Titanium Request For Information

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only and does not constitute a commitment implied or otherwise, that the Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM) office will take procurement action in this matter. Further, neither the ICAM office nor the Government will be responsible for any cost incurred in furnishing information. This RFI is being used to gather market research for ICAM office to make decisions regarding the Titanium Production. ICAM office will use the results of this RFI to determine current capabilities in Titanium Production. Additionally, this information will be used to develop preliminary cost estimates and an acquisition strategy. Highlights: Domestic / North American Production 100 to 200 tons per month Collaboration / Partnerships encouraged Anticipate an FY24 award Background: The Department of Defense seeks practical alternatives to the current import-dominated supply chain for high-purity titanium sponge and titanium alloy metals suitable for use in a broad range of defense manufacturing efforts. The United States imports more than 95 percent of the titanium sponge needed domestically, 80 percent from Japan in 2022, with lesser quantities from Kazakhstan and Ukraine.[1] The ideal solution will domestically mine, process, and refine ore, and recycle scrap titanium to produce titanium powder, metal stock (ingot, bar, plate, etc.), and relevant alloys for use in a wide variety of applications and sizes. The ideal solution will also: provide clear benefits regarding material quality and cost; reduce or eliminate adverse by-products, effluents, and environmental impacts; and improve process energy efficiency when compared to current methods (i.e., the Kroll or Hunter processes). Titanium and titanium alloys are prized for their light weight, high strength-to-weight ratio, and resistance to high temperatures and corrosion It is also compatible for use with materials like carbon fiber reinforced plastics. Titanium is a critical material for many defense systems, including military fighter aircraft and engines, munition and weapon components, and military ground vehicles. It is also extensively used in naval applications due to is excellent anti-corrosion characteristics. Current primary titanium metal production processes rely mainly on the Kroll process,[2] - in which titanium dioxide minerals are reacted with chlorine to form titanium tetrachloride, which is then reacted with magnesium to strip away the chlorine and leave behind the pure metal. The resulting metal is called titanium "sponge because it has multitudes of pores. The sponge can be melted in under vacuum or inert gas into ingots which solidify in vacuum to prevent oxygenation. The older Hunter process[3] uses sodium as a reductant, and produces powder - sponge fines, which are useful in powder metallurgy. Both processes present challenges in the areas of energy consumption, high cost, the use and control of harmful chemicals, and pollution through production of by-products. Impact Analysis of Proposed Process: The Contractor will provide the following: Technical description of the proposed production process for production from ore and or recycling of scrap titanium metal and alloys into powder and metal stock, including the separation and recovery of constituent alloying elements and safe disposition of other substances, including potential toxic chemicals. A listing of the products (e.g. sponge, powder, ingot), including alloys, and associated specifications. Please indicate the time needed to bring production up to capacity by product type. Note: Demand may be on the order of 100 to over 200 tons per month. If a contractor intends to provide interim products, indicate what products and in what quantities (e.g. Sponge, powder etc.) If a contractor intends to process interim product s into other products, indicate what the interim products and finished products and quantities. Review of the impacts on capacity, quality, and throughput per ton of input material resulting from the process, including a comparative of the efficiency of the proposed process. Assessment of improvements to resulting titanium cost per ton of final material, along with an assessment of potential return on investment to the U.S. Government for investing in the new process. Separate assessments may be submitted for production of powder vs. metals, if the Offeror determines there is sufficient difference in the economic impacts. Prospective assessments of potential further process improvements are also desirable. Development, documentation, and operation of a self-sustaining production-scale operation with sufficient capability to meet domestic demand, where total DoD demand will average 30-40% of total production per year. Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve processes that ensure titanium products consistently meet required quality specifications (e.g. ASTM specifications) to provide material properties in use. The facility must comply with all relevant local, state, and federal laws, ordinances, and policies related to occupational health and safety, as well as environmental requirements. Owing to the limited availability of natural rutile, efforts should try and make use of ilmenite or titanium slag as feedstocks. In the 3rd quarter of 2022, U.S. imports of titanium mineral concentrates included ilmenite (139,000 t), slag (136,000 t), and rutile (87,900 t).[4] The Government will also assess manufacturing performance in terms of the following measures: METRICS FOR COMPLETION Manufacturing feasibility shall be assessed by producing and evaluating a to be determined (TBD) set of products that conform to relevant standards drawn from the ballistics safety community, aviation and space, naval engineering, etc. When responding, indicate which of the following specifications will be met. Include additional or alternate specifications as appropriate (e.g., ISO 9001 in lieu of AS 9100). Aerospace Standard (AS) 9100, Quality Management Systems - Requirements for Aviation, Space and Defense Organizations AMS4998 Aerospace Material Specification AWS D1.9/D1.9M Structural Welding Code - Titanium Aerospace Standard AS6500, Manufacturing Management Program MIL DTL 46077 - Detail Specification Armor Plate, Titanium Alloy, Weldable DFARS Parts 208, 213, 218, 223, 225, 246, and applicable DFARS Parts related to specialty metals and allowed or restricted procurement sources DFARS Part 242 (Contract Administration), requirements for contract performance DFARS Part 252 references Quality Assurance requirements for contract performance SAE/AMS Standards applicable to Ti, Ti powders, and specialty metals SAE Aerospace Material Specifications Standards SAE Aerospace Standards MIL-HDBK-896A NADCAP (National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) https://p-r-i.org/nadcap/ Responding to this RFI: Interested parties responding to this RFI must provide the following information: Company name Facility location: North America / United States Company Ownership: United States / 5I? Business size If your company is a small business, please identify any socio-economic category that applies CAGE code Name of the primary point of contact for the response Email address Phone number NOTE ABOUT CORNERSTONE APPLICATION All information received in response to this RFI may be marked - Proprietary. An e-mail response will be sent after all data has been reviewed. The Department of Defense is open to collaboration opportunities in which separate offerors supply portions of this production process. If your response is only for a portion of the process please highlight this distinction in your document. Additionally, if you have suggestions on who could offer the other portions please include them in your response. Response Submission Deadline: Responses to this RFI must be submitted no later than 4:00 pm Central Standard Daylight Time on August 28, 2023. RFI submissions will be accepted as email attachments only. All responses must be sent to the Contract Specialist, sarah.a.frenell.civ@army.mil with - Domestic Titanium Production in the subject line. [1] Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; The Effect of Imports of Titanium Sponge on the National Security, Nov. 2019 [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroll_process [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_process [4] United States Geological Survey, Mineral Industry Surveys; Titanium in the Third Quarter 2022, Feb. 2023