RFI B662254 Manufacture Fluoropolymer.pdf

Prepared by LLNL under ContractDE-AC52-07NA27344

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Request for Information

LLNL-MI-858425

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

1. INTRODUCTION

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (“LLNS”) is the Management & Operating

(“M&O”) contractor of the Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) Lawrence Livermore National

Laboratory (“LLNL”), a government-owned research facility located in Livermore, California, issued this Request For Information (“RFI”) on behalf of the U.S. Department of

Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (“DOE/NNSA”) as a means of conducting market research to identify interested parties possessing the capability to supply a specific high explosive (“HE”) binder material currently used by DOE/NNSA.

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation/request for proposals and submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely and strictly voluntary. This Sources Sought/RFI is released for the purpose of conducting market research only. As such, nothing in this request shall be interpreted as a commitment to enter into a contract with any respondent, and LLNS/DOE/NNSA assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred to participate in this RFI. This issuance also does not obligate or restrict LLNS to an eventual or specific acquisition approach. All information received from this RFI will be used for planning and market research purposes only.

2. BACKGROUND

LLNS and DOE/NNSA’s Laboratories and Sites use various types of fluoropolymers during their national security mission work. In particular, a fluorocopolymer is used in the production of high explosive material. The purpose of this market research is to identify and better understand the relevant capabilities and maturity of U.S. parties capable of addressing the following fluoropolymer production and delivery requirements for use in an HE as further discussed below:

• Production and delivery of an estimated amount ranging of 2,000 to 3,000 lbs. per year of a chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) / vinylidene fluoride (VF2) copolymer with qualifications that meet similar specifications as described in documents “3M FK-800 Resin Product

Information” (Attachment 1) and “Qualifying a New Manufacturer of FK-800 for NNSA”

(Attachment 2).

• Production is estimated to begin in the calendar year 2027 and continue for 20 years.

• Production must occur in the United States, and delivery will be to DOE/NNSA sites in the continental United States.

Any future solicitation will be for material that meets specific LLNS and/or DOE/NNSA quality requirements and is produced in compliance with applicable safety, security, environmental, business, and other requirements as needed. In the event there is a future solicitation, offerors must demonstrate that their proposed solutions would meet requirements that will be specified in the solicitation.

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Additional information is included with this RFI that further describes the history and use of the current fluoropolymer, FK-800, that LLNL used to make HE material and the qualification process for a new supplier (Attachment 2, “Qualifying a New Manufacturer of FK-800 for NNSA”). The qualification process described is not to be considered official and is subject to change throughout the proposal process.

3. REQUESTED CAPABILITY STATEMENTS

All interested parties are hereby invited to submit a capability statement that addresses the production and delivery requirements in Section 2 above and the questions below.

Respondents are encouraged to address as many of the questions as possible; however, respondents are not required to answer all questions and should limit their responses to topics relevant to their expertise and business. When providing information, respondents are encouraged to clearly specify which questions are being addressed.

Responses should address the following topics:

1. Describe your company’s capability and experience in producing/delivering fluoropolymers and fluorocopolymers. Areas of particular interest to address include:

a. Current or historical scale of production of relevant materials

b. Existing sites, infrastructure, facilities, or processing equipment that might be utilized or adapted to produce to fulfill the material needs described above.

c. Experience in emulsion polymerization, particular in the production of fluoropolymers

d. Experience in the use of non-PFAS alternatives and low-risk organo-fluoro alternatives

(i.e., high molecular weight organo-fluoro chemistry) in fluoropolymer production.

e. Experience in contamination mitigation and waste management in fluoropolymer synthesis and production.

f. Ability to provide small samples for preliminary testing, lab and pilot scale batches.

Please state sample quantities/sizes anticipated your company can deliver.

g. Experience or capability in meeting government environmental, safety, health, quality assurance, and security requirements, including relevant approvals or standards in place.

h. Ability to deliver product that meet similar specifications as described in “3M FK-800

Resin” Product Information Sheet (Attachment 1).

2. Provide the location (i.e., city, state, site name) of prospective production location(s).

3. Describe the program costs and timeline to deliver small polymerization batches in the following quantities for evaluation with FK-800 during the Pre-Development phase.

a. 50 pounds.

b. 300 pounds.

4. Describe the total program costs and timeframe (rough order of magnitude) to fulfill the production need described in Section 2, including:

a. Estimated costs for infrastructure, capital investment, or other fixed costs.

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b. The anticipated range of unit costs for material production and delivery (including, if applicable, assumed delivery quantities)

c. Specify the contract type (e.g., fixed price, cost reimbursable, etc.) anticipated to produce the quantities listed in item 3.

5. Describe the basic elements of how your party would fulfill the production needs described in

Section 2. Background, including:

a. Major capital investments required and the associated timelines for developing and constructing new infrastructure. This includes equipment installation, process development, scale up, etc. that would be required. As applicable, please describe the relevant Technology Readiness Level (TRL) or Manufacturing Readiness Level

(MRL) for key process elements requiring further maturation.

b. The notional process used for production (e.g., batch vs. continuous, traditional vs.

advanced technology).

c. Whether this plan could face significant site challenges (for example, relating to environmental emission limits) and how these might be overcome.

d. If known, describe whether key inputs to your process (such as precursor materials) would be sourced from outside the United States and their country of origin.

6. Describe the potential markets beyond DOE/NNSA that your company might target if you had/have the manufacturing capability described above.

7. If your company’s interest or capability to address this need is contingent on specific contracting needs, please describe those needs. Highlight contracting factors that would make competing for these requirements desirable or undesirable for your company.

4. FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDENTS

Proprietary Information

LLNS will treat all commercial, financial, or technical information that is properly marked in response to this survey as proprietary information; however, LLNS prefers not to receive any proprietary information. Each interested party shall mark each page containing commercial, financial, or technical information as “Proprietary” or its equivalent.

LLNS will use its best efforts to (1) maintain such proprietary information in confidence, giving it the same degree of care, but no less than a reasonable degree of care, as LLNS exercises with its own proprietary information to prevent its unauthorized disclosure; and (2) only disclose such proprietary information to its employees, agents, consultants, or subcontractors on a “need to know” basis. In addition to the above, the interested party agrees that from time to time, consistent with the terms of LLNS’ prime contract with the U.S. Government, LLNS may release proprietary information to Government personnel who administer LLNS’ prime contract. Government personnel in receipt of proprietary information are subject to confidentiality requirements pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1905.

All capability statements shall be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word or PDF file to the e-mail address johnson486@llnl.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on February 02, 2024.

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All questions pertaining to the announcement should be directed to johnson486@llnl.gov at the email addresses specified above. LLNS is not obligated to respond to or resolve all potential questions received from respondents. LLNS personnel may contact respondents to clarify a responder’s capabilities and other matters as part of this market research process.

4. INDUSTRY DAY

An industry day will be hosted by the LLNS project team on week of January 22, 2024, from

10:00 am to 2:00pm PST and will take place over WebEx. A WebEx meeting address and exact date will be provided at a later date.

The LLNS project team will present the technical requirements as explained in the RFI documents and address any questions.

5. ATTACHMENTS

The following documents are hereby incorporated as part of this RFI:

1) 3M FK-800 Resin Product Information

2) Qualifying a New Manufacturer of FK-800 for NNSA