R&D services requirement

Naval Research Laboratory Seeks EO/IR, ISR Technology Research and Development Provider

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is seeking a contractor that can provide research and development support services.

According to a solicitation, the NRL’s Optical Science Division needs R&D services for electro-optic, infrared and ISR systems and technologies. According to the laboratory, EO/IR and ISR technologies support several programs, including the Shipboard Panoramic EO/IR Program of Record, the Rapid Large Area Clearance System Joint Capability Technology Demonstration, and the ANGEL Fire and Dual-band Wide-Area Persistent Surveillance program.

Work will be performed at the NRL’s site in Washington, D.C. and other government facilities. The NRL plans to award a five-year contract for the effort.

The deadline for responses is Oct. 30, according to the notice posted on SAM .gov.

The latest solicitation adds to the U.S. Navy’s efforts on EO/IR capabilities.

In June, L3Harris Technologies secured a $205 million SPEIR contract for fleet protection technologies. The company was tasked to upgrade existing 360-degree EO/IR situational awareness sensors that would give the Navy “full passive mission solution capability.”

In May, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division hosted a two-day workshop for the Multi-Spectral High-Resolution Imaging and Targeting Sensor. Benjamin Conley, a program officer at the Office of Naval Research, said MUST-HITS is designed to detect multiple targets at once using an infrared sensor with an upgradeable digital backend.