Advisory/Assistance Services-Gas Turbine Engine Rotor Integrity Research

Introduction In accordance with FAA Acquisition Management System Section 3.2.1.2.1, the FAA is posting the Request for Information to identify interested parties that possess the personnel resources with the expertise necessary to provide advisory/assistance services in support of the gas turbine engine rotor integrity research conducted by the FAA's Propulsion and Fuels Research Program at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City, NJ. Technical support required is in the fields of Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI), damage tolerance, and materials science including specifically, titanium and super alloy melting and processing, ultrasonic inspection, phased array inspection, thermosonic imaging, eddy current inspection, fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI), composite materials, and fracture mechanics including damage tolerance of aircraft engine critical rotating parts. Please note that this market survey does NOT include Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) services nor for the development of new NDT methods, equipment, or procedures. Target Areas of Expertise: A. Recent NTSB Recommendations The FAA needs assistance in addressing two recent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations (A-18-3, A-18-4) regarding production and in-service inspections of nickel billet and nickel forged engine parts. The intent of the FAA and industry is to improve the melting of nickel alloys to altogether avoid anomalies in the billets. As a backup and to address recommendation A-18-3, the FAA is developing a higher sensitivity inspection of the billet via a focused multizone or phased array ultrasonic approach as was done previously by the FAA and industry for titanium. The FAA has an ongoing development program that involves a collaborative team of stakeholders including engine manufacturers, regulators, nickel melters, airlines, Maintenance Repair Operations (MROs) and NDT developers. To assist in developing and evaluating such a system, the FAA will need consulting services from a Subject Matter Expert (SME) who has prior experience including: a. Experience in developing requirements, including specifications, calibration standards, NDT reliability studies, and metallographic validation of anomaly finds for a focused multizone or phased array ultrasonic inspection system; b. An understanding of nickel melting, including processes such as Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM), Electroslag Remelting (ESR) and Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR), and the causes and threats of inherent anomalies in nickel billet from a metallurgical perspective; c. An understanding of nickel manufacturing and the causes and threats of machining anomalies in critical nickel engine components; d. Experience in designing and creating billets and forged nickel alloy test standards to assess and validate system performance; e. An understanding of the current quality control and material inspection programs used by airlines and MROs and how to implement improved methods. B. Probabilistic Damage Tolerance and Risk Assessment in Support of Rule 33.70 for Engine Life Limited Parts As a result of the Sioux City accident, the FAA issued rule 33.70 which augmented the safe life design philosophy for life limited engine parts with one which now includes a probabilistic damage tolerance analysis. In support of this rule, the FAA has funded the development of a probabilistic damage tolerance software code called DARWIN. Among the necessary inputs to obtain life and risk assessments from the DARWIN software are (1) data pertaining to the frequency and size distribution of various material and manufacturing anomalies and (2) inspection data in the form of probability of detection (POD) curves for engine NDT methods. Anomaly size/frequency distributions and POD data for various critical rotor materials (titanium, nickel) and geometric features (blade slots, circular holes, webs) have or are being developed for DARWIN in collaboration with the engine OEMS. The FAA needs guidance from a metallurgist and NDT SME who understands the anomalies that can occur in typical critical rotor alloys and the nuances of POD data to ensure that the inputs to DARWIN are acceptable from an engineering standpoint in order to produce accurate risk and life analyses predictions. C. Development of Nondestructive Methods to Characterize Engine Alloys The FAA will also need expertise to address several other research needs not already mentioned above. These needs include, but may not be limited to the following: a. Investigating Cold Dwell Fatigue. (CDF). Cold Dwell Fatigue refers to an exposure of turbine engine fan and compressor parts made of certain titanium alloys to a constant high mean stress condition seen during cruise after first ramping up to that load during take-off and subsequently ramping down from that load upon landing. The concern with dwell fatigue is that it can lead to premature crack initiation and a significant debit in the fatigue life capability (reduced lifetimes) of these critical rotating components. Because the magnitude of the life debit decreases with increasing temperature and typically happens in a relatively cold part of the engine, the phenomenon is known as - cold dwell fatigue. The FAA is collaborating with the USAF to better understand the titanium material conditions that can lead to CDF and to develop nondestructive methods to detect it. A metallurgical and NDT SME is needed to help guide the requirements, testing, analysis, and implementation of this research. b. NDT of Additive Manufacturing (AM) Engine Parts. Producing parts by AM is gaining traction throughout the turbine engine industry. To realize the full benefits of AM, these parts are often geometrically complex which presents new challenges from a certification and inspection standpoint. The FAA will need SME input to assist with the development of certification and guidance policy regarding the use of AM engine parts. Prospective vendors should be able to provide answers to the following questions and cite examples where requested: (1). What metallurgical knowledge and experience does the prospective vendor have regarding rotor grade materials such as titanium and nickel? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in programs involving alloys such as Ti-6-4, Ti-6-2-4-2, Ti17, IN718, Waspaloy, Rene 65, and Astroloy. (2). What NDT knowledge and experience does the prospective vendor have regarding rotor grade materials such as titanium and nickel? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in programs involving alloys such as Ti-6-4, Ti-6-2-4-2, Ti17, IN718, Waspaloy, Rene 65, and Astroloy. (3). Does the prospective vendor have knowledge and experience with the manufacture, quality control, and quality assurance/NDT of critical turbine engine parts? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in programs involving fan, compressor, high pressure turbine, and low-pressure turbine rotor components. (4). Does the prospective vendor have experience developing complex NDT systems used by the aircraft turbine engine industry? Cite specific experience with ultrasonic inspection, eddy current inspection, and FPI of billets, forgings, and finished parts. (5). Is the prospective vendor familiar with cold dwell fatigue of rotor grade titanium? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in relevant programs. (6). Is the prospective vendor familiar with commercial jet engine inspections programs? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in relevant programs. (7). Does the prospective vendor have experience measuring residual stress of rotor grade titanium or nickel alloys? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in relevant programs. (8). Does the prospective vendor have knowledge of FAA rule 33.70 on damage tolerance design with respect to engine life limited parts? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in relevant programs. (9). Does the prospective vendor have knowledge or experience with computed tomography as an NDT method applicable to additively manufactured parts? Cite specific examples of experience and participation in relevant programs. 2. Incumbent Contractor: Cincinnati Aerotech Consulting, Cincinnati, OH. 3. Nature of Competition: The acquisition strategy for the procurement has not been determined at this time. 4. General Information This is not a Screening Information Request or Request for Proposals of any kind; The FAA is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals; The FAA will not pay for any information received or costs incurred in preparing the response to the market survey; and Any costs associated with the market survey submittal is solely at the interested vendor's expense 5. NAICS Code: 541690 Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services 6. Submittal Requirements for Market Survey: Capability Statement demonstrating that your firm possesses the personnel with the technical expertise required to perform the technical support services described herein Answers to the nine questions cited above. Business Size (Large or Small). If small please indicate if your firm is A Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Small Business (8(a) Certified), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zone Small Business, Women Owned Small Business, and/or Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business. 7. Delivery of Submittals: All submittals in response to this market survey must be received by 05:00 pm EDT 22 September 2023. Send response via email to contact@example.gov 8. Other: Any confidential or proprietary information submitted in response to this announcement must be marked accordingly by the vendor. Such information will not be disclosed outside of the acquisition team.