Deployable integral explosives strip assemblies

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE to Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company for the following Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) requirement: To ensure that tactical explosive breaching operations are carried out safely and securely, OST must be outfitted with appropriate explosive breaching charges that can defeat barricades, obstacles or other heavily fortified points of entry. Beginning in 2004, the OST conducted extensive research and field investigations to seek out a proper explosive breaching charge for defeating fortified interior and exterior wooden doors, light to medium metal doors, and other obstacles such as fences, garage doors, or windows. The OST's research and field investigation considered several salient characteristics for the explosive breaching strip assemblies: (1) safety/quality/reliability; (2) packaging/storage/containment; and (3) ease of deployment/tactical employment. These features are described in greater detail as follows: Generally, a deployable explosive breaching strip assembly consists of detonation cord (with a self-sticking adhesive that must positively adhere to the target surface along the full deployable length (84) of the charge) assembled into a self-contained package with a booster and is connected to a firing device. A color-coded mark on the "buddy tab" (pull tab) of the protective plastic cover for the adhesive is included to aid in deployment at night. Another deployable explosive breaching strip assembly contains Primasheet - 1000 instead of detonation cord and has a 14-inch deployable surface. Regarding the first salient characteristic, the safety, quality, and reliability of each individual component of the explosive breaching strip are factors of paramount importance to preventing injury and accidental death to personnel as well as preventing accidental destruction and/or damage to property. The flexible explosive sheets must meet specific performance, quality assurance, and reliability requirements. In particular, the flexible sheet explosive must be of uniform thickness (form), demonstrate high workmanship (free of cracks, voids, air bubbles, holes, blisters, dire, and other impurities) which reduces the incidences of misfire or partial energetic detonation. The explosive sheets must also exhibit certain physical properties as it relates to detonation velocity, vacuum stability,o0lm i density, exudation, cracks at 160 - F (max temp) and -40'F (min temp), taggant content, and cause no energetic reactions from friction, electrostatic, bullet impact, bar drop impact, and flame sensitivities. Similarly, the booster must be qualified to military standard MIL-PRF-46676 for the same physical properties. The booster is designed to increase the output strength of a detonator or booster assembly by increasing the reliability of the charge initiation. Next, the detonating cord should comply with MIL-C-17124E and MIL-P-387C standards to ensure that detonation is achieved along the entire length of the cord at a high velocity. Finally, the firing device should be a complete system with blasting cap and safety devices to ensure that there is no improper charge initiation. To achieve the necessary conditions for safety, quality, reliability and high workmanship of the flexible sheet explosive, breaching strip, booster, detonation cord, and firing device, assembly of the explosive breaching strip components must perform under strict manufacturing and controlled conditions. Accordingly, NNSA's preference is that the manufacturing facility operate under military safety guidelines such as the Department of Defense's Contractor's Safety Manual for Ammunition and Explosives and 29 CFR 1910.119 for the management of highly hazardous chemicals. In addition, the manufacturer's organization should demonstrate that its quality system complies with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 certification which ensures that the explosive breaching strips are safe, reliable, and of good quality. Therefore, should the flexible explosive sheets, breaching strips, boosters, detonation cords, and firing devices fail to meet any of the aforementioned salient characteristics for safety, quality, and reliability, the product will not meet OST's needs. Regarding the second salient characteristic (packaging, storage, and containment), the explosive breaching strips/detonation cords shall have the following properties: (1) the breaching strips/detonation cords shall be protected from elongation which may stretch the charge causing weak spots and uneven dispersion of the charge; (2) each charge must have an adhesive backing for placement; (3) the breaching strips should be placed in a vacuum-sealed barrier bag and placed in an approved pouch or container while firing systems are carried in a separate pouch to prevent accidental detonation/propagation; and (4) packaging of the explosives should conform to MIL-STD882D which ensures that all known hazards and their associated risks and mishap have been eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels through a comprehensive hazards analysis, risk assessment, and risk management. Regarding the third salient characteristic, there are two approved methods of deployment. The first is to remove the explosive breaching strips by opening the vacuum-sealed bag and attaching it to a door by unrolling it down the door with the double-sided sticky tape prior to the firing system being attached to the detonation cord tail. The second method of deployment is to remove the explosive breaching strips from the vacuum-sealed bag that can then be quickly attached to a target or door. With this option, the NNSA has the option of priming the charge by attaching the blasting cap to the detonation cord tail. Similarly, the breacher will ensure that all team members are within the safety zone before initiating the charge. EBAD Breaching Strips The OST requires explosive breaching charges that are effective, safe, and reliable. Given the OST's mission, the explosive breaching charges and their individual components must comply with military and international quality standards for flexible linear explosives, booster, detonation cord, and firing devices. Accordingly, the OST conducts extensive explosive breaching, safe handling, and tactical employment training on how to determine the appropriate charge and method of deployment, including training on team member roles and responsibilities. Based on the OST's experience and market research, at this time, only the EBAD breaching strips satisfy OST's requirements for safety, quality, reliability, packaging, storage, and containment. Table 1 below summarizes how the EBAD breaching strips meet NNSA's requirements. Table 1 - EBAD Breaching Strip Components and Properties Explosive Breaching Charge Components Safety/Reliability/Quality Packaging/Storage/Containment 1 See Performance Specification for Flexible Explosive, MIL-PRF-46676. Flexible Sheet Explosive - PRIMASHEET - 1000 - Classified and Qualified to MIL-PRF-46676 - ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified - Contractor's Safety Manual for Ammunition and Explosives - DoD 4145.26-M - 29 CFR 1910.119 - Waterproof; available in various weights and thicknesses - TAGGANT (2,3-Dimethyl-2,3-Dinitrobutane Content) Qualified to MIL-DTL-117 Each detonator assembly is sealed in a vacuum-sealed/weatherproof bag and packaged into a fiberboard box. Breaching Strip - Small, compact assembly - Double-sided tape adhesive on one side - Non-Elastic tape enclosure to prevent elongation Slip on Booster - Flexible Pentaerrythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) based explosive (cylinder) - 20-gram units - Qualified to MIL-PRF-46676/NAVSEA Drawing 6545554 (MK140 MOD 0) Description of Supplies Table 2 provides a summary description of the EBAD products and their salient characteristics that meet NNSA's requirements. Table 2 - EBAD Products Listing Item Salient Characteristics CLIN 0001 15 METER INSTANT INTEGRAL FIRING DEVICE PN D11417-INS-050 Physical Characteristics: - Shall be sealed in a pre-packaged plastic housing containing a single firing pin, no less than 40 feet and no more than 50 feet of 0.085 inch mini-tube with one (1) in-line initiator and one (1) (instant) blasting cap. - Shall be safe to store, transport, carry and deploy Performance Characteristics: - Shall be quick and easy for an individual to emplace in a tactical situation - Shall have a failure rate of less than 1% CLIN 0002 14 INCH EXPLOSIVE STRIP ASSEMBLY PN D11728-1 Physical Characteristics: - Shall contain Primasheet 1000 plastic explosives with detection agent (TAGGANT) - Shall comply with the ANTITERRORISM AND EFFECTIVE DEATH PENALTY ACT OF 1996 - Shall be 100% lead free - Strips shall be sealed in a weatherproof wrap - Size: - inch width by 14-inch length by 0.0836 - Shall contain a - slip on booster (center primed) on a semi-flexible nonmetallic rigid backer, with hydro gel on the full length of the backer - Shall use a 12-inch 50-54 grain detonation cord tail through the - slip-on booster for priming Page 4 of 8 - Each charge shall be individually wrapped in a vacuum-sealed bag and placed into a fiberboard case - Must be pre-packaged in an integrated package strip Performance Characteristics: - The self-sticking adhesive must positively adhere to the target surface along the full length (14) of the charge - Shall be capable of breaching: solid core wooden doors, commercial grade metal doors, interior walls constructed of dimensional lumber and drywall as well as common garage doors - Shall fully propagate with a failure rate of less than 1% CLIN 0003 84 INCH DEPLOYABLE EXPLOSIVE STRIP ASSEMBLY PN D11973-X Physical Characteristics: - Shall comply with the ANTITERRORISM AND EFFECTIVE DEATH PENALTY ACT OF 1996 - Shall be 100% lead free - Detonating Cord shall meet MIL-DTL-17124F, consisting of a minimum core of 50-54 grains per foot of PETN with an optional center string, protected by layers of material: an optional paper liner, braided or counter wrapped textile, and an olive drab plastic sheath. The cord has the maximum diameter of 0.235 inches. The cord has a detonating velocity of not less than 5,900 meters per second and is waterproof - Shall meet MIL-P-387 for PETN - The charge will contain 3 individual strands (2 strands at 84 inches and 1 strand at 90 inches, approximately 258) of detonation cord - The detonation cord will be packaged tightly together creating intimate contact of each strand side by side along the length (84 inches) to provide a triple strand of at least 84 in length, with the additional 6 inches of 1 strand protruding from the end to create a tail for priming - The triple strand charge must be rolled with the 6 tail on the inside of the roll - The rolled charge must be packaged tightly in a sealed weatherproof material - The packaged charge will fit in a standard pants cargo pocket - The packaged charge will be constructed so that an individual can open it quickly without tools - The self-sticking adhesive must be manufactured onto a full length (84 inch) sleeve containing the triple strand charge on one side, so that there is less probability of error while placing the charge - The sleeve material must be made of a sturdy supple material (suitable for tactical breaching operations) that does not create excessive noise while in use. - The material used for the backer (covering the adhesive) must be made of a sturdy supple material that does not create excessive noise while in use and have large identifiable pull tabs for removal (buddy tabs) - The self-sticking adhesive side must be identifiable during the day and at night Performance Characteristics: - Shall be quick and easy for an individual to emplace in a tactical situation - The self-sticking adhesive must positively adhere to the target surface along the full length (84) of the charge - Shall be capable of breaching: solid core wooden doors, commercial grade metal doors, interior walls constructed of dimensional lumber and drywall as well as common garage doors - Shall fully propagate with a failure rate of less than 1% The Period of Performance is estimated to be for a one year base with four one year option periods.