58 -- Enhanced Range Applications Program (EnRAP)

The Air Armament Center Range Instrumentation System Program Office (AAC/YBR), plans to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) on or about 31 Jan 2004, for an Enhanced Range Applications Program (EnRAP). Potential offerors should monitor the website (www.fedbizopps.gov) for the official release of the RFP package. This announcement serves as the Notice of Contract Action (NOCA). This will be an unrestricted competition and award will be based on a Best Value procurement. Even though cost is a significant factor, award may not go to the lowest offeror. EnRAP will provide a significant improvement to Test and Evaluation (T&E) instrumentation capabilities desperately needed by Army, Navy, and Air Force test ranges to meet Department of Defense (DoD) responsibilities for comprehensive testing of emerging combat systems. Development will be accomplished under the Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program (CTEIP), with production under the same contract funded by the individual Services. EnRAP will provide a phased-in replacement for the Advanced Range Data System (ARDS) participant instrumentation packages and ground instrumentation currently in use on the T&E ranges. EnRAP systems development will improve the T&E range technical performance for vehicle tracking and data transmission and significantly improve participant package flexibility, miniaturization, modularity, and standardization. The participant package development will provide miniaturized modular instrumentation packages for internal mounting in high dynamic vehicles, instrumentation pods for external mounting on aircraft wing stations, and an EnRAP Aircraft Instrumentation Subsystem Internal (EAISI) package for the F-18 and AV-8B aircraft. The participant package software and hardware can quickly and economically be reprogrammed, upgraded, and modified to meet continually evolving operational mission requirements. EnRAP system improvements over the current ARDS capability will include (1) a significant enhancement of datalink capabilities in both throughput and flexibility including Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) compliant technology, (2) a significant increase in the accuracy and data update rates for position, velocity, acceleration and attitude data, (3) a miniaturization of the participant packages, (4) the implementation of standardized interface protocols and an open architecture design, and (5) a replacement of the encryption subsystem with state-of-the-art encryption technology, all in accordance with (IAW) performance capabilities documented in the EnRAP System Requirements Document (SRD). The most challenging datalink improvement will be to meet the requirement for increased EnRAP data throughput within the frequency bandwidths currently used by ARDS, and if possible to further reduce the bandwidth required for these additional data. Datalink parameters will be programmable and selectable for each mission and flexibility will be added within missions to make real-time changes. Maximum flexibility will be built into the system to change the number of participants in the network automatically, customize message content, determine message length and format, vary the data collection/update rates, control uplink and downlink intervals, select radiated power to some degree (low and high power datalink version), allow for participant-to-participant communication and provide a message relay capability. The datalink throughput baseline will support at a minimum 25 participants at 40 messages per second, using data messages that contain at least 1200 bits of usable information per message through one relay. The system will support T&E range test operations with encrypted and unencrypted participants and variable data rates and will accommodate real-time changes to the number of participants in the network and changes to other system parameters. Up to three relays (four hops) will be possible to extend range coverage. It will be possible to concatenate available time slots to support transmission of messages longer than the standard 1200 information bits. The datalink transceiver will operate in both a high power and a low power mode. The basic high power datalink transceiver mode will support air-to-ground communications to at least 130 nautical miles (nmi) (160 nmi objective) and an air-to-air communications to at least 100 nmi (120 nmi objective). A low power transceiver mode will support a 40 nmi air-to-air range and a 50 nmi air-to-ground range. Message reliability will be 90 percent for participant-to-participant datalink transceiver transmissions and for communications with one ground station, and reliability will be 95 percent for communications with two ground stations in line-of-sight to the transceiver. It will be possible to organize selected participant packages into at least four separate missions, with each using different security levels and different encryption keys. The EnRAP datalink transceiver will operate in the 1350-1450 megahertz (MHz) band using plug-and-play datalink modules. An objective is for the datalink transceiver to be tunable to include the 1750-1850 MHz band if possible. EnRAP will coexist with the Multi-Service Target Control system (MSTCS) datalink ground and airborne systems in the 1350-1450 MHz band without harmful or destructive interference. An extended range control capability will be developed for EnRAP to make it possible for any T&E range to have complete control of all aspects of selected ground stations at another T&E range. Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking accuracy will be improved by at least one order-of-magnitude (10 times) for position and several orders of magnitude for velocity, acceleration and attitude compared to ARDS. To conserve cost, instrumentation with three levels of accuracy will be developed under EnRAP and made available for the range users. The lowest-cost and lowest accuracy units will be used on low-dynamic participants (Level I). The moderate-cost units will be used for high-dynamic testing that does not require extreme accuracy (Level II). Level II instrumentation will be developed in both an internal mount configuration and a pod configuration. The highly accurate, highest-cost units (Level III) will be used on high-dynamic participants when the highest level of accuracy is required and will be an internal mount configuration only. Level III real time/post-mission position accuracy will be 0.3 meter/ 0.1 meter with real time/post mission velocity accuracies of 0.006 meters/second (m/s) and 0.002 m/s. Level II and III participant instrumentation will have some resistance to performance degradation due to GPS jamming. Interfaces will be standardized using commercial standards to the maximum extent possible. Participant internal interfaces will include both RS 422 and IEEE 1394b. Ground instrumentation will be interfaced using Ethernet. Participant instrumentation will have the capability to interface to aircraft MIL-STD-1553 data buses and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) embedded training IEEE 1394. The EnRAP ground system design will incorporate a Test and Training Enabling Architecture (TENA)-compliant interface to the existing host range infrastructure. Participant instrumentation will include data recorders that have removable recording media with capacities of at least 10 gigabytes (GB) with an objective of 50 GB. Participant instrumentation will be modular to allow easy reconfiguration to meet evolving T&E mission requirements and customer needs. The datalink system uplink and downlink transmissions will be able to be encrypted with a Next Generation Encryption Device (NGED). The data recorded in the participant can be unencrypted or encrypted using the NGED. The NGED will be developed by the EnRAP contractor and the EnRAP participant and ground systems will be designed to meet National Security Agency (NSA) standards for red and black separation for data encryption up to TOP SECRET. Participant packages will be designed to operate both with and without the NGED installed. EnRAP participant packages and datalink ground station equipment will be designed such that they can be set to operate in an unencrypted mode while the NGED is installed. The Government has established a non-classified technical library on the ATIMS website (http://ATIMS.hill.af.mil). ATIMS requires Internet Explorer or Netscape version 4.0 or higher. To register, click on [Register for ATIMS] while in the website (http://ATIMS.hill.af.mil). This registration form must be completed in its entirety. In addition, a Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement must be accomplished (see certification process listed below for this Agreement. Once the Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement and registration requirements have been satisfied, e-mail notification will be sent as to approval for ATIMS access. The Government anticipates the exclusion of foreign firms. Potential offerors are advised that a U.S. SECRET/NOFORN facility clearance will be anticipated prior to award of any resulting contract. Data information which may be available for review or which may be produced under a resulting contract may contain Military Critical Technology List (MCTL) information whose export is restricted by the Export Control laws and regulations. Only those firms who are on the Certified Contractor Access List may receive such information. Request certification and registration be obtained from the Defense Logistics Service Center (DLSC), Federal Center, 74 North Washington, Battle Creek, MI 49016-3412 (telephone number is +1 (555) 000-0000). Certification is accomplished using DD Form 2345, Military Critical Technical Data Agreement. This completed certification should be submitted to Jennifer Farmer, Contract Specialist, via fax at +1 (555) 000-0000 or via e-mail at contact@example.gov. Trade-offs between technical aspects and cost are highly encouraged, and should allow offerors to propose their best approach. The Government intends to make a single award for the EnRAP effort. A sources sought synopsis was issued on www.fedbizopps.gov on 19 Sep 02. A draft request for proposal, has been posted to www.eps.gov under solicitation number F08635-03-DRFP-WMK01. Classified technical information is available at TITAN, 368 Adams Avenue, Valparaiso, FL 32580. You may contact Gary Hannah, TITAN Incorporated, 368 Adams Avenue, Valparaiso, FL 32580, +1 (555) 000-0000, for access to this information. Interested parties should contact Diane McKain, Contracting Officer, or Jennifer Farmer, Contract Specialist, at fax number +1 (555) 000-0000 or via e-mail at contact@example.gov or contact@example.gov. The mailing address is AAC/YBRK, Attn: Diane McKain, 102 West D Avenue, Building 11, Suite 373, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-6808. Collect calls will not be accepted.