BLU-138 Fuze Sources Sought.pdf

Sources Sought BLU-138/B Fuze System

PURPOSE

The U.S. Government (USG) is conducting market research to identify qualified sources for a potential BLU-138 Fuze System procurement. This effort will determine market competitiveness and assess the feasibility of a Small Business Set-Aside.

The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 332993 - Ammunition (except Small Arms) Manufacturing. This notice seeks industry feedback on capabilities, small business status, and preferred Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract lengths. Responses will validate acquisition strategy decisions.

This is not a solicitation and does not guarantee a future contract. The Government encourages responses from all small businesses, including 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, HUBZone, and Women-Owned.

Interested parties should provide:

• Confirmation of small business status under NAICS 332993

• Description of anticipated teaming arrangements, specifying roles of the prime and partners.

• Summary of relevant experience delivering similar services to government or commercial customers within the past three years.

DESCRIPTION

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Armament Directorate, Munitions Sustainment Division, GBU Components Branch (EBHC), Hill AFB, Utah seeks potential contractors with the technical expertise to produce:

• MLU-68: Forward Assembly Initiator Unit

• FSU-32/B: Electronic Safe and Arm Module

• FZU-60/B: Bomb Fuze Initiator.

• Interconnect System Cabling: High-reliability internal weapon routing, umbilical assemblies, data lines, and power distribution harnesses.

• M548 Ammo Cans with associated insert material for shipping and storage

The fuzing system is utilized within the BLU-138/B penetrator warhead. The MLU-68 FWD assembly is embedded in the 5,000-pound class conventional penetrating weapon with the fuze power generator, initiator, and arming and sensing module providing operational power and arming logic to the weapon. The complete weapon system fulfills the operational requirement for defeat of specific very hard and deeply buried targets (HDBT).

TECHNICAL DATA PACKAGE (TDP) AVAILABILITY

The Government does not own, possess, or have access to a complete Government-owned Technical Data Package (TDP), detailed manufacturing drawings, proprietary software/firmware source code, or component acceptance test procedures for the BLU-138/B Fuze System.

Unlike conventional acquisitions where data packages may be transferred via DoD SAFE upon request, no Technical Data Package (TDP) or manufacturing specifications will be provided by the USG for this effort.

The proprietary design, rights, tooling, and manufacturing baseline for this fuze architecture are held by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation.

Potential respondents must demonstrate that they possess, or have the legal, financial, and technical ability to independently generate, validate, and qualify an equivalent form, fit, function, and interface () TDP—including completing all non-recurring engineering (NRE), precision tooling fabrication, and full qualification testing in accordance with MIL-STD-1316 and MIL- STD-331—at no initial cost to the Government. No reimbursement will be made for costs associated with providing information. Submission is voluntary and does not guarantee award. All responses to this Sources Sought must be submitted to the points of contact below.

USG Points of Contact:

• Primary: Ryan Mitchell (ryan.mitchell.21@us.af.mil)

• Alternate: Nicholas Padgett (nicholas.padgett.2@us.af.mil)

Any additional information will be posted on SAM.gov.

KNOWN QUALIFIED VENDORS:

- Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

REQUIRED ITEM SPECIFICATIONS:

The following table describes the hardware deliverables required by this potential procurement to complete the BLU-138/B Fuze system shipset requirements.

Item Component Part /Configuration Identifier

Units Notes

1 MLU-68 Forward Assembly

Forward Assembly Initiator Unit

EA 1 per complete fuze set

2 FSU-32/B ESAM Electronic Safe & Arm Module

EA 1 per complete fuze set

3 FZU-60/B Fuze Generator Bomb Fuze Initiator EA 1 per complete fuze set 4 Interconnect System

Cabling Weapon Routing, Umbilicals, & Harness Set

EA 1 per complete fuze set

5 M548 Ammo Containers

M548 Can with Custom Damping Inserts

1 EA per

2 FWD

1 EA

per 4 EA

ESAM

Shipping and storage containers for shipsets

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested vendors should submit a capability statement demonstrating their ability to provide the required items and perform the effort described to the listed USG Points of Contact. Proposals are not being requested or accepted at this time. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted to form a binding contract. No solicitation currently exists; issuance of a solicitation will be at the Government’s sole discretion.

The assigned NAICS code is 332993 - Ammunition (except Small Arms) Manufacturing, with a standard of 1,500 employees. Respondents should indicate their business size relative to this standard and identify any applicable socio-economic status (e.g., SB, 8(a), HUBZone, EDWOSB, WOSB, SDVOSB). Additionally, please disclose if your firm is foreign owned/controlled and whether foreign nationals will be involved in this effort. The Government may consider a small business set-aside based on responses; no decision has been made. Note: Small business prime contractors must perform at least 50% of the work per FAR 52.219-14.

Responses should be submitted in Microsoft Word (docx) or Adobe PDF (pdf) format, limited to 20 single-sided pages, with 1-inch margins and 12-point font or larger.

Include the following company information:

• Company Name and Address

• Point of Contact (Name, Email, Phone)

• Website

• Business Category (per NAICS 332993) and Number of Employees

• CAGE Code

CAPABILITIES STATEMENT:

Interested contractors must submit a brief, clear capabilities statement demonstrating their ability to meet the requirements outlined in this notice. This statement is part of the 20 single-sided pages (or less) response stated above. Specifically, the response should address:

1. Manufacturing & Technical Approach in the Absence of Government TDP: Detailed explanation of how the respondent will produce conforming MLU-68, FSU-32/B, FZU- 60/B, and cabling assemblies without USG-furnished engineering drawings or proprietary manufacturing specifications.

2. Production Capacity: Demonstrated capability, facility capacity, tooling, and supply chain readiness to fabricate, assemble, inspect, screen, and deliver complete fuze shipsets at sustainable production rates.

3. Safety, Energetics, & Quality Standards: Demonstrated past experience complying with MIL-STD-1316 (Fuze Design Safety), MIL-STD-331 (Environmental and Performance Tests), and certified ISO 9001 / AS9100 quality assurance systems in dealing with explosive, energetic, and safe-and-arm hardware.

4. Supply Chain & Obsolescence Management: Proactive DMSMS management for microelectronics and critical electronic safe-and-arm components across a multi-year production lifecycle.

Direct all routine communications to the points of contact listed in this posting. Responses to this Sources Sought are for market research only and may inform future requirements, which could lead to a separate acquisition. Proprietary information must be clearly marked and segregated.

Responses will not be returned, and the Government is not obligated to acknowledge receipt or provide feedback. No bid package or solicitation exists at this time, and requests for such will not be accepted.

RESPONSE DEADLINE:

3:00 PM (MST), 15 October 2026