Magnesium RFI - Warstopper

Description

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Warstopper Program is seeking information on Magnesium usage to establish a Magnesium buffer.

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, DLA Warstopper is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that DLA Warstopper will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with response to this RFI will be the sole responsibility of the interested party. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, the contract opportunity will be synopsized on the SAM.gov website. The potential offeror is responsible for monitoring this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

Background

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Warstopper Program is the Department of Defense’s primary industrial readiness program for consumable surge and sustainment requirements, established in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 1993. The program is specifically charged with ensuring that the transition from peacetime to wartime is supported by a viable industrial base for DLA-managed go-to-war items. As defined in DLA Instruction 1212, the program's scope is restricted to DLA-managed items that are mission-critical, characterized by a significant disparity between peacetime and wartime demand, and possess long production lead times or limited shelf lives. The Warstopper Program implements proactive industrial preparedness measures (IPMs) to preserve manufacturing capabilities for these specific DLA-managed commodities, thereby mitigating the risk of industrial base shortfalls during national emergencies or contingency operations.

The DLA Warstopper Directorate is seeking detailed information from industry partners to assist in establishing a Magnesium Buffer. Please provide responses to the following areas:

Material Specifications & Demand

1. Grades & Specifications: Please identify all Magnesium grades and specifications your company utilizes to produce DPAS-rated orders. (Note: Proprietary specification information submitted to the Government will be held as Business Confidential and will not be disclosed outside of DLA Warstopper or its chain of command. The respondent is responsible for clearly marking proprietary information. This data is critical to ensure the Buffer aligns with OEM requirements.)

2. Material Forms: What forms or intermediaries (e.g., bar, plate, rounds, sheet, extrusions) are typically purchased for each identified specification?

3. Current Demand: What is your annual requirement for each of these specifications and forms?

4. Future Forecast: What is your projected demand for these items over the next five years?

B. Supply Chain & Inventory

5. Lead Times: What are the current expected lead times for procuring these magnesium intermediaries?

6. Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs): Do any of these specifications or forms have MOQs that negatively impact your ability to fulfill orders in a timely manner?

7. Internal Buffers: Does your company currently maintain an internal buffer or safety stock of these intermediaries?

8. Scrap/Waste Management: How is magnesium scrap or waste produced during your manufacturing process handled? Do you utilize any reclamation or recycling programs?

C. Surge Requirements & Capacity

9. Surge Impact: Do you manufacture products with known surge requirements that could be jeopardized by extended magnesium lead times?

10. Affected Products: If applicable, please list or describe the specific products that have these surge requirements and would be most impacted.

Interested vendors should submit their response as well as any questions through email to the contract specialist, Magnesium RFI – Warstopper Christy Boyer at Christine.boyer@dla.mil with “RFI – Magnesium” in the subject line. Responses must be received by 31 August 2026 before 3pm EST. It is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure the email was received and is viewable. Verbal questions/responses will not be accepted