Contracting Office AddressDepartment of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20229. Description This is a request for information, Office of Finance Customs and Border Protection would like to seek information from contractors with experience with ELECTRO-OPTICAL/INFRARED SENSOR SYSTEMS U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine operates a diversified fleet of aircrafts to detect, deter and mitigate threats to our homeland such as terrorists, acts of terrorism, drug smuggling and other unlawful movement of people and goods across the U.S. borders. To improve mission effectiveness, CBP is seeking information on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) available electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor systems that can satisfy all or a large portion of the the requirements below. Information on high-resolution monitors, moving map systems and digital video recorders that could seamlessly interface with those EO/IR sensor systems is desired. Therefore, general requirements for those components are included in this request for information. 2.0 MINIMUM OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS The EO/IR sensor system, which consists of a multi-payload turret, electronic control unit, hand controller and universal mount, must have the capability to integrate seamlessly with a COTS radar, monitor, moving map system, digital video recorder, global positioning system, video downlink and (helicopter) search light. It must also be Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified for various fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. To reduce program costs and enhance equipment availability and support, the systems should be commercially available, operationally viable (demonstrable) and capable of being easily retrofitted with the latest configurations. The systems should also incorporate open architecture and "commercial-off-the-shelf" (COTS), non-developmental item equipment is desired that would be fully supportable (parts, technical assistance, etc.) for up to 10 years beyond the date of acquisition. System performance, size, weight, availability, user interface, safety and life cycle support will be important evaluation factors. Interested vendors must be capable of demonstrating their sensor systems as an integrated end product. 2.1 Electro-optical/Infrared Sensor The EO/IR sensor should be capable of performing long-range visual search, surveillance, and tracking from an airborne platform. It should be capable of performing those functions in the visible light spectrum as well as the mid-wave infrared spectrum. The EO/IR sensor should provide automatic focus and video tracking in all electro-optical and infrared modes with operator selectable optical focal lengths. Additional functionality should include an eye-safe laser range finder for determining the range to a target of interest and a high-power laser pointer for illuminating a target of interest with night vision goggle compatible light. EO/IR sensor system capabilities should include: ? A four axis gyro-stabilized multi-sensor 360-degree continuous rotation turret housing a thermal imager, a color daylight camera, an eye safe laser range finder and a laser illuminator ? High-resolution color images in daylight and high-quality thermal imaging in low-light conditions in a hot, humid, tropical climate. ? Interface with other aircraft systems such as moving map, microwave video data link and slave-to-radar capability and automatic video tracking and focus in both electro-optical and infrared modes. ? Variable optical focal lengths to allow surveillance of vehicles, vessels, aircraft or people from 2,000 to 20,000 feet. ? A universal mount that supports multiple types of EO/IR sensors from various manufacturers. ? FAA certification of the gimbal for operations up to 400 knots true airspeed 2.2 High-resolution monitor The monitor should be high-resolution and night vision goggle compatible. High definition resolution is desired. It should have an easy to use on-screen display menus to control all supported functions. The monitor features should include: ? Glare resistant and reflective screen that is viewable in full sunlight ? Access to the EO/IR system menus via a touch screen monitor or dedicated hot keys on the monitor display ? Transparent menu options so the image being viewed is not obscured in the event the operator must adjust a system parameter during surveillance ? Split screen and resize capability ? Adjustable menu settings so menus and symbology can be viewed in day light and bright conditions ? Cathode ray tube image quality that contrasts shades of gray during infrared operations 2.3 Moving map system The moving map system should have an operating system, which is Windows XP or higher, that interfaces seamlessly with the EO/IR system. The system should have a removable data cartridge for in-field updates to the database and include the following features: ? Superimposed map onto EO/IR video ? Geo-Lat/Long, Address look up, up loadable waypoint database ? Street maps, plat maps, IFR and VFR sectional charts, topographical maps and nautical charts ? Orientation of the map to reflect the field of view of the gimbal for easier identification of landmarks, with a North pointing arrow. ? Ability to locate address or lat long via key board or via mouse pointer either real time or during mission planning. ? A lighted Key Board that is NVG compatible. ? Variable map orientation ? Interoperability with Falcon View map data 2.4 Digital video recorder The digital video recorder (DVR) should incorporate a solid-state design that is capable of recording up to 8 hours of NTSC or PAL video on a COTS removable medium such as compact flash or USB flash. DVR features should include the following: ? DVR recordings viewable in any format ? MPEG-2/4 or comparable encoding ? User friendly operation ? Designed to with stand extreme climate conditions ? Expandable storage space and quick data transfers via compact flash card or USB port ? In-flight play back with audio mute 3.0 RESPONSES This request for information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Government to issue a Request for Proposal or award a contract. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses or otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted or the Government's use of such information. Sources responding to this RFI should submit the minimum information necessary for the government to make a determination that the source is capable of satisfying the requirements. Responses to this RFI should include information as to type of sensor system, performance, mean time between failure, acquisition timeline, hardware and program management costs, life cycle support program and modification, integration and operating costs. Acknowledgment of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the Government's evaluation of the information received. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this RFI or the Government's use of such information as either part of an evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. Responses shall INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: a cover letter identifying the point of contact, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address; DUNS number; and additional documentation such as company literature and brochures. A mere referenced website is unacceptable for purposes of this request and will not be considered or reviewed. Please submit responses to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Finance, Procurement Division (Suite 1310), ATTN: Ebrima Conteh, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20229. Questions and comments should be submitted in writing and directed to Ebrima Conteh, Contract Specialist at (202) 344-1923, FAX (202) 344-3322 or email
[email protected] Point of Contact Ebrima Conteh, Contract Specialist, Phone 202-344-1923, Fax 202-344-3322 Email
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