Modified Persistent Surveillan Systems - Tethered (PSS-T) Large for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

Product Director (PD) Aerostats Modified Persistent Surveillance Systems - Tethered (PSS-T) Large for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Request for Information (RFI) This RFI is for planning purposes in FY20 only and shall not be considered as an Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP) or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. All business types can respond to this RFI. Your response to this RFI will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor responses and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government reserves the right to reject input resulting from this request. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this effort. The Army in developing its acquisition strategy, Performance Work Statement, Statement of Objectives and/or Performance Based Specification(s), may use the information provided. Parties responding to this RFI are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI. PD Aerostats is conducting market research to identify vendors that have experience in the production of aerostats and can produce an exportable version of a modified PSS-T Large aerostat for the KSA. The vendor will be responsible for delivery and installation of ten (10) systems, providing training, operations and sustainment services at multiple locations within the country. This RFI is in support of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case as directed by the Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) between the United States of America and the KSA. The intended period of performance for this effort is 79 Months. REQUIREMENTS: 1) The vendor will be required to produce and deliver modified PSS-T Large systems including: aerostat envelopes, ground control station (GCS), mobile mooring platform (MMP), tether cable, lightweight payload enclosure (LWPE), payloads, and the standard support equipment package (forklifts, man lifts and utility vehicles). The aerostat systems will require the following capabilities to meet KSA requirements: a) Aerostat: - Length: Minimum - 28M (92 Ft) Maximum - 35M (115 Ft) - Payload Capacity: Minimum of 500kg (1,100 lbs) that can operate in locations up to 2133m (7000ft) above Mean Sea Level (MSL) and operating at altitudes up to 1,525m (5,000ft) Above Ground Level (AGL). - Operating Wind Speed: Up to 55 knots - Survival Wind Speed (Moored): Up to 75 knots - Threshold payload configuration: Must be able to carry two (2) Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensors, one (1) dismounted/ground moving target indicator (DMTI/GMTI) radar, one (1) airborne communications relay, and one (1) wireless full motion video (FMV) transmitter at the same time. b) Tether cable: A minimum of three (3) fiber optic strands. c) Ground Control Station: - Ageon Exportable (GeoSpara) Command and Control software - SOCET GXP for Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) software d) Payload Package: - DMTI/GMTI Smart Sensor Radar System (SSRS) F-25 Radar - Exportable EO/IR MX-20 Sensor - Fiber Optic Remote Antenna eXtension (FORAX) High Antenna for Radio Communications (HARC) 4S2U Radio Relay system - MiniTactical Communications Data Link (TCDL) Wireless Video Transceiver - Digital Receiver Technology DRT-1301C+ Communications Intelligence (COMINT) Sensor 2) The vendor will be required to provide support as follows: a) Training: operator and maintenance training for host nation personnel b) Field Service Representatives (FSR) for five (5) years. c) Vendor Operator support for all sites for six (6) months then transition to KSA d) Supply Management Support MARKET SURVEY QUESTIONS 1) What industry standards and/or certifications does your company utilize for aerostat systems? 2) Does your company have an existing process for integrating payloads with the C2 and Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) software onto an aerostat? If so, explain in detail. 3) What is the decibel (dB) loss per kilometer of the fiber optic strands your company uses for the tether cables described in the requirement? 4) How does your company calculate a link budget for the requested payload package? 5) Describe your process in calculating uncertainty budgets for the aerostat system and sensor payloads described in Section 1.d of this document for various use cases (ie low and high traffic environments assuming 5K ft AGL)? 6) Describe how you would meet full scale production of the modified PSS-T Large systems to meet the requirements stated within the RFI. Additionally, propose a production/fielding schedule for the first system initial operating capability (IOC). 7) Describe your organization's current and past performance in the below listed areas: - Conducting 24/7 aerostat and payloads operations. - Ability to hire, train and retain a workforce within possible contingency environments in austere living conditions. - Developing training material as well as conducting training for aerostat and payload operations for your employees and foreign military personnel. - Providing maintenance support for aerostat and payload systems to enable 24/7 operations. - Conducting sustainment operations in support of the aerostat and payload systems. 8) Describe your company's process for managing, transporting, and handling of control cryptographic items (CCI), enhanced end user monitoring (EEUM) equipment, and anti-tampering equipment? 9) Describe your sustainment plan to ensure aerostat and payload systems can conduct 24/7 operations. 10) Describe your company's approach to manage repair and return maintenance programs for the aerostat and payload systems? 11) Describe how your company tracks logistics, preventive maintenance, inventory, packaging, handling, storage and transportation (PHS&T) and configuration management. 12) Does your company have any representation and/or repair facilities to conduct depot-level maintenance for the aerostat and payload systems in the region? If so, please explain. 13) What is the soonest date you could have a modified PSS-T Large system available for demonstration to the Government? Vendor Response Requirements: All material submitted in response to this RFI must be unclassified. The response is limited to twenty-five (25) pages. Responses are due fifteen (15) business days from date of posting of this RFI. Provide a response in electronic format (Microsoft Office 2007 or higher suite format) describing the approach to meet the objectives established above. OTHER REQUIREMENTS Any resulting contract is anticipated to have a security classification level of Secret. Any resulting contract shall be compliant with the specialty metals restriction of the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. 2533a and 2533b) in accordance with DFARS clauses 252.225-7008 and 252.225-7009. Response Point of Contact (POC): Send questions and responses to this RFI via email to: Primary POC: Mr. William Kwan @ william.k.kwan.civ@mail.mil