Responses Due By

2024-05-06 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time

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Electrified Ground Support Equipment (eGSE)

Project Description

Problem Statement

Aircraft handling support equipment (SE) comprise a significant number of emissions-generating vehicles on naval ships and Navy/Marine Corps installations. In alignment with the National Defense Strategy, the Department of Defense (DoD) is prioritizing energy demand reduction by adopting more efficient technologies that increase range, endurance, and operational flexibility in contested environments.


Desired Solution Attributes

DoD is seeking commercially-proven hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric systems capable of performing aircraft handling in support of Navy and Marine Corps missions. These SE perform aircraft spotting maneuvers for a variety of aircraft, including but not limited to: E-2C/D, F/A-18 (all variants), E/A-18G, F-35B/C, H-53E/K, H-60R/S, T-45, V-22 (all variants), and potentially, unmanned aerial vehicles. The government requires commercial solutions for two common-use SE items: 


  1. Mid-range tow tractors favored for land-based usage, used to transport aircraft and other towable ground support equipment over longer distances, and 
  2. Spotting dollies favored for shipboard usage, with shorter distances traversed and narrow clearance for aircraft repositioning. 


A key objective of this solicitation is to lower maintenance costs via operational endurance and self-sustaining upkeep of equipment. The DoD seeks solutions that can operate for >375 hours between unscheduled maintenance actions. When maintenance is required, it is desired to:


  • Be able to perform the maintenance action in under 2.5 hours
  • Reduce unique skill-set and tooling required to perform maintenance actions
  • Support maintenance with high availability of parts from the commercial marketplace


Operational flexibility can also be obtained through reduction in overall SE footprint. Onboard energy storage may optionally allow aircraft handling SE to perform the function of other accessory SE (e.g., power carts, frequency converters, air start units, etc.). Peak export power of such systems reach:


  • 400Hz (90VAC threshold, 120VAC objective)
  • 28VDC (500A continuous, 1500A helicopter start)
  • 270VDC (72kW continuous)


Ideal solutions described:


  • Tow tractors should support an 8-hour shift usage profile of 25 miles traversed across 11 towing maneuvers, without opportunity for charging. A shift usage profile consists of 15% engage/disengage of load, 15% towing aircraft, 25% parking/positioning aircraft, 15% moving without payload, and 30% idle. For all-electric tow tractors, voltage of 80+ NMV for Level 2 or DC Fast Charging. Tractors should provide a drawbar pull of 11,000 pounds forward (8,000 pounds reverse). Tractors should operate at 15 mph with no towed load, and 5 mph forward/3 mph reverse with towed load.
  • Spotting dollies, positioners, or equivalent solutions should support a 12-hour shift with no opportunity for charging. A shift usage profile consists of 8% idle (startup, standby, shutdown), 22% moving without payload; 15% engage/disengage/load-lifting and lowering of load, 30% towing aircraft, and 25% parking/positioning aircraft. Dollies should provide a drawbar pull of 14,100 pounds and a lift capacity of 17,300 pounds. Dollies should operate at 3 mph under no load and 2.5 mph under load (1.5 mph at a 5 degree incline). Dollies operating under remote control should have tethered remote connection.
  • All solutions should tow an average load of 65,000 pounds (peak 80,000 pounds).
  • All solutions should allow charging via a Level 2 charging station using the J1772 charging standard.
  • All solutions should emit Electromagnetic interference (EMI) levels within the electromagnetic radiation hazard MAE threshold detailed in Figures 2-1 of NAVSEA OP 3565 Volume 2 when operated near electrically initiated ordnance.
  • If utilized, cameras and related monitors should not have the ability to record or transmit information.


Additional considerations in accordance with DoD’s 2023 Lithium-Ion Battery Strategy and DIU’s Advanced Battery Standardization programs:


Demonstrations:

  • Commercial solution(s) should be ready for full-scale operational testing, demonstration, and evaluation within 8 months from project start date.
  • Vendors should have environmental and electromagnetic testing performed at an approved independent lab prior to delivery.
  • Vendors will provide on-site and remote support during the on-base operational testing, demonstration, and evaluation period (US-bases), where prototypes will undergo a range of environmental and electromagnetic testing, including but not limited to: MIL-STD-810H, MIL-STD-461G, and MIL-STD-464C.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility

This solicitation is open to U.S. and international vendors.


Vendors are reminded that in order to utilize an Other Transaction agreement, the requirements of 10 USC 4022 must be satisfied. Specifically reference 10 USC 4022(d), which requires significant contribution from a nontraditional defense contractor, all participants to be small business concerns, or at least one third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by sources other than the Federal Government.


Awarding Instrument

This Area of Interest solicitation will be awarded in accordance with the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process detailed within HQ0854-20-S-C0001 (DIU CSO), posted to https://SAM.gov in March 2020.


Follow-on Production

Companies are advised that any prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreement awarded in response to this Area of Interest may result in the award of a follow-on production OT agreement or contract without the use of further competitive procedures. The follow-on production OT agreement or contract will be available for use by one or more organizations in the Department of Defense and, as a result, the magnitude of the follow-on production OT agreement or contract could be significantly larger than that of the prototype OT. As such, any prototype OT agreement will include the following statement relative to the potential for follow-on production:


"In accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022(f), and upon a determination that the prototype project, or portions thereof, for this transaction has been successfully completed, this competitively awarded prototype OT agreement may result in the award of a follow-on production OT agreement or contract without the use of competitive procedures.”

Awarding Process

ACC-NJ

Before You Submit

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Potential Follow-On Production Contract for Prototype Other Transaction Agreements

Companies are advised that any Prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreement awarded in response to this solicitation may result in the direct award of a follow-on production contract or agreement without the use of further competitive procedures. Follow-on production activities will result from successful prototype completion.

The follow-on production contract or agreement will be available for use by one or more organizations within the Department of Defense. As a result, the magnitude of the follow-on production contract or agreement could be significantly larger than that of the Prototype OT agreement. All Prototype OT agreements will include the following statement relative to the potential for follow-on production: “In accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022(f), and upon a determination that the prototype project for this transaction has successfully been completed, this competitively awarded Prototype OT agreement may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures.”

2023 Other Transaction Guide

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Any agreement awarded off of this solicitation will include language requiring your company to confirm compliance with Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232). If you are not able to comply with the law, the Government may not be able to award the agreement.

We Work With You

If we think there’s a good match between your solution and our DoD partners, we’ll invite you to provide us with a full proposal — this is the beginning of negotiating all the terms and conditions of a proposed prototype contract.

After a successful prototype, the relationship can continue and even grow, as your company and any interested DoD entity can easily enter into follow-on contracts.

Our Process

  1. We solicit commercial solutions that address current needs of our DoD partners.

  2. You send us a short brief about your solution.

  3. We’ll get back to you within 30 days if we’re interested in learning more through a pitch. If we're not interested, we'll strive to let you know ASAP.