Inactive

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE AVAILABLE. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst is requesting information pertaining to the... THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE AVAILABLE. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst is requesting information pertaining to the replacement of the existing A/S32A-44 Aircraft Utility Crane NIIN: 01-371-9144). The USN currently uses this crane shipboard and shore based for the removal and installation of aircraft components. Shipboard the crane will be used in the hangar bays of CVN and LHA and LHD ships. In the CVN hangar bay the maximum allowable height of the crane is 24’6” and in the hangar bay of LHD / LHA ships the maximum allowable of is 19’6”. It is desired that the maximum achievable hook height be as close to the overall height of the crane as possible. The crane may have multiple set up configurations to achieve different maximum hook heights desired while complying with the maximum allowed overall heights. The crane shall have an outreach of approximately 10’ from the mast. The crane shall have a minimum Factor of Safety of 3 to 1 on the rated load and shall be capable of being proof loaded to 200% of the rated load. The Navy is seeking information on available cranes with a maximum rated capacity between 1,500 lbs. and 2500 lbs. As space is a premium in the shipboard environment, the crane shall be “foldable” when not in use to minimize its footprint. Ideally, the Navy is seeking a design that does not exceed the footprint of the current cranes length of 235” and width of 129” (outriggers extended) and width of 37” (outriggers stowed). The legacy crane has two legs that extend under the aircraft when in use and the crane is moved (manually pushed) with the load suspended in order to maneuver the load from a dolly to the aircraft and from the aircraft to a dolly. Legs on this type of crane that extend under the aircraft have a maximum height of 14”. The Navy is seeking crane concepts that include both mobility with a fixed mast (like the legacy crane) and fixed out riggers with a rotating mast. This will provide the ability to push a suspended load with the crane configured with a fixed mast, and rotate a load from a dolly to the aircraft by reconfiguring the crane with fixed out riggers and a rotatable mast. When configured with the fixed mast, the outrigger legs shall extend under the aircraft (aligned with the boom vice perpendicular) and the outriggers that would normally extend in the opposite direction when configured with a rotating mast shall be stowed so as to avoid maneuverability/ positioning issues. When used with the rotating mast, the outrigger(s) that extend under the aircraft shall have a maximum height of 8". Request the drawings / sketches / information provided show the dimensions of the crane both in its stowed and operational configurations. Information on brakes (both dead man if applicable and manually activated) supplied with the crane is requested. Additionally, information is requested on cranes that may not meet all the requirements but could be redesigned / modified to meet the requirements. As required for any typical Navy Support Equipment (SE), the cranes shall be highly reliable, maintainable and supportable. Human factors engineering shall be utilized to the greatest extent possible to make the crane a "user friendly" piece of Support Equipment. The purpose of the request for information is to identify potential contractors and to gain insight into current commercial or military products and/or industry's interest in working with the Navy to develop a new Utility Crane. It is requested that information be submitted NO LATER THAN 23 December 2019 to Ms. Gianna Gatto, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Code 25212 B562-3, Route 547, Joint Base MDL, NJ 08733-5000, or by electronic mail at: gianna.gatto@navy.mil. Ms. Gatto may be reached at (732) 323-1270, or to Mr. David Andreoli, by electronic mail at: david.andreoli@navy.mil, who may be reached at (732) 323-5208. Respondents are notified that a formal solicitation MAY NOT necessarily result from the RFI. Any comments provided may or may not be included in a formal solicitation. The Government WILL NOT PAY for any information received in response to this RFI nor will the Government compensate any respondent with costs incurred in developing the information provided to the Government. The Government will not release any information marked with a Proprietary legend, received in response to this RFI, to any firms, agencies, or individuals outside the Government without written permission in accordance with the legend.