Request for Information - Payload Processing Facility

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued as market research. All requirements identified in this RFI are tentative and will be finalized prior to the release of any request for proposal (RFP). The Government may use the HERMES Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Solicitation FA9300-20-S-0001, (https://sam.gov/opp/5224c4683d66452289704b0ffe3f4877/view) for the eventual request RFP. The applicable Statements of Need from the HERMES BAA are RQRE Topic 4 (Rapid Launch and Austere Location) and/or RQRE Topic 5 (Vehicle). The NAICS code for this BAA is 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles, Their Propulsion Units and Propulsion Parts) with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. The Government DOES NOT intend to award a contract or purchase order in response to this RFI or otherwise pay for the information submitted. The information provided is entirely voluntary and will not impact the ability to bid on future requirements. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered a request for proposal (RFP), request for quote (RFQ), or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. The information provided may be utilized by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in developing its acquisition strategy should a decision be made to proceed with acquiring the items/services listed in this RFI. The information received in response to this RFI may be included in one or more future solicitations. All responses shall include the following information: Company Name Business Size for subject NAICS Cage Code Details on which line items your company is able to provide and any applicable restrictions AFRL is seeking U.S. sources with the capability to provide the items/services listed in this RFI. All replies are to be provided to the Contracting Officer, Chelsi Wickersham, chelsi.wickersham@us.af.mil. All responses to this RFI must be received NO LATER THAN Friday, December 8, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. PST. *****Requirements'Mobile, Modular Payload Processing Capability***** AFRL/RQRE is developing the capability to fuel and integrate payloads onto launch vehicles within responsive timelines. Current Space Vehicle (SV) to Launch Vehicle (LV) integration schemes are time intensive and a need to provide responsive payload processing, integration, and fueling has been identified. Development of a new capability would directly support and improve current and future resilient and responsive launch applications. The intent of this capability is to integrate a payload onto a launch vehicle without the use of a fixed facility. This new capability shall be able to integrate the payload onto a launch vehicle either at a traditional launch pad, or at a remote, austere location that is between 0 and 50 miles (threshold)/150 miles (goal) from the basing location. Travel may be through unimproved/dirt roads. It is recognized that different launch vehicles and different payloads will require different equipment. Therefore, the capability should be developed to be modular and potentially palletized or able to be shipped in different transportation packaging so that the correct set of equipment required for integration to a variety of LVs and SVs can be sent to the launch location in future iterations. *****Capability must meet the following additional requirements***** Is capable of efficiently transporting a payload such as at minimum ESPA Class SV (Threshold: ESPA Class SV, Goal: ESPA Grande Class SV) The LV will be capable of launching the specified SV to at minimum Low Earth Orbit Includes the means to transport the LV and SV to a remote location at least 50 miles from the basing location and is capable of traversing unimproved, dirt roads Includes a mobile clean room capable of supporting the SV Includes special payload integration tooling, adapters, and instrumentation that is common to payload integration facilities Includes a payload mount that allows the orienting and handling of a payload in a clean room environment Includes launch vehicle and payload health monitoring system checkout equipment for diagnostics and sensors during integration Includes equipment for loading ASCENT propellant to the payload SV. The SV can be assumed to be using the AFRL PUMA/PUMA Supra architecture *****Questions***** Interested parties to this RFI may provide recommendations they have for such a program. Interested parties are not required to provide answers to questions, but rather where their respective areas of expertise or alliances may allow performance of tasks to answer a specific question list below. Interested parties may request a meeting through the Contracting Officer to further explain their responses to these questions. Describe your concept as to how to provide a demonstration of the ability to integrate a payload to a launch vehicle at a remote location. Please include potential basing locations and proposed remote launch locations. Is your organization capable all the work implied, to include engineering & design, fabrication, and demonstration of the capability? What kinds of digital tools could be developed to document the development of the capability as well as CONOPS required to relocate the payload processing capability from a home base to a launch location and integrate a payload with a launch vehicle? What is the estimated ROM cost and schedule to develop this technology and to demonstrate this technology on actual or appropriately simulated hardware? Would your organization be willing to develop this technology on a FFP contract? What other organizations would you potentially partner with to complete this effort? Is there any additional information that the government should be aware of in completing this concept? Is your organization interested in submitting a whitepaper on this topic under the Hermes BAA?