A--12 Month Research and Development Service Contract

Under the authority of FAR 13.5, the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, Natick, MA intends to award a Firm fixed Price Purchase Order to VanDerwalker, Darin of Nashua, NH, to perform a 12 Month Research and Development Service Contract and at reasonable cost. This request is needed to conduct investigations into creating virtual polymer materials using software specifically designed to simulate polymer flows and viscosity profiles using critical material property data. Operation of a capillary rheometer will be required in order to determine apparent viscosity and shear rate data that will be utilized by the Virtual Extrusion software package. The Contractor will use the data obtained from this model to analyze virtual multilayer polymer flows and select the appropriate materials that will be used in phase 2 of this project which involves laboratory-scale extrusion processing using a layer multiplying co-extrusion system. Reports will be required to the Advanced Materials and Engineering Team of the Combat Feeding Directorate as needed. In addition, the Contractor will be conducting film processing trials, film characterization, sample preparation and material testing. Materials will be tested for mechanical, thermal, transport and barrier properties. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement to the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, via e-mail at contact@example.gov. no later than 28 February 2009, 05:00 pm EST.