155mm Mobile Howitzer CRADA -Special Notice

The US Army, Combat Capabilities Development Command - Armaments Center (CCDC - Armaments Center) seeks companies interested in entering into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) to evaluate, mature, and demonstrate the capabilities of Industry's existing 155mm Mobile Howitzer systems comparing key system attributes against U.S. Army's System attributes.

This CRADA will be structured as a three (3) phased approach:

Phase 1 (Evaluation): The U.S. Government will work with the participating partner to complete a comprehensive, data-backed (paper) evaluation of the weapon system. (If needed) the U.S. Government will conduct Mobility and/or Live-Fire testing, of a vendor provided system, to validate advertised performance specifications.

Phase 2 (Maturing): Based on the results from the evaluation, this phase may identify key system capabilities to be matured and integrated into the companies' mobile howitzer weapon system.

Phase 3 (Demonstration): At the appropriate time, the company may enter a demonstration phase. During this phase the company may be asked to provide a system to test by the U.S. Government to demonstrate key system attributes.

At the conclusion of the demonstration the U.S. Government will prepare a summary report identifying the systems base capability, development events during the maturing phase, and identify the systems updated tested capability. This report will include all test data collected during the duration of the CRADA.

The results of this CRADA will aid CCDC-Armaments Center's performance characterization of industries mobile howitzer systems. The results will also help inform requirements for a potential program of record.

Regarding all phases, the company will be responsible for funding their activities to include manufacturing, integration, and shipping costs. Also, the company will also be responsible for providing additional existing technical/testing data in order to validate system specifications as well as a weapon system for testing. The U.S. Government will be responsible for providing proper firewalls to protect companies' intellectual property, provide consulting support, and conduct all testing. The U.S. Government will also provide, testing support, test facilities, test equipment, U.S. ammunition, necessary documentation and available expertise to allow live fire/mobility testing.

The number of CRADAs to be executed is dependent on the availability of internal Government resources.

The U.S. Government prefers technical data disclosure, and subsequent partnering, with U.S. based companies. Non-U.S. nationals, or those representing non-U.S. industries, must consider how to address data export restrictions (through partnering or other means) should a CRADA be pursued. CCDC - Armaments Center is open to discussions with foreign industry representatives with the understanding that the material and technical data disclosed would be limited to open source information and no sensitive or classified information will be discussed.

CCDC- Armaments Center asks all interested parties to submit a short informational paper to include but not limited to: Mobile Howitzer System description, photos and performance information (System Attributes, appendix A). These information papers should describe how the interested partners' may meet the objectives cited in appendix A. This may include a summary of candidate Mobile Howitzer systems and relevant expertise, facilities and experience in weapons systems integration.

This is not a Request of Proposals. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this special notice. The Government will not pay for any costs incurred as a result of this special notice.

All information received will be used for planning and market research purposes only.

Appendix A
155mm Mobile Howitzer System Attributes

Systems Attributes (not in order of priority)

1) System Operation (i.e. level of manual input to operate primary weapon)
2) System Reliability (% probability without system abort)
3) Mobility (e.g. speed, refueling range, off road capability)
4) Transportability (e.g. qualified land and air modes of transport)
5) Survivability (i.e. crew protection capability, ballistic protection to system)
6) Weight (combat loaded)
7) Range (i.e. armament range)
8) Rate of Fire (Sustained w/duration and Max w/duration)
9) Indirect/Direct Azimuth of Fire Range
10) First Round Response Time
11) Emplacement / Displacement Times
12) Crew Size (include Crew Transportation)
13) Cannon Caliber length
14) Cannon Chamber ICD (To assess Ammo interchangeability)
15) Fire Control Adaptability (i.e. ability to integrate USG fire control)
16) Direct Sighting Capability
17) Qualified US and/or NATO Ammunition (i.e. List all qualified US and/or NATO ammunition combinations (i.e. Projectile, Propelling Charges (zones range if applicable), Fuze, & Primer)
18) Ammunition Handling/Loading (i.e. on vehicle loading and storage)
19) Ammo Resupply (i.e. effort and time)
20) Elevating/Traversing system (i.e. Hydraulic, Electric, Manual)