A -- Metals Affordability Initiative

Introduction: Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/ML), reannounces the award of the Core Metals Affordability Initiative (Core MAI), Agreement Number F33615-99-2-5215. This Initiative is a joint effort of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate and a Consortium made up of raw material producers, component suppliers, designers, assemblers, and original equipment manufacturers, currently: The McDonnell Douglas Corporation, Brush-Wellman, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Dynamet, Honeywell Incorporated, Ladish Co. Inc., Howmet Corporation, ALLVAC, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, PCC Structurals Inc., Rolls-Royce Allison, General Electric Aircraft Engines, Special Metals Corporation, Titanium Metals Corporation, and Pratt & Whitney. Presently Pratt & Whitney is the fiduciary agent or lead company (Recipient) for the Consortium and staffs a Program Office to support the Consortium. It is noted that as a Cooperative Agreement this Award is not subject to the requirements of the Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR). The Cooperative Agreement and its attached documents, and the Collaboration Agreement included all documents and procedures referenced herein may be obtained by contacting the MAI Program Office (Not from the POC listed above.) (Please see all the corresponding names, postal and electronic addresses, telephone and facsimile numbers as set forth in the documents that have been made available electronically at the addresses indicated herein.) The Core MAI Initiative is structured to facilitate the conduct of projects based upon the submittal and selection of White Papers setting forth projects that will further the goals stated herein. The Materials Affordability Initiative Consortium (MAIC), in conjunction with AFRL/ML, is interested in receiving proposals (White Papers) on the technical efforts (Projects) described below. White Papers in response to this announcement shall be sent to the MAI Program Office at Pratt & Whitney (See Section F of this document for the Points of Contact and corresponding addresses) for receipt on or before 1500 Hours local (East Hartford) time, September 1, 2004, if the offeror wishes to have his/her White Paper considered for funding at the expected Technical Oversight Committee (TOC) meeting. Offerors, who wish to submit White Papers later than September 1, 2004, can do so, 4 (four) months prior to the proposed start date of the project (with no end date of a project proposed to go past the completion date of the Core MAI Cooperative Agreement which is currently September 30, 2007). However, because of uncertainty of funding approval cycles it is not known when the TOC committee will again meet to review and evaluate White Papers. No other solicitation is anticipated in regard to this requirement; but you are advised to monitor the Wright Research Site Contracting Office Web Site: http://www.wrs.afrl.af.mil/contract/. You are further advised to continue to monitor the CBD and FedBizOpps (Federal Business Opportunities Web Site (http://www.eps.gov/) for adjustments and updates, including possible changes in the performance period for which White Papers Projects may apply. Potential submitters are put on notice that if an offeror is not a consortium member at the time its White Paper is submitted, it must be designated by the Air Force as a consortium member in accordance with the Government's established and objective criteria and procedures and must sign the Collaboration Agreement between the consortium members, or team with a Consortium Member before its White Paper may be evaluated for funding in accordance with the process described in the Proposal Evaluation Process (PEP) document. New consortium members will participate with existing consortium members on the Technical Oversight Committee ("TOC") in the evaluation and scoring of White Papers as described in the PEP. All White Papers received in response to the solicitation will be submitted to the MAI Program Office which, in turn (and, if the offeror is not currently a member of the Consortium, after (1) notification by the Air Force that the offeror has been admitted as a new Consortium Member under the relevant objective criteria and (2) the offeror has signed the Collaboration agreement), will forward copies to each member of the Technical Oversight Committee ("TOC") at least three (3) weeks prior to the collective TOC evaluation . Detailed requirements, instructions, attachments and additional information that will aid in the preparation of white papers for "Core MAI' can be found at the Wright Research Site Contracting Office Home Page 'http://www.wrs.afrl.af.mil/contract/' and/or at "EPS" (the Electronic Posting System 'http://www.eps.gov').