AoI 0014 - Metal Cleaning and Finishing Services.docx

Federal Agency: Department of the Army

Office: Army Contracting Command – Anniston Army Depot (ACC-ANAD)

AoI Title: Metal Cleaning and Finishing Services

CSO AoI Number: W911KF-25-S-C0002-A0016

AoI Release Date: 14 September, 2026

Responses: See W911KF25SC0002A002 for procedure details

1. General Information

1.1 Introduction

This announcement is for Metal Cleaning and Finishing Services under the ACC-ANAD Commercial Solutions Opening Area of Interest (CSO-AoI) W911KF-25-S-C0002-A0016. Interested parties are highly encouraged to visit the Government Point of Entry (www.sam.gov) to review the ACC-ANAD CSO special posting in its entirety to obtain more information on the process for submission and evaluation of the CSO AoI Responses.

This CSO AoI seeks innovative commercial solutions that meet the objectives detailed in Section 1.3 below. In accordance with Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 212.70, the term 'innovative' is defined as any technology, process, or method, including research and development, that is new as of the date of proposal submission, or any new application of an existing technology, process, or method as of the proposal date. CSOs may only be used to obtain innovative solutions or potential capabilities that fulfill requirements, to close capability gaps or provide potential innovative technological advancements, and when meaningful proposals with varying technical or scientific approaches can be reasonably anticipated.

ACC-ANAD is not obligated to make an award as a result of this CSO AoI; all awards are subject to the availability of funds and successful negotiations. This CSO AoI is not an authorization to begin performance, and in no way obligates the Government for any costs incurred by the Offeror associated with developing a Response. Prior to commencement of any activities associated with performance under this CSO AoI, the Government will issue a written directive or contractual document signed by the Contracting Officer with appropriate consideration established.

ACC-ANAD reserves the right to modify the requirements of this CSO AoI at any time. The authority to issue this CSO AoI is derived from ACC-ANAD CSO W911KF-25-S-C0002, dated 04 April 2026. The CSO is issued under the authority of 10 U.S.C. §3458, as amended by Section 1823 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.

1.2 AoI Background

Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) is the designated Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence (CITE) for tracked and wheeled ground combat vehicles, artillery systems, bridging equipment, small caliber weapons, locomotives, rail equipment, and non-tactical generators. Depot overhaul operations require extensive metal cleaning and finishing services to restore parts and components to serviceable condition. Current processes rely on legacy equipment and external vendors, creating risk in schedule and quality. ANAD seeks innovative, reliable, and efficient solutions to meet its ongoing requirements for metal cleaning and finishing services.

1.3 Acquisition Strategy (Potential MATOC Structure):

Due to the wide variety of technical specifications, highly distinct chemical bath setups, and strict environmental permitting required for the eleven (11) different plating and coating processes, the Government anticipates that no single commercial vendor may possess in-house capacity for all processes. Accordingly, this AoI may be executed via a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) structure under the CSO framework. This will establish a pool of pre-qualified, specialized contractors to ensure complete technical coverage, redundancy, and maximum schedule adherence during depot production surges.

1.4 Identify AoI Solution (Statement of Objectives)

The Government has a requirement for various Metal Cleaning and Finishing Services. As an independent contractor, the Contractor shall provide all labor, facilities, tools, supplies, vehicles, and equipment necessary to complete specified services.

Parts and components will vary in size, geometry, and configuration. Vendors must be capable of processing small, medium, and large metal components commonly used in depot overhaul operations. Specific dimensions will be provided during subsequent phases of the acquisition. Vendors should describe their facility’s capacity limits (tank size, oven size, rack size, weight limits, etc.) in their innovative solution.

Scope of Required Services Chemical Cleaning & Stripping: Multi-metal paint stripping and alkaline immersion cleaning.

Abrasive Media Cleaning: Forceful application of abrasive media to remove paint, corrosion, scale, carbon, and condition surfaces.

Surface Finishing & Plating Operations:

Aluminum Anodizing Chromate Conversion Coating (Alodine Coating) Black Oxide Plating Copper Plating Hard Chrome Plating Electroless Nickel Plating Heavy Manganese Phosphate Plating Heavy Zinc Phosphate Plating Light Zinc Phosphate Plating Tin Plating Zinc Plating The contractor shall complete all metal cleaning, surface preparation, plating/coating, and post-treatments necessary for the overhaul of parts and components provided by ANAD, in accordance with applicable industry standards, depot requirements, and specifications to be provided by the Government at time of award. Parts are to be picked up and returned to Anniston Army Depot. Vendors are encouraged to propose innovative approaches that improve efficiency, durability, and environmental compliance while ensuring operator’s safety and consistent quality.

2. AoI Constraints SAM Registration: Any selected company/companies must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

Schedule / Turnaround Time: The process to perform any surface finishing or plating operation on parts shall be completed within seven (7) working days, with the day of part drop-off counting as the first day.

Environmental Compliance: The contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes and laws, including but not limited to:

Clean Air Act (CAA) Clean Water Act (CWA) Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Endangered Species Act (ESA) Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA/Superfund) Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

Permits and Approvals: The contractor shall be responsible for preparing and submitting all required environmental permit applications and obtaining approvals from appropriate regulatory agencies prior to conducting any work at its facilities.

Environmental Liability: The contractor is solely responsible for managing and disposing of all hazardous materials and solid/hazardous waste generated by its operations. The contractor shall pay all fines, penalties, and clean-up costs assessed by regulatory agencies for non-compliance and shall not seek reimbursement from the Government.

3. Technical Specifications & Plating Requirements

3.1 Plating Specifications and Referenced Standards

All plating, coating, and heat treatment must meet the exact specifications defined in the engineering drawings and the military/industry standards listed below:

4. Deliverables and Quality Assurance Testing

4.1 Mandatory Quality Acceptance Testing

Before parts are returned to ANAD, the contractor shall run quality testing on test specimens for each plating process and provide formal certification documentation proving successful completion of the following:

Aluminum Anodizing: Abrasion Resistance (ASTM D4060) and Coating Thickness (ASTM B244) tests.

Chromate Conversion: Wet Tape Adhesion (ASTM D3359) and Salt Spray Corrosion Resistance (ASTM B117) tests.

Black Oxide: Oxalic Acid and Smut, and Hydrogen Embrittlement (ASTM F519) tests.

Electroless Nickel: Thickness (ASTM B499), Adhesion (ASTM B571), Hardness, and Hydrogen Embrittlement (ASTM F519) tests.

Heavy Manganese Phosphate: Coating Weight (ASTM B767), Salt Spray Corrosion (ASTM B117), and Hydrogen Embrittlement (ASTM F519) tests.

Heavy Zinc Phosphate: Coating Weight, Salt Spray Corrosion, and Hydrogen Embrittlement tests.

Light Zinc Phosphate: Coating Weight test.

Electrodeposited Tin: Purity, Adhesion, Thickness, and Hydrogen Embrittlement tests.

Electrodeposited Copper: Adhesion and Thickness tests.

Electrodeposited Zinc: Salt Spray Corrosion, Adhesion, Thickness, and Hydrogen Embrittlement tests.

Chromium (Hard Chrome): Thickness, Adhesion, Hardness, Porosity, and Hydrogen Embrittlement tests.

Note: The Government will inspect and verify all parts and test specimens prior to final acceptance. Inspection and verification of Corrosion Resistance, Thickness, Adhesion, Porosity, Purity, Coating Weight, and Hydrogen Embrittlement will follow the designated ASTM standards.

5. CSO Evaluation Factors Responses to this AoI will be evaluated in a multi-phased approach in accordance with the ACC-ANAD Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) guidelines. Submissions will be assessed against the following evaluation factors, listed in descending order of importance:

Factor 1: Technical Merit and Innovation The Government will evaluate the technical feasibility, reliability, and effectiveness of the proposed metal cleaning, surface preparation, and finishing processes. This includes:

The soundness, efficiency, and safety of the proposed chemical stripping and cleaning methods.

Innovation in processing technology (e.g., automated bath monitoring, advanced masking techniques, or eco-friendly chemical alternatives) that improves coating durability, operator safety, or environmental compliance.

The feasibility of meeting the strict seven (7) working day turnaround schedule.

Factor 2: Relevancy to ANAD Mission & Facility Capacity The Government will evaluate the offeror's capability to process the diverse and high-volume part streams required by ANAD overhaul operations. This includes:

Specific evaluation of the physical facility limits, including tank sizes, curing oven dimensions, weight limits, overhead crane clearances, and rack configurations.

Alignment of the offeror's capacity with the requirements for processing small, medium, and large heavy combat vehicle parts.

Logistics and transportation plans for secure pick-up and delivery of parts to and from ANAD.

Factor 3: Quality Assurance Framework & Certifications The Government will evaluate the rigor and completeness of the offeror’s quality control systems. This includes:

The capability to perform all required ASTM and Military Standard quality tests (Adhesion, Thickness, Salt Spray, Hydrogen Embrittlement, etc.) in-house or through certified laboratories.

The robustness of the proposed Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) framework and process check sheet designs.

Validations and certifications of personnel, equipment, and calibration programs (including ANSI equipment certifications).

Factor 4: Price / Cost Reasonableness The Government will evaluate the proposed Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM), unit pricing structures, or cost-per-square-inch/per-pound metrics for the various plating operations. Pricing must be determined fair, reasonable, and realistic for the commercial solutions proposed.

Factor 5: Environmental and Regulatory Compliance The Government will evaluate the offeror's track record, current permits, and standard operating procedures regarding hazardous material management, toxic waste disposal (e.g., chrome and heavy metal bath management), and compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations.

6. Submission & Administrative Instructions

6.1 Solutions Submission Details

Interested vendors must submit a written Solution Brief via email no later than 5 October, 4:00 P.M. CDT.

The email subject line must state: SOLUTION for Specific AoI 0016 Metal Cleaning and Finishing Services.

Solutions received after the specified due date and time will be discarded and will not be evaluated by the Government.

AoI Open Period: This AoI shall close at 4:00 P.M. CDT on 5 October, 2026 Questions Deadline: Submit all technical and administrative questions no later than 28 September, 2026

6.2 Points of Contact

All submissions, questions, and correspondence regarding this AoI must be sent to the following contract administrators:

Contracting Officer: Ashley S. Randolph (ashley.s.randolph.civ@army.mil) Contract Specialist: Diana M. Pritchett Ponder (diana.m.pritchettponder.civ@army.mil) CSO AoI Contracting Officer: Amber E. Burdett (amber.e.burdett.civ@army.mil)