A -- High Temperature Polymer Composite Components

The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards AFB intends to solicit and award a sole source, Firm-Fixed Price contract, under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures, to Advanced Ceramics, 3292 E Hemisphere Loop, Tucson, AZ, 85706. AFFTC requires expertise in the following areas: Patented process of Aquacore, an innovative high-temperature, water-soluble mandrel materials that can be used in fugitive, lost, cost, and trapped tooling procedures. The NAICS code is 541710. The following item will be procured: Provide non-personal services for all labor, tools, materials, and facilities to fabricate and characterize poly vinyl pyrrolidone polymers with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes to form thermoset materials using water soluble tooling. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the contractor will work together to develop high temperature polymer composite components for use as propulsion structures. AFRL and the contractor will hold regular teleconferences to track the progress of the program. The contractor will consult with AFRL to identify two (2) different types of POSS materials that are compatible with poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) to develop a film of PVP and the POSS material. The contractor will also characterize the PVP-POSS films. The contractor will fabricate tools using their proprietary water-soluble tooling materials. The PVP-POSS films will be applied to the tools prior to composite fabrication as a sealant to prevent the resin ingress into the tools. The contractor will fabricate polymer composite panels and cylinders using the sealed tools. Composites will be fabricated using standard epoxy prepreg using standard autoclave cycle based on a composite system defined in consultation with AFRL. When heated to above 160'C, the PVP-POSS mixture is expected to react to form a very strong, thermoset surface layer acting as a fire-retardant, low-char yield layer for the composite material by increasing the glass transition temperature of the top layer of the composite structure. In the contract, the following work plan is desired: CLIN 0001-Meet with AFRL to finalize experimental plan and raw material selection (2 weeks after contract award). CLIN 0002-Submission of interim report on research activities to date (6 weeks after contract award). CLIN 0003-Final report and delivery of finished composite parts (12 weeks after contract award). Contractors interested in this requirement should submit a technical package, which provides clear and convincing evidence that they can meet the Government's requirement. Anticipated Award Date is 21 Jun 2006. Responses must be received no later than (NLT) 4:00 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, 19 Jun 2006. Responses should be submitted to: Directorate of Contracting, AFFTC/PKT (Attn: Marc A. Venzon) 5 South Wolfe Avenue, Building 2800, Edwards AFB, CA 93524-1185, Fax: +1 (555) 000-0000, or E-mail contact@example.gov. Additional Information: Technical point of contact is: Darrell Marchant, +1 (555) 000-0000. Contractual point of contact is: Marc Venzon, +1 (555) 000-0000, fax +1 (555) 000-0000. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, the Government will consider all responses received within 12 days of the publication of this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Facsimile responses are acceptable and must be received on or before the closing date. Telephone requests to be placed on a mailing list will not be honored.