AFRL/RWS - AFLCMC/EBZ Weapons Science & Technology (S&T) Summit Technologies to Increase Weapon Range and Production Rate

Purpose AFRL/RWS and AFLCMC/EBZ collaboratively seek industry participation in a Weapons S&T Summit to discuss and address key technologies to increase weapon range and production rate. The summit will be held 7 - 8 October 2024 at the Doolittle Institute, 1140 John Sims Parkway East, Suite 1, Niceville FL 32578. The forum will be hosted at the SECRET level. The Government is seeking interested industry partners who are willing to present ideas and collaborate in an open non-proprietary group discussion as well as separately provide additional clarifying detail as appropriate at a proprietary level to the Government. The Government will host 1-on-1 discussions with industry to accommodate discussions regarding supplementary proprietary information. Industry presentations must be marked non-proprietary and may be unclassified, CUI, or SECRET as appropriate. Presentations are expected to be 30 min. 1-on-1 sessions will be 25 min with 5 min included in time block for Government transition to the next industry partner. 1-on-1 sessions will be accommodated in priority order to the industry partners who offer and are selected to present their non-proprietary ideas in the open forum. This purpose of this RFI is to inform the weapons S&T and acquisition enterprise of key technologies in Independent Research and Development that can feasibly be matured to TRL 6 in both 3 - 4 years and 5 - 10 years to significantly increase weapon range and production rate. The Government is particularly interested in technologies and manufacturing processes (specifically including but not limited to additive manufacturing) in air breathing and solid rocket motor development to increase weapon range as well as to increase the production rate (with cost estimates) of air launched weapons. The Government is interested in other advances in other weapon component technology (outside of the propulsion system) that can enable increase in weapon range. The Government is interested in industry observations and suggestions to overcome any supply chain limitations driving the long lead time for weapon propulsion production. The Government is also interested in trades that can be made in propulsion variability, reliability and/or performance to support increased weapon range and production rate. Interested parties are encouraged to provide proposed non-proprietary presentations and supplemental proprietary information to the Government under the following conditions: Contractor non-proprietary presentations and (as appropriate) proprietary supplemental material should address the following: Characterization of technology and / or processes for focused change; Characterization of anticipated increase in propulsion capability and/or production rate due to proposed change in technology and manufacturing processes; Observations and suggestions to overcome any supply chain limitations driving the long lead time for weapon propulsion production; Trades that can be made in propulsion variability, reliability and/or performance to enable increased range and production rate; and Rough order magnitude costs to enable notional identified changes Roadmap of anticipated IRAD activities and opportunities for government collaboration to enable the characterized increases in weapon production capability and/or weapon production rate. Roadmaps should generally depict feasible work that can be accomplished in 3 - 4 years and/or 5 - 10 years to enable the characterized increases to a TRL (or MRL) 6. Responses to this RFI notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Vendors participating in this market research are advised their participation in this event may not ensure participation in future solicitations or contract award(s). The Government may contact respondents to obtain additional information or clarify to fully understand a company's response. This may include discussions, site visits, demonstrations, etc. to further the Government's understanding of a proposed solution, as well as a company's understanding of the Government's requirements. The Government may consider Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) opportunities as a result of the information discovered in this RFI. Information provided by the Government in this RFI should be viewed as representative in nature and may be revised as the Government continues to refine its planned approach. Nothing in this RFI is intended to suggest a particular contract solution or a promise for a follow-on contract. The Government will not reimburse vendors for any expenses associated with this activity. Industry participants to this event must have a U.S. SECRET clearance. The Government is interested in responses from all responsible businesses, including small businesses, including small business concerns, disadvantaged business concerns, 8(a) Small Business concerns, Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns, Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) concerns, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) concerns, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns and Historically Underutilized Business zone (HUBZone) small business concerns. Provide applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code if known for this requirement. The summit will be held 7 - 8 October 2024 at the Doolittle Institute, 1140 John Sims Parkway East, Suite 1, Niceville FL 32578 at the collateral SECRET level. The Doolittle Institute will facilitate this summit under Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA), FA8651-24-3-0001/FA8651-24-3-0002. The Government may also utilize additional contractor support in a limited manner during this RFI timeframe and the summit itself to facilitate the execution of the event. Any designated contractors supporting this event or the RFI will not be part of any voting process of which industry partners are selected to present but may support the Government's analysis and recommendations in follow-up from the event. A Non-Disclosure Agreement will be requested and established as applicable between the company and the designated contractors to prevent conflict of interest. The Government requests industry partners with an intent to provide a presentation, supplementary material, request a 1-on-1 session and/or attend the summit to Mr. John Haynes, john.haynes.21.ctr@us.af.mil , 850-883-6653, and Mr. Rob Campbell, robert.campbell.32.ctr@us.af.mil , 850-882-8876, of this intent by 13 September 2024. The Government also requests industry partners provide these government points of contact a one-page white paper synopsizing the industry partner's expected discussion topic(s) and key takeaways by 13 September 2024. The Government will assess these white papers to help prioritize available time slots for presentations and 1-on-1 sessions with industry The Government requests industry partners provide their unclassified to CUI presentation materials and/or supplementary materials on a CVD-R or DVD-R to arrive by 30 September 2024 to AFRL/RWSD c/o Mr. Kevin Rooney 101 W. Eglin Blvd Eglin AFB, FL 32542-6810 The Government requests the internal items be marked - AFRL/RW - AFLCMC/EBZ S&T Summit The Government requests industry partners provide any classified materials on a CVD-R or DVD-R to arrive by 30 September to AFRL/RW Attn: Security 101 W. Eglin Blvd Eglin AFB, FL 32542-6810 The Government requests the internal packaging for these deliverables be marked AFRL/RW - AFLCMC/EBZ S&T Summit c/o Mr. Kevin Rooney 101 W. Eglin Blvd Eglin AFB, FL 32542-6810 The Government requests government and industry partners who desire to attend the summit provide a visit request by 13 September 2024 via JPAS to SMO Code: AFRL-RW. The Event is the AFRL/RWS - AFLCMC/EBZ Weapons S&T Summit. The dates are 7 - 8 October 2024. The government POC is Mr. Kevin Rooney, kevin.rooney@us.af.mil . Additional Info The Government will provide a CUI to Classified SECRET level briefing at the beginning of the summit to provide additional motivational background behind this Request For Information. The Government will hold a government only caucus before the engagement with industry on the first day to address expectations. The Government will also hold a government only caucus after the last presentation / discussion to capture its feedback on the presentations relative to the Government's needs in this area, establish key takeaways, and identify considerations for potential follow-up with industry. AFRL/RWS and AFLCMC/EBZ will provide feedback to industry presenters within two weeks after the event to address any considerations for additional follow-on discussions. Attached is a draft agenda for the summit.