The purpose of this amendment is to provide the Questions and Answers that have originated from the PMA-260 Common Aviation Support Equipment Virtual Industry Day. A recording of the event will be provided upon request. All requests should be submitted to: David Andreoli, PCO Procurement Division,
[email protected] This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI) notice for planning purposes only. This RFI is issued for determining potential technologies and capabilities to consider for the future of Naval Aviation Common Support Equipment from industry and does not constitute an Invitation for Bid (IFB), a Request for Proposal (RFP), a Request for Quote (RFQ) or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services identified in response to this notice. No solicitation documents exist at this time. Participation in this RFI is neither mandatory nor is it requisite to future participation by a Contractor in any potential future solicitations/contracts. NAVAIR's Common Aviation Support Equipment program office (PMA-260) manages the procurement, development and fielding of Common Support Equipment (CSE) and Automatic Test Systems (ATS) that support every Type/Model/Series aircraft within the Naval Aviation Enterprise. PMA-260 is planning to host a Virtual Industry day in order to provide opportunities for industry to learn about the technology requirements of PMA-260 with the potential for follow-on one-on-one meetings regarding technologies that industry has developed that may address current or future challenges for PMA-260. This opportunity is open to all companies that have new and innovative ideas to support the future of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and PMA-260’s Technology Focus Areas described below. TECHNOLOGY FOCUS AREAS PMA-260 seeks modern tools, solutions, and emerging technology to reduce the physical space required to manage, configure, and store the various types of support equipment systems, reduce sustainment costs, and improve readiness. Technical focus areas and pain points that cross-cut the product lines of PMA-260 include, but are not limited to the following: -Maximizing component efficiency - The fleet is experiencing a proliferation of organizational level (O-level) test equipment that results in obsolescence, and excessive physical space required to manage, repair, configure, and store the various types of support equipment systems. Space for such components can be limited in the fleet, particularly when aboard ships. Every cubic inch of space, ounce of weight, milliwatt hour of power and cost (SWaP-C) needs to be carefully planned in future designs of CSE and ATS -Examining the feasibility and extent of Additive Manufacturing (AM) devices’ ability to replicate, replace, and repair parts used to maintain Navy CSE aviation assets should be considered. Potential uses that can improve readiness using AM technologies in both depot and deployed environments to reduce SWaP-C and logistics, while improving readiness is highly desirable -Developing multipurpose systems that are configurable and reconfigurable -Pursuing modularization, flexibility, and interoperability in the design, procurement, and support of CSE & ATS products or components -Improving diagnostic and prognostic capabilities -Development of common and open architectures/frameworks for O-level test equipment -CSE and ATS obsolescence - Much of the fleet's test equipment has been in service for many years and is becoming increasingly more difficult to sustain. Solutions that address obsolescence are sought -Technologies to enhance Test Program design, development, and maintenance -Research and development of new system-level designs or advancement of component technologies common to multiple CSE items -Expeditionary Environments- Improve warfighter self-sufficiency in resource-poor, inhospitable, austere world-wide operations by reducing energy, water, logistical and operational footprints and risk -Flight line Equipment & Vehicles that improve energy efficiency, autonomy during operations. Enable electrification of the flight line and associated equipment with full-electric or diesel-electric hybrid solutions. -Technologies aiding in the detection and removal of Foreign Object Debris. -Technologies aiding in calibration of equipment, through decreased complexity of calibration procedures, increased speed of calibration, and increased mean time between calibration cycles. Aid in self-calibration or self-diagnosis of calibration drift. The range of equipment PMA-260 supports includes but is not limited to: -Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) -Platforms CSE - Shipboard Tow Tractors, Shipboard Air Conditioners -Electrical CSE - Shipboard MEPP, Aircraft Engine Component Test Stand -Cryogenics CSE- Liquid Oxygen/Nitrogen Generator, Aircraft/LOX Converter Purging Unit -Hydraulics CSE - Aircraft Pressurized Cabin Leakage Tester, Hydraulic Fluid Particle Counter -Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) CSE -Aircraft Wiring CSE- Fiber Optic Repair Sets -Aircraft Fluid Service Units -Common Radio Frequency Communication/Navigation Test Set -Hydraulic Power Supplies -Jet Engine Test Instrumentation -Calibration -Foreign Object Detection and Removal -Mobile Facilities -Automatic Test Equipment -Test Program Sets -Electronic Warfare (EW) Avionics Test Sets The technical focus areas and products highlighted above are not meant to be exhaustive as this Virtual Industry Day is intended to be an open opportunity for industry to highlight products and solutions that may impact current and future PMA-260 procurement, development and fielding of CSE and ATS. VIRTUAL INDUSTRY DAY ACTIVITIES PMA-260’s Virtual Industry Day will occur 16 February 2021 at 1300 EST. CAPT Robert Burgess, Program Manager, PMA-260 will provide an overview of the program’s technology needs and challenges. During the event, additional briefings of interest to industry may also be available as well as a live question and answer session with CAPT Robert Burgess and PMA-260 technologists. Following the industry day event there will be opportunities for industry to speak with PMA representatives via direct conference calls scheduled in advance as well as an opportunity for industry to network virtually with other members of industry. Additional details as well as a complete PMA-260 Virtual Industry Day 2021 agenda are available via the registration website. PMA-260 Virtual Industry Day 2021 will be UNCLASSIFIED. In order to participate in Virtual Industry Week, please register on the Eventbrite website at: www.PMA260-Industry-Day-2021.eventbrite.com Registrations must be completed no later than 11 February 2021. Registrations are best accomplished via a non-NMCI computer. The Government will not provide opportunities for in-person 2021 attendance. Attendance at PMA-260 Virtual Industry Day 2021 and any discussions/release of information is strictly voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information provided or associated costs. Questions for PMA-260 Program Manager/Technologists may be submitted in advance or real-time during the event. Details on how to submit questions for the live event will be provided once registration is confirmed. Questions regarding this event shall be submitted in writing by emailing George Lehaf, PMA260 S&T Lead, at
[email protected] with the subject line "PMA-260 Virtual Industry Day 2021 Question”. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government will accept questions concerning this event until 1600 EST 11 February 2021. Questions received after this date may not be answered. Depending on the nature of the question, the Government may post the question and its answer on the beta.SAM.gov Contract Opportunities website or may answer the question during the PMA-260 Virtual Industry Day 2021 live question and answer session on 16 February 2021. The Government reserves the right not to answer questions received. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. The Government is only seeking possible sources and potential capabilities for informational purposes. No reimbursement will be made to respondents for any costs incurred in developing information for, participating in meetings with, or engaging in discussion with the Government in response to this announcement or any follow-up information requests. Information contained herein is based on the best information available at the time of publication, is subject to revision, and is not binding upon the Government. Availability of any formal solicitation will be announced under a separate beta.SAM.gov Contract Opportunities announcement.