SEEKING INPUT: REVISED ENERGETIC MATERIAL TRACEABILITY CLAUSE

The U.S. Army Contracting Command - Rock Island is seeking industry input in regards to a proposed revised quality clause. The revised clause, Energetic Material Traceability and Age Requirements for Contractor Acquired Property, Material, will replace the Statement of Work - Propellant Reassessment, local clause number 52.246-4563, dated FEB/2010, and the quality clause entitled MIL-STD-1171A, Acceptance and Description Sheets (for propellants and explosives) local clause number 52.246-4538, dated Sep 2010. It is requested that industry partners review the below clause and submit input by the referenced response date. Responses should include: Name, Company, listed benefits and/or detriments, and a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) to implement this clause. Please state whether represetatives from your company would be interested in attending an Industry Day at Rock Island Arsenal, should one be scheduled, to further discuss this proposed clause. Any response to this notice should reference the following: Energetic Material Traceability and Age Requirements, and be submitted to the contact listed in this notice. The proposed clause language is below: Energetic Material Traceability and Age Requirements for Contractor Acquired Property, Material (a) For the purpose of this contract, energetic material is considered material which undergoes a chemical reaction as part of the functioning of the ammunition. Energetic materials consist of chemical compound(s) or mixtures of chemical compounds that are divided into three classes: explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics (MIL-STD-1168). (b) The contractor shall maintain and be able to provide on demand traceability and conformance documentation to the original production source (not a distributor) of energetic materials in accordance with Ammunition Data Cards (per MIL-STD-1168) and Description and Loading Authorization Sheets (per MIL-STD-1171). (c) Energetic material must meet specification requirements per current contract. The age of the energetics must be verified prior to loading energetic material into an assembled component. Age requirements in the item specification will take precedence over the description or loading authorization sheet. If the retest date has passed or the loading authorization date has expired, the contractor shall notify the contracting officer before taking any further action. If retest location is different from the original test location, the Contracting Officer must approve prior to testing. The contractor is responsible for bearing the cost and retesting the material in accordance with the energetic specification. The contractor shall continue to meet all contractual obligations, including delivery schedules. (d) The contractor shall ensure the requirements of this clause flow down throughout the supply chain for energetic material delivered under this contract. Proper flow down will require execution of the above requirements at suppliers and/or sub-tier vendors delivering energetic materials directly or as part of assemblies, subassemblies, and components. Required notifications and any testing requirements will flow from the Contracting Officer through the prime contractor, and to/from any suppliers and/or sub-tier vendors. (e) When specified, the following are required: (e.1) Requirement 1: There are specified age requirements on energetic materials used in this acquisition, and the following applies: All energetic materials used in components or end items procured under this contract shall have been manufactured and accepted by the government within [ ] years of the date of use. Requests to use energetic material more than [ ] years old shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer with lot conformance data. The contracting officer may require additional information and/or testing to assure the material conforms to current end item technical data package and material specification requirements. Any necessary testing will be performed in accordance with current contractual specification and safety requirements. (e.2) Requirement 2: There are specified packaging requirements on energetic materials used in this acquisition, and the following applies: All energetic materials used in components or end items procured under this contract shall have been packaged in accordance with contract requirements within [ ] months of the date of use. Requests to use energetic material more than [ ] years beyond the date of original manufacture shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer with lot conformance data. The contracting officer may require additional information and/or testing to assure the material conforms to current end item technical data package and material specification requirements. Any necessary testing will be performed in accordance with current contractual specification and safety requirements.