This 18 Jan 2008 Amendment changes the anticipated RFP release date from "to be determined" to 18 Jan 2008. The PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE was first posted on 20 DECEMBER 2007, and titled DEVELOPMENT OF VARIABLE SPEED, VARIABLE DRAG REFUELING DROGUE (VSD/VDD). The 14 January 2008 Amendment added the following information to the VSD/VDD Demonstration: For the purposes of the VSD/VDD Demonstration, a Safety of Flight Certificate is defined as a signed statement from the company based on the data presented in the safety of flight package and when operated to the defined limitations their drogue is safe for flight. VSD/VDD DEMONSTRATION Potential offerors have the option of participating in a demonstration of their existing Variable Speed Drogue/Variable Drag Drogue (VSD/VDD) candidate. A potential offeror?s participation is strictly voluntary and a decision not to participate will not adversely affect the government?s future evaluation of any proposal. The demonstration will be used by the government to assist in risk assessment. A potential offeror that decides not to participate in the flight demonstration may still participate in the resulting acquisition. All flight demonstrations will be performed on a legacy MC-130E/P tanker with Sargent Fletcher Incorporated (SFI) 48-000- 2/4 refueling pods. Potential offerors who are contemplating participation in the flight demonstration are asked to provide information as presented below. This information is necessary to make necessary arrangements at the Government flight test facility. Flight demonstration is expected to take place during the week of 25 February 2008. However, this is a tentative date and is subject to change. A team from the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) 413 Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida, will conduct the flight testing. The 413 FLTS will conduct the flight testing at the Eglin Air Force Base/Hurlburt Field local area testing range. The offeror does not need to be present at the flight demo to have their candidate drogue flown. The offeror can elect to send the drogue and the appropriate technical data to the locations provided. If the offeror elects to attend the flight demo, he/she will be provided a post-flight test briefing of the results. Following the fight test, a video and brief summary of the flight test results will be provided to the offeror. If the offeror is not present, the video and brief report will be mailed to the offeror along with return of the hardware provided for the demo. The offeror will only be permitted to view the demonstration of their specific drogue and any video recording will include only their drogue demonstration and no other. The drogue will be flown in accordance with the offeror?s safety restrictions and envelope which has been validated by wind tunnel testing to be within the drag limits of the Sargent Fletcher pod. A safety of flight package consisting of, as a minimum, airspeed versus drag data, flight limitations, verification of structural integrity and physical interfaces shall be provided to the government. The offerors will be responsible for providing the necessary modification hardware to the existing Sargent Fletcher pod with associated technical data. The offeror will provide any required checklists and a complete listing of the configuration of the flight evaluation drogue and pod modifications. The government reserves the right to limit pod modifications based on complexity of the modification. No modifications shall be allowed that will not allow the government to return the pod to the pre-modified condition. 2.0 Offeror Requirements for Flight Testing The offeror shall: Submit to the government (see below address) by COB 24 January 2008 the following documents: (a) Flight safety certificates (b) Flight instructions and limitations (c) Pod modification or maintenance instructions (d) Physical dimensions of collapsed drogue including diameter and length (e) Address: ASC/668 AESS 1895 5th Street, Building 46 WPAFB, OH 45433-7200 Attn: Mr. John Shock Submit to the government (see below address) 7 days prior to the scheduled ground/flight evaluation the following: (a) Drogues (include spare drogue(s) if desired) (b) Visit request if representative is attending in person (c) Address: 413th Flight Test Squadron 320 Tully Street Bldg 90343 Hurlburt Field, FL Attn: Mr. Jim O?Brien At government request be prepared to participate in the government Safety Review Board. 3.0 Government Support of Flight Evaluation The government will provide: (a) C-130 equipped with Sargent Fletcher 48000- 02/04 pods (b) Test pilot and crew (c) MA-2/3 refueling coupling interface (d) Chase aircraft and crew (e) Video and photography equipment (f) Safety Review Board (g) A brief test report and video of results This is a change to the reference pre-solicitation notice. Anticipated RFP release date is changed from 4 January 2008 to 15 January 2008. This Notification of Contractual Action is a Pre-Solicitation Notice in accordance with FAR 5.201 and 5.203(a). The ASC/ 668 Aeronautical Systems Squadron, USAF, plans to issue Request for Proposal (RFP) FA8629-08-R-2350 for the development of a Variable Speed /Variable Drag Drogue (VSD/VDD) for the AFSOC Recapitalization tankers to support simultaneous helicopter and single CV-22 refueling capability on the same mission without landing to re-configure. The System Requirements are for an aerial refueling VSD/VDD at operational at speeds of 105 to 215 knots without landing to re-configure. Anticipated RFP release date is 4 January 2008. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered. No telephone requests for a copy of the RFP will be accepted. Email requests will be accepted. Foreign participation is permitted at the prime contractor level. Interest firms may request a copy of the RFP by writing to Lisa C. Martin, 668th AESS/PK,
+1 (555) 000-0000 or John R. Shock, 668th AESS/PK,
+1 (555) 000-0000 at the address indicated above; or emailing , email
contact@example.gov;, or email
contact@example.gov. An Ombudsman has been established for this acquisition. The only purpose of the Ombudsman is to receive and communicate serious concerns potential offerors may have when an offeror prefers not to use established channels to communicate his/her concerns during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. Potential offerors should use established channels to request information, pose questions, and voice concerns before resorting to use of the Ombudsman. Potential offerors are invited to contact ASC?s Ombudsman, Mr. Craig Cassino, ASC/AE, 1755 Eleventh Street, Building 570, Room 110, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433-7404, DSN telephone number 785-5995, Commercial,
+1 (555) 000-0000, with serious concerns only. Direct all requests for solicitation and routine communications concerning this acquisition to the contracting officer listed above. The proposed contract action is for development for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate full and open competition under authority of FAR Part 15. There were no commercial terms and conditions that will be utilized for this contract action. There is no market information available to determine a commercial market price for VSD/VDD. For more information on "DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH SPEED, VARIABLE SPEED REFUEL DROGUE", please refer to: https://www.pixs.wpafb.af.mil/pixs_solicitation.asp?id=5481
