INTRODUCTION The Weapons & Software Engineering Center, Advanced Armaments Division, Aviation Weapons Branch of the Development Command Armament Center (DEVCOM AC) is issuing this sources sought notice as a means of conducting market research to identify potential sources having an interest and industry technologies available to support/provide an actuation and control system. The US Army is looking for a system than can provide mechanical rotary output within specified continuous torque and speed bounds to increase capability of the aviation warfighter. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement if a requirement materializes. Based on the responses to this sources sought notice/market research, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open competition. Multiple awards may be made. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions. DISCLAIMER THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO BE SUBMITTED. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. 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 TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES The Government requires a system that consists of any or all the following motion control components to provide electric motor-based assistance to a warfighter operating a perpendicular axis gimbal. Components Sought 1. Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) Servo Motor Notional Requirements: Mechanical Power Output. The brushless DC motor shall provide at least 500 Watts of rated power output and no more than 1000 Watts of rated power output Motor Brake. The BLDC motor shall include a motor brake in a normally open configuration. This brake shall be open when no power is applied and closed when power is applied. Motor Brake Voltage. The motor brake shall operate at either the motor bus voltage or 5 volts direct current. BLDC Motor Winding Voltage. The BLDC motor shall be wound to achieve its rated power output at an objective 28 volts direct current (VDC) or a threshold value of 96 volts direct current. Winding voltages between 28 VDC and 96 VDC are acceptable with greater value placed on lower winding voltages. Sealing. A proposed motor shall be sealed in accordance with Ingress Protection (IP) rating threshold IP5X, objective IP6X. NEMA equivalent ratings are acceptable 2. Back-Drivable Gearbox Notional Requirements: Output Torque. If a gearbox is proposed in conjunction with a BLDC motor, the gearbox shall be sized such that the continuous output torque is threshold 70 Newton-Meters (Nm) or objective 100 Nm. Output Rotational Velocity. If a gearbox is proposed in conjunction with a BLDC motor, the gearbox shall be sized such that the continuous output rotational velocity is threshold 40 Rotations Per Minute (RPM) and objective 60 RPM. Ability to be back driven. A proposed gearbox shall be able to be backdriven (moved by a force applied to the load side) without tools when disconnected from the motor. Comments on “back-drivability” Most gearboxes are inherently backdrivable, intent is to avoid systems that have features such as wave generators or worm gears which prevent or encumber back driving. Forward driving efficiency is typically a good indicator of back driving ease, since friction load development plays a large role when backdriving. Sealing. A proposed gearbox shall be sealed in accordance with Ingress Protection (IP) rating threshold IP5X, objective IP6X. NEMA equivalent ratings are acceptable Reduction Ratio. If a gearbox is proposed without a BLDC motor pair, a range of possible reduction ratios shall be supplied for the gearbox form factor proposed. 3. Servo Drive Notional Requirements Operating Input Voltage. The servo drive shall accept input voltage with a threshold 96 VDC and objective 28 VDC. Operating Output Voltage. If a servo drive is proposed paired with a BLDC motor, the servo drive output voltage shall match the BLDC winding voltage. If a servo drive is proposed individually, the output voltage shall be threshold 96 VDC and objective 28 VDC. Continuous Current Output Rating. If a servo drive is proposed paired with a BLDC motor, the servo drive rated current output shall matched to the motor’s continuous torque output. If a servo drive is proposed individually, the continuous output current rating shall be no greater than objective 27 A. Communication Protocol. The servo drive shall be capable of communicating via threshold CANopen protocol or objective EtherCAT protocol. Safe Torque Off (STO). The servo drive shall include STO connection for emergency stop capability up to Safety Integration Level (SIL) 3 or equivalent. Feedback Device. The servo drive shall be configured to receive feedback from threshold Absolute Encoder objective Dual Feedback, Absolute Encoder and Resolver. 4. Position Feedback Device Notional Requirements Absolute Reference. The position feedback device shall be capable of holding an absolute position reference between power cycles. Output shaft position. The position feedback device shall be capable of measuring the output shaft position through threshold calculation objective direct measurement . Commutation. The position feedback device shall be capable of providing feedback needed to commutate the BLDC servo motor. System Characteristics The following notional requirements are provided to give more insight to the Government’s intended use environment and criteria used in selecting full or partial systems. Notional Requirements Weight : One complete system (One each: gearbox, motor, servo drive, and position feedback device) shall weigh under 15 pounds (Objective) Operating temperature : The Motor Control System shall be capable of operating from -45°F (Objective) to 145°F (Objective). Vehicle Vibration : The Motor Control System shall be capable of surviving UH-60 rotorcraft vehicle vibration per MIL-STD-810H (Objective). The intent of this Sources Sought is to assess the state-of-the art of the technology available in motion control field that could be applied to meet this requirement especially in the areas of Size, Weight, Power vs. cost. It will also be used to plan for a solution in terms of budget, schedule, training, and support. If a system meets some but not all the requirements, also provide a timeline for resolving any deficiencies and verifying compliance. The Government envisions a solution for the Motor Control System that meets current initial notional requirements. Cost estimates should address system production ranges from 1-10 for initial testing and assessment, 11-100 for qualification purposes and 101-1000 for potential production. Non-Developmental Item. Motion Control System Components should be a non-developmental item to the maximum extent possible. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Any resulting contract is anticipated to have a security classification level of Controlled Unclassified Information. Any resulting contract shall be compliant with the specialty metals restriction of the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. 2533a and 2533b) in accordance with DFARS clauses 252.225-7008 and 252.225-7009. ELIGIBILITY The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is (334419) with a Small Business Size Standard of 750 Employees. The Product Service Code (PSC) is 1260. Business size (to include socio-economic subcategories) should be clearly indicated on the response to this RFI. SUBMISSION DETAILS Interested businesses should submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten 8.5 X 11 inch pages, font no smaller than 10 point) demonstrating ability to provide the products/systems listed in this Technical Description. Documentation should be in bullet format. Also included should be a rough order of magnitude (ROM) for estimated costs. No phone or email solicitations with regards to the status of the RFP will be accepted prior to its release. Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to Tara Elms Henderson (
[email protected]) in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email no later than 4 p.m. EST on 6 February 2023 and reference this sources sought number in subject line of e-mail and on all enclosed documents. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. If your organization has the potential capacity to provide the required products/systems, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, primary points of contact (POCs) and their email address, FAX, Web site address, telephone number, and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the requirements of this notice, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government .