Army releases updated RFI for tactical SIGINT payload

On June 24, the Army Contracting Command posted a request for information (RFI) for tactical SIGINT payload (TSP) (Solicitation Number: W15P7T13RC109). The deadline for responses is 10 July 2015.

This is a market survey to update potential sources for the production and support of the Tactical SIGINT Payload (TSP) for the MQ-1C, Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) previously received in response to the 20 November 2012 Market Survey. The purpose of this market survey is two-fold: (1) Support the development of the Full Rate Production acquisition approach to provide a TSP capability to the field leveraging the TSP Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase and LRIP programs, and (2) Survey the market to assess potential competition to the OEM for non-recurring engineering (NRE) effort required to address hardware obsolescence issues with the current design. The intent of the survey is to identify potential sources for a system that is fully qualified to operate on the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, a system that DOES NOT require any design/development or integration activities, and the ability of the hardware to be software upgradable to the software being developed under the current TSP LRIP contract. Potential sources shall also provide an acceptable mitigation plan for any hardware obsolescence issues for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) items if they occur.

The TSP system improves the situational awareness of the supported Commander. The system provides the supported unit with a comprehensive picture of electronic emitter within the operating environment and the ability to detect, identify, locate and copy emitters, including High Value Targets (HVTs). The TSP consists of a SIGINT system in an airborne pod controlled via an Operational-Intelligence Ground Workstation (OGS) or via a surrogate Ground Workstation (GWS). The pod will be mounted on the inner pylon mount of the right wing of the Gray Eagle, and the OGS/GWS will be located in a secured location separated from the Gray Eagle Universal Ground Control Station (UGCS). The airborne pod perform electronic emitter detection, identification, direction finding, and copy; tunneling data encrypted via Gray Eagle through UGCS to the OGS/GWS. The OGS/GWS provides warfighter machine interface (WMI) for payload command and control, performs emitter mapping and geolocation, displays data to the operator and interfaces to external networks for external consumption. TSP system capabilities and requirements can be found in the unclassified and classified TS/SCI portions of the TSP Performance Baseline Specifications (PBS) documents. The current TSP system hardware design is documented in a draft unclassified Technical Data Package (TDP). These documents are available upon request to appropriately cleared contractors.

The system delivery requirements for Full Rate Production (FRP) are to commence one (1) month after receipt of order with delivery completed 16 months after first delivery. The total estimated quantity of 39 systems is spread over three (3) lots with an FRP contract award anticipated in 3rd Qtr FY16. The delivery requirements for NRE efforts required to address hardware obsolescence issues with the current TSP design anticipate a contract award 3rd Qtr. FY15, and a period of performance of no greater than nine (9) months to complete the NRE work and required qualification testing of the revised TSP design. Once NRE is complete, and revised design qualification tested, there is also a requirement to begin retrofitting the thirty (30) TSP systems currently in LRIP production, schedule to be determined based on available funding.

Full information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps