R--Request for Information/Market Survey

This is a request for information only - no contract will result from responses received for this RFI. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Office of Force Transformation (OFT) is assessing the capabilities of the defense industry as it rela tes to the transformation of the military to meet the future threat environment, specifically the application of non-lethal directed energy. Purpose: As part of its ongoing assessment, the Office of Force Transformation (OFT) Project SHERIFF is seeking possible applications of millimeter wave-range directed energy systems to enhance non-lethal weapon technologies, to include systems capable of enabling apprehension of individual at significantly greater distances than currently possible with other non-lethal devices (tasers, projected nets, etc.). In particular, OFT is seeking range-of-magnitude cost information on portable and crew-served weap on sized formats for these technologies, as well any vehicle-mounted or large scale fixed site systems. This is a request for information only - no contract will result from responses received for this RFI. However, the OFT may issue a formal Request for Proposal (RFP)/Request for Quote (RFQ), or other appropriate instrument, at some future time in order to implement specific solutions. Background: Project 'SHERIFF' is an OFT initiative to develop and rapidly field a series of operational prototypes integrating directed energy and kinetic systems, both lethal and non-lethal; active protection/â€?active defenseâ€? technology; and a variety of advanced sensors, all mounted on armored vehicles in order to provide a fundamentally new set of tactical capabilities for land combat. It is intended to provide not only mobile, protected, and “tunableâ€?, precision effects and scalab le lethality, but also engagement sequences that are faster than current systems by an order of magnitude, making it a potentially paradigm-breaking capability package for urban operations as well as other combined arms warfare scenarios within both major combat operations and stability operations. In the near term, a key focus will be to explore millimeter-wave technologies as a potential counter to the operational challenges of close-range urban area RPG and IED ambushes. Ultimately, however, SHERIFF i s intended to advance a prototype of combined physical and psychological effects , as opposed to simply “combined armsâ€?, on the tactical battlefield. It must be stressed that SHERIFF is not intended to be solely focused on any one narrow range of scenarios. Responses that contain proprietary information should be clearly marked to ensure correct handling. The information provided may be used to refine the Government’s focus in formulating its approach for addressing its needs in this area. The governme nt will not respond individually to the submissions except to request additional information if appropriate. Responses can be sent electronically or by post, but should not exceed 10 pages total. Do not respond to this RFI after 6 March 2004. Vendor and product information should be sent to The Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of Force Transformation, Attn: Col G. P. Garrett, USMC, 1401 Wilson Blvd #301, Arlington, VA 22209-2306. Col Garrett’s e-mail address is: contact@example.gov No telephone calls will be accepted.