Amendment 2_ATCH01_AMPPAC IDIQ SOO.docx

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Solicitation #: FA2394-24-R-BXXX Contract #: FA2394-24-D-XXXX 1 March 2024 Attachment 1

FA2394-24-R-B006

19 April 2024

Aerospace Materials Processing, Performance and Characterization

(AMPPAC)

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES (SOO)

1. Program Objectives: The primary objective of this program is to research, assess, develop, test, evaluate, prototype, demonstrate, and transition technologies that support the processing, behavior characterization, and performance prediction of advanced aerospace materials. Specific technologies developed under this effort will be relevant to a variety of materials systems including but not limited to polymer matrix composites, ceramic matrix composites, carbon matrix composites, multifunctional composites, and metals. Materials discovery using advanced chemistries and the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence tools will expand the materials portfolio. The anticipated technologies developed under this program will enable material processing and system concurrent design through integrated computational materials engineering, materials discovery, process optimization, manufacturing anomaly assessment, damage tolerance life-based sustainment, residual life/stress analysis, and root cause investigations. In addition, technologies will be developed to test, characterize, and model material behavior in application and processing relevant environments that include extreme environments (e.g., temperature, chemical active or inert environment, radiation) in both terrestrial atmospheric conditions from subsonic to hypersonic speeds as well as space. Consideration should be given of the key material attribution at all pertinent scales from the atomistic (i.e., nano) to micro (e.g., fiber diameter, grain diameter), meso (e.g., tow morphology) and macro (e.g., coupon, sub-element) scales depending on what attributes dictate the overall processability and performance for the specific material system being investigated. Further, support is required to maintain, operate, and improve the material characterization, processing and evaluation laboratory at the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, to include enabling a digital transformation for more efficient data management, sharing and utilization, providing a seamless infrastructure for behavior characterization and processing/performance prediction. As a result, this effort will improve mission readiness, reduce cost (both production and life cycle sustainment), improve manufacturing, maximize systems safety, and reduce adverse environmental impact of aerospace materials. The program shall be responsive to a wide variety of DAF customers, including the Major Commands (MAJCOMs), logistics centers, operational units, acquisition offices, other AFRL organizations, and key outside organizations to enable product transition and implementation and meet mission goals. Components of this work shall be performed onsite at Wright-Patterson AFB and off-site at contractor-owned facilities.

2. Key Technical Thrust Areas

2.1. The contractor shall demonstrate technical experience and capability to identify, develop, evaluate, and transition material characterization and performance technologies related to the following key technology areas: 1) Multiscale physics-based thermo-mechanical response and process modeling, 2) enviro-thermo-mechanical and processing structure-property characterization in relevant environments, 3) artificial intelligence and machine learning assisted performance/processing prognosis, and materials discovery, 4) high-performance scientific computing methods and software development, 5) coupled mechanical and processing behavior dependent on functional performance of multifunctional and resilient materials, and 6) Data analytics. Principal issues in these key technical areas include (but are not limited to) behavior characterization and performance/processing prediction to support design, development, sustainment, and integration of materials for existing and future air and space applications. This program requires an understanding of the enviro-thermo-mechanical and functional (e.g., dielectric, electro-magnetic) behavior during processing and in performance through in-situ experimental monitoring (e.g., optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, x-ray CT, x-ray diffraction, acoustic emission, digital image correlation, resistivity, rheology) of aerospace material systems as well as a knowledge of manufacturing, sustainment, and operational environments for both air and space systems. The contractor shall provide a strong on-site research competency at the Materials and Manufacturing directorate to support the government team as well as any necessary teaming with outside technical specialists and laboratories to meet current mission requirements.

2.2. The contractor shall provide personnel and expertise to perform the work listed below across each of the key technical thrust areas. Contractor shall perform the work either in Government-owned and/or contractor-owned facilities, as determined by the Government.

2.2.1. Develop and evaluate material behavior characterization and performance/processing prediction tools for material and enviro-thermo-mechanical and process response evaluation, failure analysis, nondestructive evaluation, and characterization of in-service degradation of materials relevant to current air and space systems for the DAF. Evaluation shall comply with accepted test standards except as directed by the designated Contracting Officer. For instances where standard test methods are inadequate or do not exist, the contractor shall utilize expertise in test method development to suggest the proper test methodology or adjustments to the standard.

2.2.2. Contribute to advanced development, demonstrations, and prototypes of the developed technologies.

2.2.3. Perform all actions required to evaluate materials, components, systems, software, or processes at DAF facilities or at specialty facilities of specialty partners. In addition, the contractor shall support necessary in field or flight testing.

2.2.4. Transition developed characterization and performance prediction solutions to the customer and aid in successful implementation.

2.2.5. Maintain, establish, and enhance world-class material behavior and characterization facilities located onsite at Wright-Patterson AFB.

2.2.6. Maintain, establish, and enhance world-class material processing facilities located onsite at Wright-Patterson AFB.

2.3. Key Technical Thrust Details

2.3.1. Multiscale physics-based thermo-mechanical response and process modeling. As required, the contractor shall:

2.3.1.1. Develop and utilize a wide range of process and performance prediction tools including (but not limited to) first principles calculations, molecular dynamics, discrete damage modeling, continuum damage modeling, and process modeling to enable computationally assisted design, manufacturing, and sustainment of structural and multifunctional systems. As necessary, approaches should consider the multiscale response (i.e., the connection between micromechanics and macromechanics) to capture pertinent behavior at all relevant scales, coupled physics such as the aero-thermo-mechanical response, and advanced processing simulations as needed for specific applications.

2.3.1.2. Develop new models and modeling approaches to predict the enviro-mechanical evolution and defect/heterogeneity evolution of composites in high moisture, high temperature or high radiation environments and emerging processing conditions. Approaches should consider material degradation, swelling, or recession in relevant use environments. Models will include prediction of pyrolysis, oxidation, and ablation along with other chemical changes and defect/heterogeneity development as necessary for the relevant applications.

2.3.1.3. Develop process models that predict the salient resulting microstructural and mesostructural features, enabling the exploration of process-to-structure relationships and design of advanced composite material architectures across scales.

2.3.1.4. Utilize modeling results to inform and implement novel processing techniques to improve performance as needed for specific applications. As needed, validate and verify models/ techniques utilizing traditional and novel material processing and characterization techniques.

2.3.1.5. Develop constitutive models spanning from the crystal scale to the component scale capable of predicting performance and material evolution of metallic materials in relevant environments.

2.3.2. Enviro-mechanical and processing structure-property characterization in relevant environments. As required, the contractor shall:

2.3.2.1. Execute material behavior characterization studies to understand the mechanical response and processing behavior of relevant materials using standardized testing protocols. Additionally, the contractor shall develop new testing methodologies and test standards when existing standards are not sufficient to answer the necessary questions being addressed. Experimental based performance evaluation will include but is not limited to standardized testing to measure tension, compression, and shear properties as well as interlaminar tension and interlaminar shear. Experimental based process evaluation will include but is not limited to standardized testing to measure viscosity, defect density, maps of heterogeneities, including crosslink density and crystallinity during advanced processing routes, such as additive manufacturing. Additionally testing may be required depending on mission requirements to include measurements of crack growth rates and fracture energies. As deemed necessary, based on specific testing objective, contractor will also consider in situ monitoring during testing and processing (e.g., optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, x-ray CT, x-ray diffraction, acoustic emission, digital image correlation, resistivity, rheology) to maximize the information gathered during each experiment and to support modeling efforts of the other technical thrusts.

2.3.2.2. Characterize material enviro-thermo-mechanical and processing behavior in extreme environments (e.g., moisture, temperature, chemical, radiative) using standardized tests or when necessary, develop new testing protocols when existing standards are not sufficient. Contractor will provide relevant expertise for testing in extreme environments for a wide range of applications for both air and space systems. Relevant expertise includes but is not limited to the ability to test up 1400 oC in air and up to 2500 oC in an inert environment as well as knowledge of space radiation relevant to space systems. New in-situ monitoring capability should be developed to monitor material response during processing and in service in extreme environments.

2.3.2.3. Characterize composite material state across relevant material scales using advanced non-destructive and destructive material evaluation techniques including optical microscopy, electron-based microscopy, serial sectioning, X-ray computed tomography (CT), etc.

2.3.2.4. Perform testing at the microscale with appropriate in-situ monitoring (e.g., optical microscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray CT, X-ray diffraction, acoustic emission, digital image correlation, resistivity) to identify the fundamental damage mechanisms that dictate material behavior.

2.3.2.5. Contractor shall partner with and perform tests at relevant partner facilities for specialized testing such as mechanical testing and process evaluation during in situ monitoring at national synchrotron radiation facilities as deemed necessary to satisfy overall program objectives.

2.3.2.6. Contractor shall develop automated tools for image processing and computer vision for rapid microstructure/morphology quantification and damage monitoring based on material data collected from in-situ experiments.

2.3.3. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) assisted performance/processing prognosis and materials discovery. As required, the contractor shall:

2.3.3.1. Develop approaches that leverage state-of-the art artificial intelligence and machine learning frameworks to a) model relationships between the materials and their response functions and properties, and b) improve on current state-of-the-art multiscale/multi-physics tools to address terrestrial and space environments needs.

2.3.3.2. Leverage the AI/ML approaches developed here to support the enviro-thermo-mechanical modeling in task 2.3.1 and vice versa. Additionally, it is anticipated that the data generated in task 2.3.2 will be leveraged to support development and training of the AI/ML approaches developed in this task.

2.3.3.3. Contractor shall leverage AI/ML tools to accelerate materials discovery for in-silico and lab-based frameworks.

2.3.4. High-performance scientific computing methods and software development. As required, the contractor shall:

2.3.4.1. Mature existing computational tools to effectively leverage modern and emerging high-performance computing systems. Performance critical algorithms should follow distributed and heterogenous computing paradigms using modern frameworks.

2.3.4.2. Develop novel numerical methods to increase the scale of problems that are tractable with the computing resources available, including improved methods for solving nonlinear systems of equations, efficient and scalable solution methods for large sparse systems of equations, effective physics-informed preconditioners, and adaptive models that enable multiscale damage simulations.

2.3.4.3. Integrate relevant computational tools, which is anticipated to include models developed in tasks 2.3.1 and 2.3.3, to enable efficient simulations that involve multiple physics and length scales.

2.3.4.4. Adhere to modern DevOps practices, including version control and a continuous deployment philosophy.

2.3.5. Multi-functional and resilient materials. As required, the contractor shall:

2.3.5.1. Characterize and predict the influence of mechanical loads and processing induced defects/heterogeneities on the functional performance (e.g. dielectric, electro-magnetic) for relevant aerospace material systems.

2.3.5.2. Characterize microstructure and defects of multifunctional materials along with failure mechanisms and processing response such as environmental degradation, electrical overstress, electrostatic discharge (ESD), dielectric breakdown, brittle and ductile fracture along with electrical arcing, arc erosion, interfaces and interphases, thermal patterns, and chemical and environmental degradation, defect evolution and heterogeneities. Characterization also includes nanoscale to macroscale analysis of chemistry, morphology, and mechanical properties (e.g., modulus, strength, stiffness, fatigue, creep, durability, mechanical adhesion and rheology) and correlation with other functional properties (e.g., electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, thermo-mechanical, opto-electrical, magnetic, and optical).

2.3.6. Data analytics. As required, the contractor shall:

2.3.6.1. Develop data analytics tools and approaches for seamless flow from experimental characterization and testing to materials modeling and performance/processing prediction.

2.3.6.2. Work with and expand existing data infrastructure to insure a seamless workflow throughout the data lifecycle from generation to analysis and data archiving.

2.3.6.3. Ensure the data is easily searchable and, in a form, amenable to be used employed the latest data analytics tools to include machine learning and artificial intelligence.

2.3.6.4. Establish a robust system that effortlessly links data ingestion and analysis from multiple process streams among multiple users and all metadata will automatically be tracked and recorded for future reference.

3. Management Objectives

3.1. The contractor shall provide administrative oversight necessary to plan, coordinate, schedule, and report all the contractor activities in the performance of this program. This includes personnel for both program and financial management.

3.1.1. The contractor shall propose in detail the rationale, objective, approach, schedule, milestones, and deliverables for each task order and sub-tasks/projects. To ensure the successful completion of efforts under this program, the contractor shall perform administrative and financial management functions relating to each task order such as the following: coordinating and scheduling activities and milestones, reviewing status; outlining activity and progress toward accomplishment of objectives; planning, forecasting, and providing recommendations regarding funding and funding changes; program planning; and describing in detail the overall conduct and results of the effort. It is imperative that earned work is properly tracked and invoiced monthly to ensure contract expenditures stay on track with forecasted spend plans for all task orders.

3.1.2. The contractor shall be allowed flexibility to manage program cost, schedule, performance, risks, subcontractors, and data requirements yet shall provide the government clear visibility into program cost, schedule, technical performance, and risk.

3.1.3. The contractor shall conduct regularly scheduled meetings to keep the AF Program Manager (PM) informed regarding program status, manpower issues, and budget status. The budget shall be broken down into individual efforts performed during the monthly reporting period.

4. Associate Contractor Agreements: The Contractor shall enter in Associate Contractor Agreements (ACA) for any portion of the contract requiring joint participation in the accomplishment of the Government’s requirement. The agreements shall include the basis for sharing information, data, technical knowledge, expertise, and/or resources, which shall ensure the greatest degree of cooperation for the development of the program to meet the terms of the contract.

5. Deliverables

5.1. The contractor shall generate and provide data in accordance with the following CDRLs:

5.2. The contractor shall deliver all data in accordance with the listed CDRLs. The deliverables under this contract shall include the following: data items, test samples, any acquired or modified special test equipment, residual materials from manufactured products, material characterization measurements, test data, activity reports, written evaluation reports, and scientific and technical papers. The contractor shall document work plans, process details, test methods, and data acquired for all efforts. All broken and untested specimens and residual materials shall be retained and delivered to the designated Government office at the completion of this contract, unless disposed of per Government direction during contract performance. All test and/or demonstration data collected during the analyses performed under this contract, including laboratory analysis, review of supplied technical documents, specialized technical publication, or recommendations (technical order procedures, specifications, etc.), or presentations or presentation materials cannot be released outside the Air Force without the approval of the designated Government office.

5.3. The contractor shall maintain a complete inventory of all contractually accountable equipment. All items designed/developed, purchased, fabricated, modified, or obtained by the contractor in performance of this contract shall be delivered to the Government at the completion of this contract.

5.4. The contractor shall deliver computer software which may include but is not limited to data reduction and visualization codes, in-situ sensor data analysis code, process modeling software, machine learning algorithms, machine control codes, source code and executable code as requested by the Government. The contractor shall deliver data and metadata objects in a human readable format with the intent of having open access to the data without requiring software licenses.

5.5. The contractor shall deliver hardware, which may include, but is not limited to, AM post-processing and safety equipment, sensors, special test equipment, finished research samples and residual test materials.

6. Special Considerations

6.1. Security

6.1.1. Personnel/Facilities: The contractor shall perform work under this contract up to the TOP SECRET, Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special Access Program (SAP) levels of classification. The contractor shall assure that all employees comply with all security requirements (to include those imposed by the local commander during execution of specific Task Orders requiring Base Support). This compliance shall be accomplished by all employees, and they shall follow the instructions of the local organizational commander pertaining to security. The contractor shall abide by all security regulations set forth by the government for all projects associated with SCI and SAP. Personnel may be required to act as a courier for classified data or materials. Other requirements for dealing with SCI and SAP shall be detailed more completely in the DD Form 254. The contractor shall obtain favorable National Agency Check w/Inquiries (NACI) (or higher as required by contractual Task Order requirements to be established) investigations for its employees who require entrance to restricted areas and/or access to restricted information. The contractor shall contact the 88th Security Forces Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, to initiate this requirement. All contractors shall participate in all activities associated with the disciplines of the organization’s Information Security, Operations Security and Antiterrorism programs, following appropriate measures in each program during the performance of this contract.

6.1.2. The contractor shall require access to SIPRNET and JWICS to review intelligence related to threats associated with specific materials and structures for aerospace applications. In addition, contractors will have to perform characterization and analysis of classified materials and structures and record the data using the appropriate information technology systems.

6.1.3. Security Requirements - Information Regarding Non-US Citizens Assigned to this Project:

(a) Contractor employees requiring access to USAF bases, AFRL facilities, and/or access to U.S. Government Information Technology (IT) networks in connection with the work on this contract shall be U.S. citizens. For base and network access, possession of a permanent resident card (“Green Card”) does not equate to U.S. citizenship. This requirement does not apply to foreign nationals approved by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. State Department under international personnel exchange agreements with foreign governments. Any waivers to this requirement shall be granted in writing by the Contracting Officer prior to providing access. The above requirements are in addition to any other contract requirements related to obtaining a Common Access Card (CAC).

(b) For purposes of paragraph (a) above, if an IT network/system does not require AFRL to endorse a contractor’s application to said network/system to gain access, the organization operating the IT network/system is responsible for controlling access to its system. If an IT network/system requires an U.S. Government sponsor to endorse the application for access to the IT network/system; AFRL shall only endorse the following types of applications; consistent with the requirements above:

(1) Contractor employees who are U.S. citizens performing work under this contract.

(2) Contractor employees who are non-U.S. citizens and who have been granted a waiver.

Any additional access restrictions established by the IT network/system owner apply.

6.1.4. Operations Security (OPSEC): The contractor shall participate in all activities associated with the disciplines of the organization’s Industrial Security, Information Security, Personnel Security, Operations Security (OPSEC), and Antiterrorism programs, following appropriate measures in each program as required for this particular contract. Security measures are required to reduce program vulnerability from successful adversary collection, exploitation of critical information, and violations of export control requirements. The prime contractor shall ensure all subcontractors, if applicable, conform to these requirements as required by the prime contractor.

6.1.5. Program Protection Plan (PPP): Any potential Critical Program Information (CPI) generated as part of this effort shall be reviewed to determine the need for a PPP or to be included as part of an existing PPP.

6.1.6. Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI): The contractor shall ensure that personnel associated with this effort have annual training on OPSEC as well as Information Handling, Marking, Storage, Transmission, Release, Destruction and Reporting points related to CUI.

6.1.7. Sharing of Information: Approval of technical and programmatic information shared external to this effort shall be approved by the government program manager.

6.2. Base Support

6.2.1. This effort shall require both on-site performance at the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/RX) and off-site performance at the contractor's own facilities. The AFRL/RX has laboratory facilities for research and development, rapid response evaluations, environmental durability, to include rain erosion, and non-destructive inspection and base support shall be provided (to include various equipment and support items). The contractor may conduct work in the key technical areas utilizing its own in-house capability.

6.2.2. Contractor shall meet applicable installation operational and testing requirements for any energy and resource technology efforts requiring prototype operational testing on existing CONUS or OCONUS USAF/USSF or DOD installations.

6.3. Government Furnished Property (GFP)/Contractor Acquired Property (CAP): GFP and/or CAP provided by the government shall be marked, accounted for, and maintained by the contractor. All GFP and/or CAP items shall be returned or delivered to the government upon contract completion.

6.4. Processes and Equipment

6.4.1. Due to the requirement for reliability of data generated under this program, the contractor shall use accredited processes and equipment. At a minimum, for the elastomeric material work under the Composites & Polymer Systems technical thrust area, the contractor shall be certified and accredited to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025.

6.4.2. The contractor shall be provided with various expendable materials, samples, test specimens, chemicals, bench stock supplies and office supplies items common to AFRL/RX projects, when available, for evaluations conducted during the performance of the task orders.

6.4.3. The contractor shall be responsible for the general maintenance of occupied Government facilities. The contractor shall keep all office and laboratory space that is used or occupied within the facility clean and safe. The contractor shall ensure all maintenance tasks associated with equipment upkeep and calibration is performed and maintained as recommended in accordance with the equipment maintenance manuals and as required by accreditation certification.

6.4.4. Necessary special purpose materials, special test equipment, and associated hardware/software neither contractor owned nor available as GFP or base support equipment shall be procured and maintained by the contractor upon Government approval.

6.4.5. Contactor shall attend meetings involving materials development, testing, evaluation, and sustainment activities to support the objectives of this program. In addition, the contractor shall maintain a high level of expertise by attending technical society conferences, training seminars, or courses of instruction. These activities shall be coordinated with the Air Force project engineer in advance.

6.4.6. Data shall be reported in metric (SI) and English units where appropriate. Where standard practice dictates the use of only one system, only that system of units shall be required.

6.4.7. The contractor shall thoroughly document all test and evaluation results, observations, factual data, and other pertinent information obtained during each investigation and/or evaluation. Test plans detailing specific projects shall be written capturing background/purpose, test matrix, schedule, security, deliverables, material destruction plan, and approval. The contractor shall provide digital and/or photographic images throughout all stages of the evaluation (when possible/allowed under security constraints). The contractor shall also document new test methods.

6.5. Task Ordering: Specific task orders shall be created, as needed, using requirements to be established. The Air Force Contracting Officer shall issue task orders, and no effort shall be conducted until such task orders have been awarded.

6.6. Environmental Impact: The contractor shall assess the environmental consequences of the technology being developed from the standpoint of the project itself and from the standpoint of potential future scale ups to production-sized quantities. If the technology results in adverse environmental consequences, the contractor shall provide suggestions for making the technology environmentally acceptable and indicate what impact these suggestions have on the technology from an economic standpoint.

6.7. Hazardous Materials

6.7.1. The contractor shall receive, handle, store, and dispose of all potentially hazardous equipment, hardware, or materials (to include but not limited to solvents, paints, cleaners, etc.) according to all OSHA, Federal, State, local, and applicable international laws, restrictions, and requirements and shall adhere to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

6.7.2. The contract shall specify that it does not require the contractor to use Class I Ozone Depleting Substances identified in the Air Force policy nor does it require the delivery of these Class I Ozone Depleting Substances in any item or as part of any services. This effort does not involve the purchase of any item containing radioactive materials, however the NDE work may require equipment which produces ionizing radiation. There are no special atmospheric requirements for this system, no water resources, and no biological wastes. There are no construction requirements. The contractor shall be responsible for coordinating disposal of hazardous or chemical materials used on-site with the Air Force Materials and Manufacturing IMMO office.

6.8. System Safety: This acquisition requires periodic design and modification to both new and existing experimental equipment. As required, the contractor shall conduct preliminary, subsystem and system-level hazard analyses. Any existing hazard analyses shall be updated and revised to reflect the current design of equipment. The contractor shall adhere to system safety principles. The contractor shall comply with Air Force and Industry recognized safety practices.

6.9. Travel: To address the needs of the program efforts, communication with various weapons systems engineers, operational and depot maintainers, government contractors, industry, and academia shall be maintained, as needed. Travel to meetings, conferences, end-user’s facilities, depot or operational locations, and other government or industry locations may be necessary for the efforts. At the conclusion of each trip, the contractor shall document the results of the trip.

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