Space and Missile Systems Center Overhead Persistent Infrared Research and Development Effort

Sources Sought for Space and Missile Systems Center's Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Research and Development (R&D) Effort. The Department of the Air Force, Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Remote Sensing Program Office (RS), Los Angeles Air Force Base, California requests information for relevant technology developments to continue the calibration and characterization efforts for the Wide Field Of View (WFOV) Testbed Wide-Area Six-Degree Payload (WASP). This request is an element of ongoing market research to define potential solutions to support Department of Defense (DoD) and National Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) initiatives. Information received in response to this RFI will be used to determine appropriate acquisition strategy. The following paragraphs outline the current and desired capabilities that shall be provided in support of on-orbit support to the WFOV Testbed OPIR R&D effort: Offeror shall accomplish program objectives and meet near-term program milestones. Offerors must be familiar with the design, operation, calibration, and performance (optical and thermal) of a specific proprietary wide-field-of-view staring OPIR refractive telescope designed and manufactured by L3 Technologies. The Payload includes a custom, analog 4K x 4K InSb focal plane array (FPA) from L3-Cincinnati Electronics (CE) that is cooled by a Sunpower cryocooler with heat pipes and radiators that also cool the optics. The Offeror must be familiar with three custom electronics boxes and interfaces, including FPA electronics, cryocooler electronics, and main electronics boxes (and their respective custom software). Two of the boxes include Xilinx Virtex 5 FPGAs that pass mission data over a high-speed Auroralink interface, and two of the boxes are mounted within a Millennium Space Systems (MSS) spacecraft that will fly in geostationary orbit with a Ka-band downlink. The Offeror must operate facilities at and employ personnel cleared with Secret and up to TS/SCI, if needed. Response from small and small disadvantaged businesses is encouraged. The size standard for NAICS 541715 is 1,250 employees. Anticipated contract award date NLT 01 January 2020. Statement of Capabilities 1. The following capabilities shall be provided in support of SMC/RS's Wide Field-of-View Testbed WASP scheduled to launch in the 2nd Quarter of CY20 in order to support the pre-ship review, launch, and post launch activities: a) Support launch system integration (LSI) activities, to include: on-site and reach back support for payload processing facility (PPF), support ship and launch base processing flow and readiness activities (ie, Launch Base Compatibility Test (LBCT) as needed by Millennium Space Systems (MSS), range safety support as needed by MSS, support day of launch integrated crew exercises, mission dress rehearsals, and any other mission readiness activities. b) Initial Wide Field-of-View (WFOV) staring sensor capability assessment support: Support calibration analysis, on-orbit performance model development, on-orbit testing, routine monitoring of spacecraft health and status, fault detection, anomaly investigation and resolution through transfer from initialization through on-orbit calibration efforts and mission operations. c) Develop, test, and implement documentation and provide engineering analysis support for the following, but not limited to: WASP User's Manual updates, WASP Operational Procedures, detailed Test Plans for Early Orbit Test, Payload anomaly investigation support, Software and/or firmware updates for anomaly discrepancies, Payload Critical Anomaly List, Payload Thermal Model, WASP Test Procedures. d) Perform changes/modifications, maintenance, and inspections to the WASP software and hardware configurations and test procedures, to include flight equipment, engineering development units, and ground support equipment (if necessary). This notice is not direction to proceed with the effort, and is not a promise of future direction to proceed with the effort. All work performed or cost incurred in response to this notice shall be at your company's/organization's risk and shall not be chargeable to any other Government contract.