Purpose: This Sources Sought is to assess available and viable Company Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System candidates for a follow-on demonstration in support of the United States Army Maneuver Elements. Additionally, these UASs may fulfill a Directed Requirement initiative or future Urgent Capability Acquisition. The UAS must be 2020 NDAA Sec 848 and 2023 NDAA Sec 817 compliant or demonstrate a path to compliance.

Background: The Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation, Project Manager (PM), Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, seeks information on a commercial off the shelf, production ready, attritable, cost-effective, and affordable, small UAS which will be employed at the maneuver small unit level. The system¡¯s baseline mission characteristics include a rapidly reconfigurable, modular payload capability to execute mission changes across the primary reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition mission with additive capabilities to execute target identification, communications relay, and kinetic missions. The system configuration has been defined as a minimum of two air vehicles with modular mission payload capability, one Ground Control Station and ancillary equipment capable of operations in day, night and adverse weather conditions (wind and rain in particular). Ancillary equipment is defined as batteries, cables, initial spare parts, operator/maintenance manuals, and packaging. The users operationally dynamic mission changes require a system with a common payload interface to rapidly remove and install air vehicle mission payloads.

Capabilities: The desired Company Level SUAS capabilities are listed below:

1. Aircraft Maximum Gross Take Off Weight less than 55 lbs.


2. Soldier Portable System (2 person or less)


3. Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL)


4. Minimum Line of Sight datalink range 10 km


5. Minimum mission coverage/endurance ? 8 hours over 24-hour period


6. Modular Mission Payloads:
   
   
   
   1. EO/IR Sensor
   
   
   2. Communication Relay/ Network Extension of the ITN
   
   
   3. Lethality (Anti-Personnel, Anti-Materiel)
   
   
   4. Electronic Warfare - Sensing/SIGINT
   
   
   
   


7. Encrypted Data Link capable of classified data transmission up to Secret.


8. Less than 7 cubic feet in system¡¯s tactical transport configuration


9. Launch and recovery operation without support equipment (no launcher/recovery net)


10. Toolless assembly in 5 minutes / airborne in under 15 minutes


11. Ground Controller Interoperability with Tactical Assault Kit (TAK), Net Warrior Control HHD, and Uncrewed Vehicle Control (UVC) operating system


12. Autonomous/automated flight operation


13. Object Identification/classification and tracking


14. Worldwide operational frequency capable


15. All weather capable

Request: The PM will assess vendor¡¯s responses to identify currently available Company Level SUAS solutions and may invite select vendors to demonstrate capabilities. Submissions should be based on capabilities currently available. If information about future capabilities is included, the time it will be ready for procurement should also be provided. Vendor demonstrations will include the full range of system capabilities. Responses should include the following information:

1. 
   
   
   
   1. 
      
      
      
      1. System cost, segregated by air vehicle and ground control station, software licensing, mission specific payloads, ancillary equipment, training, and 12 months of sustainment. Provide unit costs calculation assumptions (e.g., description of system estimated, production quantity).
      
      
      2. Detailed description of the SUAS payload sensor performance. Sensor performance details must include day/night/weather capability, video resolution, field of view, data transmission bandwidth requirements and data storage capabilities. Sensor performance should include detection range of a human sized target at 1200 ft AGL.
      
      
      3. Detailed description of the additional payloads to include available Communication Relay/ Network extension of the ITN, Lethality (Anti-Personnel, Anti-Materiel), Electronic Warfare - Sensing/SIGINT performance characteristics.
      
      
      4. Air vehicle performance characteristics: air vehicle dimensions, weight, range, endurance, operating altitude, battery specification, launch method, wind/gust limits, hot/cold temperature range, Ingress Protection (IP) ratings (dust/liquids), and max horizontal speed. Performance should be captured for max weight, combination of CG ranges, or any proposed specific configuration to meet requirements.
      
      
      5. Detailed description of the UAS ground control solution including size/weight, battery specification, sensor and air vehicle control functions, hot/cold temperature range, Ingress Protection (IP) ratings (dust/liquids), wired/wireless networking options, range of operation, display size/resolution/brightness, ability to operate in direct sunlight and night conditions, ability to operate the system in cold weather.
      
      
      6. Technical specifications for data link/radios to include, data link waveform, uplink/downlink frequencies, transmission range, resilient/ hardened/encryption details, time to launch and establish link, recover and recovery functions, mission planning process and available flight modes.
      
      
      7. Technical specifications on assured position, navigation, and timing (APNT) capabilities to include but not limited to, GPS (commercial or military), terrain-based navigation, visual based or navigation solution.
      
      
      8. Current technical and manufacturing readiness levels (TRL and MRL) of the system. Provide historical production and sales information if applicable.
      
      
      9. Current production rate for the UAS to include associated equipment, lead time required for delivery, maximum production capacity, and ramp up time to meet maximum capacity.
      
      
      10. Provide compliance, certification (including Authority to Operate), and status of 2020 NDAA Sec 848, 2023 NDAA Sec 817, and cyber assessments.
      
      
      11. Describe the ability of your existing supply chain to support proposed production rates and associated ramp-ups. For components/suppliers that represent the highest risk, provide thoughts on mitigations.
      
      
      12. Vendor strategy to meet all capabilities, to include cost and schedule.
      
      
      13. Modular payload architecture strategy that includes an interface control document (ICD) and associated data rights.
      
      
      14. Technical details on the ability to detect, avoid and mitigate electromagnetic interference and operate in a congested/contested electromagnetic environment.
      
      
      15. System security considerations and accreditation for transmitting classified data.
      
      
      16. Vendor approach to utilize government furnished software for the Ground Control Station.
      
      
      17. Vendor sustainment strategy to include part availability, lead times and repair facilities.
      
      
      18. Vendor proposed training strategy.
      
      
      19. System reliability data.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   

Instructions for White Paper Submission: Responses to this Sources Sought are for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a proposal. This Sources Sought, issued in accordance with FAR 15.201, is for the purpose of preliminary planning and is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or solicitation. This Sources Sought does not commit the Government to a contract or an agreement for any supply or service. The issuance of this Sources Sought does not obligate or restrict the Government to an eventual acquisition approach, nor does it obligate the Government to issue a solicitation. The Government will not consider or accept unsolicited proposals or any other kinds of offers to form a binding contract. The information provided in this Sources Sought is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. Respondents are responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought. The Government will not provide any form of compensation or reimbursement for the information provided. No contract or other binding instrument will occur because of this Sources Sought. Therefore, all costs associated with the Sources Sought submissions are solely at the expense of the respondent submitting the information. The Government may request additional information upon review of the submissions. Clearly mark all proprietary information. Do not include classified documents in your response. Please be advised, all information submitted in response to the Sources Sought becomes the property of the US Government. The Government will handle all "proprietary" marked Sources Sought information accordingly. The Government may utilize non-Government personnel (support contractors) to review responses to this Sources Sought. Markings on the submissions in response to this Sources Sought should reflect the information is releasable to DoD support contractors solely for the purposes stated herein. Responses to this Sources Sought shall not exceed total email file size of 10MB. The Government will not review responses exceeding this limit. White paper responses shall not exceed 20 single-sided pages on 8.5 x 11 size paper, shall not include a font size smaller than Arial 10, and shall include all applicable technologies identified herein. The Government will only accept information readable by Microsoft (MS) Word 365, MS Excel 365, and compatible versions, or Adobe Acrobat and shall have proper markings (No CLASSIFIED information). Submit all responses via email to the point of contact listed below.

UAS Sources Sought Responses should include:

1. Company Name, CAGE Code, DUNS number, Company Address, and Place of Performance Address


2. Point of contact, including name, title, phone, and email address


3. Whether the business is classified as a Large Business, Small Business (including Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) and Indian tribes), Veteran Owned Small Business, Service-Disable Veteran-Owned Small Business, HUBZone Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business (including ANCs and Indian tribes), or Women-Owned Small Business

This Sources Sought remains open from date of publication through 31 March 2024. Parties including commercial firms, institutions of higher education and with degree granting programs in science and/or engineering (universities), or consortia led by such concerns may submit information. The Government encourages participation by small business (including ANCs and Indian tribes), veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small-disadvantaged business (including ANCs and Indian tribes), and women-owned small business concerns.

Submit all responses by 1600 hours 31 March 2024 to:

Angela Andrews

Contracting Officer

Angela.L.Andrews5.civ@army.mil