Headspace Gauges

This contract, designated N0016426Q0079 and issued by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane, is a total small business set-aside acquisition for the manufacture and delivery of precision headspace gauges used to verify firearm chamber dimensions for various calibers such as 6.5 Creedmoor, 7.62x51 NATO, and others. The solicitation was initially posted with a closing date of May 12, 2026, but was subsequently amended to extend the deadline to May 29, 2026, due to upcoming technical changes. The acquisition is structured under FAR Part 12 procedures for commercial items and incorporates a Firm-Fixed-Price style contract, with delivery terms specified as FOB Destination to NSWC Crane in Indiana. The contract intends to procure multiple headspace gauges that must comply with exacting dimensional tolerances, be individually packaged in durable, non-damaging containers, and appropriately marked following MIL-STD-129 and MIL-STD-130 standards, including unique machine-readable item identifiers. Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and submit proposals by the specified deadline via email to designated points of contact. The evaluation process consists of a binary technical acceptance focusing on a GO/NO GO compliance with product specifications and vendor past performance risk ratings, as assessed through the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS). Only proposals meeting these two technical criteria qualify for award consideration, with the ultimate contract award determined on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis—no tradeoffs between price and technical merit will be made. The contract includes extensive FAR and DFARS clauses related to commercial item acquisition, cyber incident safeguarding, and small business requirements, as well as provisions relevant to packaging, marking, and inspection conducted at the government’s destination facility. Payment is managed through the Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) system, and contract administration is supported by designated NSWC Crane personnel, with inspection and acceptance authority vested in government officials at the delivery location. The contract also imposes compliance with security and safeguarding requirements for sensitive defense property and mandates submission of certification and calibration documentation attesting to the gauges’ conformity with rigorous specification and inspection standards.