63--Sources Sought for production of the Mobile Detection Assessment Response System (MDARS)

This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). The purpose of this announcement is to request identification of potential sources from industry for production of the Armys Mobile Detection Assessment Response System (MDARS). MDARS consists of the MDARS Control Station (MCS), robotic vehicles with a Mission Payload Suite (MPS) and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), and Associated Items of Support Equipment (ASIOE). The MDARS procurement will be managed by the materiel developer, the Office o f the Product Manager, Force Protection Systems (PM-FPS), at Fort Belvoir, VA. The U.S. Army Military Police School (USAMPS) is the combat developer. The MDARS is designed to operate in environments such as materiel storage yards, arsenals, petroleum sto rage areas, airfields, rail yards, and port facilities. Future versions of the MDARS will operate in conjunction with fixed Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). The major components of the MDARS are the MCS, the (MDARS) robotic vehicles with MPS and DGPS, and ASIOE. High dollar value and critical US assets in external storage sites may be vulnerable to an intruder or saboteur intending to deprive the US of these assets. The objective of MDARS is to protect these assets by providing commanders with a highl y secure, standardized, semi-autonomous IDS using robotics technology. MDARS will introduce robotic vehicles employing a suite of sensors that is controlled by a control station that houses monitoring and annunciation equipment. MDARS will satisfy an imme diate Army requirement for a semi-autonomous mobile capability for patrolling physical security sites at Department of Defense (DoD) installations. Without operator intervention other than system initiation, the robotic vehicle will automatically move ran domly to and throughout designated patrol areas in designated environments primarily during non-duty hours. While on random patrol, the robotic vehicle will semi-autonomously conduct surveillance, check for intruders, conduct product inventory, and check the status of facility barriers, such as gate and bunker/container doors. Operator input from the control station will be required only if an intruder is detected or the robotic vehicle encounters a situation it is not programmed to handle. If the MDARS robotic vehicle detects an intruder, the video link to the control station will be activated and an audio/visual alarm will be annunciated at the control station. The security officer will be able to see, hear, and talk to the intruder as well as send the robotic vehicle to a location where the intruder might be hiding. The robotic vehicles: (1) detect intruders, (2) read the status of locks on storage structures (open, closed or error), and (3) determine the status of inventory through the use of specia lized Radio Frequency Identification transponder tags. MDARS also will interface with RF/Microwave and Hardwire/Fiber Optic communication networks. Functional users of MDARS are supply and maintenance activities of the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) an d the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Approximately 8 depots are currently planned for operational deployment of MDARS, although more are expected to be added in the future. MDARS will be operated by Department of Defense (DoD) security and law enforceme nt units. To date MDARS has undergone Program Definition and Risk Reduction, which resulted in development of brassboard models, and System Development and Demonstration (SDD), which is verifying producibility of the MDARS system and will be completed in 2005. The production and fielding phase is expected to begin in 2006. The MDARS production robotic vehicle will be equipped with features such as collision avoidance, intruder detection and assessment, barrier assessment, and product inventory subsystems . The robotic vehicle will respond to and communicate with the MDARS control station that uses the Government-developed Multiple Resource Host Architecture (MR HA) command and control software. Associated support equipment for the MDARS includes (a) Remote Product and Barrier Assessment Items, (b) Communications Relay/Repeaters, (c) Navigation Aids, and (d) Hand-held control units. Initially, logistics support and maintenance for MDARS will be provided by the production contractor or separate contractual agreements at the installation level. The contract for the Production phase will be Fixed Price with Indefinite Delivery ordering provisions. The Production p hase will be up to five years in duration. The maximum value of the Production phase is 10 systems/sites. Total contract life will not exceed 5 years. The source selection will be Best Value and will use a Tradeoff process. In preparation for the release of the MDARS Request for Proposal (RFP), the Government is seeking sources from industry to produce and install the MDARS for the acquisition discussed in this announcement. The MDARS Draft Specification, SOW, and Sources So ught questionnaire are downloadable and posted on the CECOM Acquisition Center (CAC) Interactive Business Opportunities Page (IBOP) at http://abop.monmouth.army.mil. The documents are identified on the IBOP as a Market Survey entitled MDARS, W909MY-05- R-MDAR, Pre-Solicitation. Responses to this announcement should be submitted to the identified Contract Specialist (Sherry Savage). Responses to the Sources Sought questionnaire should be submitted via email to contact@example.gov, and are due on 31 Jan 05. Numbered Notes 25 and 26 on the FedBizzOpps website apply (http://www2.eps.gov?Numbered_Notes.html). Responses can also be submitted in hard copy, video, or CD format and should be sent to Sherry Savage at the contracting office address li sted in this announcement.