Armour Up! Modular Lightweight Armour for Land Vehicles

IMPORTANT

To avoid last minute technical difficulties that could delay your submission, please send your request to open an epost Connect conversation as soon as possible, following the epost Connect instructions listed in Part 2 - Bidder Instructions of the CFP.

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UPDATES

December 7, 2020

Attachment 4 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

December 4, 2020

Attachment 3 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

November 10

The previous update was made in error. There is currently no Questions and Answers attachment pertaining to this Challenge.

November 9, 2020

Attachment 3 has been added. The document contains questions and answers related to the Challenge.

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INTRODUCTION

This Challenge notice is issued under the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program Call for Proposals (CFP) Call 004 (W7714-207317).

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HOW TO APPLY

Please refer to the main solicitation documents which contain the process for submitting a proposal.

Step 1: Prepare for Proposal Submission

Read the Call for Proposals documents and Challenge tender notice in their entirety.

Step 2: Download and Complete Attachment 1 – Electronic Proposal Submission Form

• Attachment 1 – Electronic Proposal Submission Form can be found at the bottom of each Challenge tender notice page on Buy and Sell.
• If you have technical difficulties downloading and opening the form, please follow the instructions in Attachment 2 – Technical Instructions, found at the bottom of the Challenge tender notice page on Buy and Sell.
• The security warning on the form is for DND internal information only. The use of epost Connect enables submission of the form through an encrypted delivery platform for secure electronic delivery of Protected B documents.

Step 3: Follow the submission instructions listed in Part 2 – Bidder Instructions of the CFP

• Please allow sufficient time to register and submit the completed form before the Challenge closing date and time.
• Additional attachments or documentation (technical drawings, CVs, diagrams, etc.) must not be submitted and will not constitute part of the Bidder’s proposal.
• Only one proposal is permitted per epost Connect conversation. For multiple submissions, this process must be followed for each proposal submitted.

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MAXIMUM FUNDING AND PERFORMANCE PERIOD

Multiple contracts could result from this Challenge.

The individual maximum contract funding available under Component 1a is up to $200,000 CAD (excluding applicable taxes) for a maximum performance period of up to 6 months.

This disclosure is made in good faith and does not commit Canada to contract for the total approximate funding.

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CHALLENGE DETAILS

Challenge Title

Armour Up! Modular Lightweight Armour for Land Vehicles

Challenge Statement

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) are seeking innovative solutions for lightweight protection materials (armour) for land vehicles that can withstand and recover from multiple ballistic/blast events before requiring replacement.

Background and Context

Armour on land vehicles is one of the last barriers to protect the mounted troops from hostile attacks. Current armours undergo significant deformation during ballistic/blast events, negatively impacting the armour’s ability to absorb the energy of subsequent impacts. In addition to the armour integrated within the vehicle, modular “add-on” armour is used to bolster the vehicle’s ballistic/blast resistance, and to protect against specific threats. This add-on armour is considered sacrificial, and must be replaced following a ballistic/blast event. While the replacement of damaged add-on armor is challenging, time consuming, and costly, failure to replace it increases the vulnerability of the vehicles and reduces their operational capability.

Adding additional or thicker add-on armour increases the weight of the vehicle, reducing the vehicle’s capacity to carry other payload (personnel, weapons, supplies) and/or its mobility and maneuverability. New, lightweight, and robust add-on armour systems need to be developed to improve the protection of the land vehicles against a variety of threats.

Desired Outcomes

The goal of this Challenge is to develop light-weight, add-on amours for land vehicles that absorb energy and recover their shape, post-impact, while retaining their ballistic properties, thereby reducing the urgency for replacement. Innovative new design concepts and technologies are sought that include, but are not limited to the following characteristics:

• Ability to withstand and recover from multi-hit impacts;
• Protection against different kinetic and chemical energy threats including improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

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ENQUIRIES

All Challenge-related enquiries must be submitted in writing to:

TPSGC.PAIDEES-APIDEAS.PWGSC@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca

Enquiries must be submitted no later than 10 calendar days before the Challenge notice closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered.

For more information about the IDEaS program, Bidders can visit the IDEaS website.