SPECIAL NOTICE Army ACC - APG / Adelphi Cont Div, ACC - APG / Adelphi Div, 2800 Powder Mill Road, CCAP-SCA, Adelphi MD 20783-1138 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY . This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes as the initiation of market research under FAR, Part 10, however does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Weapons & Materials Research Directorate, is seeking information from potential contractors to can and degas metallic powders in preparation for subsequent hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Background: The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is currently conducting material and process development studies on various metallic powders. As these technologies mature, there is a need for consolidation of these powders into bulk parts and prototypes. ARL lacks the in-house ability to properly can & degas these materials, as is routinely done before consolidating the materials via hot isostatic pressing. Materials of interest range from low melting point materials like aluminum, to higher melting point materials like steels and tungsten heavy alloys. Requirement: ARL aims to gather information from contractors capable of canning & degassing a wide range of metallic powders that can meet the requirements outlined below. Based on the information provided in response to this RFI, at a later time, ARL may seek proposals to can & degas powders provided by ARL. All submission to this RFI must meet the following criteria: • Can materials shall include aluminum and stainless steel, at a minimum; higher temperature materials are also of interest (e.g. titanium) • Can dimensional capability shall be between 1"- 4" in diameter, and 4" - 12" in length; at a minimum; diameters up to 6" and lengths up to 18" are also of interest • Internal tooling shall allow for consolidated geometries to include right cylinders, cones, hemispherical domes, at a minimum; custom geometries per provided 3D model and/or drawings are also of interest • Canning & sealing shall occur in an inert atmosphere to prevent oxidation of powders • Degassing shall be done in accordance with parameters (temperature, time, vacuum pressure) provided by ARL with each material • Additionally, the Government may request a small quantity (< 5) of sample HIP cans from the respondent as examples of current capabilities Following initial submissions to this RFI, additional information may be requested through the Army Contracting Command. The acquired information on the current state of the art will be instrumental in supporting the need for future ventures performed through both the U.S. Government and contractors. Applied Research under this announcement is for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to pay for any information, or otherwise reimburse responders for any costs associated with their respective submissions in response to this RFI. All submissions will be treated as information only. Respondents will not be notified of the results of any review of this RFI; however, clarification of submissions may be requested by the Contracting Officer. Participation in this effort is strictly voluntary. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Army at this time, is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website. Therefore it is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. Submission Instructions: Interested parties are invited to submit a response to this RFI by close of business July 7, 2017, in response to this RFI not exceeding 20 pages in length including all appendices with the organization name, address, website address, telephone number, and size and type of ownership for the organization. All questions/comments regarding this RFI should be submitted in writing to
[email protected]. The Government will provide feedback within seven (7) days of RFI closing date. Documents should be submitted in Microsoft Office format or as a portable document format (".pdf") file. If proprietary or copyrighted information is submitted, please include a statement authorizing the Government to copy and use it within the Government for comparison purposes. Appropriately marked proprietary information will be properly protected by the U.S. Government. Classified information should be submitted only if it significantly clarifies or broadens the scope of technology considered. If a classified response is necessary, please write the contracting point of contact for specific submittal instructions, and include company name and address, primary and one alternate point of contact, telephone and email address, cage code, and NAICS code. Point of Contact(s): Christopher D. Haines (Technical Engineer), e-mail
[email protected] (410) 278-4326; Contracting Office Address: Army ACC - APG / Adelphi Cont Div, ACC - APG / Adelphi Div, 2800 Powder Mill Road, CCAP-SCA, Adelphi MD 20783-1138