U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Acquisition Center, Bldg 4488, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5280

A -- TUBE-LAUNCHED OPTICALLY-TRACKED WIRE-GUIDED (TOW) FIRE AND FORGET (F&F) MISSILE SYSTEM REQUEST FOR INFORMATION DUE 021699 POC Felicia Jones, Contract Specialist, AMSAM-AC-TM-T, 256-842-7140, Terry Ganoe, Contract Specialist, AMSAM-AC-TM-T, 256-842-7141, Sandra Byars-Smith Contracting Officer, 256-876-4201 Paragraph 1) The purpose of this notice is to announce the release of the Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-guided (TOW) Fire and Forget (F&F) Missile System Request for Information. The Program Executive Office (PEO) Tactical Missiles desires information to serve as a market survey to determine an acquisition strategy for feasible solutions to the Army's requirements for a near term, affordable, anti-tank missile to defeat current and future armored threats. The TOW F&F Missile System is a low cost near term solution to the Follow-On To TOW requirement, which was determined to be unaffordable. The Government does not presently intend to award a contract but desires information on risk, capability, price, and other information in planning the acquisition of the TOW F&F Missile System. The Government is looking for the lowest possible overall cost to meet the need for this near-term anti-tank missile. The approach should maximize Cost As an Independent Variable (CAIV) trade-off analyses and current acquisition reform initiatives to generate a concept which the Government could use to structure an affordable solution to the U.S. Army's Light Forces survivability deficiencies. The TOW F&F Missile System will be organic to organizations currently equipped with the TOW Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) and will provide primary improvements of fire and forget and counter active protection capability. Secondary improvements are increased range and lethality. In its primary antitank role, the missile will be used to destroy armored vehicles before the firepower and shock action of threat armor can effectively be brought to bear on friendly forces. The secondary mission will be to defeat helicopters and bunkers. The addition of the TOW F&F Missile System will allow U.S. Infantry to defeat threat armor equipped with reactive armor and active protection systems, with a fire and forget guided missile. The TOW F&F missile will have an alternate guidance mode for engaging any target, which the gunner may choose, from the target acquisition system. In the operational environment, the gunner must be able to alternate between TOW F&F, TOW 2A, and TOW 2B missiles without altering or modifying the TOW ITAS between firings. The tactical concept for employment of the TOW F&F Missile System will be that of the current TOW ITAS with adjustments made for those improvements that dictate change, e.g. fire and forget. The intent is to add a capability to the existing TOW ITAS without degrading current TOW system capability. This applies to all TOW ITAS Built in Test/Built in Test Equipment (BIT/ BITE), and Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) and other support equipment. The TOW F&F Missile System must be designed to leverage the Army's investment in existing TOW ITAS launchers. The TOW F&F Missile System will be compatible with the existing TOW ITAS and not preclude applique integration on the family of Bradley Fighting Vehicle System (BFVS) A2 and A3. Compatibility with TOW ITAS will be accomplished with the use of platform applique kits, which will be the responsibility of the TOW F&F Missile System contractor. Applique kits are considered to be the hardware and software that has to be added to the existing TOW ITAS and associated TMDE in order to allow firing of the TOW F&F missile and support of the modified TOW ITAS. The design of the missile and applique kits/should result in minimum platform integration risk. The missile will have a modular design to allow implementation of a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to extend the life of missiles, and provide growth potential to improve performance and to counter future threat developments. Additionally the missile will be designed to have a minimal logistical impact on the current force structure and TOW ITAS support equipment. In order to keep Research Development Test and Evaluation (RDTE) and procurement costs as low as possible, commonality with an existing missile system and/or reuse of U.S. Army TOW 2A and 2B missile components is encouraged. The TOW F&F Missile System EMD program will be a maximum of 36 months. Paragraph 2) THIS ACTION IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not obligate the U. S. Government in any way. This RFI is for planning purposes only and will not result in a contract award. The U. S. Government is not liable for any costs associated with preparation of any responses to this RFI or its associated informational package. Paragraph 3) Please respond in writing to U. S. Army AMCOM, AMSAM-AC-TM-T, ATTN: Ms. Felicia Jones/Terry Ganoe, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5280, within 30 days of this announcement to request your copy of the TOW Fire and Forget Missile System informational package. Industry responses to the informational package are due no later than 16 Feb 99. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. The TOW F&F RFI contains both classified and unclassified data and data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C Sec 2751 et seq) or the Export Administration Act (Title 50, U.S.C. APP 2401-2402). U.S. contractors are also to include their cage code and classified mailing address with each request in order to receive the classified portion of the RFI. Foreign industry, non-U.S. citizens, or foreign representative desiring a copy of the unclassified portion of the RFI, must submit an official request for information through their respective embassy, Washington D.C., to HQDA, ATTN: DAMI-CHS. Paragraph 4) The TOW F&F Missile System EMD program will require a development effort in certain critical technologies/data that are not releasable to foreign firms. To participate in the TOW F&F program, a foreign firm may be required to team with a U.S. firm who possesses a U.S. facility clearance with technologies/data safeguarding capabilities, inclusive of the authority to receive critical technology and/or data required to execute a TOW F&F EMD program and subsequent product improvements. Any contractor teaming or licenses agreements between U.S. firms and foreign firms shall be in accordance with current U.S. export laws, security requirements, and National Disclosure Policy. The U.S. Government will provide foreign disclosure guidance to the U.S. firms. Future foreign co-production of the system to the extent consistent with National Disclosure Policy may be required by the U.S. Government to promote rationalization, standardization, and interoperability (RSI) objectives. Paragraph 5) A reading room has been established for this requirement and is located in the Redstone Scientific and Information Center (RSIC), building 4484, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The TOW F&F Reading Room will open on 21 December 1998 and be available for 3 hour intervals from 1230-1530 on Mondays, and 0830-1130 and 1230-1530, Tuesday through Thursday, except federal holidays, until 16 February 1999. The reading room will open and close promptly. No briefcases, tape recorders, cameras or reproduction equipment will be allowed. RSIC staff member will provide a copy machine and paper to make copies of documents limited to (1) one copy per document. Standard RSIC procedures for copying and transporting of classified material will be followed. The TOW F&F reading room will contain both classified and unclassified data and data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C Sec 2751 et seq) or the Export Administration Act (Title 50, U.S.C. APP 2401-2402). Any U.S. citizen representing any U.S. entity may review the information by submitting a visit request providing the necessary information to verify the company's/individual's security clearance to Ms Felicia Jones or Terry Ganoe (FAX 256-842-7146) prior to a contractor's visit. Foreign access to the TOW F&F Reading Room will be authorized only after an official request for visit has been approved. Foreign visit requests are submitted through respective embassies to HQDA, Attn: DAMI-CHS. The foreign visit request must state that visitors areauthorized to make copies of the releasable portions of the documents. Requests received in any other manner will not be honored. Upon approval by the Government, appointments can be scheduled with RSIC by calling Ms. Gwen Wallace at 256-842-8446. Posted 12/16/98 (W-SN281062). (0350)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0007 19981218\A-0007.SOL)