Polymer Milling Machine

(1) Action Code : SOURCES SOUGHT This is a Sources Sought Notice only. This is not a request for proposal, but a survey to locate potential sources. This Sources Sought does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposals, or a Request for Quotations, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue an order or otherwise pay for the information solicited, nor is it a guarantee of a forthcoming solicitation or contract. It is for market research purposes only. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, and qualifications of various members of industry, to include the Small Business Community: Small Business, Section 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUB-Zone), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB). The Government must ensure there is adequate competition among the potential pool of responsible contractors. Small business, Section 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, & EDWOSB businesses are highly encouraged to participate. (2) Date : 11 May 2016 (3) Classification Code : 34 (4) NAICS Code: 333515 (5) NAICS Size Standard: 500 (6) Contracting Office Address: Room 216 Building 1622 White Sands Missile Range, NM 88002 (7) Subject: Sources Sought for a turnkey multipurpose mill for size reduction of polymer and polymer composite powders (8) Proposed Solicitation Number: W911QX-16-T-0084 (9) Sources Sought Closing Response Date: 05/19/2016 (10) Contact Point: Nicole Hernandez, Contract Specialist, contact@example.gov +1 (555) 000-0000 (11) A. Objective: To find sources that are qualified to meet the supplies/services as listed in section 11B. Note that the specific requirements in section B are subject to change prior to the release of any solicitation. B. Requirements: The contractor shall provide a turnkey multipurpose mill for size reduction and classification of polymer and polymer composite powders. The milling and classification equipment shall be laboratory or pilot scale equipment with typical throughput for polymer and polymer composite materials in the range of 1 to 25 kilograms per hour, while producing and classifying particle sizes in the range of 1 to 500 microns. The multi-purpose mill / classifier shall have several different particle grinding and classifying technologies on a single mill / classifier unit. The required footprint of the unit, units, shall not exceed 14 feet by 12 feet. The height of the equipment shall not exceed 8 feet. The contractor may propose one (1) "unified-mill / classifier" with all the following technologies combined into a single mill / classifier, or, at least three (3) of the five (5) requested in a single mill / classifier, with the remaining pieces as stand-alone mill / classifier units in order to fulfill the space requirement. The turnkey multipurpose mill/classifier shall meet the following minimum specifications: 1. The feed to the milling/classifier system: - Shall be extruded polymer and polymer-composite feed stock that has been pelletized to a cylinder with a nominal diameter of 1-4 millimeters (mm) and a length of 1-4 mm. - The size reduced powder formed by milling of the pelletized feed shall have a nominal size ranging from 1 to 500 microns. - The milling and classifying equipment shall be capable of generating particle cuts of different sizes in this powder size range. - The milling and classifying equipment shall be capable of throughput in the range of 1 to 25 kg/hr, while generating size reduced powders in this powder size range. 2. To achieve the desired powder size range with a diverse set of feedstock polymers and polymer composites, the powder milling / classifier system shall be composed of five (5) units including: - a) a fluidized bed jet mill; - b) a high density bed spiral jet mill; - c) a universal cryogenically cooled impact mill; - d) a cyclone classifier; and - e) a particle classifier wheel. 3. The Government requirement is for all of the units be integrated into a single multipurpose system, due to laboratory space limitations. However, it is acceptable that at least three (3) of the five (5) units listed above are integrated into a single multi-purpose system with the remaining units being a stand-alone piece or stand-alone pieces operating under the same software. 4. The equipment shall run from 460-480 Volt, three (3) phase power, with ground, or 230 to 240 Volt, three (3) phase power, with ground. 5. The equipment shall be suitable for installation in Class II / Division II area. 6. All the milling and classifying units shall operate under a nitrogen blanket with nitrogen feed gas as opposed to air feed. The units shall contain oxygen sensors to prevent milling and classifying if the oxygen level is above a set point. 7. A double screw feeder shall feed polymer and polymer composite pellet feedstock into the milling units. The dose limits of the feeder shall range from 1 to 20 cubic decimeters per hour or greater range. The hopper for the screw feeder shall be 10 cubic decimeters or greater volume. The feeder/hopper parts that contact the polymer shall be composed of rust free and acid resistant steel type American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 316. 8. The fluidized bed jet mill shall contain: - Three (3) grinding gas supply nozzles and be capable of grinding with nitrogen gas or air, as well as be operational under a nitrogen purge gas. - An integrated particle classifier, with a classifier wheel speed up to 18,000 revolutions per minute or larger. - A pressure gauge for monitoring the internal mill pressure, a safety interlock on the mill cover, and a swivel device and a lifting device enabling assembly/disassembly and cleaning of the jet mill. 9. The milling/classifier system shall also contain a separate particle classifier with a vane type classifier wheel, with horizontal shaft, and rotational speed up to 18,000 revolutions per minute or higher. The classifier wheel shall operate with nitrogen gas and have separate gas and product inlets. The classifier shall have a gas purged gap between the wheel and fines outlet to minimize oversized particles. The classifier shall contain a measuring device for feed and a 20 liter stainless steel product collection drum for the coarse product. 10. The milling/classifier system shall contain a high density bed / spiral jet mill with an integrated classifier wheel. The mill shall operate with nitrogen feed gas, contain a set of alumina nozzles, and have a safety interlock on the door. The classifier wheel shall operate up to 18,000 revolutions per minute or greater. The integrated classifier shall have a gas purged gap between the wheel and fines outlet to minimize oversized particles. 11. The milling/classifier system shall contain an inline cyclone separator with a 20 liter stainless steel drum for product collection. The cyclone shall have a bypass valve so it can be used or not used. 12. The milling system shall contain a fully automatic filter system with a 20 liter stainless steel collection drum, and a vacuum pump. 13. The parts susceptible to wear in the fluidized bed jet mill with integrated classifier, the separate particle classifier, the high density bed/spiral jet mill with integrated classifier, and the cyclone shall contain a wear resistant coating. 14. The milling/classifier system shall contain a universal impact mill with a blast rotor fixture, wing beater fixture, screen basket with screen insert, grinding basket with fine grinding track and discharge gap, grinding basket with short grinding track and screen insert, pin disc fixture with narrow pin setting, a pin disc fixture with wide pin setting, and a set of screens for particle sizing. All product contacting parts shall be stainless steel. The drive motor shall be 5 kilowatts or larger and contain a "V" belt drive with a protection hood. The impact mill shall contain a 20 liter product collection drum and a dust collector. 15. The universal impact mill shall operate under a nitrogen purge and be capable of cryogenic milling with liquid nitrogen cooled feedstock. A cryogenic cooling screw feeder shall be included for pre-cooling of the feedstock material and shall include controls for the cooling screw and controls for cooling of the mill. 16. The milling system shall be turnkey with all required control cabinets, piping, fittings, tables, etc. for operation when connected the Government in-house electric, nitrogen feed, and exhaust facilities. 17. Warranty for a minimum of one (1) year after installation, training and Government acceptance of the system. 18. Delivery to the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), B4600 Deer Creek Loop, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen MD 21005 and on-site training for one (1) day. C. Responses: All interested parties should notify this office in writing, mail, fax, or e-mail within the posted date. Responses shall include: (I) To what extent each of the specifications can be met. (II) Include your type of business (i.e. commercial, academia), whether your organization is classified as a large or small business based on the 500 standard that accompanies NAICS code 333515. If a small business, you must also list any small disadvantaged status you hold [HUBZone, 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), etc.]. (III) Past experience/ performance through the description of completed projects. (12) Responses to this sources sought synopsis are due no later than 10:00am Mountain Standard Time (MST) on May 19, 2016. Submissions should be emailed to Nicole Hernandez contact@example.gov. Questions concerning this sources sought synopsis may be directed to Nicole Hernandez at contact@example.gov. or +1 (555) 000-0000. Please be advised that .zip and .exe files cannot be accepted. (13) Place of Contract Performance: Contractor Facility (14) Estimated Delivery Timeframe or Period of Performance: 26 weeks after date of contract (ADC)