wetzel@us.af.mil, (937) 713-9957 mailto:eric.carretta@us.af.mil