Base Notice: Space Systems Command (SSC) Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Research and Development (R&D) Effort.

Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted

Solicitation number
26-057
Agency
Responses due
Set-aside
No set-aside

Opportunity facts

Place of performance
Boulder, Colorado, United States

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The Department of the Air Force, Space Systems Command (SSC), Wide Field of View Program Office, Boulder Ground Innovation Facility, Colorado, intends to sole source an Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Research and Development effort to L3-Harris but is conducting a competitive market search with a sources-sought response deadline of September 25, 2026. SSC is seeking vendors capable of performing calibration and characterization work for the Wide Field Of View Testbed Wide-Area Six Degree Payload (WASP) to support potential competitive procurement of relevant technology developments aligned with Department of Defense and National OPIR initiatives.

Offerors must demonstrate familiarity with the design, operation, calibration, and optical and thermal performance of L3 Technologies' proprietary wide-field-of-view staring OPIR refractive telescope and its custom focal plane array (FPA) from L3-Cincinnati Electronics cooled by cryocooler. Vendors must understand custom electronics boxes and interfaces, including FPA electronics, cryocooler electronics, and main electronics boxes with custom software. Electronic boxes contain FPGAs that pass mission data over high-speed interfaces and mount within a Millennium Space Systems spacecraft for geostationary orbit deployment with Ka-band downlink. Offerors must operate facilities and employ personnel cleared with Secret and up to TS/SCI clearance. This market research will inform SSC's acquisition strategy for on-orbit support to the WFOV Testbed OPIR R&D effort, with offerors required to accomplish program objectives and meet near-term program milestones.

Notice text

Sources Sought for Space Systems Command (SSC) Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Research and Development (R&D) Effort.

The United States Space Force, Space Systems Command (SSC) Wide Field of View (WFOV) Program Office, Boulder Ground Innovation Facility, Colorado intends to sole source this requirement to L3-Harris, but is seeking vendors that may be able to perform this requirement in order to support a competitive procurement for relevant technology developments to continue the calibration and characterization efforts for the Wide Field Of View (WFOV) Testbed Wide-Area Six Degree Payload (WASP). This request is an element of ongoing market research to define potential solutions to support Department of Defense (DoD) and National Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) initiatives. Information received in response to this RFI will be used to determine an appropriate acquisition strategy.

The following paragraphs outline the current and desired capabilities that shall be provided in support of on-orbit support to the WFOV Testbed OPIR R&D effort:

Offeror shall accomplish program objectives and meet near-term program milestones. Offerors must be familiar with the design, operation, calibration, and performance (optical and thermal) of a specific proprietary wide-field-of-view staring OPIR refractive telescope designed and manufactured by L3 Technologies. The Payload includes a custom focal plane array (FPA) from L3-Cincinnati Electronics (CE) that is cooled by a cryocooler. The Offeror must be familiar with custom electronics boxes and interfaces, including FPA electronics, cryocooler electronics, and main electronics boxes (and their respective custom software). The electronic boxes include FPGAs that pass mission data over a high-speed interface, and are mounted within a Millennium Space Systems (MSS) spacecraft that will fly in geostationary orbit with a Ka-band downlink. The Offeror must operate facilities at and employ personnel cleared with Secret and up to TS/SCI, if needed. Response from small and small disadvantaged businesses is encouraged. The size standard for NAICS 541715 is 1,000 employees. Anticipated contract award date 1QFY27.

Statement of Capabilities

1. The following capabilities shall be provided in support of the WFOV Program Office’s Wide Field-of-View Testbed WASP to support post launch activities:

a) Develop, test, and implement documentation and provide engineering analysis support for the following, but not limited to: WASP User's Manual updates, WASP Operational Procedures, Payload anomaly investigation support, Software and/or firmware updates for anomaly discrepancies, Payload Critical Anomaly List, Payload Thermal Model, WASP Test Procedures.

b) Perform changes/modifications, maintenance, and inspections to the WASP software and hardware configurations and test procedures, to include flight equipment, engineering development units, and ground support equipment (if necessary).

c) Provide oversight and execution of transition activities for required Continuity of Operations, as necessary.

This notice is not direction to proceed with the effort, and is not a promise of future direction to proceed with the effort. All work performed or cost incurred in response to this notice shall be at your company's/organization's risk and shall not be chargeable to any other Government contract.

Place of Contract Performance:

Multiple places of performance: Boulder, CO and Blossom Point, MD

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