10 -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION RELATING TO FUZE INDUSTRY

Within the Air Armament Center, a team is commissioned to evaluate fuzes (with a focus on the Joint Programmmable Fuze (JPF) business case). This team recognizes the importance of industry involvement in such research and offers the following questions to interested industry partners to seed immediate discussions. All interested parties are encouraged to respond to these questions in writing via fax or e-mail to one of the following individuals by 21 Jan 2002. If you have questions, please contact Lt Col Elsesser at +1 (555) 000-0000 ext. 3206. NAME PHONE FAX E-MAIL Lt Col Richard Justice +1 (555) 000-0000, x3101 +1 (555) 000-0000 contact@example.gov Ms Terri Brown +1 (555) 000-0000, x5361 +1 (555) 000-0000 contact@example.gov Ms Audrea Feist +1 (555) 000-0000, x5324 +1 (555) 000-0000 contact@example.gov This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only, does not constitute an Invitation for Bid (IFB) or Request For Proposal(RFP), and is not to be construed as a commitment by the government. A. Fuze Design 1. What are the major risks associated with air-to-ground fuze acquisition? 2. What are the specific driving technology challenges to the development of electronic or electro-mechanical fuzes? 3. What risks do you associate with using an air-driven power supply for an electronic or electro-mechanical fuze? What means do you suggest to mitigate each risk? 4. One required performance baseline for the FMU-152 fuze is releases at up to 50,000 feet MSL at airspeeds as low as 200 knots calibrated (KCAS). Higher altitude releases are envisioned. Please explain how design safety issues (MIL?STD?1316) drive design solutions and include any design concepts you have to meet these increasing challenges. 5. What do you estimate are the practical limits for altitude and airspeed when using an air-driven turbine? What alternatives have you considered? What risks and mitigation ideas are associated with your alternatives. 6. Are the design risks different for general purpose fuzes compared to hardened penetration fuzes? Production 1. Considering the previous questions on "risk", to what extent are risks for production generated in these areas? What are your ideas for production risk mitigation? 2. What can the Government do to help reduce programmatic risks? What initiatives or incentives would be appropriate for a fuze development or follow-on production effort? Include existing contractual provisions, modifications of existing provisions, and substantially new ideas. 3. How does the workforce availability drive any design aspect or production capability? For example, is there an adequate talent pool for technologically advanced fuzes? 4. What is an efficient production rate for fuzes similar to the FMU?152 in design complexity? Which processes are rate limiting? What would you change to correct these limitations? 5. What production rate would you be able to manage without additional capital investment. At what point during a production contract would you require the resulting assets? What do you estimate as the lead time? 6. What is your assessment of the health of the US fuze industrial base? What, if any, actions should be taken to improve it? 7. Identify any factor that you perceive to impede your pursuing a government fuze contract. 8. Roughly estimate your anticipated schedule for developing a new fuze with JPF-like performance but a different design. Identify your major milestones and include any major assumptions. 9. Please identify any additional comments on a recommended future acquisition strategy and contracting approach. Other: 1. After collecting answers on the questions below, the team anticipates conducting follow-up telephone interviews (target: 23-25 Jan 2002) with interested companies. Please indicate the name and phone number of the appropriate Point of Contact within your organization. Thank you.