Request for Information (RFI) This request for information (RFI) is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. Your response to this RFI will be treated as information only. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this announcement or the Government use of such information. The information provided may be used by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) in developing its acquisition strategy, statement of work/statement of objectives, or performance specifications. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request for information or to otherwise pay for the information submitted in response to this RFI. USSOCOM is requesting industry comment on its ability to develop and deliver a software interface to display three dimensional (3D) scene visualizations on Aechelon Technology PC NOVA image generators utilizing the Common DataBase (CDB) 3.0 format. Publication of high fidelity scene visualizations is required for proper operation of flight simulator systems. The proposed capability will provide a stable, high resolution, geo-specific virtual environment and strengthen the interoperability of CDB production for flight training systems across the command. End State: At real-time (60Hz), publish a standard CDB v3.0 database simulation baseline without additional integration. The goal of the effort is to: • Generate a CDB 3.0 database publisher that will publish at real-time the Aechelon PC-NOVA 6.0 runtime formatted scene on an Aechelon PC NOVA 6.0 Image Generator; and • Identify hardware and software requirements for development, testing, evaluation, integration, installation, training, and sustainment within the existing Storage Area Networks (SAN) and information technology infrastructure. Objectives: • Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) or Government Off The Shelf (GOTS) to minimize future licensing and other lifecycle costs • Scalable for future expansion and different sub-systems • Interoperable with current configuration, i.e. MH-60M, AH/MH-6 and MH-47G • Minimize the complexity of the technology solution and its impact on the current configuration • Leverage previously funded efforts and documentation • Firm Fixed Price effort with a milestone payment plan • Open up other DoD and government-based database formats and database libraries (desired) Respondents should address the following criteria in their submission: Capability • Publish at real-time Aechelon PC-NOVA 6.0 visual scenes from CDB 3.0 database without causing distraction and overloaded conditions holding a system 60Hz update rate. Quality • Generated scenes are free of distracting artifacts such as texture break-ups, spikes in the terrain, placement of 2D and 3D objects on the middle roads, bodies of water and other misplacement of objects where they obviously do not belong, and floating static objects above and below the surface of the terrain. • Paging of the generated scene data does not detract from the updating, rendering, and displaying of the visual scene. Flashing, freezing, stuttering, or other visual artifacts are not present to detract from the quality of the rendered scene. Systems Overview The below figure is an overview of the CDB runtime publishing process where formatted CDB data is stored in accordance to the CDB 3.0 specification and the runtime publisher interfaces with the CDB to produce the client device 3D scene in realtime at 60Hz. Approach USSOCOM anticipates the primary acquisition goal will be to minimize technical risk. We are seeking industry input on reasonable performance, cost, and schedule tradeoffs with the intent of encouraging competition in the development and delivery of a technical solution. Responses Once industry information is received detailing potential technologically mature capabilities, USSOCOM may publish a follow-on synopsis requesting further information and industry comments on a refined set of requirements along with a draft acquisition strategy and milestone schedule. Interested parties shall respond, within 30 days after release of this RFI, with existing or near-term mature capabilities or products that meet all or a subset of the aforementioned attributes. Reponses that include information detailing potential tradeoffs or alternative solutions is encouraged. Questions regarding the RFI may be submitted via email to
[email protected]. All pertinent questions and answers will be posted periodically at www.fedbizopps.gov. Program point of contact is Ms. Susan Raymie, 813-826-7486; email
[email protected]. This announcement is a request for information/comment only and does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP). An RFP may be posted on Fed Biz Ops at some future time. However, the Government does not guarantee any action beyond this RFI.