COLUMBIA Class Tailcone Manufacture

The Advanced Propulsor Management Office at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division is issuing a pre-solicitation notice for the Columbia Class Tailcone Follow-on contract, soliciting feedback on draft Statement of Work and solicitation sections L and M to inform the upcoming RFP release scheduled for late September 2026. This notice is not an invitation to bid and no compensation will be provided for response preparation; responses must be submitted by June 2, 2026, and are limited to ten pages, focusing on demonstrating technical capability and identifying any barriers to proposal submission. The intended award date is June 2027, with a contract structure combining a base year and four one-year options, potentially extending performance over five years. The core deliverable is the manufacturing of the Columbia Class submarine tailcone, requiring advanced capabilities in machining, composite and syntactic foam fabrication, dynamic balancing, and secure inter-facility transport, aligned with stringent quality standards including ISO 9001:2008 or AS9100. The resulting contract will be a mixed-type award with Fixed-Price-Incentive-Fee (FPIF) clauses for tailcone kits and Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) terms for engineering services and non-recurring engineering, evaluated through a trade-off process prioritizing technical merit over cost. Proposals must be submitted in four distinct volumes via the PIEE portal, with strict formatting and naming conventions, and compliance with mandatory certifications including Unique Entity ID, CAGE code, Small Business Participation Commitment goals (SDB, HUBZone, WOSB, VOSB, SDVOSB), and affirmative statements regarding no organizational conflict of interest. Security requirements are paramount, mandating compliance with DD Form 254, DoD 5220.22-M for classified data, and DFARS 254.204-7012 for unclassified controlled information, with facility clearance either already held or a detailed path to acquisition required. Data deliverables will be tracked through multiple CDRLs covering production schedules, monthly progress, conference minutes, travel reports, and cost status, while packaging and marking adhere to NAVSEA Form 9245/1 and specific PERs. All submissions are final and no government responses or notifications will be provided regarding pre-solicitation feedback.