The Army Contracting Command - New Jersey, Emerging Technologies (ACC-NJ-ET), on behalf of U.S. Armaments Research, Development, and Engineering Command (ARDEC)- Benet Laboratories, located at Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet, NY intends to award a sole source contract to Sheffield Hallam University Howard St, Sheffield, S1 1WB, United Kingdom. The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 541712 and the small business size standard is 500 employees. The Government has a need to further the research and evaluation of the foreign advanced coating process technology High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS) through analytical, corrosion, and operational environment evaluation for transition to spindle production based on ionized PVD physics. HIPIMS produces ion fluxes with high concentrations of metal target ion, which can be used to sputter-remove contamination from the surface and implant metal ions in the substrate, promoting strong bonding of the coatings to the substrate. AUTHORITY: The authority cited is 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii). Responsible offerors may submit a capability statement,or quotation, which shall be considered by the Government; but this notice of intent, is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract lies solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive requirement. The Government reserves the right to award without discussions. The closing date for this synopsis is 11 September 2012 16:00 Eastern Standard Time. The anticipated award date is 27 September 2012. The point of contact for this requirement is Katelyn Warren,ACC-NJ Bldg. 40, Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet NY 12189-4000. Email:
[email protected]. APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY: Request to award this requirement to Sheffield Hallam because they are the only known institution in the application of the coating on complex engineering shapes at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) above Rating 7 that shall be fully compatible and meet the special requirements listed above. The contract will incorporate one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): FAR - http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm Local Clauses - http://procnet.pica.army.mil/reference/Clauses/locals.htm