SOURCES SOUGHT
69 -- TH-57C Device 2B42A Modification Efforts - Package #1
- Notice Date
- 10/5/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 333319
— Other Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Navy, Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, 12350 Research Parkway, Code 253, Orlando, Florida, 32826-3224, United States
- ZIP Code
- 32826-3224
- Solicitation Number
- TH-57DRFI10-5-2010
- Archive Date
- 11/4/2010
- Point of Contact
- Mary E Munroe, Phone: 407-380-4288
- E-Mail Address
-
mary.munroe@navy.mil
(mary.munroe@navy.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Field-of-View Plot TH-57D GFE List This is a Request for Information (RFI) only: The TH-57C Flight Instrument Trainer (FIT), Device 2B42A, is a motion based (Stewart configuration) simulator which replicates the cockpit of the TH-57C type model series aircraft. The simulator is utilized by the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) to train Student Naval Aviators (SNA) in intermediate and advanced helicopter training. Six devices are located in NAS Whiting Field, FL. Five of the six devices have completed a service life extension program (SLEP) and are currently supporting helicopter training for over 600 students per year. The sixth and final device will complete the SLEP effort and be returned in the Spring of 2011. The TH-57B and C type model series aircraft have begun a cockpit modernization effort which includes the incorporation of digital flight instrumentation and a new flight control stability augmentation system. Simultaneously, the cockpit avionics will be undergoing an obsolescence upgrade. These efforts will involve the total replacement of nearly all of the aircraft instrumentation and structural panels. The aircraft modifications will be accomplished during the scheduled maintenance cycles (ACI) by the aircraft Contractor Logistics Services (CLS) contractor utilizing a single kit. The resulting aircraft will be designated the TH-57D. In order to maintain concurrency with the aircraft, the six FITs must also be converted to the TH-57D configuration. The purpose of this RFI is to determine the potential cost, technical challenges, and schedule requirements to modify the current FITs. The responses will also assist in identifying small businesses with sufficient capability and experience to accomplish this procurement which will be used to determine whether this procurement will be a small business set-aside. As part of this potential procurement, NAVAIR intends to provide one aircraft kit for each simulator as GFE to support this cockpit conversion effort. The contents of the aircraft kit is attached. Because of ongoing training requirements, CNATRA must have a minimum of five simulators continuously available in order to not impact student throughput. Each training device undergoing modifications must be accepted and returned to training prior to another device being taken out of service. In addition to the digital flight instrumentation and avionics, the aircraft modification kit includes a new flight control stability augmentation system (SAS) that will be incorporated in the aircraft. The functional characteristics (normal operating and malfunction) of this system as installed in the aircraft, to include an accurate aerodynamic math model, must also be modeled in the simulator. Current aerodynamic math model characteristics may also be modified to support tail rotor malfunctions/autorotation characteristics. Flight test data as available from the cockpit integrator and FAA flight test will be provided as criteria data for the SAS performance in the simulator. The recently service life extended trainers also included the incorporation of Night Vision Device (NVD) compatibility. This NVD compatibility must be maintained with the incorporation of the cockpit modifications. In addition, the entire FIT working area exposed to the cockpit, to include the Instructor Operating Station (IOS), must be NVD compatible. As part of this effort, upgrades/obsolescence technical refresh to the simulator computer operating systems and other subsystems impacted by the cockpit modifications must be considered and included in this effort in order to sustain the post-modified trainers. The capability to refresh navigational databases in the simulator, similar to the method that the aircraft receives updates, should also be included in the modification of the simulator and accommodated by the redesign of the computer operating system. Currently the FITs provide out the window visual presentations for only the pilot seated in the right seat. The cockpit field of view must be expanded to support dual pilot out the window visual presentations. In order to address this concern, NAVAIRSYSCOM is proposing expansion or replacement of the current display system as an option to this cockpit modernization effort. Contract award of this effort is anticipated in late Summer of 2011. Information Requested. (Request that responses be limited to twenty pages.) Please provide the top five risks or issues your company has identified that could have potential negative impact to the successful completion of this modification effort, and any risk mitigation strategies for these items. Past Performance Provide summary of experience within the past five years with ARINC 429 bus architecture avionics and integrating aircraft cockpit avionics into a simulator. Note potential challenges with respect to integrating aircraft hardware into simulators. Provide a summary of experience within the past five years with modeling rotary wing aircraft flight characteristics. Provide experience within the past five years in visual system integration, specific to modifying visual systems or replacing the system in its entirety. Please provide a list of challenges within the efforts you have identified, and how they were satisfied. Delivery Cost and Schedule Provide a financial Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimate to accomplish this effort. Request that the ROM be broken into areas of: simulator cockpit avionics modification (don't include the actual cost of the avionics, this will be provided GFE); aerodynamic math modeling of the new SAS functionality and increased tail rotor malfunction and autorotation flight characteristics; modification of the simulator operating system and or other subsystems impacted by the cockpit modification; modification of trainer to ensure NVD compatibility of entire FIT area exposed to the cockpit, including the IOS; visual display system field of view increase to include the copilot seated in the left seat of the cockpit. Identify a top level schedule to accomplish the above listed requirements for the six simulators. Identify where the effort will be conducted and the expected timeframe that each trainer will be taken out of service and or removed from NAS Whiting Field. Company Capabilities, Processes, and Capacity Considering your company's current and projected workload, please describe how your company would provide the necessary staff to accomplish the work identified. Specifically address providing the necessary staff at NAS Whiting Field, FL. Please list any assumptions, conditions, or limitations that would impact your company's ability to accomplish this effort. Please describe your business capacity for taking on this additional effort, taking into account current and planned workload. Describe any additional resources that are available to you to increase capacity. Please provide a description of your current software engineering capacities/capabilities including staffing, organizational structure and CMMI level. What predictive software tools do you use, relative to identifying the following: a. To predict how much SLOC to be developed/modified/re-used b. What is complexity/risk c. To predict competence/qty of staff required d. Length of time required to complete software changes e. Expected number of DRs Please provide a description of your current hardware engineering and manufacturing capacities/capabilities, including staffing and organizational structure. Please provide a description of Earned Value Management (EVM) processes your company uses to maintain cost, schedule, and performance of your contracts. NOTE: This is a request for information only, not a solicitation, nor is it an offer to do business of any kind. Any response to this request should be undertaken at your own risk and expense. Depending upon your firm's responses, the government may request a visit to your facility(s) to gain a further understanding of your capabilities. To assist interested contractors in their responses, the GFE cockpit avionics list and the TH-57 Field-of-View plot are attached to this RFI. The simulator photos are posted on the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) Business Opportunities website located at http://nawctsd.navair.navy.mil/EBusiness/BusOps/Acquisitions/Index.cfm. Answers to the questions posed at the Market Survey conducted at NAS Whiting Field, FL are posted there as well.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/NAVAIR/N61339/TH-57DRFI10-5-2010/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Florida, 32570, United States
- Zip Code: 32570
- Zip Code: 32570
- Record
- SN02305630-W 20101007/101005233923-2934916fc9b8c1e43544ed0bb65c5837 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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