W911W6-20-R-0007_Call Questions No 1 (FINAL).docx

1. “Conditions to consider should include sea level static, 4K 95F, and a heat soaked aircraft at 120F.” What is 4K 95 F?

RESPONSE – It is an atmospheric condition, more specifically, 4000 feet altitude with an ambient temperature of 95 Fahrenheit. An example of this when it is referenced in conjunction with hover out of ground effect (HOGE), which is a stress point and/or design point, common in Army rotorcraft systems. The conditions a rotorcraft sees in military service are broad, and a useful reference in understanding the range of external environments possible is AR 70-38.

2. “Sub ambient temperature control is desired to extend electronics life”. Does this mean you want to keep these components below ambient temperature? What sub ambient temperature range the proposal is interested? Below 0C?

RESPONSE – Please see AR 70-35 for a definition of the temperatures an aircraft can experience. Ambient temperatures for the aircraft range between, approximately, -50 C to 50 C. At or near the high temperature extreme a cooling system may need to be over designed to meet a lower temperature specific set point for internal electronics cooling. As is the case, no set goal is given. It is up to the proposer to define an optimal set point which balances the weight of the system, along with other characteristics, and the cooling goals. The intention of the statement is to request for creative solutions to provide temperature control of electronics which can extend life. As an operating temperature directly affects the rate of certain failure mechanisms in electronics, the temperature flux over time does as well. A “sub-ambient” temperature can also be used to run a device harder, such as overclocking, enabling the same equipment to perform more effectively than it would at a higher operating temperature. Undoubtedly this is a complex request. We ask you to apply your best creativity and knowledge toward solutions which could enable such capabilities on aircraft and/or improve them.

3. Can you please provide more details on the heat flux, total heat load or duty cycle?

RESPONSE – A more specific question is required for the first two topics of the question. The supplemental information package defines thresholds and objects for heat flux, and total heat loads, along with notes on the perspective of the goals.

Duty cycle varies with the actions of the aircraft, and the nature of the specific components on board, the exact characteristics of many remain undefined as they are under development. The loads in the supplemental package are considered continuous loads; continuous implying they are loads which are present for greater than 5 minutes. These are also max continuous loads, which would not be present at all times and places, but design must take into account the pinch points. Average continuous loads are more difficult to define, hence the discussion and request for cooling approaches which can independently control cooling per device. Ultimately, such an approach reduces the average load on a “central” cooling supply over a mission.

4. Are you looking for add-on “component” that could be integrated with the existing cooling system or new cooling “system” concept?

RESPONSE – Either or both. The goal of the project is to improve the state of the art for cooling the aircraft and components on the aircraft. Discussion and guidelines for areas of interest are given in the call and the supplement information package.

5. As a small business, should we proceed to submit our proposal ourselves or in collaboration with Tier 1 & 2 Defense OEM we have a pre-existing relationship with?

RESPONSE – TDD-A/SID encourages and promotes teaming arrangements with research organizations to include academia, industry, and small businesses in order to achieve a mix of relevant expertise and capabilities for executing research and development efforts. It is up to each potential offeror to determine what provides the best proposal for evaluation.

6. May we confirm this opportunity is open to small businesses, large businesses, and research institutions?

RESPONSE - Yes, this opportunity is open to all vendors (small or other)

7. Is it appropriate to ask how competitive this BAA will be?

RESPONSE - No, the Government is unable to provide this information, nor could it even if available since the information would be categorized as “Source Selection Information” and not releasable.

8. Are we encouraged to use all 45-pages of our proposal in its entirety or should our Technical Volume and Cost Volume be composed as concisely as possible?

RESPONSE - The Technical Volume is limited to 45-pages and should include the technical aspects of your proposal. The Cost Volume is not limited in page numbers and includes all other cost and relevant data (resumes, DCMA rate approval letters, etc.) as stated in the Call and Master BAA.

9. In our proposed budget, should our line items be limited to $550K, $995K, $650K, and $405K for each year beginning in 2020 or is each year's budget at our discretion up to the award ceiling of $2.6M?

RESPONSE – The provided distribution of Government funds per fiscal year are the amount of funds the Government has available per year for any/all awards combined, exclusive of any potential cost share.

10. Are we allowed to include letters of support from defense OEM or non-Army program offices in our 45-page proposal?

RESPONSE - Yes, however the 45-page Technical Volume proposal should include your technical approach to the effort. Any pages beyond 45 will not be evaluated. All other non-technical data such as letters of support should be submitted with the Cost Volume.

11. May we confirm the submission date is still 1600 EDT, June 29?

RESPONSE - The submission date/time is confirmed as 15:30 on 29 June 2020, EST. Note: the Call narrative incorrectly states 16:00 and will be amended along with these responses.

12. What is the desired component temperature?

RESPONSE – See response for question 2.

13. The SIP mentions 45 kW continuous power but does not mention about the peak power requirements. Can you provide information on that?

RESPONSE – See response for question 3 on Duty Cycle.