1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION INTRODUCTION: The U.S. Army's experience in desert operations have exposed military engines to excessive amounts of ingested sand demonstrating that a substantial improvement is still needed in sand tolerant engine technologies on helicopter engines. Sand ingestion causes severe performance degradation, excessive wear, increased maintenance and eventually premature removal of the engines. In order to extend the life of helicopter engines in severe sand environments, new and improved engine particle filtration systems must be explored. Current Inlet Particle Separator (IPS) technology is capable of removing large sand particles (0-1000 micron) relatively effectively, but experiences a dramatic reduction in sand removal efficiency as particle sizes decrease (0-80 micron). The entire fleet of military helicopters in the Southwest Asia conflicts experienced fine sand ingestion, which compromised engine performance and significantly reduced the operating life of the engines. Extremely fine sand particles less than 10 microns in diameter (prevalent in the Middle East) are able to bypass the particle separators and enter the cooling circuits and hot section components. The sand reacts in the hot combustion gases and deposits onto the high pressure turbine (HPT) vanes and blades as CaSO4, glass, and various crystalline silicates. Deposits up to 0.25 in. thick have been collected on vanes. This causes significant flow reductions and losses in the HPT leading to premature removal of engines due to low performance. Although cooling hole plugging is a considerable problem, excessive corrosion is not commonly observed due to the high melting point of CaSO4. Calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicate (CMAS) attack on the combustor liners and HPT blades and vanes can also occur leading to spalling of the thermal barrier coatings and premature oxidation of the surfaces. Other designs (passive barrier systems, electrostatic precipitators, etc.) have not been able to achieve desired levels of protection without sacrificing required engine performance/weight or hampering operations. Therefore, the objective of this BAA is to explore high separation efficiency, adaptable, engine filtration system concepts and approaches by way of component level design, fabrication and test validation to provide significant durability and performance benefits to enable current and future turboshaft engines to meet the emerging war fighter needs while operating in sand environments. Offeror must substantiate ability to achieve the sand separation efficiency goals to effectively improve engine Time-On-Wing (TOW), Maintenance & Life Cycle Costs and Mission Fuel Burn. This effort will demonstrate the proposed smart, adaptive engine filtration capability to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4/5 for future vertical lift aircraft for improved system level performance, durability, and TOW. TRL 4 is defined as completing component validation in a laboratory environment (bench testing), while TRL 5 is defined as completing component validation in a simulated relevant environment (rig testing). 2.0 RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: Call W911W6-15-R-0010 solicits proposals for the development of a Smart Adaptable Efficient Filtration System (SAEFS) under the Engines & Drive Trains Research Opportunity of the Master Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911W6-15-R-0004 which is posted to Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) at https://www.fbo.gov and Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov. The proposed SAEFS shall be designed to detect when the aircraft is in and out of a sand environment and be able to adapt for durability and/or performance/operability. The system shall improve current levels of coarse and fine sand particle separation efficiency for improved engine performance retention and durability. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: It is the Government's desire to conduct a technology development effort for a SAEFS program to improve turboshaft engine performance retention and durability in sand environments. The purpose of the SAEFS program is to develop advanced engine filtration technologies in order to operate more effectively in sand environments. The SAEFS program will only address aerodynamic/inertial particle filtration/separation technologies throughout the engine (not barrier filters, or non-filtration technologies such as erosion coatings). If the offeror's proposed solution involves integration (physical or other) with aircraft systems to achieve program goals, the proposal needs to clearly identify how these integration requirements limit the applicability of the proposed technology to current and future Army platform systems. Goals: 1. SAEFS that can detect when aircraft is in and out of sand environment and adapt for optimal durability and/or performance/operability. 2. Sand separation efficiencies: Coarse greater than or equal to 98%, Fine (0-80 micron)greater than or equal to 90% (See Attachment 1 for Sand Constituents and Particle Size Distributions). 3. Pressure drop to the main engine airflow less than or equal to 1%. * This parameter may be traded to obtain an optimal filtration system solution; however, a pressure drop of 2% or greater is not acceptable. The SAEFS technology developed in this program will be applicable to current fielded U.S. Army engines (e.g. T55, T700, and T703) and to future turboshaft engines. The offeror shall design, fabricate, and perform validation testing of the proposed SAEFS technology. The SAEFS technology should be demonstrated in the 5-30 lb/sec airflow size range that is of interest to the Army. The design effort should be based on validated analytical codes to the maximum extent possible. The SAEFS system will be sufficiently rig tested to ensure separation efficiency levels, pressure losses, mass flow rates, and smart adaptive capabilities have been properly demonstrated. The scavenge system(s) will be fabricated from material that is durable enough to survive the rig test. 3.0 ANTICIPATED AWARD DATE AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING LEVELS: 3.1 ANTICIPATED AWARD DATE: Staggered awards are possible starting in 4th quarter FY15, subject to the availability of funds. 3.2 ANTICIPATED FUNDING FOR PROGRAM: Available Government funding is approximately $1.4M for all awards. Government fiscal year distribution is as follows: FY15 $300k, FY16 $200k, FY17 $500k, FY18$400k. Proposals that are significantly out of alignment with anticipated funding profile may risk not being selected. To adequately invest in and maximize the breadth of technology developed, there is a potential to make multiple awards for differing SAEFS designs, however the total number of awards is unknown at this time. Any awards made under this announcement may be incrementally funded and are subject to the availability of funds. 3.3 TYPE OF CONTRACT/INSTRUMENT: The Government prefers offerors propose a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA). This does not preclude other funding instruments from being used. A variety of funding instruments are available pursuant to this announcement depending upon the proposed effort, such as Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) and Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) type contracts. The entity submitting the successful proposal(s) must satisfy statutory and regulatory requirements for the Government. (Refer to the Master BAA for more information) 3.4 NUMBER OF AWARDS ANTICIPATED: No deviation from Master BAA. 3.5 ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Thirty-nine (39) months total (36 technical and 3 for data/final report) 3.6 BAA FULFILLMENT REQUIREMENTS: No deviation from Master BAA. 3.7 DELIVERABLES: All agreements will require delivery of the following items delivered in Contractor's format: (1) Program Plan (delivered 45 days after contract award), (2) Design Review Briefing Charts, (3) Test Plans, (4) Bi-Monthly Progress, Cost and Performance Reports, (5) *Final Report (which includes Photographic and Video documentation of tests), and (6) Final Briefing at Ft. Eustis. * Note: All data other than quote mark Unlimited Rights quote mark or quote mark Government Purpose Rights quote mark shall be delivered in an addendum to the final report. 4.0 ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: No deviation from Master BAA. 5.0 APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: This BAA will use the full proposal submission process as described in section 5.2 of the Master BAA and as further supplemented below: SUBMISSION: Proposals are due 18 May 2015 by 2:00 P.M., EDT. Proposals shall be marked with the solicitation number and shall be submitted to the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, Attn: CCAM-RDT (Benyetta (Toy) Robinson), 401 Lee Boulevard, Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not commit the Government to pay any proposal preparation costs. Offerors can contact AATD to ask for solicitation clarification. All questions must be emailed to the Contract Specialist at
[email protected]. Questions received less than two (2) weeks prior to the proposal due date may not be addressed. Any information given to a prospective Offeror concerning this Announcement, which is necessary in submitting an offer or the lack of which would be prejudicial to any other prospective Offeror(s), will be published as an amendment to this Announcement. Offerors should be alert for any amendments to this Announcement. PAGE LIMITATIONS: The technical proposal shall be limited to 30 pages, exclusive of title page, section dividers, table of contents, list of figures/tables, glossary of terms, key personnel bios, and cross-referencing indices. Submission shall be limited to the number of pages specified, total inclusive of any drawings, charts, etc. Fold-out illustrations required for reader ease are allowed, however, illustration shall be counted in 8 quote mark x 11 quote mark increments (e.g., an 11 quote mark x 17 quote mark document will count as two pages). VOLUME I - TECHNICAL PROPOSAL: The technical proposal shall provide a clear justification for the selection of the proposed SAEFS technology. The justification/rational supporting the proposed technology shall be based upon the potential contribution of this technology to current and future turboshaft engines. The offeror shall substantiate achievement of the goals stated in this BAA announcement and for any other relevant technology measurement parameters provided. The offeror shall also substantiate the impact of the proposed SAEFS approach on engine acquisition cost and weight and ensure that the impact of these parameters are included in the projected system level benefits proposed. The proposal shall include a Statement of Work (SOW) that utilizes the following general task outline: 1) Task I - Design; 2) Task II - Fabrication; 3) Task III - Validation Testing; and Task IV - Management and Reporting. The offeror will also identify how the SAEFS technology is integral to its ongoing efforts to develop or support an Advanced Turbo Propulsion Plan (ATPP) for VAATE. Although a Government approved ATPP will eventually be required for any successful offerors, such a plan is not required in order to be eligible for an award under this solicitation. DATA RIGHTS: The Government prefers, quote mark Unlimited Rights quote mark and requires at a minimum, quote mark Government Purpose Rights quote mark as defined by the DFARS 252.227-7013, to all technical data, deliverable, and computer software developed under this program, and no limitations on the use of delivered and/or residual hardware. It is the offeror's responsibility to clearly acknowledge or take exception to the Government's desire for at least quote mark Government Purpose Rights. quote mark Ambiguities will be negatively evaluated against the offeror. The Contractor should propose legends for each data item identified as other than unlimited rights. In addition, all offerors shall identify the technical data or computer software that they assert would be furnished with restrictions on use, release or disclosure if an award is made under this announcement. This information shall be provided with your proposal using the format/table included in DFARS 252.227-7017 Identification and Assertion of Use, Release or Disclosure Restrictions. VOLUME II - COST PROPOSAL: No deviation from Master BAA. 6.0 EVALUATION INFORMATION: In addition to the evaluation criteria provided in the master BAA, the offeror will also provide a brief description of relevant past experience and capabilities. 7.0 OTHER INFORMATION: No deviation from Master BAA.