This Request for Information (RFI), issued in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e), Exchanges with Industry before Receipt of Proposals, is for informational and planning purposes only. This RFI does not commit the U.S. Government (USG) to contract for any supply or service. Responses are not proposals for contract award. The information obtained from this market research is for planning purposes only. The USG will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFI as all costs will be the Respondent’s responsibility. The responses to the RFI are strictly market research IAW FAR Part 10, Market Research.

The United States Army Contracting Command-Redstone Arsenal, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is seeking information on potential concepts and ideas for:

1) The Special Electronic Mission Aircraft (SEMA) Product Directorate of the Fixed Wing Project Office (FWPO) has an emerging requirement for high altitude, solar powered, aerial platforms capable of sustained flight for extended periods within designated operational airspace above 60,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) that could participate in Army or joint exercises or demonstrations and test events in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 to FY2029 time frame.

2) The contractor(s) shall install and integrate required A-ISR sensor(s) provided by the Government on Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO) platforms, provide complete set-up and launch, command, control, navigation, and recovery at Contiguous United States (CONUS) or Outside CONUS (OCONUS) locations.

UNCLASSIFIED RESPONSES REQUESTED: The USG is interested in receiving meaningful feedback on stratospheric high-altitude platforms that meet the proposed requirements along with the information requested below. Interested sources that possess the technical capability and resources to fulfill the Government’s requirements stated herein are invited to provide a Capability Statement providing details describing the platform’s characteristics.

The Capability Statement format shall be Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat Reader. Font size shall NOT be smaller than 12-point Times New Roman or Arial. Respondents should include a 1-page summary with a short description of capabilities and no more than 9 additional written pages with details on the platform(s) based on the following characteristics:

1. Type of Platform:
   1. Solar Fixed Wing (SFW), High Altitude Balloon (HAB), or Other
   2. Physical description, dimensions, and weight
   3. Number/type of power plants -or- lift gasses and quantity required

1. Platform Performance:
   1. Altitude (min/max/ideal cruise)
   2. Flight speed (min/max/ideal cruise)
   3. Lat-Long operational capability/restrictions
   4. Power generation, solar panel efficiency
   5. Power storage, battery density
   6. Endurance/solar cycle capability (max/ideal)
   7. Continuous and instantaneous power available for payloads
   8. Takeoff/Landing Limitations (max winds, humidity, temperature, etc)
   9. Any unique performance parameters or capabilities

1. Payload Capabilities:
   1. Dimensions, volume, and weight limit for payloads
   2. Payload mounting type and location(s)
   3. External hard points and/or antenna mounting
   4. Data backhaul
   5. Command and Control (C2) method and flight termination

1. Operational Support Requirements:
   1. Launch and recovery site
   2. Facility
   3. Personnel
   4. Ground support equipment
   5. Transportability
   6. Recovery

1. Other:
   1. Current technology readiness level with substantiation
   2. Current and future availability to support demonstration and experimentation
   3. Production capacity
   4. Other DoD or USG customers. Include information regarding existing contract vehicles that would ease procurement of Respondent’s services
   5. Current contracting relationships with foreign entities/governments or other restrictions to working with the U.S. DoD
   6. Additional capabilities, payloads, or sensors available
   7. Past experience and tests completed
   8. Provide Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) costs to provide up to 1 month support for a CONUS flight demonstration. Include a breakdown of costs and assumptions.

It is the intent of the FWPO to conduct individual conference calls with the viable Respondents after the closure of the RFI process. No calls will be accepted prior to the closure of the RFI. The USG may assess the capability of a Respondent’s system.

Respondents are hereby notified the USG may utilize non-FAR-based procurement methods, such as 10 USC 4022 Authority of the Department of Defense to carry out certain prototype projects, or 10 USC 4023, Procurement for Experimental Purposes, in support of its requirements.

SUBMISSION: Submit Capability Statement with RFI responses, including questions and comments, via email NLT 31 October 2023 at 3:00 p.m. US central time to the following address: tiffany.p.rogers.civ@army.mil, maryssa.d.sanchez.civ@army.mil, and chad.e.kuipers.civ@army.mil. (USG reserves the right to not respond, or to publish all questions and answers at sam.gov)

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