The Air Armament Center, Specialized Contracting Division (AAC/PKES) through the Air Armament Capabilities Integration Directorate (AAC/XR) is contemplating the sole source award of a Firm Fixed Price purchase order to Rand Machine Products, Inc., 2072 Allen Street Extension, Falconer, NY, 14733. The NAICS code for this procurement is 332721 with a small business size standard of 500 employees. The purchase order will procure forty (40) BLU-109/CB Eutectic Aft Closure Retainer Ring Assemblies, with an option for twenty (20) additional Assemblies (for total potential procurement of sixty (60)). The Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1. All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. A determination by the Government to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. AAC/XR is currently conducting test and characterization of design modifications to improve the survivability of BLU-109 penetrator warhead fuzes as part of its Legacy Weapon Improvement Program (LWIP). To support testing of the design modifications, a May 2010 award is anticipated for the procurement of BLU-109/CB Eutectic Aft Closure Retainer Ring Assemblies. The procurement of the Eutectic Closure Retainer Rings for the BLU-109 warhead cases can only be met by Rand Machine Products because of their exclusive, proven expertise in the manufacturing of the Eutectic Closure Retainer Ring Assembly. Additionally Rand's tooling, fixtures, inspection, and machine programming further enhances its justification as sole source for the test hardware. The aforementioned capabilities will allow deliveries in time to meet the Government's testing schedule. Without Rand's support in this effort the Legacy Warhead Improvement Program would have to stop testing until a new vendor is qualified. The Government estimates that this can take one year and would adversely impact the testing schedule and overall Program Plan (the current effort's period of performance is only one year, slated to begin March 2010). To support this effort, Eutectic Rings will be required by 1 May 2010. The qualification process is complex and time consuming, with no assurance on success. Rand's previous manufacturing support of 685 ARSS IM/BLU-121 test asset procurements and BLU-117, BLU-109, and BLU-122 production contracts has consistently proven to be technically sound, cost effective, and timely, and they are the only vendor qualified to meet the requirements of the BLU-109 Technical Data Package. The clause at 5352.201-9101, Ombudsman, is applicable to this procurement. An Ombudsman has been appointed to address concerns of offerors or potential offerors. The Ombudsman does not diminish the authority of the program manager or contracting officer, but communicates contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate Government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the source selection process. Matters of routine or administrative nature concerning this acquisition should not be addressed to the Ombudsman, but rather to the points of contact identified below. The AAC Ombudsman is Col Arnold W Bunch, AAC/CV, (850) 882-5422. The Alternate Ombudsman is Col Lawrence G Avery, Jr., (850) 882-5422. Contact Dana Alexander, Contracting Officer, (850) 882-0185, e-mail
[email protected] for further information about this procurement.