Army posts Night Eagle program sources sought

On August 17, the U.S. Army posted a sources sought synopsis for Night Eagle Aircraft Systems Services. Sources Sought Synopsis responses and comments are due via email by Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 3:00 p.m., EST.

The United States Army Contracting Command Orlando, Florida, has a requirement for Contractor Owned/ Contractor Operated (COCO) services utilizing the current Night Eagle (NE) system, in support of contingency operations. The NE system is Government owned and was developed by the Air Systems Division of Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) of the Army’s Communications-Electronics Research Development and Engineering Center. NE system provides Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for use in Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) support.

The Air Systems Division of Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) is executing a variety of programs aimed at providing NVESD sensor technologies to the Army’s Current Force architecture. NVESD has developed and deployed a capability called Night Eagle. The integrated NE system consists of two (2) highly modified aircraft and associated sensor and communication systems, two (2) ground stations, one (1) Continental United States (CONUS) based processing center, a CONUS system integration laboratory, a CONUS training facility and up to 30 continuously deployed personnel with SECRET or higher security clearances. Additional system infrastructure consists of an aircraft maintenance shelter, shipping containers and aircraft Ground Support Equipment (GSE). In support of the NE effort, NVESD will provide limited, continued technical and logistics support to this deployed system. In addition, NVESD will continue to develop, test, and potentially deploy upgraded NE system components and new technologies to support the counter-Improvised Explosive Device effort. Significant Contractor support resources shall be required to execute these efforts.
The NE aircraft systems are militarized versions (CNS-ATM-ASE) of the A200 aircraft. The aircraft are equipped with specially modified mission reconnaissance and surveillance equipment stations with associated airframe modifications to support equipping mission functions. The A200 aircraft are equipped with a wide, Satellite Communications System capability to perform beyond line of sight operations. The NE aircraft systems utilizes airborne surveillance and near real time imagery exploitation from a combination of sensors.

This system requires Contractor personnel to perform the duties of pilot, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensor operators, and ISR analysts. The aircraft are flown by two (2) pilots and the onboard mission equipment requires operation by a crew consisting of various mixes of operators, analysts, and mission commanders depending on the aircraft configuration.

Essentially, COCO responsibility requires providing aircraft, flight operations, pilots, logistics support, systems integration, Material and Equipment, conducting Test and Evaluation for system certification and Authority To Operate (ATO) on SIPR and classified satellite transmission capabilities, and maintaining certification of aircraft and equipment to operate in theater. Overall, two primary levels of support required for this effort include flight operations and maintenance operations required to support and 85% Fully Mission Capable (FMC) rate for 24/7/365 support.

Full information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps