The Department of the Navy, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport Division (NUWCDIVNPT) may have a continuing requirement to prepare the test facility and interface the test item, execute the test; collect/process test data; restore the facility to pre-test condition; provide maintenance, upgrades, and operational support for test item assembly/turnaround, system/subsystem testing; data reduction, test equipment operation; data/Configuration Management; and support testing of experimental Systems/components at other labs/ranges/at-sea; provide engineering analysis and modeling, studies, inventory and logistics.

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Newport, Rhode Island (NUWCDIVNPT) is the Navy’s principal laboratory for full spectrum research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E), acquisition and life cycle support for submarine warfare and submarine weapon systems and represents the Navy’s corporate knowledge base for fleet support of these systems.
The Propulsion Test Facility (Code 8112) of the Propulsion and Mechanical System Branch in Torpedo Systems Department (Code 81), NUWCDIVNPT is responsible for providing for the testing and evaluation of undersea vehicle propulsion systems and related components but also for the testing and support of other NUWCDIVNPT developed system hardware. The division’s mission is to continuously upgrade and monitor the reliability and maintainability of the weapon systems as part of the overall weapons systems improvement process. These test facilities include test cells, high energy test chambers, laboratories, specialized test facilities and equipment, and test areas required to perform the required test hardware build-up, unit testing, and data reduction and analysis. Safety and environmental control are primary considerations for all test operations.

This specialized land-based testing capability includes the capability to allow underwater torpedo and UUV propulsion systems and their respective components and subsystems to be evaluated in an environment that simulates in-water conditions while minimizing environmental impacts, reducing costs, minimizing risks, and providing greater control over the test item and test scenario. The facilities are technically directed and managed by NUWCDIVNPT Code 8112. Government personnel prepare some items for testing and provide technical and analysis support for all tests and design efforts. Operational and maintenance support for the test facilities is provided by contractor personnel.

The contractor shall prepare the test facility and test item, interface the test item, execute the test, and collect and process test data. Many test operations are inherently hazardous and involve the handling of hazardous materials, hazardous wastes, and explosives. The contractor shall restore the facility to the pre-test condition, which is accomplished in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local environmental and safety directives/regulations. Examples of test items that the contractor shall handle include but are not limited to:

• Torpedo MK 46, Torpedo MK 48 (all MODs), Torpedo MK 50, and Torpedo MK 54
• in-water vehicles and components including tankage sections
• state-of-the-art closed-cycle and open-cycle turbine and rotary expanders
• metal-based energy sources such as Torpedo MK 50 static boilers
• fuels such as liquid mono and bi propellants
• electric propulsion systems (including electric motors as well as primary and secondary batteries and fuel cells)
• Distributed Networked Systems (DNS) power sources and sensors.

In addition, the contractor shall support preparing test items to be tested at off-site test ranges as well as support testing at off-site locations.  The contractor shall provide maintenance, upgrades, and operational support for test item assembly and turnaround, system and subsystem testing, data reduction, test equipment operation, and data and configuration management.  This may require the contractor to acquire outside vendors to perform maintenance, repairs, evaluations or installation of propriety equipment or systems. The contractor shall also support testing of experimental systems and system components at other laboratories, ranges, and at-sea exercises. In addition, the contractor shall also provide engineering analysis and modeling, studies, inventory and logistics, and Quality Assurance (QA) services in support of undersea vehicles at both the system and component levels of the entire vehicle. These services shall be for existing, currently under development, next generation vehicles, and DNS, and associated test equipment.