SOURCES SOUGHT
15 -- UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE
- Notice Date
- 7/5/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 336411
— Aircraft Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NASA/John F. Kennedy Space Center, Procurement, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899
- ZIP Code
- 32899
- Solicitation Number
- NNK05ZMS001L
- Response Due
- 7/19/2005
- Archive Date
- 7/5/2006
- Description
- NASA/KSC is hereby soliciting information about potential sources for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to support Launch Range operations IAW the following specifications. The UAV must be able to carry instrumentation payloads and allow for external antenna mounting. The UAV should be under positive control at all times during operations, but could have an autonomous mode for loitering or the loss of ground control. Positive control would enable the UAV to be vectored to any site in the launch area where the on-board instrumentation payload should be utilized to relay measurements to the ground. The vehicle should be a proven design with its performance verified, meet all NASA requirements, and be provided in a timely manner. NASA Kennedy Space Center has a controlled field where UAVs can be launched and recovered. The following characteristics are required: 1) TYPE: Fixed Wing or Vertical Take-Off & Landing (VTOL). 2) SIZE: No hard specifications. A design that will meet the requirements for payload, power, altitude, time-on-station, control system, and cost. 3) WEIGHT: Same as requirements for Size. 4) PAYLOAD CAPACITY: Minimum of 20 lbs, with 30 lbs desirable. The payload compartment should have a minimum volume of ? to 1 cubic foot. 5) ENGINE/FUEL: As required to carry the payload and control/flight instrumentation and remain aloft in the time required. Engine should be protected from foreign object damage (FOD) during flight. 6) ENDURANCE: Minimum of 60 minutes with 90 minutes desirable. 7) PERFORMANCE: Altitude: As a minimum, surface up to 5,000 feet. Speed: no minimum or maximum. 8) CONTROLS: UAV must be remotely controlled from a ground station with a display which gives true location when the vehicle is out of visual sight from the station. The system must allow for pre-programmed flight paths and pre-programmed no-fly zones ? both specified by way-points On-board video is desirable as an aid to surveillance and landing. Any Radio Frequency (RF) equipment used for ground-to-air and air-to-ground control/communication must be FCC licensed. 9) GLOBAL POSITION SYSTEM (GPS): Required for tracking the UAV in real time and archiving for future flight playback. 10) FLIGHT TERMINATION SYSTEM (FTS): The UAV must have a system which will terminate its operation if it constitutes a hazard to people or property. Each FTS system will be reviewed by Range Safety personnel for compliance. Possible systems should include engine ?kill-switch? or parachute deployment or both. 11) LOSS OF SIGNAL: In the event of any loss of control of the UAV from the ground the vehicle must be capable of initiating a recovery procedure. This can work in conjunction with a flight termination system (FTS). 12) POWER-TAKE-OFF: A power plant direct current (DC) generator should be required if the payload capacity and take off weight should not accommodate batteries to power the payload instrumentation. 13) ANTENNAS: UAV should accommodate antennas required by the payload instrumentation down-link. These links could be frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or Iridium phone modem. 14) MANEUVERABILTY: The UAV must possess the flight characteristics to either hover over a ?target area? or fly tight patterns that will enable the payload instrumentation to take the required readings. Additional desired characteristics include the following: 1) SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS: Desirable as a back-up to the primary control data link and to maintain communications and control of the UAV in the event of over-the-horizon flight. 2) AUTOMONOUS FLIGHT: Desirable in the event of the loss of control from the ground to enable the UAV to fly itself to a ?safe? area. Also desirable to keep the UAV in an idle configuration, or perform other predictable maneuvers as required by launch area Range Safety procedures. 3) Live video to aid in target location and/or landing. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See NASA Specific Note "B". No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the potential offeror?s responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Interested offerors/vendors having the required specialized capabilities to meet or exceed the above requirement must submit the following: 1) A capability statement of 5 pages or less indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort described herein; 2) Interested offerors may provide any relevant documentation, literature, and brochures; 3) Responses must also include the following: name and address of firm, size of business; average annual revenue for past 3 years and number of employees; ownership; whether they are large, small, small disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, and/or woman-owned; number of years in business; affiliate information: parent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners, prime contractor (if potential sub) or subcontractors (if potential prime); list of customers covering the past five years (highlight relevant work performed, contract numbers, contract type, dollar value of each procurement; and point of contact - address and phone number). Technical questions should be directed to: Steve Boyd via email at Steve.W.Boyd@nasa.gov. Procurement related questions should be directed to: Laura Rochester via email at Laura.Rochester-1@nasa.gov. Please advise if the requirement is considered to be a commercial or commercial-type product. A commercial item is defined in FAR 2.101. The Government reserves the right to consider a small business or 8(a) set-aside based on responses hereto. All responses shall be submitted no later than 5:00pm, July 19, 2005, to Laura Rochester, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Mail Code OP-MS, KSC FL 32899. Please reference NNK05ZMS001L in any response. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
- Web Link
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