Device 2F176 Modification Efforts

THIS RFI IS AMMENDED TO EXEND THE RESPONSE DATE AND CHANGE THE PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT. SEE BELOW FOR CHANGES. This is a request for information (RFI) only: The 2F176 is a containerized, non-motion based KC-130T Aircrew Procedures Trainer (APT) used by the United States Navy Reserves (USNR) and the United States Marine Corps Reserves (USMCR), located at the Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas. The USNR is considering modification of the visual system and resolving reflective memory card obsolescence. Currently the system does not support cross cockpit viewing as the viewing point is limited to either the pilot or co-pilot positions rendering the trainer unusable for initial pilot training. In order to address this concern the USN is proposing replacement of the current display system. The current system has a Stewart film screen for the real display system. The system uses three Barco 808 projectors and an ESIG 5330 Image Generator (IG). The trainer has Night Vision Goggle (NVG) capabilities. The USN analysis suggests replacement to a collimated display which allows for cross cockpit viewing by the pilot and co-pilot. The USN has concerns of the resulting performance impact on currently installed projection system and IG given installation of a new display system. Additionally, the current computational system architecture of Device 2F176 utilizes a reflective memory network to interconnect the Host, IOS (Instructor Operator Station), Blue Ridge Weather Radar and I/O (Input / Output) computational subsystems. The Host is currently running Red Hat 7 and the IOS is running Windows 2000. The Blue Ridge Weather Radar utilizes a generic weather database that does not require correlation with visual database scenery. The USNR has identified reflective memory cards (PCI-5587A, PCI-5588, PCI-5587-110, and VME-5588-210) associated with each of these subsystems as obsolete. The existing Host and IOS computer architectures are supportable and hardware upgrades to these subsystems are not critical. The existing reflective memory cards, associated wiring, software drivers, and application interface software requires replacement and/or modification such that the obsolescence issue is resolved, long term life-cycle supportability is enhanced and the baseline trainer performance is not degraded. Information Requested. (Request that responses be limited to ten pages.) Provide a potential design overview and recommended hardware/software solution to deliver real time cross cockpit viewing on Device 2F176 during all phases of flight. Provide experience in visual system integration, specifically replacement to collimated display system integration and replacement to include experience with structural analysis associated with such efforts. Provide approach to assess the impact and risks associated with the replacement of the 2F176 display system to other elements of the visual system including the projectors and IG. Assessment shall consider reuse of the currently installed projectors, IG and databases. Additionally the assessment shall provide consideration to ensure that current visual system performance is not degraded as a result of the display system replacement. Identify challenges and technical approach associated with installing a collimated or alternative display within the Device 2F176. Provide experience with shared / reflective memory solutions implementation, and/or alternate solutions, associated with training systems. Provide recommended hardware/software solution to address the obsolete reflective memory network and enhance the long term life-cycle supportability of the training system. In the event that multiple solutions are offered request that the response include comparisons of life cycle costs of each and trade offs of each compared to the other(s). Provide approach to satisfy USN Information Assurance (IA) requirements, in accordance with DODI 8500.2 Information Assurance (IA) Implementation, for training system software affected by proposed design to provide the cross cockpit viewing and reflective memory solution. Provide a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM). Request that the ROM be broken into areas of: display replacement, image generator and projectors, if required, resulting from display system replacement, and reflective memory solution. Identify the delivery schedule to accomplish the visual display replacement and share memory obsolescence issues. Request that response identify trainer downtime required for in-plant development and to support on-site integration. Schedule should identify requirements for access to Government Furnished Information (GFI)/Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and Government Personnel (Pilots, instructors). Considering your company's current and projected workload, please describe how your company would provide the necessary staff to accomplish the work identified. Please list any ground rules and/or assumptions that your company recommends for this effort. As an example: estimated period of performance, availability of government furnished equipment/government furnished information (GFE/GFI), etc. Please describe your physical capacity for taking on this additional effort, taking into account current workload, and what plans you have if the physical capacity needs to be increased as a result of this proposed effort. NOTE: This is a request for information only, not a solicitation, or offer to do business of any kind. Any response to this request should be undertaken at your own risk and expense. To assist interested contractors in their responses, drawings of Device 2F176 are provided as an attachment to this RFI. Primary Point of Contact: Linda Sujansky - contact@example.gov +1 (555) 000-0000