Simpler Grants.gov #W911NF-17-S-0003-SPECIALNOTICE-LC-CSAC

Army Solicitation for Low-Cost Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) Development and Prototyping

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is seeking proposals to develop and deliver a low-cost, battery-powered chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) for military applications requiring precise timing in GPS-denied environments. - Government Buyer: - U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), under the Department of the Army, Materiel Command - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or vendors are named; the CSAC is a commercially available product developed with DARPA and industry investment - Products/Services Requested: - Design, manufacture, and delivery of prototype chip-scale atomic clocks (CSAC) - Phase 2: 10 prototype LC CSAC units - Phase 3: 100 prototype LC CSAC units - Design and development services for low-cost, battery-powered CSACs - Manufacturing plan and high-volume production enablement - Technical and financial reporting throughout the project - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Target unit price below $300 in high-volume production - Performance must match or exceed current commercial CSACs in size, weight, power, and stability - Cost sharing required (minimum 50% by non-Federal parties; higher cost share preferred) - Deliverables include prototypes and regular technical/financial reports - Intended for Army applications such as navigation, communications, surveillance, and sensor synchronization, especially in GPS-denied environments - All performance metrics must meet or exceed those of currently available devices - Program Structure: - Three phases over four years: design and initial development (1 year), prototype production/testing (1 year), final prototype production/demonstration (2 years)

Description

This solicitation aims to fund one or more teams to design, manufacture, and deliver a battery-powered atomic clock that matches or exceeds the size, weight, power, and performance of the commercially available chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) with a target selling price of under $300 per unit in high volume. The clock is intended to provide precise timing critical for Army applications such as navigation, communications, and sensor synchronization, especially in GPS-denied environments. The program consists of three phases over four years, culminating in the production of prototype clocks meeting specified performance metrics. Proposals are sought from for-profit firms or consortia led by for-profit firms, with cost sharing required.

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