25--Stationary Personnel and Vehicles Detection and Tracking System

SOURCES SOUGHT: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION; no award will be made as a result of this request. This request for information is for informational purposes only; this is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). All interested parties are encouraged to respond to this Sources Sought. The Government will not pay for information and materials received in response to this Sources Sought and is in no way obligated by the information received. 1. SCOPE. Background: The mission of the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force (REF) is to rapidly increase mission capability while reducing risk to Soldiers and others by equipping operational commanders with off-the-shelf (government or commercial) solutions or near-term developmental items that can be researched, developed and acquired quickly. The REF receives requirements from operational commanders in war zones setting forth the capabilities needed. The REF is chartered by the Senior Army leadership to provide material solutions to meet these requirements in a significantly reduced timeline compared to traditional Department of Defense acquisition procedures. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain potential solutions to provide personnel / vehicle tracking systems. Alternative solutions submitted by companies responding to this RFI will also be considered. Experience and information obtained from this request for information will be provided to Army Product Manager REF who will evaluate the information and feasibility of issuing a procurement action to resolve the stated problem. 2. REQUIREMENTS. The REF has a need for a technology or system that will provide the ability to detect and track personnel and vehicles while stationary and on the move. The system will operate during day, night and all weather conditions. An optics-based solution is preferred but not mandatory. 2.1. The system must be quickly affixed to the vehicle without modification to vehicles. 2.2. The system must have a persistent stare capability of 360 degrees. 2.3. The system must have the ability to detect mobile and stationary personnel and vehicles while the system itself is on the move or stationary. 2.3.1. Must detect/track crawling personnel out to 500 meters. 2.3.2. Must detect/track walking personnel out to 1km. 2.3.3. Must detect/track vehicles out to 1.5km. 2.4. System must have the ability to be powered from a vehicles auxiliary power output. 2.5. System must have the ability to be powered up and operational within 60 seconds. 2.6. Must have an update rate of one frame per second. 2.7. System may be mast mounted. 2.8. Must have the ability to track at least ten (10) personnel/vehicles simultaneously. 2.9. The system must not draw more than 15 Watts. 2.10. The system must be significantly robust to operate in a rugged environment and sustain extensive dust, sand, and wind. 2.10.1. Operating Temperature Range: -24 Celsius to +50 Celsius. 2.10.2. Must be able to sustain extensive dust, sand, snow and wind. 2.11 System must be an off-the-shelf (government or commercial) or a near-term developmental item deliverable within 90-days ARO. 3. DELIVERABLES Specific information on industry capability to produce a system that can meet the requirements identified in paragraph 2 above, or otherwise solves the problem of identifying and detecting objects being emplaced. This is NOT a Request for Proposal. Companies who desire to participate in this market survey are encouraged to submit a white paper which supports the companys claim that it presently has the technology, qualifications, and capabilities to satisfy one or more of the performance and technical objectives described above. The white paper should discuss the companys ability to develop and or provide existing technologies to detect/track dismounted personnel and vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan and should provide a ROM (rough order of magnitude) price and its anticipated delivery for the solution proposed. The white paper should also discuss related company experience and include point(s) of contact. The white paper should be prepared in MS Word, limited to ten (10) pages, and submitted electronically to the contracting specialist at contact@example.gov. The company shall be responsible for any costs associated with preparing responses to this market research. All requests for further information must be made in writing or via email; telephone requests for additional information will not be honored. The government will review RFI submissions as they are received. The government reserves the right to close this RFI once they have received adequate response(s) to this RFI.