Persistent Surveillance Systems-Tethered (PSS-T) Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) Capability

Product Director (PD) Aerostats Title: Persistent Surveillance Systems-Tethered (PSS-T) Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) Capability Request for Information (RFI) This RFI is for planning purposes in Fiscal Year (FY) 19 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 issuing this request for information synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify potential sources having an interest and industry technologies to interface C-RAM Capability with the PSS-T System. This integration effort will involve the building, testing, and evaluating hardware and software changes to the PSS-T ground control station. PROGRAM BACKGROUND The PSS-T aerostats are capable of persistent, integrated, networked, and multi-sensor information collection by operating for long periods of time at an altitude to maximize the line of sight and field of regard of on-board systems. The PSS-T systems are Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) platform equipped with a variety of sensors to fulfill force protection, communication, and surveillance missions. PSS-T is required to be employed during all phases of theater operations. PSS-T is responsive to the ground component of a joint warfighting force by providing weather-dependent, persistent surveillance at operating locations throughout the operational area and directly enhancing the commander's situational understanding. The addition of CRAM to PSS-T will provide a counterfires/counter target acquisition capability. The contractor will have the responsibility of integration of systems for a holistic solution to interface sensors and command and control for slew to cue with C-RAM systems. The Government is looking to connect up to five (5) PSS-T systems to C-RAM. This effort will include integration, test and evaluation, and production for the ground control station (GCS). The GCS houses electronics to support the operations and video processing exploitations and dissemination (PED). This modification will involve evaluating the replacement of obsolete components and updating the relevant software including PED, operating systems and command and control software to be compliant with appropriate domain separation between classified and unclassified networks. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES The Government is seeking the contractor to provide a C-RAM capability for PSS-T, including updated GCS. The updated GCS component of the solution shall enable a connection to a classified system and addresses obsolescence. The solution shall maintain redundancy of critical systems. The solution shall minimize the hardware required and provide for scalability for future requirements. As part of the integration effort, the Contractor shall provide an updated technical data package (TDP). The Government is seeking the production and delivery of up to five (5) populated GCS units with the first unit delivered within six (6) months of contract award. The Government will furnish the base shelters with empty racks. The Government will provide available documentation on the current GCS configuration for this effort upon request. Additionally, the Government is seeking technical support to integrate the modified GCS into the PSS-T Large system and evaluate the performance of the PSS-T system during U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) testing efforts. The ATEC tests shall include operational testing, and capabilities and limitations testing. RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS All material submitted in response to this RFI must be unclassified. The response is limited to fifteen (15) pages. Responses are due fifteen (15) calendar days from date of posting of this RFI. The response shall include the following items: 1. Approach to meet required capabilities for C-RAM integration effort, including details on the development of a materiel solution, plans to test and verify the proposed solution, and proposed data collection and analysis techniques. 2. Details on company's current production capabilities. 3. Demonstrate the company's experience with integrating/ modifying command and control software, PED software, and computer operating systems to support multiple classification level operations (Unclassified and Secret) within a GCS. 4. Rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost for this effort. 5. Draft schedule for the proposed integration efforts, and fielding timelines for each unit. Information received in response to an RFI shall be safeguarded adequately from unauthorized disclosure. 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. Thomas Frank @ thomas.m.frank.civ@mail.mil