Third Generation Forward Looking Infrared (3GEN FLIR) Dewar Cooler Bench (DCB)

The Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) Belvoir Division is conducting market research on behalf of US Army Product Manager Ground Sensors (PM GS), in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. The purpose of this Market Research is to identify potential sources that have the skills, experience, knowledge, and capabilities required to manufacture and deliver Third Generation Forward Looking Infrared (3GEN FLIR) Dual Band Infrared Dewar Cooler Bench (DCB) under Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) and Full Rate Production (FRP) contracts.  The government anticipates increasing production for the DCB to about 200+, starting in FY28.

The DCB is defined as the assembly and integration of the following 4 assemblies and electronic modules:

1. Integrated Dewar /Cooler which includes:
   • Dual Band Infrared Focal Plane Array (FPA) Format:  HD 1280x720P
     1. Mid-Wave Infrared (IR)
     2. Long-Wave IR
   • In-Dewar Variable Aperture Mechanism
2. Control Electronics for the FPA, Variable Aperture Mechanism, B-Kit Communications, and Video Output
3. Control Electronics for the Cooler
4. Mechanical bench

The DCB will be provided as Government Furnished Property (GFP) for integration into a next higher assembly composed of optics and video processing electronics called the B-Kit. The integration work will be performed by the B-Kit supplier. The DCB is currently defined by the following technical documents:

1. MIL-PRF-A3381785: Performance Specification for the DCB
2. MIL-PRF-A3381784: DCB Interface Control Document (ICD)
3. MIL-PRF-A3381783: Drawing - 3GEN FLIR DCB Mechanical Drawing

  To be considered technically responsive, sources must have a fully qualified DCB that has either completed System Verification Review (SVR) and Functional Configuration Audit (FCA) or can demonstrate with data that their design meets all the requirements in the technical documents defined above. The government plans to ramp up DCB production to 200+, starting in FY28. Sources must be willing to provide data, if requested, to verify that their DCB meets the requirements of the Government’s functional baseline as defined by the DCB Performance Specification, ICD, and Mechanical Drawing.  If the submitted DCB is not yet qualified, sources shall present current non-compliances with your plan to become qualified including proposed cost and schedule.

The documents listed above are Distribution D restricted. The documents are authorized for use by the Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. DoD contractors only. These documents also contain technical data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C., Sec 2751, et seq.) or the Export Administration Act of 1979 (Title 50, U.S.C., App. 2401 et seq.), as amended. Violations of these export laws are subject to severe criminal penalties. These documents will be disseminated in accordance with provisions of DoD Directive 5230.25.

Companies or organizations may request copies of these documents by providing their Point of Contact information listed below to Jennifer Health, jennifer.s.heath2.civ@army.mil and must clearly state if and how they meet the conditions under which they can receive the documents referenced above. In addition, companies requesting the above information must register for an account with an internet accessible portal known as the Corporate Management System Online (CMS II). Registrants will access the CMS II website (https://www.mycmsportal.com) and follow instructions to complete registration. Documents are currently available for viewing in the CMS II under the 3GEN FLIR folder so the registrants must specifically request access to only the 3GEN FLIR folder. Access to the 3GEN FLIR folder documents will only be granted upon verification that criteria dictated by Distribution D and export control restrictions are met by registered companies or organizations.

Foreign participation is excluded.

SECRET Clearance, at a minimum, is required. No classified information will be provided as part of this Request for Information. However, in the event of any subsequent Request for Proposal or Request for Quotation is issued related to this RFI, classified information may become part of that solicitation and will be required as part of any resulting contract.

Sources will be required to complete an abbreviated design review prior to manufacturing to demonstrate their design meets stated performance requirements within cost, schedule, and risk.  

Sources responding to this RFI are requested to provide answers to the following questions with as much detailed information as possible:

1. Brief summary of the company

Company Information

Company Name:
Company CAGE Code:
Company DUNS Number. If your Company holds a GSA Schedule contract (541 or other), please provide the Schedule number
Company: Address
Company Phone #
Company email:
Company Representative and Business Title:
Company Socioeconomic Classification -- (Small Business (SB), (8)(a), Woman-Owned (WOSB), Economically-Disadvantaged Women-Owned (EDWOSB), Veteran-Owned and Operated(VOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, (SDVOSB), or Historically Underutilized Small Business-Zone (HUBZone), Historically Black College and Universities/ Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI))

2. Describe how you achieved a Government qualified DCB and under what contract(s) the work was performed. 

3.  Describe capability to build and test a production representative DCB in accordance with the technical documents listed above. 

4. Describe an execution plan for producing first articles, conduct a first article test, and enter production. At a minimum, the plan should include:

1. A detailed timeline from theoretical contract award to delivery.  Within the timeline, please include major milestones of first articles, contractor qualification testing, and transition to production.  
2. Any major capital purchases, key tests, engineering, and documentation required to produce requested items. 
3. Any Government Furnished Equipment, Government assisted testing, or Government facilities required. 
4. A risk assessment for each DCB item your company believes it can produce.
5. Ramp rate and maximum monthly capacity your company believes it can produce.
6. Estimated lead time for new orders after qualification.
7. Rough order of Magnitude (ROM) costs for Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) tasks to set up and qualify first article.   Please separate cost estimates by major milestones, key events, and key equipment purchases. 

5. Identify sources of supply for any components or assemblies for which you are likely to subcontract production. Standard off the shelf components, such as catalog items, do not need to be addressed.

1. What are the supplies being subcontracted?
2. Will any Small Businesses (SBs) be the supplier and if so, what percentage of the DCB components and/or assemblies will be supplied by SBs?

6. Will any of your manufacturing, assembly, or engineering be accomplished outside the USA?  If so, please provide details on how you will keep this program International Trade in Arms Regulations compliant.

7. Describe your company’s approach to manage and mitigate obsolescence. At a minimum, please address the following:

1. Obsolescence tracking and industry monitoring
2. Assessment if the current design is producible without additional design work
3. Potential issues ordering long lead or custom items
4. Capability to redesign out obsolete components and produce and qualify a replacement item.

8.  Provide a ROM, fully loaded sales price to the government, unit cost of each DCB item which you can produce at the below quantity range bins.  If separate NRE costs are required, as per question 6, please provide an estimated NRE cost for any components procured from foreign sources. If NRE is to be amortized across a buy, it may be included here with explanation. Quantity range bins are the following:

1. 10-25
2. 26-50
3. 51-100
4. 101-200
5. 200+

9. Is your company planning on business arrangements with other companies? If so, please advise of the process used in selecting members.

10. Please provide details regarding proposed joint ventures, teaming arrangements, strategic alliances, and/or other business arrangements to satisfy these requirements. Offerors are encouraged to identify teams, indicating each team member's size based upon the NAICS code of the work that the team member may be doing.

11. What are the core competencies of your employees that would support these requirements? Also, please provide the total number of individuals currently employed by your company that can support the requirements.

12. Does your company have a SECRET facility or access to one?

13. Do all the employees that would support this requirement have a security clearance? If not, what percentage of employees that will be involved in this effort, have a security clearance?

14. Please provide your current facility size to include storage capabilities.

15. Discuss existing production capacity. If you do not currently have a production line, what quantities are required to start one and keep it running? Additionally, what minimum quantities per year are necessary to maintain the industrial base?

16. Does your firm possess an approved Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system?

QUESTIONS 17 - 19 ONLY APPLY TO THE SMALL BUSINESS RESPONDENTS:
In addition to the above, small businesses responding should provide the following information:

17. If you identify your company as a SB or any of the SB subcategories above, then is your company interested in being a prime on this contract?  If so, please inform how you will meet the limitations on subcontracting Clause 52.219-14.

18. Under the current small business size standard outlined in FAR Part 121, do you anticipate your company remaining a small business for at least the next three years, under the stated NAICS code 334511?  The Government will use this information to assist in determining if any future efforts related to this RFI are eligible as a SB set aside.

19. If you are a small business, can your company sustain if not paid for 90 calendar days?

21. The Government requests that interested parties with the capabilities to meet the above requirements should electronically submit White Papers of not more than twenty (20) pages, 8.5" x 11" paper, 12-point, Times New Roman font, with a minimum of one (1) inch margins all around. Responses to Small Business Questions 20 thru 24 are not counted in the above stated twenty (20) page limitation. Any information submitted by respondents to this source sought notice is totally voluntary and at no cost to the Government. This information will help the Government form its acquisition strategy. All information received in response to this source sought synopsis that is marked "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly. Responses will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of a solicitation.

22. Please provide the following Point of Contact information on all responses:

Responses are due no later than 4:00 PM EST (local time at Fort Belvoir, VA) on 27 August 2025. Email responses should not exceed 5 Megabytes (MB). Responses received after this date and time may not be reviewed.  Send responses electronically to:

Taylor Venanzi, Contract Specialist, email: taylor.l.venanzi.civ@army.mil

Alexis Williams, Contracting Officer, email: alexis.r.williams.civ@army.mil

Contracting Office Address:
Army Contracting Command, APG-Fort Belvoir
10205 Burbeck Road, Bldg 362
Fort Belvoir VA 22060-5811

Point of Contact (s):
Taylor Venanzi, Contract Specialist, email: taylor.l.venanzi.civ@army.mil

Alexis Williams, Contracting Officer, email: alexis.r.williams.civ@army.mil

Contracting Office Address:
ACC-APG-Belvoir, ATTN: CCAP-CCV-B2, 10205 Burbeck Road, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5863

Place of Performance:
PM Ground Sensors, 10221 Burbeck Road, Building 399, Fort Belvoir VA 22060-5806