HORIZON REFERENCE SYSTEM (HRS) FOR LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS (LCS)

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Contract Opportunity

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - SOURCES SOUGHT

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER, AIRCRAFT DIVISION LAKEHURST, NJ

HORIZON REFERENCE SYSTEM (HRS) FOR LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS (LCS)

INTRODUCTION

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued pursuant to FAR 15.201(e) and in conformance with DFARS PGI 206.302-1. This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or promise to issue a solicitation in the future. It is a Market Research tool being used to identify potential technologies and eligible firms, of all sizes, prior to determining the method of acquisition and issuance of a solicitation. The results of the Sources Sought will be utilized to determine if any Small Business Set-Aside opportunities exist. This request for information should not be construed as a commitment from the Government to award a contract as a result of this RFI. Responses in any form are not offers and the Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought is strictly voluntary.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst, NJ is seeking potential sources and feedback from industry on its ability to provide the design, manufacture and support of a Horizon Reference System (HRS) for Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), including both Freedom and Independence Classes.

a. The following dates are anticipated time frames associated with this requirement:

• Estimated RFP Release: Q2 FY26


• Estimated Award Date: Q1 FY27


• Delivery Date: Q1 FY27

b. Primary Work Location/Place of Performance: TBD

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Horizon Reference System Description: The HRS shall provide an artificial horizon reference that is independent of the ship’s rolling motion. The display shall be in the same plane of vision as viewed by a helicopter pilot conducting a normal obstruction clearance scan during landing approach and recovery operation.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

Interface Requirements:

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  • Power: The HRS shall be suitable for operation under Type I power in accordance with MIL-STD-1399, Section 300.
  
  
  • Operation: The HRS shall be capable of remote operation and control from the Helicopter Control Station.
  
  
  • Ship Motion: The HRS shall receive gyro data from the ship either directly or through a network interface.
  
  
  • Installation: The display shall be capable of being installed on both Freedom-class and Independence-class LCS ships at a minimum, and may be installed on other Air Capable Ship classes. The installation location for the display portion of the HRS shall be on the exterior of the ship. The controller for the system shall be located in Helicopter Control Station. Any ancillary system equipment location (if required) shall be determined based on ship class constraints.
  
  
  • The use of dissimilar metals, as defined in MIL-STD-889, shall be limited. When it is necessary to use dissimilar metals, the metals shall be protected against galvanic corrosion as defined in MIL-STD-1568 paragraph 4.5.4.
  
  
  
  

System Quality Requirements:

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  • Reliability: Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) shall be equal to or greater than 500 hours.
  
  
  
  

System Survivability Requirements:

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  • Environment: The HRS shall be suitable for operation in a shipboard environment including, but not limited to, high humidity, high and low temperatures, blowing sand and dust, blowing rain, ice and freezing rain, salt fog, solar radiation, high winds, shock and vibration. The HRS shall also be suitable for operation in a shipboard electromagnetic environment as defined in MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-464.
  
  
  • Corrosion: The HRS shall withstand corrosion, including when exposed to a maritime environment.
  
  
  • Fungus: The HRS shall withstand fungal growth.
  
  
  
  

Performance and Operation Requirements:

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  • Accuracy: The HRS shall invert the ship’s roll motion with an accuracy of ±0.5° of the input gyro signal.
  
  
  • The HRS shall be visible and compliant for use in daytime/sunlight conditions as well as in nighttime conditions with and without pilot night-vision devices.
  
  
  • The HRS shall be designed for personnel safety and shall meet Human Factors requirements as specified in MIL-STD-1472.
  
  
  
  

System Security Requirements: The HRS shall be designed to meet cybersecurity requirements for an authority to operate approval as defined in DoDI 8510.01, Risk Management Framework for DOD Systems. Additionally, the HRS should have the ability to prevent, mitigate and recover from cyber-attacks.

Maintenance Requirements: The HRS shall be maintainable by ship forces, ideally while operating at sea.

In addition, the following questions shall be addressed:

System Details/Qualifications:

1. Describe the system architecture. What components make up the HRS?


2. What are the Computer Software Configuration Items and Hardware Configuration Items allocation?


3. What are the estimated weights of the HRS components making up the system?


4. What are the rough dimensions of the HRS components making up the system?


5. What is the maximum power draw of the system?


6. What tests have the system undergone to qualify it for use in a shipboard environment?


7. What were the test parameters used to qualify the system?


8. What is the operational limit (in degrees) for which the system is capable of displaying a horizon reference?


9. How many of these units have been fielded to date? Please describe the location/environment where installed if available.


10. Is there any existing reliability field data for the system?


11. What parts in the system can be replaced in the field by maintainers? Are any proprietary or specialized tools required to maintain the system?


12. Describe how the components are packaged for transportation, shipping, and storage. What is the quantity of components? What ancillary equipment is provided in this package?


13. Is there any internal redundancy within the system?


14. How are obsolescence issues handled on the system?


15. If based on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, how is the COTS-based solution relevant to an HRS application?

Presentation/Control:

1. Describe how the system is controlled remotely.


2. Describe the presentation of the artificial horizon reference.


3. What is the latency of the artificial horizon reference?


4. Does the system offer a variety of ways to control/customize the presentation of the simulated horizon reference to meet pilot needs/preferences (intensity/color/etc.)?


5. What is the maximum luminance (in nits or cd/m2) that the system can produce at the maximum brightness setting?


6. Is the system capable of reporting fault statuses which would allow for remote monitoring of system failure conditions?


7. How does the system react to a momentary power interruption (between 0 - 1 second)?

Installation/Interfaces:

1. Describe how the system will integrate with the ship to retrieve gyro data.


2. Describe how the system is typically installed. Is there any frangibility in this mounting method?


3. If the system is installed on an aluminum foundation, describe the material/hardware that will interface with the foundation to prevent dissimilar metals from making contact.

Cyber:

1. Was cyber included in the design (or re-design) of the system?


2. Does the system contain any COTS software? If so, which products and version.


3. Was any security testing performed on the system, i.e. Software Assurance testing on the firmware or software, Assured Compliance Assessment Solution/Security Content Automation Protocol scans, penetration testing?


4. Are there any network connections with an external device?


5. As part of your procurement process, do you execute supply chain risk assessments?


6. Can you provide a software bill of materials (BOM) and hardware BOM?


7. Does the system interface to any external support equipment, i.e. laptop, USB device, etc?


8. Are all port and protocols that are not required to be used by the system disabled (physically and logically)?


9. Does the system detect and prevent unauthorized access, unauthorized data connections and unauthorized data from leaving the system?


10. Can the system maintain mission-critical functions under a cyber-contested operational environment?


11. Can the system recover mission-critical functions under a cyber-contested operational environment?


12. Does the system alert users of detected anomalies and attacks?


13. Does the system generate and store logs?


14. Does the system provide capabilities to shed (dynamic, automatic, manual) non-mission-critical functions, systems/sub-systems and interfaces?


15. Does the system provide the capability to recover to a known state in near real time?

ELIGIBILITY

The applicable NAICS code for this procurement is 334511 (Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing). The PSC for this requirement is 1710 (Aircraft Landing Equipment). All interested businesses are encouraged to respond.

Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement. Note: FAR 52.219-14 Limitation on Subcontracting requires a small business prime on a Set-Aside to perform at least 50% of the cost of contract performance. Small business primes may now count “first tier subcontracted” work performed by similarly situated entities as if it were performed by the prime itself. Please read the full text of the clause deviation (52.219-14 Class Deviation 2020-O0008 dated 04/03/20 at https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far).

To assist in our market research and determination of any applicable small business set-aside for this effort, if you are a small business interested in priming this effort and plan to utilize “similarly situated entities” to meet the Limitations on Subcontracting, please identify the name & CAGE Code of the specific firm(s) you intend to partner/subcontract with to meet the requirements as well as their SB size status under the NAICS that you as the prime would assign for their workshare. Information regarding

any planned similarly situated entity should be included in answering any questions outlined in the RFI in order to assist the Government’s capability determination.

CAPABILITY PACKAGE SUBMITTAL INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

Interested parties shall submit a document outlining their capabilities, and any previous experience with similar requirements, in meeting the special requirements and required capabilities as outlined in the ‘SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED CAPABILITIES’ section above.

Respondents shall provide administrative information, and shall include the following as a minimum:

• Company Name; Company Address; Cage Code; Company Business Size; and Point-of-Contact (POC) name, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address.


• Business type/company classification as it relates to the NAICS code designated in this announcement (e.g., Large or Small business, Small Disadvantaged, Small Disadvantaged Veteran Owned Small Business, Women-Owned, 8(a), Hub Zone or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concern.


• Country of origin for main component(s).

HOW TO RESPOND

Interested companies shall respond within thirty (30) days after release of this RFI with currently available product information that meets the Navy’s requirements above. Please submit any questions electronically via e-mail as well as any response to this RFI electronically via e-mail no later than 7 April 2025, 5:30 PM EDT to Contract Specialist, Ms. Kelly Gray, at kelly.e.gray13.civ@us.navy.mil.

The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. The Government will not reimburse the respondent for any costs associated with the information submitted in response to this request, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any costs incurred in developing the information provided to the Government. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. No classified information shall be submitted. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. All information received in response to the RFI that is marked PROPRIETARY will be handled accordingly. The Government will not release any information marked with a Proprietary Legend, received in response to this RFI, to any firms, agencies, or individuals outside of the Government without written permission in accordance with the legend. The Government will not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly identified. Any information or materials provided in response to this RFI will not be returned. No basis for claims against the Government shall arise because of a response to this RFI.

Failure to respond to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future associated RFP that may be issued. Information provided in no way binds the government to solicit or award a contract. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the System for Award Management (SAM) website: www.sam.gov. It is the potential vendor’s responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any follow-on information.

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