COBRA Block II Program Sources Sought

This notice is for market research purposes only and does NOT constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). This notice shall not be construed as a contract, a promise to contract, or as a commitment of any kind by the Government. The Government is NOT seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals. This Sources Sought notice is issued by the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), on behalf of the Program Executive Office Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC), Mine Warfare Program Office (PMS 495). The Navy is conducting market research in accordance with FAR Part 10 to determine whether there are two or more capable businesses, or small businesses, that can perform the requirement to design, manufacture, assemble, test and deliver the COBRA Block II system. In addition, the announcement requests industry comments on how the Government can satisfy its needs, alternative approaches, technology availability and risk, the identification of cost drivers, and suggestions on ways to enhance or sustain competition. This notice is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Responses to this notice will be treated as information only and part of market research and will not be shared outside of the Government. When/if the Government issues an RFP, interested contractors will be expected to thoroughly address the RFP requirements regardless of the circumstances surrounding this notice. This effort is not a continuation of asserted SBIR data rights under the COBRA Block I production contract N61331-11-C-0007 and N61331-18-D-0012. The objective of this notice is to help the Government determine the technical capability and qualifications of companies in meeting the Government's needs for the COBRA Block II program. Description: COBRA provides the detection capability for the U.S. Navy's Assault Breaching System of Systems. COBRA's mission is to conduct unmanned, aerial tactical reconnaissance in the littoral battlespace for the detection and localization of individual Mine-Like Objects (MLOs), Minefields (MFD), Minelines (ML) and obstacles in the Surf Zone (SZ) and Beach Zone (BZ); for the detection and localization of surface and near-surface MLOs in Very Shallow Water (VSW); and for the detection and localization of surface and near-surface MLOs (moored or drifting) in Shallow Water (SW) through Deep Water (DW) in the day or night. The areas that COBRA Block II operate are: Beach Zone (BZ), the high water mark inland to the beach exit zone Surf Zone (SZ), near the shore where water depth varies from zero (0) to ten (10) feet Very Shallow Water (VSW), from ten (10) feet to forty (40) feet Shallow Water (SW), from forty (40) feet to two hundred (200) feet Deep Water (DW), from two hundred (200) feet and greater COBRA is an evolutionary acquisition program and introduces new capabilities through - Blocks. COBRA Block I is currently fielded to the Helicopter Sea Combat squadrons conducting Mine Countermeasures (MCM) operations and provides daytime MFD, ML and obstacle detection and multispectral imagery collection of the BZ and limited SZ from a MQ-8B Fire Scout. The COBRA Block II system increases capability beyond that of the Block I requirements and enhances surface and near surface daytime and nighttime individual MLO (moored and drifting), MFD, ML and obstacle detection and imagery collection from the SZ through DW in a single pass at a high area coverage rate. Employing on an MQ-8C Fire Scout, COBRA Block II enables operators and other personnel to remain at a safe distance from the mine and obstacle belts and enemy direct and indirect fire. COBRA is part of the Navy's MCM Mission Package for Littoral Combat Ships and other potential vessels of opportunity. Currently, imagery collected by COBRA system is retrieved and processed at a COBRA Post Mission Analysis (PMA) Station. The processed information, transferred to the Mine Warfare Environmental Decision Aids Library (MEDAL) MINEnet Tactical application for MCM analysis, is ultimately distributed through legacy command, control (C2) applications, and transitioned to Joint Command and Control Capabilities (JC2C). COBRA Block II seeks to reduce the current mission planning timeline and PMA processes, where possible, to near real time. Engineering and Manufacturing Development Contract Description: The capabilities required for the Block II are: Day/Nighttime BZ imaging subsystem High throughput, high resolution, simultaneous imaging of proud Individual MLO, MFD, ML and obstacles Complementary night-time terrain illuminator On-aircraft real-time minefield and obstacle detection algorithms and computing hardware Minimal False Alarm Rate Minimal Targeting Location Error (TLE) and high reporting accuracy High Operational Availability Day/Nighttime SZ, VSW, SW, DW imaging system High throughput, high resolution, simultaneous imaging of proud individual MLO, MFD, ML and obstacles Recognition and trajectory for surface and near surface drifting mines, reported in real time. Target Illuminating Subsystem Lightweight and highly efficient cooling (air cooled) Complementary Receiver (on board) Complementary on-aircraft real-time minefield and obstacle detection algorithms and computing hardware Minimal False Alarm Rate Minimal Targeting Location Error (TLE) and high reporting accuracy High Operational Availability On-aircraft Real-Time Sensor Fusion Algorithms and computing hardware with near real time reporting of potential contacts to the host platform. Other technologies that enable and improve mine detection and accuracy during a single pass in the BZ, SZ, VSW, SW and DW. Additional characteristics of the host platform (MQ-8C) need consideration when developing a technical solution. The following are key characteristics of the COBRA Block II for which an RFP is anticipated: The COBRA Block II must meet the Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) constraints of the MQ-8C. This is to be verified by measurements of the system. The COBRA Block II thermal management system is capable of operating over the full MQ-8C temperature range when installed on the MQ-8C. This is to be verified by analysis. The COBRA Block II is capable of automatically detecting minefields, land mines, and obstacles. This is to be verified by: Modeling and simulation-based testing Flight testing onboard a suitable manned aircraft over a representative target field in a relevant environment. 4. The COBRA Block II processing architecture and algorithms are suitable for on-aircraft real-time processing and near real time reporting of contacts to the host platform. Requested Information: Responses to this notice should include supporting materials that provides a demonstration of your company's capabilities and experience. The following information is requested: A presentation of your organization's relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities. An understanding of the major scientific challenges and tradeoffs to achieving the desired capability. Potential solutions to achieve the capability, including current Technology Readiness Levels. Describe the discrimination function between mines, obstacles, and minefield detection and clutter. Performance estimates of probability of detection, false alarm density, and area search rate, and a detailed discussion of risks to achieving those estimates. Any risks to militarization of the system, such as thermally or mechanically sensitive components. Interested parties shall list past customers (maximum of 3) for whom the contractor has done projects of a similar technology, domain, and/or scope within the last five (5) years. Responses: Interested firms who believe they are capable of providing the above-mentioned supplies/services and that meet SECRET clearance requirements are invited to indicate their interest by providing: (a) company name, company address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), cage code, point of contact, e-mail address, telephone number, fax number; (b) business size (i.e. large, small disadvantaged, veteran owned, woman owned, etc); and (c) facility clearance and affirmation of cleared personnel. Interested parties are requested to respond to requested information in this notice with a white paper in Adode PDF or Microsoft Word for Office 2010-compatible format. Responses are limited to 15 pages, shall include a summary that is 10 pages or less including cover and administrative pages, and shall be delivered using 12 font or larger. Response Deadline and Submissions: Responses are requested no later than 29 July 2020 at 3:00 PM EST. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail only to Mr. Matthew Hedrick, matthew.hedrick1@navy.mil. Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. The subject line of the email should read "COBRA Block II Program Sources Sought". To aid the Government in its review and evaluation, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. It should be noted that telephone replies will not be accepted. DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This notice is not a request for proposals and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. Sources choosing to respond to this notice are wholly responsible for any costs/expenses associated with submitting a response. Therefore any cost associated with the market survey submission is solely at the interested vendor's expense. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this notice. The information obtained from submitted responses may be used in development of an acquisition strategy and a future solicitation. Submissions will not be returned.