EOD NexGen UBAs

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) on behalf of US Navy EOD Diving to conduct a market survey for closed-circuit underwater breathing apparatus (UBA) suitable for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) diving. The goal is to assess current commercial product capabilities and industry capacity to improve existing UBAs to meet specific Navy requirements, informing future acquisition decisions.

• Primary Capabilities: Closed-circuit, mixed-gas system for military diving in deep and shallow water, operating with N2O2 (air) and HeO2 (88/12) diluents from 0 to 328 feet of seawater (fsw).

• Secondary Capabilities: Certification by NAVSEA 00C, or in process, or certified with a foreign military.

• Resistive Effort: Specific limits for resistive effort (WOB/L or KPa) using HeO2 and N2O2 diluents at various depths and breathing rates (RMV).

• Control of Partial Pressure of Oxygen (PPO2): Automatic maintenance of oxygen level within ±0.15 ATA of the set point at specified depths and RMV.

• Magnetic Signature: Must meet STANAG 2897/Class A requirements.

• Interoperability: Potential for integration with current buoyancy compensators (e.g., Dive Rite MILPAC design).

• Dive Computer/Controller with HUD: System should compute and guide dives, with a Heads-Up Display (HUD) for real-time status and alerts. Secondary requirement includes adaptive decompression and situational awareness.

• Environmental Considerations: Operational in extreme maritime environments (34°F to 99°F water, high-particulate water, zero-visibility, up to 1 knot currents), and compliant with MIL-STD 810 for storage, transport, and operation.

• Responses are requested from both large and small businesses.

• Submissions should be electronic (PDF or Microsoft Word).

• If exceeding 10MB, a DoD SAFE Drop off can be requested.

• Respondents should detail how their proposed solution meets primary and secondary requirements, highlighting any constraints.

• Additional requested information includes: Domestic manufacturing details, technical literature, weight, reliability, maintenance, cyber hardening, dive duration, and diving data recording capabilities.

• Estimated unit cost and timeframe for quantities of 5, 50, and 200 units.

• Estimated quantity of units currently fielded and commercial use.

• The Navy invites both large and small businesses.

• Information on U.S.-based manufacturers, partner companies, U.S. entities, and resellers is requested.

• This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, for information and planning purposes.

• It does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ.

• Responders bear all costs associated with responding.

• Not responding does not preclude participation in any future RFQ.

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) on behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to conduct a market survey for closed-circuit underwater breathing apparatus (UBA) to meet Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) diving requirements. The goal is to assess current commercial product capabilities and industry capacity for product improvement to meet specified requirements.

• Primary Capability: Closed-circuit, mixed-gas diving system for military operations in deep and shallow water, capable of operating with N2O2 (air) and HeO2 (88/12) diluents from 0 to 328 feet of seawater (fsw).

• Secondary Capability: Current certification by NAVSEA 00C, or in process, or certified with a foreign military.

• Resistive Effort: Specific partial pressure of oxygen (PPO2) limits at various depths and breathing rates (RMV) using different diluents (HeO2, N2O2).

• Partial Pressure of Oxygen Control: Automatic maintenance of oxygen levels within specified tolerances (±0.15 ATA) at various depths and temperatures.

• Magnetic Signature: Compliance with STANAG 2897/Class A.

• Interoperability: Requirements for a full-face mask meeting magnetic signature standards and potential integration with current buoyancy compensators (e.g., Dive Rite MILPAC).

• Dive Computer/Controller with HUD: Capability for real-time dive computation, scheduling, and a Heads-Up Display (HUD) for rig status and alerts. Secondary requirement includes adaptive decompression and situational awareness.

• Environmental Considerations: Operational capability in extreme maritime environments (34°F to 99°F water, high particulate water, zero visibility, up to 1 knot currents) and compliance with MIL-STD 810 for storage, transport, and operation.

• Responses should be submitted electronically in PDF or Microsoft Word format.

• For submissions exceeding 10MB or containing proprietary information, a DoD SAFE Drop off can be requested.

• Respondents should detail how their proposed solution meets primary and secondary requirements, noting any constraints or limitations.

• Required Information: Domestic manufacturing company details (name, POC, address, CAGE code, business size, authorized resellers), technical literature, estimated unit cost, production timeframe, estimated units fielded, and information on commercial use.

• The Navy invites responses from both large and small businesses.

• This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ.

• The government is not committed to a contract based on this RFI.

• All costs associated with responding are at the interested party's expense.

• Not responding does not preclude participation in any future RFQ.