Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Systems Request for Prototype Proposals (RPP18-10) under Ground Vehicle Systems

Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Request for Prototype Proposal Special Notice The U.S. Army Armament Research Development, and Engineering Center (ARDEC) intends to issue a Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) for Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program of record under the Ground Vehicle Systems Other Transaction Agreement (GVS OTA), W15QKN-17-9-1025. The GVS OTA was awarded under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 2371b, Section 815 of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, P.L 114-92. The Government is seeking a prototype cargo Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) capable of carrying a payload of between 50 and 600 lbs. of supplies while maintaining a gross take off vehicle weight of less than 1320 lbs. The system(s) will be tailored to different capabilities within this range to study their operational impacts across multiple echelons of sustainment operations. The range will be design dependent, but will be assessed as a tradeoff against payload and physical form factor as the system must integrate with traditional ground units. Multiple prototypes are required so that basic swarming concepts can be reliably demonstrated. The UAS may be powered by batteries or engines designed to accept fuel in accordance with AR 70-12. The primary focus of the overall effort is assessing the impact of these types of systems on the supply chain. The objective of the UAS is to primarily carry Class V supplies (ammunition), as well as Class I (water) and VIII (food). The system should be able to travel a tactically relevant distance whilst simultaneously keeping the vehicle weight and overall size profile as low and small as a possible in order to reduce logistical burden of transporting the platform around the battlefield. The system(s) should have at least a basic level of autonomy integrated within the flight system, namely take-off, landing, and waypoint navigation. The system(s) will be utilized to evaluate the Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership, Facility and Policy (DOTMLPF-P) implications within the maneuver and sustainment force structure. Follow-on Production: There will be no follow-on production contract/OTA as a result of this prototype effort. NOTE: This Special Notice is for informational purposes only. A prototype project will not be awarded in response to this announcement. The purpose of this announcement is to provide members of the National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC), and industry in general, advanced notification of the Government's intent to release an RPP to the NAMC membership. The RPP will be issued to the NAMC's Administrative Agent, the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), who will then issue the RPP to the NAMC. Additionally, the procurement of all Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Unmanned Aerial Systems requires an approval. No award will be made unless an approval is granted. For information on the NAMC and/or how to become a member, visit the following website: http://defensemobility.org/.