Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis

See attached Call W911W6-20-R-0002 Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis. See attached Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis Q&A 12-11-19 See attached Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis Due Date Extension See attached Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis Q&A 12-23-19 See attached Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis Q&A 1-15-20 See attached Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis Q&A 4-21-20 Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis 1 Introduction The Army's ability to rapidly counter emerging threats and obsolescence is limited by current acquisition and engineering processes. Current systems engineering processes do not support shortened fielding times necessary to maintain tactical dominance and integration approaches cannot sustain the rapid growth of system complexity in Army Aviation mission systems. Integrated Mission Equipment for Vertical Lift Systems (IME) proposes to address integration challenges through a Digital Backbone designed to efficiently integrate capabilities into the air vehicle, and through Core Capabilities for integration of reusable mission software and demonstrate both concepts on a flying testbed. The IME project's vision is to enable rapid integration of flight capable technology in a sustainable manner over the life cycle of a platform, system or component. IME is a 6.3 Science & Technology (S&T) program managed by the Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center (CCDC AvMC) Aviation Development Directorate (ADD) that builds on the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) Mission Systems Architecture Demonstration (MSAD) program and informs Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) Competitive Prototype (CP), Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), and other Future Vertical Lift systems. 2 Call General Information Call number W911W6-20-R-0002, Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis, is issued under Master Broad Agency Announcement W911W6-19-R-0012 which can be accessed at https://beta.sam.gov (formerly fbo.gov). This Call utilizes the Two-Step, White Paper/Proposal Submission Process described therein. This Call solicits proposals to perform trade studies that will inform and help mature the proposed IME Digital Backbone and Core Capabilities concepts by identifying emerging and existing technologies and providing substantiated recommendations for effectively realizing these concepts. This Call includes a Supplemental Package which is available upon request in accordance with Section 5. The types of research envisioned under this Call may include, but is not limited to, market research, trade studies, analysis, experimentation, and demonstrations. It is highly recommended that Offerors obtain the corresponding Government Furnish Information (GFI) listed in Section 5 to understand approach to be matured. 3 Scope of Research Effort Each of the activities described below is a topic of interest that needs to be researched to understand complex integration challenges. 3.1 Activity 1: Digital Backbone Digital Backbone is a sub-system that enables rapid updates to existing capabilities, integration and deployment of new technologies, and reduce sustainment costs by implementing mechanisms that allow Air Vehicle Systems (AVS) and Mission Systems (MS) to be changed independently of each other. Given the difference in the rate of change between the Air Vehicle and its Mission System, the Government requires the ability to provision for Mission Systems sustainment and variability without significant impact to the Air Vehicle (including Safety/Airworthiness or Security recertification impacts). A Digital Backbone isolates AVS and MS variability through variation points in areas of space/volume, mechanical connections, electrical resource and connections, thermal resource and connections, and data transportation technologies. This Call seeks to investigate the following elements of a Digital Backbone: Data Distribution, Data Isolation, Nodal Points, Power Management, Thermal Management, and Chases. Offerors should only provide information that is relevant or could contribute to some aspect of this Digital Backbone concept, either as an architecture or specific components thereof. The Digital Backbone concept applies to aircraft of varying sizes for manned and unmanned platforms. Offerors are encouraged to consider impacts to size, weight, power, sustainment costs, and maintenance costs, as these metrics likely apply to all topics, as well as suggest any metrics they deem relevant to the topic being responded to. The following sub-topics are specific areas of interests being solicited: SUB-TOPIC 101: Data Distribution A Digital Backbone must support a data distribution capability that supports growth as technology evolves. The data distribution assemblies consist of necessary cabling, busses, connectors, data convertors, routers, switches, firewalls, protocol converters, and any other items that assists in the transfer of data across systems. Transport technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, fiber, gigabit Ethernet, Ethernet 10/100, MIL-STD-1773, MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, etc., as well as accompanying protocols. Research on this topic could compare current fielded designs and capabilities against state of the art solutions in terms of performance, ease of integration, and potential for added capability. Offerors are also encouraged to consider latency, communication bandwidth, cybersecurity, and Information Assurance (IA). SUB-TOPIC 102: Data Isolation A Digital Backbone must support data isolation between AVS components and the MS components. The isolation should be configurable and manage the flow of information between the AVS components and MS components as well as provide physical and logical isolation preserving safety, security, and performance attributes (i.e. bandwidth, latency) of the data flowing between the AVS and MS components. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, data isolators and cross domain solutions. Research on this topic could address defining the current state of the art as a baseline and identify potential solutions that can perform the data isolation function from a physical and logical perspective. Offerors are also encouraged to address communication bandwidth and latency. SUB-TOPIC 103: Nodal Points A Digital Backbone must support a nodal point capability that will provide both mounting apertures for physically attaching equipment, and all of the various mechanisms that connect that equipment to data, power, and thermal management. Nodal points would be strategically located throughout the structure of the airframe, where equipment is or would be frequently mounted. The availability of nodal points will enable more efficient integration by having the necessary provisions available where equipment is being added without having to reconfigure the air vehicle. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, technologies that can contribute to provisioning for integration necessities; examples include mechanisms to support physical mounting and connection of anticipated equipment types. Additional topics of interest include the types of analyses that will need to be conducted to enable nodal points; such as co-site analyses, weight distributions, line of sight, and electromagnetic fields. Research on this topic could document current state of the art as a baseline and identify potential solutions that can contribute to a nodal point concept, including existing solutions used by commercial platforms. SUB-TOPIC 104: Power Management A Digital Backbone must support power management. Power management will consist of control, aspects of health monitoring, fusing, conversion, distribution, and connection. The AVS and MS components will connect to the power management subsystem through the nodal points. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, electronic circuit breakers, power converters, intelligent power management, and smart fuses. Research on this topic could document current state of the art as a baseline and identify potential solutions that can contribute to these tasks of power management at distributed nodes. SUB-TOPIC 105: Thermal Management A Digital Backbone must support thermal management for equipment. The capability should provide adequate thermal management for evolving aircraft MS technology on the next iteration of airframes. Thermal management will be distributed to and available at nodal points for flexible cooling of MS electronics. Technologies of interest include, but are not limited to, liquid cooling, spray cooling, chilled forced air, piezoelectric, thermoelectric cooling, or a hybrid of thermal management methods. Research on this topic could document current thermal management methods, as well as, their viability for integration into current and future platforms. SUB-TOPIC 106: Chases A Digital Backbone must support a distribution structure that routes cables and connects nodal points via chases, channels, conduit and other means to facilitate more efficient additions, modifications, and/or removals of wiring and cabling. Technologies of interest include concepts that enable cabling to be added or removed easily, as well as, technologies that address wire and cable physical security and chafing solutions. Research on this topic could document current state of the art as a baseline and identify potential solutions that could contribute to a chase concept or solutions for wire and cable physical security and airworthiness. 3.2 Activity 2: Core Capabilities Core Capabilities are the baseline software infrastructure and mission-centric reusable software components that are integrated to provide mission systems capabilities. Core Capabilities will be managed and acquired according to the Software Product Line (SPL) Strategy. The results of these trade studies will be used to inform the definition, design, and implementation of a software infrastructure framework which will be used to conduct integration experiments with representative mission system capabilities. The following sub-topics are specific areas of interests being solicited: SUB-TOPIC 201: SPL Domain Scope Core Capabilities consists of two potentially distinct SPL domains, Infrastructure and Multipurpose Components. The Infrastructure domain encompasses capabilities that are essential to the successful integration of mission-centric reusable software components into an effective deployed mission solution. The Multipurpose Components domain encompasses capabilities that are highly reusable in a variety of mission system solutions. Research on this topic could discuss market research and trade studies on one or more capabilities deemed by the Offeror to belong to either the Infrastructure domain or the Multipurpose Components domain. The Offeror is encouraged to consider multiple capabilities within the same domain and the relationships between them. SUB-TOPIC 202: Functional Architecture Maturity IME has selected the Open Mission System Definition (OMSD) as the Functional Architecture for each SPL. OMSD is a superset of the Joint Common Architecture (JCA) and is complimentary to the Open Group's Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Technical Standard. Research on this topic should address the maturity and completeness of OMSD as a model-based representation of the capabilities and functions of the Infrastructure and/or Multipurpose Components SPL domain. OMSD is provided in Enterprise Architect format. SUB-TOPIC 203: Functional Allocation to Software Products IME will establish a portfolio of software products in each SPL domain. Each software product will be allocated capabilities or functions, and that allocation should increase cohesion, reduce coupling, and promote reusable software components. Research on this topic could address rationale for allocation decisions. Offerors are encouraged to consider marketability of reusable components in a broad variety of deployed mission solutions. SUB-TOPIC 204: Alignment of Current Solutions IME will evolve each SPL through FY24 with the intent for them to be leveraged by other ADD programs. At various milestones between FY20 and FY24, IME plans to integrate software products aligned to the Infrastructure domain and the Multipurpose Components SPL domains, as well as other mission-centric reusable software applications, into representative mission solutions for experimentation and demonstration. Research on this topic could describe the possibility of the Offeror being able to align existing software products to the corresponding SPL. The Offeror is encouraged to consider model-based representations of the software product as a configuration item in relation to the model-based representation of the SPL itself. The Offeror is also encouraged to consider governance of the bidirectional relationships between SPL elements and software products. Offerors are encouraged to review the JCA Product Developer call (W911W6-18-R-0010 - See Section 5: Government Furnished Information/Data) for additional guidance with respect to SPL specification and governance. 4 Call Specific Instructions This Call will use the Two-Step, White Paper/Proposal Submission Process as described in Section 5 of Master BAA W911W6-19-R-0012, as further supplemented below. 4.1 White Papers/Proposal Instructions In addition to the content provided in Master BAA paragraph 5.1.1, Offerors shall provide the following: 4.1.1 First Step - White Paper White paper shall only address one sub-topic and shall not exceed four (4) pages, excluding the transmittal letter. If multiple sub-topics are proposed, each area should be addressed in a separate white paper. Upon completion of Government evaluation, the Government will request full proposals from those Offerors whose white papers were evaluated as being scientifically meritorious and show the potential for selection for an award. The transmittal letter shall include the following information: Organization name, address, email address, Web site address, telephone number, CAGE code, NAICS code and size and type of ownership for the organization. 4.1.2 Second Step - Proposals Specific instructions pertaining to the content and structure of proposals are provided in Master BAA W911W6-19-R-0012 paragraph 5.2.3. In addition to the content required, the Offeror shall provide the following: Volume 1 - Technical Proposal: The technical proposal shall provide a clear substantiation for the selection of the proposed Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis research effort sub-topic. Technical proposals are limited to 15 pages total. Pages in excess of the page limitation will not be read or evaluated. The following are not subject to the page limitation: a. The official transmittal letter b. Cover page c. Table of contents and/or acronym table, if applicable d. Resumes of key personnel which shall be provided as a separate stand-alone file) Volume 2 - Price/Cost Proposal: A variety of funding instruments, described in section 3.3 of the Master BAA, are available for award. The proposal must clearly state the desired funding instrument. If a TIA is proposed, the total cost of the proposed effort (to include cost share) must be provided in the same detail/format as costs which are to be funded by the Government. 4.2 Funding Any award under this Call is based upon the availability of appropriated funds. The Government anticipates multiple awards in the 3rd quarter of the Government Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. Anticipated total Government funding is approximately $2.2M total, with Government fiscal year distribution as follows: FY20 $1.2M and FY21 $1.0M. 4.3 Period of Performance Offerors should clearly depict their proposed schedule and place of performance. The period of performance for the Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis research effort is anticipated to be no more than 12 months total (including 3 months for data/final report). 4.4 Data Rights The Government requires "Unlimited Rights" for efforts without cost share and a minimum "Government Purpose Rights" for efforts with cost share as defined in DFARS Part 227, to all technical data and deliverables developed under this program. It is the Offeror's responsibility to clearly identify the proposed data rights for each deliverable. Ambiguities will be negatively evaluated against the Offeror. 4.5 Required Reporting and Deliverables All awards under this announcement will require a kickoff meeting following award. The following data items / deliverables will be required in Contractor format: (1) Management Plan; (2) Monthly Technical Status Report; (3) Monthly Financial Status Report; (4) Briefing Materials; (5) Final Report; and (6) Computer Software End Item (If Applicable). All awards will require the results of the work to be presented in an open forum briefing at Ft. Eustis, VA or other Government specified location upon completion of all technical effort. 4.6 Government Facilities, Property, and Data It is the Offeror's responsibility to identify, coordinate, and furnish supporting documentation for use of any Government furnished equipment, data, and/or services not explicitly offered as part of this Call. Most Government furnished technical data and documentation is not publically available and/or is export controlled. 4.7 Security No special security requirements or restrictions are anticipated. Access to classified material is not anticipated, and technologies to be developed are unclassified. 5 Government Furnished Information/Data A supplemental package for the purpose of performing the Innovative Integration Trades and Analysis research effort is available upon request to those Offerors who have a valid Joint Certification Program (JCP) certification number. Your request for the supplemental package shall be emailed to the addressees in Section 6 and shall include your JCP certification number, CAGE code and/or a copy of your approved DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement. If your organization does not have a JCP certification number, please refer to The Defense Logistics Agency website for assistance at https://www.dla.mil/HQ/LogisticsOperations/Services/JCP/ Content format and distribution limitations are identified in the table below. Description Distribution Statement Format Version Comprehensive Architecture Strategy A .pdf V4.0 Digital Backbone C .pdf V1.2 Digital Backbone Objective Architecture C .xls V0.1 JCA Model C/ITAR .eap V1.7 JCA Model C/ITAR .mdzip V1.9 JCA Model Language & Guidance C .docx Rev 7 Objective Mission System Definition (OMSD) D/ITAR .xls v3.1 Software Product Line Strategy C .pdf V1.0 JCA Product Developer Call W911W6-18-R-0010 None .doc for JMR TD MSAD Capstone 6 White Paper/Proposal Submission Instructions Classified responses will not be accepted. 6.1 White Paper Submission Instructions White Papers shall be valid for a period of 6 months from the due date. White Papers shall be provided in in Microsoft Word or as a portable document format (*.pdf) file. White Papers shall be submitted via the DoD SAFE site. Send an email to kenneth.m.hood.civ@mail.mil and thomas.j.verry.civ@mail.mil, with the subject "Drop-off request Call W911W6-20-R-0002", at least 3 business days prior to the due date and a link to the DoD SAFE site will be provided. White papers shall be submitted not later than January 24, 2020; 12:00PM EST 6.2 Proposal Submission Instructions Proposals shall be valid for a period of nine months from the due date. Technical and cost proposals shall be provided in in Microsoft Word or as a portable document format (*.pdf) file. The cost proposal shall be provided in the Offerors format as well as Excel format for cost verification purposes. Proposals shall be submitted via the DoD SAFE site. Send an email to kenneth.m.hood.civ@mail.mil and thomas.j.verry.civ@mail.mil, with the subject "Drop-off request W911W6-20-R-0002", at least 3 business days prior to the due date and a link to the DoD SAFE site will be provided. If applicable, additional submission instructions will be included in the letter inviting full proposal submission. Questions shall be submitted in writing via email to kenneth.m.hood.civ@mail.mil and thomas.j.verry.civ@mail.mil. All questions must be submitted within 7 days prior to the due date to ensure a response. All questions and responses received will be posted to beta.SAM.GOV as an amendment to the Call. White Papers and Proposals received after the date and time specified for closing will be handled in accordance with FAR 52.215-1, Instructions to Offerors - Competitive Acquisition.