155mm Extended Range (ER) High Explosive (HE) XM1128 Artillery Projectile and its variants thereof Load, Assemble, and Pack (LAP)

The U.S. Army Contracting Command-New Jersey (ACC-NJ), Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000, on behalf of the Office of the Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems (PM CAS) located at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey anticipates awarding a single Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract with Firm-Fixed-Price delivery orders for a total of five ordering periods for the 155mm High Explosive (HE) XM1128 Artillery Projectile and its variants thereof Load, Assemble, and Pack (LAP) to companies that are located within the U.S. and Canada under the authority of Title 10 USC 2304(c)(3), as implemented by FAR 6.302-3 - Industrial Mobilization; Engineering, Developmental, or Research Capability; or Expert Services. The award will be made utilizing the Best Value with Trade-off approach in accordance with FAR 15.101-1. The XM1128 projectile is a 155mm HE Artillery Projectile which utilizes a base bleed for range extension. It is a U.S. Government developed materiel solution to combine the effectiveness of the existing M795 Insensitive Munition (IM) (DA54) and the extended 30km range of the legacy M549A1 High Explosive Rocket Assisted (HERA) projectile. This is accomplished through technological advancements in available energetics as well as projectile case design. The XM1128 can be used for conventional fire support for Harassment and Interdiction (H&I), fragmentation, and blast effect. It will be compatible with current 155mm firing platforms (M109 & M777 series howitzers). The operational influence of Fires will be extended without additional force structure/logistical burden, counter-fire reach and responsiveness will be bolstered, and survivability of firing units and the supported Brigade Combat Team will be increased. The XM1128 projectile will produce fragmentation effects versus personnel and light materiel targets. It consists of a high fragmentation steel body and uses a modified M795 ogive which has been streamlined to increase range. The gilding metal rotating band and plastic obturator are identical to those used on the M795. The projectile cavity is filled with IM explosive Insensitive Munitions explosive (IMX)-104 and a Polymer-Bonded Explosive (PBXN)-9 supplementary charge. The XM1128 has shown the potential interoperability for use with the M1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) guidance fuze as well as 52 caliber weapon systems and is developing variants for compatibility with the 58 caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) system. The XM1128 also employs a base bleed propellant in the aft section of the round to reduce projectile base drag. The Hydroxyl Terminated Poly Butadiene (HTPB) base bleed propellant utilizes the same formulation as the one found in the M864, molded into a larger grain for increased range extension. The base closure that protects the propellant is also the same as the one found on the M864. Upon gun launch, propellant gases enter the base bleed cavity and ignite the dual igniter cups in the igniter assembly. The igniter cups then light the composite propellant grain and sustain the burning at muzzle exit. The base bleed gases fill the vacuum at the base of the projectile, reducing base drag and result in extended ranges. Utilizing a base bleed for range extension provides improved delivery accuracy over traditional rocket motor technology. The XM1128 will be fully zoneable and compatible with existing M231, M232, M232A1/A2, M119A2, and M203A1 propelling charges. In addition to compatibility with the M739A1, M767, M767A1, and M782 conventional fuzes, the XM1128 has also shown the potential interoperability for use with the M1156 (PGK) fuze. When integrated with a PGK fuze, the XM1128 will achieve an enhanced level of accuracy requiring a reduced quantity of rounds to achieve desired effects at extended ranges. The XM1128 employed with PGK will bolster counter-fire coverage and lethality, provide a level of interdiction capability, deny adversary access to preferred avenues of approach/communications, enhance the survivability and effectiveness of the Fires force, and mitigate fratricide and collateral damage effects. In Global Positioning System degraded or denied environments, the improved range and lethality of the projectile will continue to provide the commander with a responsive, all-weather means to attack point and area targets. The components provided as Government Furnished Material (GFM) to the 155mm HE XM1128 Artillery Projectile and its variants thereof LAP contractor will be: the 155mm XM1128 Artillery Metal Parts Assembly, the IMX-104 Explosive, Meltable Fuze Plug and PBXN-9 Supplementary Charge. The Base Bleed will be Contractor Furnished Material (CFM) under the LAP contract. The estimated quantities for this five year contract are 261,250. The associated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) for the 155mm HE XM1128 Artillery Projectile and its variants thereof LAP is 332993. Contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database by accessing the SAM web site at http://www.sam.gov in order to be eligible for contract award. The 155mm HE XM1128 Artillery Projectile and its variants thereof LAP will be built to Government Technical Data Package (TDP), which will be available upon release of the Request for Proposal (RFP). The TDP is coded as Distribution Statement D (authorized distribution of technical documents to the Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. DoD Contractors only). A fully executed DD Form 2345 and a completed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will be required prior to receiving the TDPs. The TDPS will not be made available until the RFP has been issued. The points of contact for the TDP request will be Ms. Arian Sommers at arian.r.sommers.civ@army.mil AND Renee Prendergast at renee.k.prendergast.civ@army.mil This is a Pre-Solicitation notice, and the Government anticipates the release of a formal RFP in FY2023. Any information or exchanges between contractors and the Government concerning this notice are at no additional cost and/or obligation to the Government. This notice does not constitute a formal RFP, nor is the Government obligated to issue an RFP. The points of contact for this requirement are Ms. Arian Sommers at arian.r.sommers.civ@mail.mil and Renee Prendergast at renee.k.prendergast.civ@army.mil ACC-NJ-CA, Bldg. 10, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000. All inquiries shall be made via e-mail only. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.