Inactive

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION – RFI -70Z02320I00000500 TITLE: U.S. Coast Guard HC-144B Maintenance Training Unit (MTU) Issuance Date: Aug 21, 2020 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is i... REQUEST FOR INFORMATION – RFI -70Z02320I00000500 TITLE: U.S. Coast Guard HC-144B Maintenance Training Unit (MTU) Issuance Date: Aug 21, 2020 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP. Furthermore, those who respond to this RFI should not anticipate feedback with regard to its submission; other than acknowledgment of receipt – IF a request for an acknowledgement is requested by the submitter. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. DHS is not at this time seeking proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay any cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. All submissions become the property of the Federal Government, and will not be returned. 1.0 DESCRIPTION The U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) Medium Range Surveillance (MRS) Aircraft Program (CG-9312) is in need of an HC-144B Maintenance Training Unit (MTU). The MTU will support the operational fleet by providing the skills, knowledge and practical experience required to maintain and troubleshoot the Avionics, Electrical, Airframe and Engine/Powerplant systems and associated equipment installed on the HC-144B aircraft. The MTU will provide Avionics Electrical Technician (AET) and Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Class “A” and Class “C” School students the ability to receive initial and advanced, hands-on, maintenance training instruction in a realistic setting that is reflective of USCG technical manuals allowing students to learn basic and sophisticated techniques of aircraft troubleshooting and repair. The MTU device shall be capable of meeting the Enabling Learning Objectives (ELO), critical tasks, and USCG identified faults associated with the AET and AMT “A” and “C” School training requirements. The Contractor shall convert an existing CN-235-100 hull into an integrated HC-144B MTU with a combination of hands-on, real aircraft hardware and components as well as virtual/simulated components. All virtual/simulated systems shall accurately reflect the real/actual system, and the systems shall to respond correctly to inputs from switches, circuit breakers, power levers, condition levers and fire handles. The USCG does NOT require a MTU that is completely wired with fully functional systems; the MTU only requires certain structural ‘designated areas’ to be visually and physically accurate to the real/actual components, parts and systems. The areas that are not specifically identified as a ‘designated area’ per the critical tasks/Maintenance Procedure Cards (MPCs) are not required to meet traditional design/wiring and system functionality requirements of the HC-144B aircraft. An ideal solution would provide both tactile components including but not limited to throttles, flaps, yokes, rudder, elevator, ailerons, and trim controls that are integrated into the Fault Isolation System (FIS) and interact with simulated and/or virtual replicas of cockpit, avionics, and other components/systems. Students must have the ability to safely navigate throughout the physical aircraft as well as the virtual environment, including walking around the aircraft to locate specific panels and components (either real, simulated, or virtual) and to perform required maintenance steps. Students will open actual panels, disconnect real and/or simulated, and/or virtual cables, observe component operation (either real, simulated, or virtual) in both normal and faulted conditions, and perform troubleshooting and removal/replacement actions. Virtual and/or simulated test equipment required to perform maintenance actions must be available for student operation with test equipment measurements accurately reflecting the state of the simulated aircraft system. MTU associated terms: The term “real” describes actual, physically existing hardware components and parts. The term “simulated” describes components and parts that are not real and are replicas of the actual physical components. Simulated components will be the same size and shape of the real component and part and will be within 10% of actual component weight for Remove & Install (R&I) fidelity. The term “virtual” describes systems with components and parts that do not physically exist but are made by software to appear like the physical components and parts. 2.0 PURPOSE OF THIS RFI The purpose of this RFI is to ascertain industry’s ability to provide various MTU solutions for consideration. Other than the GFE provided for the installation requirements, the USCG does not require a certain percentage of the MTU systems to be real, simulated, or virtual, so vendors are encouraged to provide MTU solutions that have different combinations of real/simulated hardware, software, and virtual capabilities and associated costs. MTU Required Systems: The MTU shall provide the student with the ability to inspect and troubleshoot (operational and functional checks and tests IAW applicable MPC) the following systems: Air Conditioning Pressurization Rain and Ice Protection Powerplant Fire Protection System Hydraulic System Fuel System Electrical System Flight Control System Landing Gear System Navigation System Communication System Data Transfer and Storage System Flight Director/Flight Management System Cargo Ramp and Door Minotaur Mission System to include RADAR (APS 143) and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) inputs MTU General Requirements: The contractor shall: 1. Convert the existing CN-235-100 hull into an integrated HC-144B MTU with hands-on, real aircraft hardware and components as well as simulated and virtual systems and components. All virtual/simulated systems shall accurately reflect the real or actual system. All systems and components are required to communicate with each other during MPC procedural steps and respond correctly to inputs from real, simulated and/or virtual switches, circuit breakers, power levers, condition levers and fire handles. 2. Install the following systems/components (GFE): a. Flight control components - wings, horizontal and vertical tails/stabilizers, ailerons, elevators, rudder, flaps, aileron/rudder/elevator trim tabs, servos and actuators. b. Cockpit Flight Controls - yokes, throttle quadrants, and rudder pedals c. Hydraulic system components - reservoir, pumps, valves, lines, accumulators etc. d. 1 engine, 1 propeller, and all accessory and auxiliary components required for mounting the engine to the airframe 3. Assemble and configure the hull/components at either the contractor’s site or at the Avaition Technical Training Center (ATTC) in Elizibeth City, North Carolina. If assembled at the contractor’s site, the contractor shall coordinate pick-up, shipment and delivery of parts, components, and aircraft hull to the contractor’s facilities and delivery of aircraft/MTU back to ATTC. If assembly and configuration would be more cost effective /or more efficient to complete at ATTC by a contractor team, then the contractor shall provide a reflective cost estimate. 4. Ensure the MTU device meets the ELO, critical tasks, and USCG identified faults associated with the AET and AMT “A” and “C” School training requirements. 5. Build and install floor panels that that can support 350lb per sq ft. or greater. Panels shall fasten to the deck support structure and allow access to each void individually. 6. Build the “designated area” locations (fuselage sections 18, 21-24, 25-36, 41, and 52) so they visually and physically replicate the actual system (operational functionality is not required). 7. Design and develop a Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) hardware and software open architecture integrated solution for the MTU that meets both the AMT and AET ELO. The MTU shall have a combination of real and virtual systems and components. The AMT ELOs are typically met by hands-on interactions with real, physical components and parts. The AET ELO can be met by a combination of real, simulated and virtual systems and components. All simulated components shall be within 10% of actual component weight for Remove & Install (R&I) fidelity. 8. The MTU device shall have an integrated Fault Isolation System (FIS) capable of a variety of aircraft system faults, to include shorts, cross shorts and avionics software and data bus failures. The induction shall be instantaneous and shall manifest precisely as it would in an operational HC-144B aircraft. The FIS shall be capable of completing no less than 18 AMT and 71 AET FIS and shall allow all Terminal Performance Objectives to be met. 9. The MTU shall be ready for training within 24 months from contract award. 10. Provide sustainment support for up to 24 months post MTU delivery (design dependent). Sustainment support should consider the following items: Non-recurring Engineering efforts Technical integration support Hardware and structural corrective maintenance Windows 10 compliance and integration Design, update or modify software code Fault system components and hardware sparing Software maintenance, configuration management and documentation support Software troubleshooting procedures 11. Generate drawings for any new configurations. 12. Strip, prime and paint the aircraft for corrosion protection. 13. Provide a MTU capable of completing at least 76 required maintenance operational check (MOC) procedures as defined by the USCG. 14. The Virtual Interactive Environment (VIE) shall provide a combination of 2D and 3D representations of components, parts and systems. The VIE shall be integrated with the FIS and real and/or simulated components. The student shall be able to conduct AET and AMT MOC procedures in the VIE. Remove and Replace (R&R) Tasks: The student shall be able to perform the following R&R tasks: Remove and Install & rig flight control surfaces (flaps, cables, rudder, ailerons, and elevator) Remove and install engine Remove and install landing gear (main and nose) and landing gear actuators Remove and install electric motor-driven hydraulic pump and hydraulic system reservoirs Remove and install navigation and communications radios receivers and antennae 3.0 RFI RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Electronic files larger than 5 MB shall be broken down into multiple files with no one file exceeding 5 MB. Each electronic submission shall include: The RFI number in the subject line The maximum number of pages per submission shall be limited to 10 pages The file number and total files being submitted (e.g., File 1 of 4, File 2 of 4, etc.) in the subject line, if submission includes more than one electronic email A Point of Contact (POC), phone number and email address of the person (in the body of the email) to be contacted regarding any correspondence between the Government and the Vendor. The POC shall be capable of addressing questions or issues associated with the submission and content of the RFI A brief summary of email content, vendor name and the firm’s mailing address Interested parties having the expertise and capabilities are invited to submit detailed information discussing their capabilities via e-mail to Mr. Domingo Cruz Jr., Contracting Specialist, domingo.cruz2 @uscg.mil, Mathew L. Wallace, Contracting Officer, Matthew.L.Wallace@uscg.mil by 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on October 05,, 2020. Questions regarding this RFI may be forwarded to Mrs. Allison Hill via e-mail to Allison.Hill@uscg.mi or by phone at (202) 475-3824 The deadline for submitting questions is 3:00 PM EST on October 05, 2020. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid DHS, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become the property of the Federal Government, and will not be returned. Responses to this RFI may be evaluated by Government technical experts drawn from staff within DHS and other Federal agencies. The Government may use selected support contractor personnel to assist in the evaluation. These support contractors will be bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary and source selection information. This action will be governed under DHS law enforcement sensitive guidelines.