BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb

The U.S. Army Contracting Command - Rock Island, on behalf of the Project Director for Joint Bombs, is issuing a sources sought announcement in an effort to identify capable sources for the production and delivery of the Bomb Live Unit (BLU)-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb (NSN: 1325-01-587-3900). The U.S. Government's anticipated yearly production would be up to approximately 200 to 300 units per year for Fiscal Years (FY) 23-27. Any resulting contract will also contain First Article Test (FAT) requirements. ITEM DESCRIPTION: These requirements support United States Air Force bombing missions. The BLU-129/B is a low collateral damage weapon, made from a carbon-fiber composite for low fragmentation, with a Multi-Phase Blast Explosive (MBX) fill. The BLU-129/B bomb has the outer mold line and mass properties equivalent to a standard MK-82 General Purpose Bomb and is compatible with inventory laser/GPS/INS guidance fuzes. CRITICAL PROCESSES/SKILLS: Manufacture of the BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb requires special processes, equipment, facilities and skills, and is a complex process that requires several operations. Critical processes include carbon fiber helical winding with resin application system, composite curing treatments, composite machining to include Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) vertical mills/machining centers, pressure washing, coating/painting, explosive material storage, explosive handling, and testing and assembling of the bomb bodies. Bomb body components include heat treating, machining to include CNC vertical mills/machining centers, coordinate measuring machines for components and assemblies, phosphate/paint systems. Production will include various specialized material handling equipment, all of which must be large enough to handle sizes of composite windings approximately 11 inches in diameter and 110 inches long. Critical skills needed for production of these bomb bodies include composite material setup personnel; inspection and testing technicians; maintenance, load assemble and packing of components, explosive material handling, tooling, manufacturing, and quality control engineers; and machinists. For different stages of the manufacturing process, special inspection and test equipment is required to ensure that the final products comply with U.S. Government requirements. The Contractor will be required to successfully complete First Article Acceptance, and Lot Acceptance tests on the bomb bodies. The BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb is procured to a U.S. Government Technical Data Package (TDP). RESPONSES: Interested companies who consider themselves capable of manufacturing the BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb are invited to indicate their interest by providing the USG with the following information: 1. Provide a brief summary of the company's capabilities (a description of the facilities, personnel experience, quality system, and past/current relevant manufacturing experience and processes), and their availability. If a respondent does not have adequate resources (facilities, technical, manufacturing, personnel, etc.) available, then they should demonstrate their ability to obtain those resources without significant delay. Any potential key subcontractors should also be addressed, by indicating which key components or processes would be subcontracted and providing a brief summary of potential key component and/or process subcontractors. Current major manufacturing processes and associated critical skills and equipment should also be provided. 2. Respondents should also include information about their facilities (size, age, condition, location and historical uses) and equipment (age, condition, efficiency and tooling). 3. Interested companies should provide any minimum production requirements and any production limitations; to include whether the U.S. Government's planned quantities (200 to 300 per year) as stated within this announcement meet or exceed minimum production requirements. Respondents should also note any significant lead times with equipment or materials associated with production of the BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb. Respondents are requested to identify whether the BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb can be tested, produced, and delivered concurrently, or whether consecutive schedules are requested based upon current capabilities. 4. Respondents are requested to provide a Rough Order Magnitude (ROM) price for FY23-27 in accordance with the estimated quantities listed above. Respondents are also encouraged to propose economic ordering quantities within FY23-FY27 and provide the schedule(s) to support it. In addition, respondents should provide a ROM on associated FAT(s). The NAICS code for this item is 332993. Please indicate your business size and socio-economic status in your response. Also be sure to provide the company name, address, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, DUNS number, and CAGE Code. Contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract resulting from a planned solicitation for these items. Contractors may obtain information on SAM registration by visiting: https://www.acquistion.gov. TECHNICAL DATA PACKAGES: The TDP associated with the BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb is classified as Distribution D, limited distribution. The TDP's contain technical data whose export is restricted by the arms export control act, (Title 22, U.S.C., SEC 2751 ET SEQ.) or the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended titled, 50 U.S.C. APP 2240, ET SEQ. Violations of these export laws are subject to severe criminal penalties. Disseminate IAW provision of DOD Directive 5230.25. Interested vendors must be registered with the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Office to access the TDP linked with this sources sought notice (see www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/ for instructions and information). Access to the TDP will only be granted to those individuals who are listed as the Data Custodian (block 3) on the DD Form 2345, Military Critical Technical Data Requirement, which was required to be registered within the JCP. The Data Custodian is the sole representative identified to receive export controlled TDPs and drawings. For purposes of this Sources Sought, a top level drawing will be provided. To obtain the top level drawing for this Sources Sought, interested vendors must request explicit access through the "attachments/links" tab in Sam.gov under W52P1J-21-R-0073. Each individual requiring access to the top level drawing must first have a SAM account prior to accessing the controlled document. This sources sought announcement is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a Request for Proposal or as an obligation on the part of the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this sources sought announcement or otherwise pay for information solicited. Industry responses to this sources sought will not represent binding offers, and the U.S. Government cannot accept an industry response to form a binding contract. The U.S. Government intends to use any information submitted in response to this request to develop an acquisition strategy for future requirements of this item. The U.S. Government will hold all information submitted in a confidential status. For additional information regarding this announcement, please contact the Contract Specialist via email at danielle.m.walters3.civ@mail.mil. Industry responses are requested electronically no later than 12 July 2021in order to be considered in the development of the acquisition strategy for these items. Send all responses to Ms. Danielle Walters at danielle.m.walters3.civ@mail.mil. All responses to this sources sought announcement should reference in the subject: Sources Sought Response for BLU-129/B 500lb Low Collateral Bomb - W52P1J-21-R-0073.