Ammended_Questions_for_Offerors_on_Metal_Plating.pdf

Questions to ask potential bidders/contractors for Vandenberg plating workload.

1. How often do you sample the chemistry of your electroplating tanks?

2. How do you track all the chemical testing and physical testing that is required in order to keep the plating processes in compliance with all of the different customer’s specifications?

3. What actions would your company take if one of your chromium plating tanks failed an adhesion test?

4. What actions would your company take if your cadmium plating tank failed an embrittlement test?

5. Many of the missiles components are high strength steel (above 180 ksi) which would preclude the use of brighteners in the cadmium plating tank. Does your company have a cadmium plating tank that meets the requirements of AMS-QQ-P-416 and does not have brighteners?

6. Two examples of components that need processing are the cylinder actuator (PN 25-66903) which is 12” external diameter, 110” long and 9.5” internal diameter; and the rocker arm multiplying linkage (25-73667) which is 20” by 10” by 8”. The cylinder actuator requires chromium plating and grinding on most of the 9.5” internal diameter and the rest of the surfaces (internal and external) require cadmium plating. The rocker arm multiplying linkage has several through holes of 3-4” diameter that are circular or oblong that need electroless nickel followed by chrome plating over the electroless nickel. Please submit the maximum size component (in dimension and weight) that your company can handle for each of the processes described in paragraphs 3.1.5 through 3.1.14 of the Metal Plating Basic IDIQ SOW.

7. What type of bake ovens will be used for embrittlement relief after electroplating? Are they certified to AMS2750?

8. What quality systems do you adhere to? (NADCAP, ISO9000 etc.) If the quality system is industry recognized, please furnish copies of your current quality systems certifications.

9. Does your company maintain any other relevant professional certifications? If so, please furnish copies of your current professional certifications.

10. If your company doesn’t meet DPS 9.28, DPS 9.67, or DPS 9.76-1 are you able to establish relationships with other companies that you could subcontract to in order to fulfill that requirement?

11. If you subcontract to other vendors to complete a portion of the work, how do you flow down quality requirements; i.e. –how do you ensure that subcontracted vendors still adhere to a minimum quality standard as required in this contract?

12. What material handling methods (transport and protection) do you use for transport of components in-house?

13. What type of external shipping methods will your company be using to meet the needs of this contract?