BLU 129 Production

DISCLOSURE: This is a Request for Information (RFI) notice only. This RFI is for informational planning purposes and it not to be construed as a commitment by the Government for any actual procurement of materials, machinery, or services. This notice does not constitute a solicitation or a promise of a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely at the responding parties' expense. Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response. The Government will not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly marked and clearly identified. Proprietary information received in response to this RFI will be safeguarded and handled in accordance with applicable Government regulations. Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The Government will not be obligated to pursue any particular acquisition alternative because of this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued. Specific responses to the approaches will not disqualify or have an impact on participation and evaluation on future solicitations. General and Background Information: The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Armament Directorate, Advanced Program Division, System Interface and Integration Branch (EBSN), Eglin AFB, FL issues this RFI to help determine the technical capability and qualifications of industry to meet the Government's needs to increase the inventory of the empty Bomb Live Unit-129/B (BLU-129/B) warheads. The explosive fill is not part of this RFI. Contractors interested in subcontracting opportunities are encouraged to register under the "Interested Vendors" Tab for this Sources Sought posting. Potential Prime Contractors can in turn contact your company in support of this effort. The procurement objective for the Air Force is an increase in BLU-129 inventory. The expectation is that the annual production orders would range from 0 - 500 per year. The warheads must be manufactured in conformance with AF BLU-129/B drawings and manufacturing procedures. These procedures will involve carbon-fiber-wound construction of the warhead casing and integrated steel components. A copy of the BLU-129/B Drawings are available upon request from Ms Elisa Horrach; elisa.horrach@eglin.af.mil or Ms Belva Parton; belva.parton@eglin.af.mil. No foreign participation is allowed for this effort. All respondents must have the necessary organizational and technical experience, or the ability to obtain them in the necessary timeframe. Competence in these areas shall be demonstrated through written description of the vendors past and/or current experience of manufacturing fiber-wound composite structures. The respondents interested in producing the BLU-129/B warhead must be able to complete a qualification program and produce the warheads in the time frame required and with the quality necessary to maintain warhead performance. Respondents are requested to provide the following information. Respondents should tailor their responses based on their proposed team or company strategy. Citing prior experiences relating to the questions will aid in the government assessment of industry capability. a) Offer your opinion on the feasibility of the procurement approach including procurement quantities and ancillary requirements/assumptions. b) Identify any risks you perceive with the proposed procurement (technical, cost drivers, schedule) and describe reasonable/achievable alternatives to reduce the risks. c) Describe how you would approach (i.e., partnerships, in house, subcontracting, vendors) and manage the production and "make-buy" decisions. d) Identify the critical corporate capabilities and certifications necessary to achieve the proposed procurement approaches. Examples of capabilities and certifications include quality processes, Failure Analysis and Corrective Actions, production management and control, satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics and International Standards Organizations Certifications. e) Describe your capabilities and experience with assembly and production of complex composite material assembly and/or mechanical components, and manufacturing process controls. f) Identify a proposed production schedule and quanities. g) Identify the minimum quantity of BLU-129s necessary for your company to sustain stable annual production throughput. h) Describe your experience working directly with government organizations using Government personnel and facilities, first article testing, Environmental testing, and final acceptance testing of composite assemblies. i) Describe your risk management approach for production and acceptance of contract deliverables as related to cost, performance and schedule in establishing and maintaining a sustainable production capability. Submission Details: Respondents to this RFI should adhere to the following details. Interested parties are requested to respond with a white paper in the following format: Microsoft Word for Office 2007 (or newer) compatible; 25 pages or less (including cover and administrative pages); 1-inch margins; and 12 point font (or larger). Interested parties should provide a company profile to include the following: a) Company Name b) Company Address c) Point of Contact d) E-mail Address e) Web site address f) Telephone Number g) Business Category (i.e., large, small disadvantaged, veteran, woman owned, etc.) as it relates to the North American Industry Classification System (NICS) code 332993 number of employees h) DUNS number Capability Statement: Information requested above Interested sources should submit their information via e-mail only (no telephone inquiries or paper submits) no later than 30 Oct 12 at 2:00 PM CST to Elisa Horrach; elisa.horrach@eglin.af.mil and to the Belva Parton; belva.parton@eglin.af.mil. All questions should be emailed only as to avoid any misunderstanding or confusion. This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). It is not to be construed as a commitment by the US Government. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part any private sector input as a result of this market survey. The Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the result of this survey. Proprietary information, if any, must be clearly marked. To aid the Government in its review, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.