A -- HIGH ALTITUDE AIRSHIP (HAA) PROGRAM

Notice Date

June 27, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command, Attn: SMDC-CM, 106 Wynn Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805-1990

ZIP Code

35805-1990

Solicitation Number

N/A

Point of Contact

O. Wayne Koger, Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer, 256-955-3947

E-Mail Address

Click here to contact the Contracting Officer. (wayne.koger@smdc.army.mil)

Description

The Technical Center of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) seeks sources capable of and interested in developing a prototype unmanned, un-tethered lighter than air (LTA) vehicle, or airship, that can operate autonomously in the stratosphere for sustained long-endurance operations. The principle objectives of the HAA Program are to develop a prototype airship that can lift a payload of at least one metric short ton (907.1848 kilograms, or 2000 pounds) to a pressure altitude of approximately 21.33 kilometers (70,000 feet), maintain geostationary orbit at that altitude above a fixed location on the earth for at least six months, be controllable from a remote ground station, provide a payload environment suitable for electronic equipment with a maximum unobstructed viewing line-of-sight around the airship, and generate sufficient power to operate all airship subsystems and electronic payloads (with appropriate design margins and duty cycles) for continuous operations. Instrumentation should be included to characterize the flight environment, airship stability and control, internal airship thermal and atmospheric environment (humidity and gaseous composition), power generation and management, and the payload environment (thermal, air composition, electro-magnetic, and vibration). Provisions should be made to transmit the instrumentation data to the ground for airship system status and performance evaluation. To the maximum extent possible, the prototype design should utilize components, structures, and subsystems that are scaleable to an operational airship with the same operational requirements, but having a payload capability five to six times greater than that of the prototype. USASMDC believes that the airship resulting from this effort will have significant commercial applications -in telecommunications, for example. Given this potential, USASMDC plans to enter into a cost-sharing arrangement for the performance of this effort as an "Other Transaction for Prototype" under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2371 and Section 845 of Public Law 103-160, as amended. (SMDC, however, reserves the right to elect to enter into a "traditional" contractual arrangement under the Federal Acquisition Regulation.) An Other Transaction arrangement offers maximum flexibility and encourages use of commercial business practices, including negotiation of intellectual property rights. Non-traditional defense contractors are encouraged to participate. The planned period of performance for this effort is 24 months, including design, fabrication and flight test. Award is planned for January-March 2002. The security classification of this effort is "Unclassified." Respondents should include with their statement of capability their complete mailing address. This acquisition is open to qualified U.S. and foreign businesses of all sizes. Respondents should state what type of business they are: U.S. or foreign; large, small, disadvantaged, 8(a),woman-owned, HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran; or traditional college or university, HBCU/MI, or research institute. NAICS code 54170 is applicable to this effort, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. Facsimile submissions can be transmitted to Wayne Koger at (256) 955-4240. For written responses transmitted by other than the U.S. Mail, the street address is: U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, ATTN: SMDC-CM-AK/O. Wayne Koger, 106 Wynn Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805-1990. Responses are required by 15 August 2001; however, respondents are encouraged to inform the Contracting Officer of their interest as soon as possible so that this interest can be incorporated into the planning of this acquisition.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010629/ASOL014.HTM (W-178 SN50Q2R9)