Request for Information

Title IMPROVED SINGLE PIXEL FOURIER TRANSFORM INFARED (FTIR) DETECTION PERFORMANCE USING INSTANTANEOUS FIELD OF VIEW (IFOV) LESS THAN 18 millradians (1.0 DEGREE) Request for Information (RFI) The Joint Project Manager for Nuclear Biological Chemical Contamination Avoidance (JPM NBCCA) is conducting a field simulant demonstration with eighteen (18) milliradians (or smaller) instantaneous field of view (IFOV) single-pixel scanning FTIR standoff chemical agent detection systems. The Government will be conducting field simulant tests at Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) in Utah to investigate the reduced IFOV FTIR detection systems ability to detect, identify, and track chemical agent clouds at greater distances than FTIR detection systems with larger IFOV. Key area of interest includes: Understanding the differences in Time to Detect, Time to Identify, and Tracking performance of chemical vapor clouds using large IFOV versus reduced IFOV FTIR systems at standoff distances up to 5km from the dissemination location. Large IFOV FTIR systems are defined as systems with an IFOV greater than eighteen (18) milliradians (1.0 degree). To this end, the JPM NBCCA is requesting whitepaper submissions to support a potential reduced IFOV versus large IFOV FTIR systems demonstration. After review of industrys submissions, the Government may select candidates to demonstrate their systems from 04 15 May 2009 at DPG, UT. The Government demonstrations will provide an opportunity for industry to demonstrate their single pixel reduced IFOV and large IFOV FTIR detection systems to address the Governments key area of interest. The Government will be investigating the capability differences between each vendors small and large IFOV sensors, not the capability differences between sensors provided by different vendors. If a contractor does not have a large and small IFOV instrument for self comparison, but does possess a system that they feel could benefit from a data collection exercise as presented here, they should submit a white paper for consideration as the Government may allow the contractor to participate. See para. 5) below. This notice constitutes a RFI. All selected participants will be participating in the Government IFOV demonstration at their own expense. For this demonstration, the Government will not be awarding contracts nor paying any of the contractors costs, expenses, or travel claims associated with this demonstration. Submission of a white paper does not guarantee selection for the IFOV demonstration. Selection of multiple participants is anticipated. WHITE PAPER PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION: All responsible firms, corporations, organizations, including those within the U.S. Government, private industry, academic institutions, research institutions, non-profit organizations, etc., are encouraged to respond to this RFI by submitting a white paper. There will be no opportunity for questions and answers associated with this RFI. As a minimum, the submission should address the following: 1) Brief Description of System or Technology and Capabilities. Describe the overall system and its capabilities. Describe the key components and specifications of the system to include size, weight and power requirements, Noise Equivalent Spectral Radiance (NESR), IFOV of the two systems, spectral resolution, etc. 2) Demonstration Plan. Each contractor will be expected to provide at least one of their large IFOV FTIR systems and at least one of their reduced IFOV FTIR systems. All contractors will be expected to have all their systems confidence checked, calibrated, and ready to operate at least 30 minutes prior to each scheduled release. All contractors shall co-locate their systems with the other IFOV FTIR systems on the test site. The Government will take appropriate measures to prevent the disclosure of contractors proprietary data to other co-located vendors. Each contractor will operate, and maintain each of their FTIR systems. All systems will be operated in accordance with (IAW) the Government test plan (see attached) for setup and location. All of the FTIR systems will be scanning the same Field of Regard (FOR) defined by the Government, and both of the contractors FTIR systems will be running the same detection algorithm. At the end of each test day, each contractor will be expected to provide processed detection results to the Government on a CD, DVD, or other similar media format. The processed data shall clearly describe the simulant identity, relative azimuth and elevation extents from the sensor, initial detection time, initial identification time, and de-alert time. The test plan is attached with this RFI. Within 60 days after completion of the test, the Government will provide each participant with referee ground truth and met data. 3) Cost. The Government will provide two weeks of simulant testing at DPG. The Government plans to give each participants detection system over forty eight (48) challenges of TriEthyl Phosphate (TEP) and Acetic Acid (AA). The participants are expected to fully fund their participation in this demonstration. 4) Logistical support. The Government will provide minimum logistical support to each contractor. Support includes but is not limited to providing trucks to reposition systems, generators, gasoline, wireless network capability, etc. The contractor shall request specific support desired from the Government in the white paper. 5) Other Standoff Chemical Agent Systems. Contractors that do not have systems that meet the Governments requirements outlined above may be invited as an opportunity to collect data that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. These contractors will be participating on a non-interference basis. At the end of each test day, the contractor will be expected to provide to the Government all processed detection data. The white paper shall be limited to ten (10) pages (8.5 inches x 11 inches), of English text. It shall be single-spaced, 12 pitch with 1 inch left, right, top and bottom margin. All proprietary data that the participant intends to be used only by the Government for evaluation purposes must be identified and appropriately marked. See Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 3.104.4;52.215-1(e). The participant must also identify all technical data contained in the white paper that is to be treated by the Government as subject to restrictive markings. In the absence of such identification, the Government will assume to have unlimited rights to all technical data in the white paper. The white paper shall be submitted in Microsoft Word format and include an electronic copy on CD-ROM compatible with Microsoft Word 2003. Participants are responsible to ensure electronic copies on CD-ROM are virus free. Submissions are to be sent to the following address not later than April 3, 2009: Dept of the Army Joint Project Manager for Nuclear Biological Chemical Contamination Avoidance Attention: SFAE-CBD-NBC-D (E4465 Linwood Halsey/Steve Kolodzey) 5183 Blackhawk Road Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010 5424 This notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the US Government and does not imply an intention or the opportunity to acquire funding to support current or future development efforts. Participants will not be notified of the test results of the data submitted by other contractors PM NBC Contamination Avoidance 0.5 Degree IFOV JSLSCAD Engineering Demo, 4-15 May 09 Test Plan, v2 Test Objectives: To demonstrate that a 0.50 IFOV JSLSCAD offers improved performance (=greater than50%) in probability of detection and distance to detection when compared, side by side, to the baseline 1.50 IFOV JSLSCAD. Test Dates/Test Location: 4 - 15 May 09, DPG, Target R Grid. Grid Times: Report time will be ~1200 each day; leave time will be ~2200. Releases: Assume 8/day; approx 60 - 80 over 8-10 test days (2 week period). Simulants will be AA or TEP. See attached test matrix for days, releases and simulant quantities. Number of Systems: Government: 2 ea 0.50 IFOV, 2 ea 1.50 IFOV. All will be co-located at the same site for each release. Other Participants: There may be other Government or private organizations at this test. Certain contractors, such as General Dynamics or Northrop Grumman, may participate depending on their individual responses to a Government RFI. Scan Pattern: Systems will be aimed at the release point. Relative azimuth extents will be approx -200 to + 200 degrees, and elevation extents will be approx -30 to + 70 degrees for both system types. Distance: Systems will be on Downwind West at 2km or on November Road at 3, 4, or 5km. Once a distance is chosen, systems will remain there for the entire day. Day 4: By the end of day 3, we expect to see some performance limits. The Program Manager (PM) may adjust material quantities for one or both simulants, then keep this level as we move to re-establish detection capability. Subsequent days will be decided on an ad hoc basis. Ground Truth: DPG: Since this is a PM (customer) conducted test, there is no requirement for specific cloud detection support from DPG. The PM does require standard met condition information from DPG, such as temperature, RH, wind direction, speed, inversion layer height, etc. Aerospace Standard Ground Trackers: Aerospace will be present with two of their ground trackers to provide accurate spatial and temporal cloud location, column density, background delta Ts, etc. Aerospace GBAS: Aerospace will be present with one GBAS system configured at a one mrad IFOV/pixel. Frequency Allocation: PM: The PM will require DPG supplied wireless radios as listed under DPG Responsibilities. Aerospace: Aerospace has used their own voice and data radios in the past and will use them during this test to communicate to their designated Command Post (CP) ground tracker van.