Active

Contract Opportunity

Airport Surveillance Radar Model 9 (ASR-9) Processor Augmentation Card

(9PAC) Circuit Card Assembly (CCA)

MARKET SURVEY ANNOUNCEMENT

1. Introduction/Purpose

This market survey is issued in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acquisition Management System (AMS) Section 3.2.1.2.1. The purpose of this market survey is for the FAA to gain an understanding of the marketplace to identify businesses capable of providing the subject CCA.

The 9PAC CCA is a technically complex commodity consisting of multiple processors integrated as a unit. It is a custom CCA with physical, performance and operational requirements specifically tailored to meet FAA needs and functions as part of the final processing of radar targets before data is sent to the displays. Radar and beacon target data are merged to include interpolation/correlation of targets, reduce false targets, and improve target tracking. The 9PAC CCA utilizes legacy software to enable its integration as part of the ASR-9 post processing subsystem. Thus, the planned solution will fuse existing legacy software with current technology improvements.

The 9PAC was designed to fit into an existing dual CCA rack assembly that was originally deployed to all ASR-9 field sites in the 1980s. The 9PAC CCA replaced a legacy processor architecture with a set of three Texas Instruments TMS320C44 processors running enhanced target and weather processing software. All TMS320C44 processors are driven by a 40 MHz clock. Each processor has its own Static Random Access Memory (RAM) (SRAM) and Dynamic RAM (DRAM) storage capacity. The three TMS320C44 processors communicate with each other using on-chip high-speed serial ports operating at 20 MB/sec. As shown in the diagram below, each pair of on-chip serial ports are configured for unidirectional operation.

The 9PAC CCA (11+3/8” L x 8” W x 3/8” H) has a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot to accommodate a solid-state flash memory disk card that stores the three software executable files plus site specific data files periodically updated by the software. The 9PAC CCA has two serial ports for external communication; one high-speed serial port with RS-422 interface always enabled for data extraction, and one unused low-speed serial port with RS-232 interface. Both of these serial ports are driven by a 2.5 MHz clock. The Light Emitting Diode (LED) bank reports the progress of boot time diagnostics. The configuration jumpers accommodate push on shunt blocks; most are not used in the field and are for engineering test only.

As shown in the partial post processing block diagram in Figure 2 the 9PAC CCA receives primary detection and beacon reply data from the external High-Speed Interface Buffer (HSIB) CCA, which writes these data types into the 9PAC’s on-board multiport RAM bank. The HSIB CCA in turn receives these data types from the ASR-9’s Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and Beacon Reply Processor (BRP) subsystems. This BRP/DSP/HSIB/9PAC data transfer path is one directional, into the 9PAC CCA.

Surveillance target reports and weather map data generated by software running on the 9PAC CCA’s three TMS320C44 processors are sent through the Dual Port RAM (DPRAM) CCA to the Message Interface Processor (MIP) CCA. The MIP CCA in turn sends surveillance target reports and weather map data to automation systems and any other ASR-9 data users. At Mode-S/ASR-9 sites, the MIP CCA also sends Mode-S surveillance target reports through the DPRAM CCA to the 9PAC CCA for its internal use. The 9PAC/DPRAM/MIP data transfer path is two directional, into and out of the 9PAC CCA.

Since the BRP/DSP/HSIB/9PAC data transfer path is one directional, the 9PAC CCA performs the necessary HSIB CCA control and status duties through its DPRAM data and address bus interface (not shown below). Both of the above data transfer paths use existing wiring on the common wire wrapped backplane assembly and are driven by an 8 MHz clock located on another post processor CCA (not shown below).

Most of the 9PAC was implemented with Surface Mount Technology (SMT) devices located on both sides of the CCA. This allowed the 9PAC to occupy a small volume between closely spaced existing CCAs. Attachable forms of heat sink assembly were not necessary because of the forced air cooling used inside the ASR-9’s target processing channels. Like most ASR-9 CCAs, the 9PAC CCA slides into a common wire wrapped backplane assembly, one for each of two target processing channels.

The information provided has been furnished to industry to aid potential Respondents to determine their capability to produce this commodity. This requirement is defined as a functional solution. Therefore, this item must conform to the provisions stated to serve as a replacement for the 9PAC CCAs within the ASR-9 legacy system.

The FAA has an anticipated requirement for 75 new 9PAC units (15 First Article pre- production units and three (3) production deliverables of 20 new 9PAC units). There is also the potential for an additional requirement of up to 405 new 9PAC units. The aforementioned anticipated quantity is expected to ensure the FAA depot has enough spares to provide for ASR-9 maintenance requirements until at least 2035.

2. Incumbent Contractor

There is no incumbent contractor supplying the FAA with this commodity.

3. Nature of Competition

The acquisition strategy for the procurement has not been determined at this time.

4. Further Conditions

(a) This is not a Screening Information Request or Request for Proposals of any kind;

(b) The FAA is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals;

(c) The FAA will not pay for any information received or costs incurred in preparing the response to the market survey;

(d) Any costs associated with the market survey submittal is solely at the interested Respondent’s expense;

(e) Any information provided in response to this market survey will be used for Government informational purposes only; and,

(f) Any proprietary information submitted in response to this market survey must be clearly identified and appropriately marked. Respondents must be willing to provide justification to the FAA of such designations if requested. This market survey in no way alters the FAA’s obligations under existing law, including any duties owed by the FAA under the Freedom of Information Act.

5. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code

The applicable NAICS codes for this requirement are 334111, 334418, and 334511.

6. Submittal Requirements for Market Survey

Respondents are requested to provide a response to the following questions as part of their response:

• Provide a description of expertise and/or experience regarding the development of functional solutions to replace legacy CCAs. Include the customer’s name, solution, type of CCA replaced, quantities manufactured, and period of performance.

• Provide a description of the resources available to support developing technical solutions for designing, manufacturing, and testing a legacy CCA replacement of as part of the Respondent’s production capability.

• Does the Respondent have experience integrating Government-furnished software?

• Does the Respondent have previous FAA experience? If so, provide a description of this experience and identify the FAA program name, contract number, and period of performance.

• Does the Respondent have a fully implemented Quality Assurance Plan (QAP)? What Quality Assurance industry standard does the Respondent’s QAP meet?

• How does the Respondent address supply chain management to ensure that:

a. Ensure required components are sourced from vendors which are authorized as needed.

b. Contractual schedules are adhered to, when needed; mitigation plans are put in place, to address delays in delivery.

c. Sufficient planning is conducted to account for items requiring long lead-time.

d. It is sourcing parts that are considered obsolete and no longer available via conventional sources of supply.

• Is the Respondent aware of a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution that may address the Government’s functional requirements? If so, please identify.

7. Schedule for Responses

Refer to the below applicable due dates for this market survey:

Respondents submit question/comments:

November 22, 2023 by 4:00PM EST

Government posts response to comments and/or questions on the sam.gov website:

December 6, 2023 by 4:00PM EST

Respondents submits Market Survey Response with completed Business Declaration form:

December 20, 2023 by 4:00PM EST

Submit written questions and/or comments and market survey responses via email by no later than 4:00PM EST on December 20, 2023 to Phillip.L.Moyers@faa.gov and Malie.P.Chhang@faa.gov. Questions and/comments must be limited to aspects of this announcement that affect the preparation of the market survey response. Please also note the following:

• Interested Respondents must use the market survey Comments and Questions Matrix to submit comments or questions on the market survey.

• A completed FAA Business Declaration form must be submitted in *.pdf format. The Government will not provide feedback on any of the submitted materials.

• Include a company point(s) of contact, telephone number(s), email and mailing addresses.

• Respondents must identify any proprietary questions and be prepared to provide justification to the FAA of such designations if requested. The FAA may, in its discretion, provide public answers to non-proprietary questions received. If the Respondent marks a question as proprietary, but the FAA concludes the question is non-proprietary, the FAA will offer the Respondent an opportunity to withdraw the question so the question will not be treated as non-proprietary. If the Respondent chooses not to withdraw the deemed non-proprietary question, the FAA will treat the question as non-proprietary.

Responses to this market survey must be in PDF format in Times New Roman size 12 font. Please limit responses to no more than 10 pages.

• Respondents must identify and clearly mark any proprietary information contained in their submissions. Respondents must be willing to provide justification to the FAA of such designations if requested. This market survey in no way alters the FAA’s obligations under existing law, including any duties owed by the FAA under the Freedom of Information Act.

• No electronic or telephone inquiries will be accepted. It is the responsibility of the interested Respondent to monitor the sam.gov website for questions and responses posted by the Government.

8. Other

a. Respondents are prohibited from using salvaged components in the production of this commodity.

b. The FAA may hold conversations, as needed, with Respondents to clarify any technical or interpretive questions regarding the RFI. The FAA reserves the right to have communication with all, any but not all, or none of the Respondents.

c. Respondents’ responses will not be returned and will remain the property of the FAA. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this market survey.

d. Buy American Act

Changes in applicable law, such as regulatory changes implementing the Buy American Act, may impact future SBA requirements. On July 18, 2019, the FAA updated its acquisition policy to ensure consistency with Executive Order 13881 “Maximizing Use of American Made Goods, Products, and Materials”. The updates reflect the following changes:

i. Increase in domestic content requirement for domestic end products and domestic construction material from 50% to 55%;

ii. Increase in price preferences for domestic offers from 12% to 30% for small businesses and from 6% to 20% for other than small businesses;

iii. Increase in percentage higher at which the price of domestic construction material would be considered unreasonable from 6% to 20%.

The FAA continues to monitor and strictly adhere to Buy American requirements and encourages interested parties to remain current on legislative and regulatory changes that may impact the SBA requirements.

e. National Defense Authorization Act

The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) prohibits the Federal Government from obtaining or extending a contract to obtain “any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system” provided by certain companies or their subsidiaries. The FAA’s Acquisition Policy also implements the provisions of Section 889(a) of the 2019 NDAA that prohibit agency procurement of certain “covered telecommunications equipment” as well as procurement from an entity that uses such equipment.

9. Attachments

Attachment 1. Business Declaration Form

Attachment 2. Question and Comment Matrix

Attachment 3. Associated Figures

Attachments/Links