Request for Information (RFI) - Next Generation Time, Space Position Information (TSPI) Range Tracking System for Ballistic Missile Tests

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Test Resources Directorate (DTR) is soliciting vendor capabilities to offer, modify, design, develop, test, field and sustain a Next Generation Time and Space Position Information (NGTSPI) solution to track missiles during MDA flight tests. NGTSPI must: - Provide both real-time TSPI for range safety and support post-flight trajectory reconstruction analysis. - Track target and interceptor missiles from launch or horizon break to splash or intercept. - Support on average eight MDA flight tests per year. - Be developed and ready to begin flight safety certification in the 2011 timeframe. This announcement is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). There is no solicitation available at this time and no funding has currently been allocated for award. This notice is published for information purposes only and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract or otherwise pay for information/items provided in response to this RFI. MDA/DTR plans to follow up this RFI with an industry day for face-to-face discussions with vendors. 1. BACKGROUND: MDA conducts flight testing in the Pacific theater. The resources of several Pacific test range and launch facilities are used in each test. Generally, multiple targets and interceptors in each test are instrumented with encrypted telemetry transmitters. Both long and short range test engagements require accurate TSPI recording for range safety and post-mission weapon systems characterization. Currently most targets and interceptors employ an onboard digital Global Positioning System (GPS) Translator (DGT). The DGT is integrated with the missiles L-band antennas and low-noise amplifier(s). The S-band downlink from the DGT is received by a ground telemetry site equipped with the GPS Translator Processor (GTP). The GTP processes the DGT signal producing position and velocity data. Advances in technology suggest that a GPS-based replacement meeting the performance, integration, and environment requirements below is available. A description of vendor capabilities to offer, modify, design, develop, test, field and sustain a Next Generation TSPI system is requested. The system shall meet or exceed the following requirements. 2. REQUIREMENTS: The top-level requirements for the NGTSPI are as follows: 1. Shall provide time, space, and position information (TSPI) for high dynamics vehicles as well as providing a dedicated S-band downlink or an interface to an existing S-band link. 2. Shall provide adequate missile and GPS data to support root cause investigations into non-nominal tracking performance for the cases of: a. L-band antenna loss - Shall accommodate abnormal partial gain or phase loss b. S-band downlink loss - Shall accommodate abnormal partial gain or phase loss c. S-band multipath signal interference - Shall accommodate multipath and interference conditions typical of range operations. 3. Tracking range for these missiles shall be up to 2000 nautical miles for minimum S-band antenna G/T of 13dB/K. 4. The S-band transmitter frequency shall be settable in 1 MHz steps in accordance with Inter-range Instrumentation Group IRIG-106 standard. 5. Shall operate with 24 to 32 Vdc provided by the flight vehicle. 6. Shall be capable of stand alone downlink encryption or be compatible with other onboard encryption system. 7. Shall provide a downlink closure with a bit error rate of 1 in 10-6 bits. 8. S-band downlink shall be designed in conformance with Inter-range Instrumentation Group IRIG-106 telemetry standard to avoid adjacent S-band channel interference and efficiently use spectrum during simultaneous and independent track of multiple targets and interceptors. 9. Shall interface with discrete or multi-element ring receiving L-band antennas with integrated Low-Noise Amplifiers (LNA) providing a minimum of 20dB LNA gain with the GPS C/N0 at L1 C/A signal at the input of 38.3dB-Hz over 66% spherical antenna coverage and 35.3dB-Hz over 84% spherical antenna coverage. The unit shall meet all performance requirements with these signal conditions. 10. Shall provide a real-time state vector at 20 Hz. 11. Latency shall not exceed 50 milliseconds. Latency is defined as the interval from the state vector time tag to the transmission of that state vector after processing. 12. Time to first fix (TTFF) shall be less than 5 seconds. 13. Reacquisition of signals after recoverable loss shall be less than 1.5 seconds. 14. Shall provide a real-time absolute position accuracy of less than 15 meters (1 sigma) while operating non-differentially. 15. Shall provide a real-time velocity accuracy of 1 m/sec (1 sigma) while operating non-differentially. 16. Shall provide for postflight position accuracy of less than 1 meter (1 sigma). 17. Shall provide for postflight velocity accuracy of less than 0.1 m/sec (1 sigma). 18. Flight unit performance requirements shall be met under the following dynamics: a. Velocity - 10,000 meters/second minimum b. Acceleration - 75 g minimum in any direction c. Jerk - 75 g/s minimum in any direction for up to 1 sec during any 5 sec period. d. Roll period - 4 sec 19. The flight unit shall weigh less than 16 ounces. 20. The flight unit shall be no larger than 0.98H x 3.45W x 4.17L inches. 21. The flight unit shall operate under the following environmental conditions a. Temperature -- -450 C to 750 C b. Pressure - 14.7 psia to vacuum of 1*10-8 torr c. Humidity - 0% to 100% d. Shock - 1300 g (worst case) in a frequency range of 20 Hz to 10,000 Hz e. Vibration - 2.5 g2/Hz (worst case) in a frequency range of 20 Hz to 2000 Hz 22. Shall comply with MIL-STD-498 for computer software development. 23. Shall comply with MIL-STD-461/462 for Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)/Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). 24. The flight unit shall use Surface-Mounted Assembly/Small Surface-Mounted Assembly (SMA/SSMA) RF connectors and standard miniature D-shell connectors. 25. Shall comply with the GPS Joint Program Office Interface Control Document: ICD-GPS-200. 3. REQUESTED INFORMATION: This RFI is intended to gather information regarding possible technical solutions and their characteristics. The MDA's goal is to use the information collected to develop an acquisition strategy for a best value acquisition of a Next Generation Time, Space Position Information (TSPI) Range Tracking System with full and open competition. Respondents should submit a white paper of a maximum of 15 pages due no later than November 21, 2008 that provides the following information: 1. Company name, address, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address. Company must certify that it is a U.S. business. 2. Description of the company's capability to offer, design, develop, test, field and sustain a Next Generation TSPI source characterized by the requirements above. Please state any additional assumptions or conditions made, and any additional requirements not addressed above. 3. Tradeoff considerations for unmet requirements and desired features. 4. Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM ) Cost. 5. Estimated schedule, with major milestones highlighted, for Next Generation TSPI development. Offerors should mark all proprietary data as appropriate. The responses must be provided in electronic form with the white paper in Microsoft Word format. Responses are due no later than November 21, 2008. MDA support contractors will assist the Government in the review of responses. MDA support contractors include the following organizations: DCS Corporation 1330 Braddock Pl Alexandria VA MTS, Inc. 1525 Perimeter Pkwy Ste 245 Huntsville, AL 35806-3575 Gray Research Inc 655 Discovery Dr NW # 300 Huntsville, AL 35806 All of these support contractors and their employees are contractually bound to protect proprietary information from unauthorized use and disclosure. Unless clearly marked otherwise, submission of a response to this RFI signifies agreement to allow personnel from the above-listed firms and personnel from MDA to use the information to develop the acquisition approach. Failure to respond to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future competition, nor will information provided in response to this RFI be used to exclude anyone from responding to any future Request for Proposals. Communications with MDA with regard to this RFI will only be permitted in writing during the RFI Response period. Attachments 1 and 2 provided as follows: Notice Regarding Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) - Determination to Participate in this Acquisition and OCI Disclosure and Analysis Instructions/Form. Points of Contact: Contracting Officer: Marie L. Hickox; Email: Marie.Hickox@mda.mil, (256) 450-1493.