Helicopter Emergency Oil System

Call Number W911W6-21-R-0012, Helicopter Emergency Oil System, is issued under Master Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911W6-21-R-0013. Call W911W6-21-R-0012 consists of the following: (1) this document (the Call); (2) Statement of Research Effort; and (3) a document which describes required deliverables. 2.0. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: The Army is interested in improving loss of lubrication capabilities of turboshaft engines for rotary wing applications through research and development of technologies that provide emergency oil system capabilities and are integrated into the primary oil system of the engine. Under normal operations, flowing oil provides lubrication and cooling to engine mechanical systems. In a loss of lubrication condition, which could occur due to a variety of reasons including small arms fire, where the primary oil flow no longer exists, the oil pump is unable to adequately circulate oil to bearings to maintain long term operations. In addition, the mechanical components generate more heat due to increased friction, which can lead to component failure. The Army is looking to develop a helicopter emergency oil system to increase combat survivability of the platform and slow the engine oil drain-out, offering the pilot and passengers the necessary time to carry out evasive landing maneuvers to safely land the rotary wing aircraft. The current turboshaft engine requirement is for 6 minutes of operations in loss of lubrication conditions. The Science and Technology (S&T) objective is to extend the loss of lubrication operational capabilities to beyond 20 minutes. One way to meet this requirement is to employ the use of an emergency auxiliary oil system. An auxiliary system takes over during the loss of primary oil flow, however, it requires the aircraft to always carry around the additional associated weight. This additional weight reduces aircraft payload and range, which is not desired. The purpose of this effort is to develop and demonstrate new and/or improved technologies for an emergency lubrication system that is integrated into the existing primary oil system of the engine. This system must maintain 20 minutes of limited lubrication oil to the engine mechanical systems in emergency situations, such as loss or damage to the engine oil tank. Additional requirements for the system include the ability to fit within the existing engine envelope and a restriction on adding additional weight to the engine. The intent of this research effort is to focus on technologies or methods for improvements to the delivery of lubrication during loss of lubrication events, and to increase the technology readiness level of these technologies. Technologies that are not a part of the primary oil system of the engine will be evaluated as less desirable for this research effort. The Helicopter Emergency Oil System effort under this Call shall consist of the design, fabrication, and testing of an emergency oil system that meets the goals of the program as described above and takes the system from an initial TRL of 3 to TRL 4/5 within the period of performance. The starting point for this effort shall include a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 prototype to demonstrate system concept. The intention is to reach TRL 4 with hardware demonstration within 15 months of award and TRL 5 within the next 2 to 3 years. Offerors shall document within their proposal a thorough description of their proposed technology, what specific improvements are being offered and how they advance the state of the art, detailed substantiation of how their technology contributes to the goals, the theory of operation for their system, planned development milestones and the current status of their design. Additionally, offerors shall discuss their planned transition and incorporation of the technology into turboshaft engine systems for the enduring (CH-47, UH-60, AH-64) or future fleets of Army aircraft. The base program shall encompass the design and modeling/simulation of the emergency oil system, fabrication of the component technologies, and component testing to take the technology to TRL4. The base program shall also include modeling and simulation of how the emergency oil system is to be integrated into a representative turboshaft engine. Testing shall be performed at the offeror's designated facility and these facilities and capabilities shall be described within the offeror's proposal. It is also requested for the offeror to propose a 12-month option that shall consist of any planned optimization of the technology as well as integration and operation of the technology in a representative turboshaft engine. The option shall include system level testing to demonstrate the technology to a TRL5. 3.0. AWARD INFORMATION: 3.1. Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2021 3.2. Anticipated Funding for the Program: Available Government funding is approximately $3.68M total for award. Government fiscal year distribution is as follows: FY21: $1,840K, FY22: $1,840K. Awards are expected to be fully funded for the period of performance. 3.3. Type of Contract/Instrument: See Master BAA W911W6-21-R-0013. 3.4. Number of Awards Anticipated: One award is anticipated from this Call. 3.5. Anticipated Period of Performance for Individual Awards: Offerors shall clearly depict their proposed schedule and place of performance. The period of performance for research efforts are not to exceed 24 months total, with a separate schedule for the additional 12-month option. 3.6. This Call is intended to fulfill requirements for scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing state-of-the-art technologies and/or increasing knowledge and understanding as a means of eliminating current technology barriers: 3.7. Deliverables: All contracts/agreements will require delivery of the following items delivered in Contractor's format: (1) Program Plan; (2) Technical Reviews; (3) Kick-Off Presentation at offeror's facility; (4) Quarterly Technical Progress, and Cost Status Reports; (5) Status Update Briefings; (6) Detailed Design Report; (7) Test Plans/Test Reports; (8) Final Briefing at Ft. Eustis; and (9) *Final Report (which includes test data and Photographic and Video documentation of tests). * Note: All data other than - Unlimited Rights or - Government Purpose Rights shall be delivered in an addendum to the final report. See also the - Deliverables document for further information on required deliverables. 5.0. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: This call will use the full proposal submission process as detailed in the Master BAA in Section 5.2 and supplemented with the information below. 5.2.2. Proposal Format: Technical proposals are limited to 30 pages total for this Call. 5.2.3. Proposal Content Volume 1 - Technical Proposal: The technical proposal shall provide a clear justification for the selection of the proposed emergency oil system technologies and associated design. The rationale supporting the proposed emergency oil system will be evaluated based upon the extent to which the proposed technologies contribute to the goals (20 minutes of operations in loss of lubrication conditions, fit within existing oil system without further weight) identified in Section 2. The technical proposal shall include detailed substantiation of the design and capabilities of the system, its developmental subcomponents, its ability to be integrated into a turboshaft engine for future or enduring platforms. In addition, the proposal shall include a detailed discussion of the test plans/component testing effort and the requested option to test within a turboshaft engine. The technical proposal shall include a response to the Statement of Research Effort issued with this Call. Volume 2 - Cost Proposal: The offeror shall include a separately detailed and priced option. The Government prefers, - Unlimited Rights and requires at a minimum, - Government Purpose Rights as defined by the DFARS 252.227-7013, to all technical data, and computer software developed under this program, and no limitations on the use of delivered and/or residual hardware. It is the offeror's responsibility to clearly acknowledge or take exception to the Government's desire for at least - Government Purpose Rights. Ambiguities will be negatively evaluated against the offeror. The Offeror shall propose legends for each data item identified as other than unlimited rights. In addition, all Offerors shall identify the technical data or computer software that they assert would be furnished with restrictions on use, release or disclosure. This information will be provided with the proposal using the format/table included in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.227-7017 Identification and Assertion of Use, Release or Disclosure Restrictions. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCESS AND CONTRACTING INSTRUCTIONS: Proposals shall be submitted via upload to the DoD SAFE site in accordance with the below. DOD SAFE submission is the only authorized method for proposal submission under this Call. Proposals shall be submitted via upload to the DoD Safe Access File Exchange at https://safe.apps.mil/. In order to utilize the SAFE site, a drop off request is required. Applicants shall request a drop off via email to BOTH of the following points of contact: Mr. Thomas M. Helms at thomas.m.helms6.civ@mail.mil AND Ms. Laurie Pierce at laurie.a.pierce2.civ@mail.mil). The email requesting the drop off shall include the following in the subject line: - Drop-off request W911W6-21-R-0012. Drop off requests shall be submitted at least 3 business days prior to the proposal due date. The upload link is valid for fourteen days. Applicants will receive an automated email containing a link to upload the files. Please follow the link instructions. Upon request, applicants will be provided acknowledgement of proposal receipt. Offerors may submit one or more proposals, and each proposal will be evaluated independently. Unless the Offeror specifies a different proposal expiration date, proposals will be considered valid through October 30, 2021. All questions or concerns regarding this Call shall be submitted in writing via email to thomas.m.helms6.civ@mail.mil and laurie.a.pierce2.civ@mail.mil. All questions must be submitted within 7 days prior to the proposal due date to ensure a response. All questions and responses will be posted to SAM.gov as an amendment to this Call.