Added: Aug 22, 2008 3:12 pm
SOURCES are SOUGHT for the following:
Gas Gun Data Acquisition & Control System
A precision-impact gas gun is being installed at the Eglin AFB Site C-64, Range C. In typical experiments, this gun accelerates a small "hockey puck" of material on the front of a projectile. This "driver" impacts another hockey puck of "target" material to temporarily increase its pressure and make it behave as it would during the detonation of an explosive munition.
Successful precision-impact gun experiments must be well CONTROLLED. The gun system includes a large vacuum pump to remove nearly all the air from the gun barrel and target chamber. After this is complete, valves must be closed to prevent debris from the impact even from fouling the vacuum system. There are also multiple ports, valves, and electrical connections that must be in various states (open, closed, on, off, etc.) and the vacuum level must be measured and verified. The gun Control System must know the allowable operating ranges for all components and verify these through multiply-redundant means before allowing an experiment to be performed. Specific details are listed below.
Successful precision-impact gun experiments must ACQUIRE ALL DATA. The impact event takes approximately 5 microseconds (i.e. 5 millionths of a second, 0.000005 second). During that time a lot of data must be acquired to help us understand how the material behaves during the impact. A typical test can take a month to prepare and set up for, so it is critical that all the data be acquired and stored for later analysis. Again, multiply-redundant data acquisition paths are required from the VISAR signal point through the initial data storage (on hard drive). This should be achieved with physically isolated scopes, chassis, cables, hard drives, etc. such that a failure in one system will not affect the other.
See attachment for specifications.
Responses to this notice must be received within 5 days from date of notice publication. This notice is for information and planning purposes only; it does not constitute an IFB or RFP, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. Firms responding to this notice should state whether they are, or are not, a small business concern, a service-disabled veteran owned small business, or a HUBZone business concern as defined in FAR 52.219-1 for NAICS Code 334119, small business size standard 1,000 employees. The Air Force reserves the right to consider a small business set-aside based on responses hereto. This requirement may be pursued sole source if the Air Force determines that only one source is capable of satisfying the requirement. The Government will neither award a contract solely on the basis of this Sources Sought Notice, nor will it reimburse the contractor for any costs associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice. Any interested parties shall ensure that they are registered in Central Contractor Registration (CCR). To register in CCR, go to http://www.ccr.gov or call 1-888-227-2423 for assistance.
Direct any questions about this requirement, by email only, to mary.gardner@eglin.af.mil or to manivanh.mundy@eglin.af.mil . To respond to this notice, contact Ms. Mary Gardner or Ms. Manivanh, Contract Specialists, 96 CONS/MSCBB, email mary.gardner@eglin.af.mil or manivanh.mundy@eglin.af.mil .
