A -- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT-POTENTIAL CONCEPT INFORMATION SOUGHT

Notice Date

August 7, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AAC -- Air Armament Center, AAC/PK 205 West D Avenue, Suite 433, Eglin AFB, FL, 32542-6864

ZIP Code

32542-6864

Description

The U.S. Air Force Air Armament Center Agile Combat Support Technical Planning Integrated Product Team requests industry assistance in identifying potential concepts/solutions for the Combat Air Forces in an Expeditionary Air Force/ Expeditionary Combat Support environment. The Plans & Programs office is interested in obtaining information from industry, academia, and DOD research laboratories on concepts/solutions, as well as on enabling and critical R&D innovative technologies and approaches, which afford the potential to achieve the stated requirement. The Air Force needs an integrated, expanded, and enhanced Expeditionary Combat Support capability to facilitate and support Expeditionary Aerospace Force projection across the full spectrum of military operations. Expeditionary Combat Support is comprised of equipment and systems that deploy in support of Aerospace Expeditionary Force operations. Aerospace Forces have an immediate need to safely and efficiently operate, survive, and sustain operations in all Expeditionary Combat Support scenarios and must become lighter, leaner, and more rapidly deployable. These mandates require that easily deployable resource, equipment, and systems be effectively identified, developed, procured, integrated, and employed in order to support Aerospace Expeditionary Force operations. This RFI is limited to those functional areas listed in a separate document to be posted as a Modification using the same RFI tracking number as this Presolicitation Notice. To be considered as a viable concept, submissions MUST apply to one or more of the specified Agile Combat Support functional areas. A detailed definition of each functional area will be posted under this RFI tracking number in a subsequent Special Notice. Conditions under which Expeditionary Combat Support systems may deploy potentially restrict operational prerogatives. Initial forces often arrive with minimal support and resources. Deployment of equipment and systems may be constrained by limited airlift or sealift. Pre-positioning assets in area of operations may be constrained by international agreements or lack of agreements. Bed-down plans, transportation, and manpower may be constrained by short-notice deployments, budget shortfalls, and force reductions. Integrated, modularized systems potentially serve to offset these conditions. Operating locations also may be required to support other military branches and/or allied military forces. Deployed equipment and systems, that require less inter theater airlift and manpower to operate, erect, and maintain need also to reduce deployment footprint by 50 percent over existing systems in support of the Expeditionary Aerospace Force. Requirements for new or improved systems are based on both the need to correct current asset deficiencies in supporting previously established defense guidance with a need to improve capabilities to conduct Expeditionary Aerospace Force operations in light of changing defense guidance. Shortfalls exist in light, lean, responsive, Expeditionary Combat Support capabilities to include information systems, security systems, force protection, agile logistics, and installation support. There are immediate requirements to provide the USAF with improved Expeditionary Combat Support systems/components that are lighter, leaner, and more responsive. Present capabilities are aging and quickly becoming unsupportable. Depot repair capabilities are severely limited and largely non-existent for Expeditionary Combat Support systems. Viable concepts/solutions shall include technologies that are projected to mature within the following timeframes: Near-term (2002-2008), Mid-term (2009-2017), and Far-term (2018-2027). Although Near-term concepts usually are commercially available solutions or items nearing production, there must be an overwhelming need to be considered by the user for inclusion in the budget if not already included. Those concepts under the Mid- and Far-term applications are those that might require research and development projects to achieve quantum leaps in technological capability improvements. Respondents should keep in mind that those out-year concepts offer greater flexibility in programming application under current fiscal planning, programming and budgeting cycles. All viable concepts will subsequently be included in the Agile Combat Support Mission Area Plan. This Mission Area Plan documents programming justification for near-term solutions and planning/programming requirements for research and development of critical or enabling technologies in mid and far-terms. Currently there are a number of ongoing modernization programs driving process, hardware, firmware, and software aspects of Agile Combat Support. Few of these efforts are focused on significant reductions in logistical footprint, manpower, or expeditionary lift requirements to forward deploy U.S. Air Forces. The operational benefits of reducing manpower requirements and logistical footprint in expeditionary operations are of particular interest and cannot be over emphasized in this RFI. Concept data should provide sufficient detail regarding processes, technologies, approaches and capabilities for the Government to meaningfully assess the concept's viability, risk, scope of development and procurement costs as well as Agile Combat Support applicability. Concepts/solutions that satisfy such requirements will be included in a Combat Air Forces development plan and roadmap for further consideration by Air Combat Command's programming process. Submission of concepts under this RFI will require the use of a Concept Template to be provided separately in a subsequent Special Notice under this RFI tracking number. Each concept/solution shall specify sufficient detail, not to exceed 3 pages, in describing potential viability. Our template format shall be followed in order for a concept submission to be considered responsive. Each response must be received at the: Air Armament Center, AAC/WMX, 207 West D Avenue, Suite 301, Bldg. 349, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-6088 (MS: Agile Combat Support) NLT: 30 August 2001 in order for it to be considered. Data submissions may be via: Email for unclassified data using MS Word or PDF Formatted attachments or via authorized delivery means for any classified data presentations authorized under DOD security procedures. Mark all proprietary information "For Government Use Only". This request for information is for purposes of exchanging information to improve understanding by the Government of industry capabilities and is for information and planning only. This announcement must not be construed as a commitment by the Government and any information submitted by industry will not constitute an offer that could be accepted by the Government to create a binding contract. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Request for Information or otherwise pay for the information solicited. =20

Web Link

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010809/SPMSC005.HTM (D-219 SN50U292)