20250930_DVE-HD-A_RFI_for posting.docx

CUI

Request For Information (RFI)

Market Research for Product Manager Ground Sensors (PM GS) Driver’s Vision Enhancer – Abrams – High Definition (DVE-A-HD)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Notice Type: Sources Sought Solicitation Number: W909MY-26-R-DVEA Posted Date: 30 September 2025 Original Response Date: 30 days after posting Current Response Date: 30 days after posting Original Archive Date: 15 days after response date Current Archive Date: 15 days after response date Original Set Aside: N/A Set Aside: N/A Classification Code: 5895 – Miscellaneous Communication, detection, & coherent radiation equipment NAICS Code: 334511 -- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY – This RFI is for acquisition planning purposes only and shall not be considered as a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO), invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Your response to this RFI will be treated as information only and will help inform Product Manager Ground Sensors (PM GS) in developing the acquisition strategy and performance capabilities for an upgrade to one platform in the Driver’s Vision Enhancer Family of Systems (DVE-FOS) program. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this announcement or the Government’s use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or part, any contractor input resulting from this request. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract.

Any information provided may be used by the Army in developing its acquisition strategy, performance work statement, statement of objectives and/or performance-based specification(s). Parties responding to this RFI are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI. It is the responsibility of the potential respondents to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

All interested companies or organizations are encouraged to respond to the RFI by providing the requested information no later than 1700 EST, 30 October 2025 and are not to exceed 20 pages. Please submit all RFI responses to Brianna Murphy, Contract Specialist, brianna.h.murphy2.civ@army.mil and Sabin Joseph, Contracting Officer, sabin.a.joseph.civ@army.mil. The subject line for the email submission shall read as follows:

Subject: PM GS DVE-A-HD RFI Response: “Company Name”

INTRODUCTION: The Army Contracting Command- Aberdeen Proving Ground- Belvoir Division (ACC-APG Belvoir), on behalf of PM GS, is issuing a Request for Information (RFI), in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and 15.201(e). PM GS is the office of primary responsibility for the Driver’s Vision Enhancer – Abrams – High Definition (DVE-A-HD) capability, which is intended to replace the currently fielded Driver’s Vision Enhancer – Abrams (DVE-A) AN/VAS-5B (X) configuration, part of the DVE-Family of Systems (FOS). The DVE-A enables M1A1 and M1A2 vehicles to continue operating during daylight, darkness (under all ambient light levels), adverse weather, and “dirty” battlefield conditions, aiding the driver to negotiate obstacles such as ditches, craters, railways, water, etc. Operating nominally in the 8 to 14 micrometer spectral region, the DVE-A is a real time, uncooled passive thermal imaging system with each unit comprised of a Sensor Assembly (including all required mounting hardware, wiring, and connectors), Display / Control Module (DCM), Quick Release Bracket, and Quick Release Cable. The DVE-A components are currently defined by the following technical documents and drawing(s):

· MIL-PRF-49256E (07 November 2022) – Performance Specification for DVE-FOS AN/VAS-5(A), in particular Appendix D, Performance Specification for the DVE-A AN/VAS-5B (X)

· A3325865C (07 November 2022) – Interface Control Document (ICD) for the DVE-FOS B-Kit AN/VAS-5 (A)

· 3245325K (02 October 2021) – Display / Control Module (DCM)

· A3340000 (03 December 2015) – M1A1 / A2 DVE Abrams Installation Kit

· A3340022 (03 December 2016) – Interface Bracket, DVE-M1 REM

· A3340056 (03 December 2016) – DCM Bracket, DVE-M1

The four drawings (3245325K, A3340000, A3340022, and A3340056) are hereby provided as part of this RFI. The MIL-PRF and ICD (MIL-PRF-49256E and A3325865C) are Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). For those interested in seeing these two documents, please send an email directly to sabin.a.joseph.civ@army.mil and brianna.h.murphy2.civ@army.mil of your request, advising what company you work with your associated CAGE Code. Once a valid need to the information is demonstrated, these two documents will be provided accordingly.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE: The U.S. Army needs an improved DVE capability on the Abrams Main Battle Tank (MBT) to reduce the number of vehicle incidents and increase Abrams crew and dismounted troop safety. DVE-A is an all-weather capability developed and deployed from 1993 to 2015 to enable Abrams MBT drivers to operate their vehicle under limited visibility and in adverse conditions (night, smoke, etc.).

PM GS is developing a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) / Non-Developmental Item (NDI) acquisition strategy for a potential future contract action for an improved DVE-A capability (referred to as DVE-A High Definition, or DVE-A-HD) and is seeking Industry input on (a) its ability to refresh the relevant technologies and to integrate a complete solution from existing COTS / NDI components, and then qualify and produce the DVE-A-HD units, (b) approaches to maximize and promote competition on the DVE-A program, and (c) strategies for reducing cost and schedule in developing and producing DVE-A-HD units while meeting performance requirements. PM GS is also conducting market research to identify potential sources that have the skills, experience, knowledge, and capabilities required to manufacture and deliver the DVE-A-HD capabilities under a future contract. The notional DVE-A-HD procurement timeline includes design integration and refinement, qualification, and provisioning activities beginning in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), with production starting No Later Than (NLT) 4QFY27, and delivery of units and platform integration support to run through FY28.

Key focus areas and constraints include:

1. An enhanced DCM that provides current state-of-the-art resolution, image stabilization, and contrast enhancements.

2. An enhanced Sensor Assembly that provides current state-of-the-art lightweight, uncooled passive thermal imaging camera(s), associated lenses and detector(s), signal processing electronics, environmental housing, and wiring and connector(s) for power, control, and video signals.

3. All components shall fit existing physical dimension profiles and meet current Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints (as much as possible).

4. The acquisition solution shall meet planned production requirements of approximately 200 units starting in FY27, but additionally be capable of producing additional units (up to five thousand) should the Army require upgrades to additional Abrams MBTs.

5. The DVE-A-HD capability shall be at least as sustainable as the current DVE-A units.

· Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) rates shall be no less than rates currently experienced in the existing DVE-A fleet.

· Training and other technical documentation shall follow the same format and level of detail requirements required in developing Military documentation as existing documentation.

In addition, the Government intends to leverage novel and emerging technologies to the established DVE baseline, providing both improved capabilities and affordability to the refreshed DVE-A-HD design. Industry is requested as part of this RFI to offer insights and recommendations regarding possible objective DVE-A-HD capabilities, providing performance and functionality beyond that of the existing DVE-A, that may be incorporated with minimal additional development / integration effort and cost impact. Examples of potentially improved DVE capabilities include:

· Enhanced Route Selection – Automatic detection, identification, and display of terrain features; expanded Field of View (FoV) / Field of Regard (FoR); increased situational awareness at intersections

· Improved Hazard Detection – High resolution at maximum distance; depth perception to detect differences in the distance to both stationary and moving objects; day / night with accurate display of colors in all lighting levels; improved ability to see through thermal crossover and degraded conditions such as smoke, dust, fog, and rain; addition of vehicle width indicators and user-adjustable lane markers

· Improved Emergency Egress – Reduced display / mount weight; faster and easier (tool-less) display / mount release and removal; maximum use of recessed or sub flush buttons and controls to prevent damage (i.e., no physical knobs or toggle switches)

The Government is considering the use of an Indefinite Quantity, Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) contract vehicle to procure DVE-A-HD units and requires ROM price estimates for several possible ranges of production in FY27 – FY32. For production starting in FY27 provide an updated ROM price estimate for 200 DVE-A-HD units, and for each potential additional year of production provide ROM price forecasts for a procurement of 25 – 50 units, 50 – 100 units, 100 – 150 units, and 150 – 200+ units. The Government welcomes any additional information that would facilitate developing an acquisition strategy that would more efficiently and / or economically procure the required number of DVE-A-HD units.

CONFIDENTIALITY: No classified, confidential or sensitive information shall be included in your response. Interested parties are responsible for appropriately marking any proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response.

QUESTIONS TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT: All questions pertaining to this announcement are due within ten (10) business days after release (06 October 2026). Telephone requests will not be accepted. Questions, both technical and contracting related, regarding this RFI should be submitted via e-mail to Briana Murphy, Contract Specialist, brianna.h.murphy2.civ@army.mil, and Sabin Joseph, Contracting Officer, sabin.a.joseph.civ@army.mil, no later than 1400 EST on 06 October 2025. Questions will be non-attribution published via the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

If the Government has additional questions or a need for information following the evaluation of your response, you may be contacted and asked to provide that information. If an Industry outreach event is anticipated in the future, details will be published through SAM.gov.

RESPONSE SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS: Participation in responding (or not responding) to this RFI will not preclude any vendor from participating in future acquisitions, either individually or as part of a team. For this RFI, the Government seeks information regarding your capabilities and experience related to the delivery of capabilities as described in the Program Objective section of this RFI. Sources able to address the above request are invited to submit information describing their approach. The Government requests that interested sources submit an electronic response of not more than twenty (20) pages on 8.5" x 11" paper, 12-point, Arial font, with a minimum of one (1) inch margins all around. Files shall be sent in a Microsoft Word compatible (version 2013 or newer) file or a PDF file. Files greater than 15MB cannot be transmitted through the network firewall. Submissions shall provide the following:

1. Point of Contact information:

· Contact and company information

· Name

· Title

· Company name

· Date of incorporation

· Number of years in business

· Number of employees

· Location

· Mailing address

· Phone number

· CAGE Code

· Unique Entity ID

· Website address

· Email address

· Note that RFI respondents shall designate a single point of contact for receipt of all information pursuant to this RFI

2. Your company's business size standard based on the primary North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code of 334511. For more information, refer to http://www.sba.gov/content/tablesmall-business-size-standards:

· Large Business Concern

· Small Business (SB) Concern

· 8(a)

· Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)

· Woman-Owned Small Business

· Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)

· Veteran-Owned Small Business

· Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

3. A brief overview of your company’s history of prior and current work, limited to the past five (5) years and no more than three (3) paragraphs.

4. A discussion of your ability to integrate, qualify and produce on-the-move vision enhancement capabilities suitable for a combat environment, including a synopsis of current products and production capacities, with examples. Also, please provide a description of your company’s prior or current relevant work experience for product testing & acceptance procedures / reporting, to include Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) / Failure Reporting, Analysis, and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) and Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM).

5. A discussion of major risks, integration challenges, or obstacles to delivering a DVE-A-HD technology refresh capability within the schedule constraints outlined in the Program Objective section of this RFI that meets the current DVE-A’s Form, Fit, and Function (FFF) requirements. Please also provide a description of your company’s policies regarding maintaining test reports or data demonstrating compliance with product specifications, and making those reports and data available to the Government upon request.

6. A discussion of particular innovative design and/or acquisition approaches, tasks, and methods to reduce cost, schedule, and technical / performance / production / sustainment risks to deliver DVE-A-HD within two years.

7. A description of any known restrictions on the Government's use, release, or disclosure of technical data or computer software pertaining to integration, operation, or sustainment of the DVE-A-HD components. Please also describe the degree to which any asserted data rights restrictions may affect the proposed technical solution(s) and the Government’s ability to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose the resulting technical data and computer software for Government purposes as defined in DFARS 252.227-7013(a)(12) and DFARS 252.227-7014(a)(11).

8. Confirmation of your interest in one-on-one sessions with PM GS to learn more about the DVE-A-HD requirements and discuss potential courses of actions for acquisition, how to maximize competition, and recommendations to reduce integration or production costs and schedule. Please also provide confirmation of your intention to participate in a demonstration event for the Government to learn about and characterize your company’s DVE sensor, display, and related technologies. Planning for the demonstration event is underway, which will be conducted in parallel with the individual one-on-one sessions in the Northern Virginia area, approximately in November 2025.

PM GS will contact any interested vendor(s) that requests a one-on-one session AND have addressed questions 4-8 of this RFI to a sufficient level in their response to warrant further discussion. Late responses received after the suspense date will not be contacted for a one-on-one session. PM GS will attempt to reach out to any vetted vendors that requested a one-on-one session within 10 business days after the deadline.

Supporting documentation (such as marketing brochures, fliers, published presentations or papers and other materials that summarize the technology and more about your company) is acceptable (up to five (5) pages). The Government makes no guarantee that the supporting documentation will be reviewed and / or considered.

Responses to the RFI may be used to develop Government documentation. Any company proprietary information, performance capabilities, and / or future modification plans shall be clearly identified and SHALL be marked accordingly in order for it to be protected by the Government. All information marked as proprietary information will be safeguarded to prevent disclosures to non-Government personnel and entities.

DISCLAIMER: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS RFI NOR REIMBURSE ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREPARATION OF RESPONSES.

This announcement is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, shall be clearly marked on all materials. All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses will not be returned nor will the Government confirm receipt. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), Industry responses will not be considered offers and therefore cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. All Government and Contractor personnel reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described in 41 USC §2101-2107. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations.

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