--New Generation Army Targetry System Request for Information

NA It should be explicitly noted that the U.S. Government makes no official commitment nor obligation to procure any systems or services at this time by the release of this information. BACKGROUND: The Army Targets Management Office (TMO) intends to develop a New Generation Army Target System (NGATS) to replace existing target systems on live fire ranges. This NGATS target system will be made up of families of targetry components that are interchange able and provide the required performance at a low life cycle cost. Compatible NGATS components will be deployed on Army training ranges in a sequential or blocked program where each block represents increases in performance, reductions in cost, or both. The NGATS program is scheduled to begin fielding ranges in late FY06 with a Block I NGATS system. The schedule for fielding Block II or subsequent blocks will be set at a later date. In order to implement Block I, the Government has begun requirement definition and system design activities with a design integration contractor, Computer Sciences Corporation, Inc. of Huntsville, AL. As a part of this design activity, the Government, alo ng with the design integration contractor, will develop and provide system requirements and interfaces that target system components must meet. During the remainder of FY02, FY03, and most of FY04, the Government intends to sponsor a series of Industry Days including the design integration contractor and interested target industry companies to present the progress of the design and interface defin itions. Technical input from industry is strongly desired at these meetings. Industry comment on the progress and direction of the Government's activities will impact the content of the interfaces that NGATS Block I targetry components must meet. The Gover nment's intent is to have a family of each type of system component that will meet the interface requirements and provide a spectrum of price/performance to satisfy the large spectrum of Army range types and requirements. Beginning in late FY03 and continuing through FY04, the Government plans to operate a facility at the Redstone Arsenal where targetry component manufacturers can have their products tested for conformance to the requirements/interfaces. In late FY04, the G overnment will contract on a competitive basis, with a Production Integration Contractor to integrate and test a range system consisting of components that have been shown to meet the requirements/interfaces. Following the successful tests/demonstrations o f the prototype targetry system, the Production Integration Contractor will install targetry systems on Army live fire ranges. Options for post warranty support of the installed ranges will be included in this contract for the use of range operators. In stallation of NGATS Block I ranges is expected to continue for several years. NGATS Block II and any subsequent releases will be produced as a result of future procurement actions to introduce technology advancement and satisfy new training requirements. Such releases will be integrated and tested by a competitively selected product ion integration contractor who upon successful test/demonstration will be directed to install targetry systems on Army live fire ranges. The Production Integration contract will include a Hardware, Software and Services Exclusionary provision that will impose a restraint upon future business. This is necessary to preclude potential conflicts of interest and prevent the existence of a confli cting interest that might bias the Production Integration Contractor's judgment. Please see subpart 9.5, Federal Acquisition Regulation, 'Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest'. REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTATION: To identify the requirements for NGATS we have developed a Program Requirements Guidance Document (PRGD) that incorporates the NGATS Operational Requirements Document (ORD), Weapons Systems Field Manuals and ORDs from related range and targetry developments. In order to make the PRGD easier to read and understand, ascertain that all true requirements for training targetry are contained in the document, and ensure that requirements statements do not unnecessarily exclude solution by any particular technology we are providing the document for review and comment by training related organizations. Government offices associated with training/test ranges; targetry component manufacturers; and range installation, operation, and maintenance contract organizations are i nvited to download the documents available at ngats.redstone.army.mil and provide comments to Ms. Tanya Davis electronically, by the close of business on 15 August 2002, at contact@example.gov. A response form for use in providing multiple commen ts is available from Ms Davis. Receipt of the information (comments, or suggestions about the PRGD) that is supplied by an organization does not imply that the Government will incorporate any suggestion or take any action recommended. Information supplied by organizations will not be pr ovided to any office or organization outside of the TMO, the Aviation & Missile Command-Research, Development & Engineering Center, and their support contractors. Any information considered to be proprietary must be identified with appropriate markings. N o information or documents should be mailed to the Government and nothing will be returned. No follow-up meetings will be held with individual submitters. The support contractor personnel indicated above are employees of Analytical Services Inc., SPARTA, C omputer Sciences Corporation, Ohio Technologies Corporation (OTC), and Kottman Inc., all of Huntsville, Alabama. These businesses have signed non-disclosure agreements with the Government with respect to NGATS related information. The results of this RFI will be presented at the next NGATS Industry Day which is tentatively scheduled for 27 August 2002 in Huntsville Alabama. Detailed information about the Industry Day will be announced in this forum at a later date. Any information p rovided in response to this RFI that is mentioned or discussed at the Industry Day meeting will not be attributed to any specific source but may be associated with a generic Government or contractor origin.