A -- Innovative Thermal Protection Materials

Air Force Research Laboratory, Non Metallic Materials Division (AFRL/MLBC) of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate desires to issue a sources sought announcement to identify potential U.S. sources and gather information on current capabilities within the domestic market. This is not a request for competitive proposals; therefore, responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Companies that respond will not be paid for the information submitted except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in FAR 31.205-18, - Bid and Proposal Costs. Firms without domestic R&D and production capabilities are ineligible for any potential award. The NAICS code is 541710 with a small business size standard of 500 employees. This technology is listed on the Military Critical Technology List (MCTL). As a result, International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) applies which requires the contractor to have a certified DD 2354, - Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement. The Materials and Manufacturing Directorate is contemplating a procurement developing the materials and manufacturing technologies needed to demonstrate advanced carbon-carbon nosetips for reentry vehicles. The baseline nosetip for this research is the 2-2-3 architecture used on MK21 reentry vehicles. Knowledge of the design and manufacturing of the 2-2-3 nosetip is required. Capability to fabricate 2-2-3 nosetip billets is required. Understanding of the ablation performance of 2-2-3 nosetips is required. The interested party also must be able to extrapolate results from current nosetip programs within the Navy and Air Force to aid in the development of next generation advanced nosetip concepts. Interested parties must be able to work with Air Force appointed test support contractors and perspective customers to determine product specifics and satisfy the design requirements. Contractors unable to meet these minimum technical requirements should not respond to this announcement. Interested contractors should possess documented expertise and an existing capability in the development and production of advanced carbon-carbon nosetips technologies. Contractors should identify their interest and capability to respond to any potential requirement by submitting the information required under Note 25. All submitted information should be limited to no more than 15 pages, one-sided, minimum font size 10 and should be sent to Walter Pemberton, Contracting Officer, Det 1 AFRL/PKMN, Area B, Bldg 167, 2310 8th Street, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7801 or via e-mail at walter.pemberton@wpafb.af.mil by 31 January no later than 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Submittals via e-mail are preferred. A responder may request clarification in writing for any requirement that is unclear from Walter Pemberton, Contracting Officer, Det 1 AFRL/PKMN at (937) 656-9037 or by sending an e-mail to walter.pemberton@wpafb.af.mil. Technical questions regarding this sources sought announcement should be directed to Keith Bowman, AFRL/MLBC at (937)-255-9076 or at keith.bowman@wpafb.af.mil. Any requests for clarification must be received no later than seven (7) business days prior to the close of this sources sought announcement in order to receive a timely response. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement 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. All routine communications regarding this announcement should be directed to the technical or contractual points of contact listed above. All responsible sources may submit information that shall be considered by the agency. See Note(s): 25.