PALLET_(SSS_7_Jul_17)_Final_(003).docx

463L AIR CARGO PALLET

(NSN 1670-00-820-4896 CT)

CAUTION:

This market survey is being conducted to identify potential sources that may possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience to meet the requirements for qualification and production of the 463L Air Cargo Pallet for use by United States Air Force (USAF), Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and other Federal Agencies. Contractors/Institutions responding to this market research are placed on notice that participation in this survey may not ensure participation in future solicitations or contract awards. The government will not reimburse participants for any expenses associated with their participation in this survey.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Below is a document containing a description of the 463L Air Cargo Pallet requirement and a Contractor Capability Survey, which allows you to provide your company’s capability?

2. If, after reviewing these documents, you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company’s capability in meeting these requirements. Failure to provide documentation may result in the government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities. If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, etc.). Identify any areas of work that your organization believes should be broken out exclusively for Small Business.

3. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research. Joint ventures or teaming arrangements are encouraged.

Questions relative to this market survey should be addressed to Kevin Beck, (478) 222-1921 or Tim Hudson, (478) 222-1755.

4.

PURPOSE/DESCRIPTION:

The 463L cargo pallets have served the United States Logistics (military, domestic, and humanitarian) missions since 1963 with few modifications. The 463L pallet is a single purpose, air transport certified asset, measuring 88” x 108”, weighing 300 lbs. or less, and composed of an aluminum outer skins with a balsa wood core. The pallets are used for transport throughout the military airlift system which includes cargo loaders, forklifts, and conveyor systems. The cargo aircraft include the C-5, C-17, and C-130.

This RFI focuses on the current specification with two questions on future capabilities.

The purpose of this RFI is two-fold. The first is to determine your company’s capability of repairing the 463L pallets in the current configuration IAW attached drawings/PWS in the required quantities to meet Air Force demand. Projected quantities are estimated to be 3,000 pallets repaired per month.

The second is to determine if your company can manufacture the cargo pallet to a new configuration for future requirements. Alternate materials may include any one or all of the following: core, skin, adhesives, friction stir welding (FSW), or composite core fabrication.

The possibilities of new configurations are continuing to be explored for future acquisitions. The Air Force (AF) has tested a composite pallet design under a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) effort and an extruded aluminum-friction stir welded (FSW) pallet design under a Rapid Innovative Fund (RIF) effort. These designs are in accordance with structural requirements in MIL-STD-27443F. The two designs are in the process of consideration for field testing. *The applicable questions for this statement are in section B. Manufacturing and Hardware Production Questions 15 and 16.

CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY SURVEY

Part I. Business Information

Please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

· Phone Number:

· E-mail Address:

· Web Page URL:

Responses must be received no later than XX MMM 2017. Information may be e-mailed to Kevin.Beck.8@us.af.mil or Timothy.Hudson@us.af.mil. Alternately written responses (2 copies) may be submitted to:

AFLCMC/WNKAC

Attn: Kevin Beck or Tim Hudson 460 Richard Ray Boulevard Building 300, Ste 19A Robins AFB GA 31098

Questions relative to this market research should be addressed to Kevin Beck, (478) 222-1921 or Tim Hudson, (478) 222-1755.

Part II. Capability Survey Questions

A. General Capability Questions:

1. Describe briefly the capabilities of your facility and the nature of the goods and/or services you provide. Include a description of your staff composition and management structure.

2. Describe your company's past experience on previous projects similar in complexity to this requirement. Include contract numbers, a brief description of the work performed, period of performance, agency/organization supported, and individual point of contact (Contracting Officer or Program Manager).

3. What quality assurance processes and test qualification practices does your company employ? Please provide a description of your quality program (ISO 9001, AS9100, etc.)

4. Describe your company's capabilities and experience in generating technical data, engineering drawings and manuals. Identify what software programs are utilized to generate these data products and what formats are available for delivered items.

5. Describe your company’s capability to obtain or manufacture molds/tooling. Also, provide information on your type of molding process.

6. What is your company’s current maximum production capacity per month? Provide information on any facility reserves you may possess to increase production capacity in the event of an immediate need do to critical operational mission requirements.

7. Regarding the current specification for buy and repair (for an estimated 5,000 new production and 4,000 repairs per month), do you anticipate submitting a proposal?

8. Regarding the current specification for buy and repair (for an estimated 2,000 new production and 1,000 repairs per month), do you anticipate submitting a proposal?

9. Once you have ramped up to the required buy/repair quantities per month, how long would it take you to ramp up to produce an additional surge quantity of 2,000 per month?

10. Is there a maximum production/repair quantity that would prevent you from submitting a proposal? What kind of advance notice would be necessary for optional buys or what kind of lead time after an order is placed would be necessary? Please elaborate on any schedule conflicts or obstacles that would prevent you from meeting the optional buy/repair quantity.

11. How does your company accommodate surge requirements (move to two or three shifts, open new production lines, or etc)? Is there a maximum number that would prevent your company from quoting based on your capacity?

12. Are there specific requirements in the documentation that we provide that would currently preclude your product from being a viable solution to our requirement?

13. Include a detailed listing of facilities and equipment, including quantities, required to satisfy the requirements of this effort.

a. Provide an outline of the proposed process, including inspections.

b. Include a brief description of material/product flow through the manufacturing process.

14. We are anticipating awarding a 5 year Firm Fixed Price (FFP) IDIQ contract with a two year basic. Is an Economic Price Adjustment (EPA) clause necessary to cover economic fluctuations of any other material costs besides aluminum?

15. How long of a contract period of performance would you be willing to quote on?

B. Manufacturing and Hardware Production Questions:

1. Describe your capability and experiences in the manufacturing/fabrication of components.

2. What time basis (monthly, semi-annual, annual) would you purchase materials used in the repair of pallets?

3. Can you procure/obtain materials (aluminum sheets, balsa wood, extrusions) in quantities necessary to meet the estimated monthly quantities?

4. Can these materials be purchased domestically?

5. Do you have any transport agreements that would benefit the movement of pallets?

6. What time basis (monthly, semi-annual, annual) would you purchase materials used in the repair of pallets?

7. Can you procure/obtain materials (aluminum sheets, balsa wood, extrusions) in quantities necessary to meet the estimated monthly quantities?

8. Can these materials be purchased domestically?

9. Do you have any transport agreements that would benefit the movement of pallets?

10. Does your company have the capability to use the adhesive called out in MIL-DTL-27443F? The referenced paragraph is 3.2.3:

“The adhesive used for bonding the core to the skin and the rails shall be vinyl phenolic FM-47 liquid adhesive in accordance with MMM-A-132, Type I, Class 3. The adhesive to be used to bond the balsa shall be a Urea-Resin type in accordance with ASTM D4690 and the following requirements.”

11. Does your company currently have the venting system required for this adhesive in accordance with MMM-A-132, Type I, Class 3 (FM-47)? If no, what would it take to set-up the process?

12. An alternative adhesive EA 9394 was identified as a possible replacement for FM-47., using a positive pressure, elevated temperature cure. If this adhesive passes full scale testing, would your company implement as a replacement to FM-47 and would this result in cost savings/additions?

13. Does your company have experience with aluminum surface preparation for adhesively bonding panels in accordance with ASTM E864 (Sulfuric Acid-Sodium Dichromate or Sulfo-Ferric Etch)? If yes, provide an example of how the etching process is utilized. If no, what would it take to set-up the process?

14. Does your company have experience with aluminum surface preparation for adhesively bonding panels to wood panels which are used as structural components? Provide an example.

15. *What is your experience with fabrication of aluminum extrusions? What is your experience with integrating aluminum extrusions into the manufacturing process? What is your experience with Friction Stir Welding (FSW)?

16. *What is your knowledge of composite resin manufacturing? Pultrusion manufacturing? Infusion molding composites?

C. Software Development Questions:

Describe your capabilities and experience in managing software development projects, including subcontractor involvement. Include any experience in project planning, work breakdown structures, resource allocations, schedule tracking, risk analysis and cost management.

D. Repair Questions:

1. Describe your capabilities and experience in modifying existing systems/equipment to solve maintenance and support problems in the depot environment.

2. Describe your capabilities and experience in developing/modifying repair or maintenance procedures. Include associated upgrade of technical orders and preparation of new technical orders.

3. Describe your configuration management processes and how you identify and resolve parts obsolescence and diminishing manufacturing sources problems?

4. Describe your process for maintaining inventory records and reporting on hand/in work balances and repair status to your customer.

5. Describe your company’s process to establish, conduct, document, and maintain a corrosion prevention control program for components made from steel alloys.

E. Commerciality Questions:

1. Are there established catalog or market prices for our requirement? If you offer this product and/or service to both U.S. Government and commercial sources, is the same workforce used for both the U.S. Government and general public? Is our requirement offered to both under similar terms and conditions? Briefly describe any differences.

2. Describe your standard warranty and return process for goods and services furnished to the government for items similar in nature to this requirement.

SPECIFICATION:

MIL-DTL-27443F DETAILED SPECIFICATION PALLETS, CARGO, AIRCRAFT, TYPE HCU-6/ AND HCU-12/E Draft PWS dated 7 July 2017 attached with changes and additions

DRAWINGS: