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Sources Sought Notice for the Acquisition of Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Electro-Optic Infra-red (EOIR) Sensors

This Sources Sought Notice (SSN) is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as an invitation for bid (IFB), request for quotation (RFQ), request for proposal (RFP) or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Your response to this request will be treated as INFORMATIONAL ONLY. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this announcement or the Government use of such information. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. Responses will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed.

The Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) is conducting market research on behalf of the US Army's Office of the Product Manager Aerial Enhanced Radar, Optic, and Sensors (PdM AEROS). PdM AEROS is conducting a market survey with the intent to locate potential industry sources capable of providing High Definition (HD) EOIR sensor payloads with Direct Geo-positioning Metric Sensor (DGMS) capabilities providing validated Category 1 (CAT1) coordinates. This HD EOIR sensor payload is to be employed on US Army aviation platforms within 46 months after receipt of order, with particular interest in capabilities that can be provided faster.

1. DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION: The Government is seeking a multi-sensor day/night imaging payload which includes an Eye-safe Laser Rangefinder (ELRF), Laser Designator (LD), Laser Target Marker (LTM), and Laser Spot Tracker (LST). The payload must provide High-Definition imagery during daytime conditions (selectable between color and monochrome) and an Infrared (IR) sensor to provide High-Definition imagery during various environmental conditions, both day and night. Additionally, the payload must provide Low Light or Short Wave Infra-red (SWIR) imaging capabilities which can be fused with the Mid-Wave IR imagery. Payloads must be capable of passing flight qualification on the Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) with potential for qualification on other airborne platforms in accordance with MIL-STD-810H (or most recent revision) and ADS-37A (or most recent).

Other desired capabilities include sensor metricity with automated quantification of the payload’s internal errors and use those measurements to generate instantaneous 3-dimensional target location error. This error will then be reported to the user via metadata stream for rapid request of fires. The metadata will conform to Motion Imagery Standards Board (MISB) Standard 1107.3.

This capability will require validation by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in accordance Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction CJCSI-3505.01D (or most recent revision).

2. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES: The intent of this SSN is to assess industry's availability to provide EOIR payloads that could be applied to meet this requirement within 46 months after receipt of order, with particular interest in capabilities that can be provided faster.

Implementing sensor metricity with automated quantification of 3-dimensional target location errors will enable commanders to geolocate targets during both day and night operations to support time-sensitive planning and targeting. These capabilities will provide geolocation data and associated error information to avoid collateral damages to support coordinate seeking weapon employment for targeting operations. The sensor payload shall weigh less than 155 lbs and use power provided by the vehicle (

3. INSTRUCTIONS: Interested vendors are required to provide an approach on how to meet the above requirements and be able to demonstrate performance requirements and capabilities. The Government desires a system that supports an organic two level maintenance concept (Field and Depot).

This is a market survey to identify all parties interested in taking part in this effort as a prime contractor. Interested vendors shall have a Secret Facility Clearance with Secret Safeguarding Requirements. Interested parties with the ability to satisfy the above characteristics and capabilities should submit a white paper, not to exceed 10 pages, discussing your company's ability to meet the above requirements. The response should include a complete discussion of the ability to meet the above stated characteristics and capabilities, contractor's facility availability, and staffing capabilities. The supporting documentation must be in sufficient detail to enable the Government to determine if the respondent has either the required product, hardware, and software, or the capabilities and production qualifications required for this effort. Descriptive literature of the existing product, if available, should be provided and will not be included in the above page count. Responses should also include a cover letter (not included in the page count) providing:

Company:

Address:

Point of Contact:

Phone Number:

Fax Numbers:

Email Address:

CAGE Code and DUNS Number:

If your company holds a GSA Schedule contract (874 or other), provide the Schedule number.

Also include or address the following within the 10-page limit of your response:

1. A brief summary of the company.

2. Your team's experience working with EO/IR/LD sensor technology, to include details regarding teaming arrangements, strategic alliances, or other business arrangements to satisfy the performance requirements as described above. For any previous effort, provide contract number, point of contact (POC), email address, phone number, and a brief description of your direct support of the effort.

3. Test results from previous Government testing of your DGMS-related efforts successfully completed, include contracting agency and contract number.

4. Your team's maturity and ability to provide products in a timely manner following contract award. Specifically, provide an estimate of time to deliver the first payload following contract award.

5. Top Five Long Lead Item Components (and Projected Lead Times).

6. A description of your firm's SECRET processing facility.

7. Do all employees supporting this effort have a minimum SECRET security clearance?

8. What are the core competencies of your employees that would support the DGMS related efforts? How many employees currently employed by your company would support the DGMS related effort?

9. Identify your company's business size standard utilizing the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), for example - code 541330. For more information, refer to

http://www.sba.gov/content/table-smallbusiness-size-standards:

Large Business Concern

Small Business (SB) Concern 8(a)

Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)

Woman-Owned Small Business

Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)

Veteran-Owned Small Business

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

THE FOLLOWING ONLY APPLIES TO SMALL BUSINESS RESPONDENTS and will not count against the page limitations stated above:

Small businesses responding should also provide the following information:

a) If you are a small business and plan to perform as the prime contractor, how will you meet the limitations on subcontracting FAR Clause 52.219-14?

b) Under the current small business size standards, do you anticipate your company remaining a small business under NAICS code 334511?

c) If you are a small business, can your company sustain if not paid for 90 calendar days?

d) Does your firm possess an approved Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) accounting system?

**NOTE: IF A CHARACTERISTIC OR CAPABILITY IS NOT ADDRESSED, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ASSUME THE RESPONDENT DOES NOT OR CANNOT MEET THE SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS MARKET SURVEY.

Responses are due as indicated on this SSN/RFI, reference this synopsis in the subject line of all emails and on all enclosed documents. Email responses should not exceed 10 Megabytes (MB). If responses are larger than 10MB, they may be broken down into smaller files (

All requests for further information must be in writing or via email to the POCs ; telephonic requests for additional information will not be honored. Acknowledgement of receipt will be issued.

Place of Performance: Contractor's facility (SAM.gov doesn't not allow this as an input field)

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