A -- Technology for Sustained Supersonic Combustion

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS. FOR: Technology for Sustained Supersonic Combustion. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Propulsion Directorate, Aerospace Propulsion Division (AFRL/PRA) seeks potential sources for a sixty (60) month, $14M program to enhance the capabilities of the Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (SCRAMJET) research located at WPAFB, OH. NATO participating companies and foreign firms will be excluded from participation in this effort. Potential contractors and performing personnel must be US citizens. Performing personnel may be asked to acquire security clearances at the Secret level at any time during the course of the contracted work. All work will occur at WPAFB, AFRL/Propulsion directorate facilities. The expected size of the contractor workforce based on current manning should be 16 researchers and technicians. AFRL/PRA researches technologies applicable to scramjet, ramjet and combined cycle propulsion systems. The principal area of technical interest for this organization is sustained supersonic combustion and its integration with other high speed engines, rocket powered or turbine powered. By implementing novel computational, design and diagnostic methods in the pursuit of supersonic combustion ramjet technology, PRA has successfully demonstrated various levels of scramjet combustion in its research facilities and will do so with the future flight test of the AF X51 vehicle. PRA intends to build upon these successful technologies by seeking industry partners to enhance the state of the art computational, design and diagnostic capabilities at WPAFB. The effort entails the enhancement, optimization, demonstration, and evaluation of emerging technologies in the field of hypersonics. The research has been divided into two areas. The first area focuses on the fundamental technologies employed in the injection of various fuels in liquid, gaseous and super-critical states into high-speed crossflows. Experiments will be carried out in reacting flowfields. There is a strong computational element to this area. The existing computational support provides analysis of 2D and 3D combustion flow paths. The computational tools implemented shall be Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS), advanced chemical kinetics modeling for hydrocarbon combustion, advanced turbulence models, nucleation, condensation, evaporation, and RANS/Large Eddy Simulation. Researchers should have at least 5 years of experience simulating hydrocarbon combustion in scramjet propulsion flow-fields and PhDs in aeronautical or aerospace engineering. In addition to the computational element, the research team should have members capable of performing combustion diagnostics, preferably in scramjet propulsion flow-fields, ie. direct connect facilities with experience in diagnostic methods such as pitot probes, thermocouples, and pressure transducers. The second area deals with the design, implementation, testing and analysis of 2D and 3D scramjet components in reacting and non-reacting flowfields. The components of interests are struts, isolators, flameholding devices, and combustors. It is expected that testing results will identify components to be scaled-up to 10X scale in the near future. Critical to any successful engine design will be to explore the use of cavity based flame holding devices and the influences of flow distortion on cavity behavior. To assist in this exploration, the contractor is expected to utilize various optical diagnostic techniques in conjunction with traditional direct connect test and evaluation diagnostics to ascertain combustion behavior and to determine the scalability of various components. Researchers should have at least 5 years of experience performing combustion diagnostics, preferably in scramjet propulsion flow-fields, and PhDs in aeronautical or aerospace engineering. Past experience with diagnostic methods such as pitot probes, thermocouples, pressure transducers, Raman scattering, PIV, PLIF, tunable LEDs, IR and XRay measurements are required for success. PRA has 3 test facilities capable of providing supersonic conditions for testing, with one of these facilities also having transonic capabilities. Two facilities can reach temperatures up to 4000 Deg F with vitiation. Potential bidders must have experience in the operation and maintenance of direct connect facilities and their appropriate hardware and software. Each facility has its own control room operating a Vista data acquisition support package running on Linux OS. There are sonic nozzles available for adjusting simulated flight conditions and the contractors can develop their own nozzles for flight regimes of interest. Contractors will be responsible for documenting all changes to the DAQ systems and facilities including hardware and software. These personnel will be required to work on-site at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Businesses interested in this effort must respond with a complete capability/qualification package describing the company?s technical expertise, experience, personnel and facilities required to accomplish the work described above. The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code is 541710. The small business size standard is 1000 employees. The purpose of this synopsis is to provide the Air Force technical team with the ability to determine capabilities of potential respondents. The Air Force is contemplating a small business set aside based on the responses received. If this acquisition is set aside for small business, the resulting contract will contain the clause FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting which requires (for services) that at least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. Responses to this synopsis shall include a demonstration of the offeror's ability to perform at least 50 percent of the effort. Additional information, as it becomes available, will be posted as amendments to this announcement. All amendments will be available for viewing on FedBizOps (FBO) at http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. It is incumbent upon the interested parties to review the site frequently for any updates and amendments to any and all documents. All potential offerors are reminded, in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS) 252.204-7004, Required Central Contractor Registration, lack of registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) will make an offeror ineligible for contract award. This Sources Sought Notice is also issued for the purpose of market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. All businesses capable of providing these services are invited to respond. Any information provided by industry to the Government as a result of this sources sought synopsis is voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this sources sought synopsis. The government requests interested parties submit a brief description of their company's business size, business status (i.e., small business, disadvantaged, HUBzone, woman-owned), anticipated teaming arrangements, and a description of similar services offered to the Government and to commercial customers. Include contract magnitude and points of contact for each example provided (name of the point of contact (POC), address, e-mail, telephone number, fax number, and the company's web page, if applicable). Responses may be submitted in writing (only the original is necessary) or electronically and are limited to 30 pages. Each response should reference Research and Development Source Sought Synopsis #PKP-07-04-PKPC. Reponses should be sent to ATTN: Pamela Bickel, AFRL/PKPC, 2310 8th Street, Building 167, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7801, email: Pamela.Bickel@us.af.mil. Any non-technical and/or contractual questions should be referred to the individual above at (937) 255-0340 or at above email. Technical questions may be directed to Mr. Robert Behdadnia, AFRL/PRAS at (937) 255-4171, email: Robert.Behdadnia@wpafb.mil This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Proposal or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach. This Research and Development Sources Sought Synopsis should not be construed as a commitment by the Government for any purpose.