Sample_task__1Cr_and_Cd_SOO_Phase_II_(Nov14)rev2_(1)_2014-12-18.docx

Task xx

Chromium and Cadmium-Free Alternatives Effort

IDIQ

xxxxxx 2015 TASK ORDER: xxxxxxxx

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Product Support Engineering Division (EZP) Department of the Air Force Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), OH

POCs:

Program Manager:

Frank Erdman, AFLCMC/EZP Phone: (937) 255-7869 Fax: (937) 255-7791 E-mail: Francis.Erdman@us.af.mil

GSA:

Benny Reyes Phone: (937) 937-431-5530 Fax: (937) 431-0137 E-mail: benny.reyes@gsa.gov

1. BACKGROUND: Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6) and cadmium (Cd) have been widely used in the aerospace industry and the Department of Defense (DoD) due to its excellent corrosion resistance, adhesion, and lubricity characteristics. However, both Cr6 and Cd are toxic metals and human carcinogens, which are heavily regulated in the United States and the European Union. DoD, Air Force, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policies require the AF to eliminate both Cr6 and Cd uses and exposures. During last few years OSHA issued multiple citations against AF depots. Executive Order 13423 of January 24, 2007 “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management” requires government agencies to reduce use and dispose of toxic and hazardous materials, including Cr6 and Cd. The Under Secretary of Defense Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 12-003 “Control and Management of Surface Accumulations from Lead, Hexavalent Chromium, and Cadmium Operations” directs the DoD to employ a procedures to minimize accumulations of hazardous chemicals - lead, chromium, and cadmium.

Numerous efforts to find suitable substitutes for both Cr6 and Cd have been tested by AFRL. Low Hydrogen Embrittlement (LHE) Zn-Ni electroplating proved to be a leading candidate for Cd replacement within the AF. Boeing Defense and Ogden Maintenance Complex at Hill AFB have qualified LHE Zn-Ni in place of Cd for landing gear maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. However, there are still numerous processes and components such as brush plating, low strength steel components, fasteners, and electrical connectors that still require Cd. Although hard chrome alternatives have been implemented across the AF such as High Velocity Oxygen Fuel, hexavalent chromium is still used heavily on outer mold line, fuel tanks, support equipment, interiors of AF weapon systems as well as on various components such as landing gear. Workers are exposed during coating application as well as during removal and repair operations.

In traditional brush plating applications, which are “open” processes, the Cd solution is exposed and drips from surfaces, requiring extensive clean up. This effort plans to demonstrate, validate, and qualify a novel brush electroplating technology and qualify and implement Zinidal Zinc-Nickel (Zn-Ni) coating as a Cadmium replacement for spot repair operation on military aircraft. The Dalistick station is a closed loop brush plating system that recovers residual plating solution and provides for the reuse of solution through a novel closed loop process. This capture of solution is possible even on varied surfaces at different angles and curvatures without solution loss. The system is designed to be able to provide plating and surface finishing repairs both in the field and at depot facilities. Zinidal Aero Zn-Ni is a substitute candidate for Cd that shows great promise in aerospace applications. The Zinidal coating uses 10-20 wt% Ni and 80-90 wt% Zn and can be applied at varying thicknesses. The station and solution together are currently in use on Dassault aircraft, French missiles, and F-18s used by the Spanish Air Force.

2. SCOPE OF WORK/OBJECTIVE: There are two main focuses of this effort. The first effort is to research product support engineering solutions that will help the AF reduce life cycle costs, reduce environmental burden and increase worker safety and weapon system readiness thru implementation of cost effective engineering solutions. The research efforts will identify cost effective technology solutions across the weapon system enterprise that can be qualified and validated across multiple weapon systems that will reduce weapon system life cycle costs in both production and sustainment/maintenance facilities (such as depots, GOCOs, field units, paint facilities, repair operations, etc), associated environmental burden, increase worker safety and improve readiness. Research will focus on product support engineering areas that have the greatest potential to reduce costs, improve readiness and decrease environmental burden while ensuring airworthiness considerations are addressed. Such areas include but are not limited to hexavalent chromium elimination on all weapon systems (both new and legacy platforms); cadmium elimination on fasteners, electrical connectors, and weapon system components; conditioned based maintenance practices to include developing a prototype system that leverages all best practices across the AF, other services, and industry; product support engineering processes such as Critical Safety Items (CSI), and necessary tools and standard processes; improved reliability and maintainability practices, processes, and tools that focus on achieving a Center of Excellence philosophy focused on improving workforce, providing tool kit to program offices, developing governing protocols, and improving communication; other materials and technologies that will reduce the environmental burden on the production and maintenance communities, reduce life cycle costs, and improve readiness while ensuring the worker safety improves such a robotic application effort such as paint and nondestructive inspections (NDI) to reduce worker exposure to hazardous materials; and improved coating system strategy that identifies opportunities for improved performance while reducing exposure to hazardous materials.

The second focus is to demonstrate/ validate proven commercial off the shelf brush electroplating technology known as Dalistick, which enables selective electrochemical treatments without leakage of electrolyte/hazardous chemical solution; and qualify and implement Zinidal Aero Zn-Ni coating as Cd replacement for spot repair operations on military weapon systems. This effort will accomplish a full evaluation of Zinidal (ZN-Ni) coating, brush plated over bare steel substrates using a Dalistick Station to include testing and evaluation of Zinidal coatings, employed in several repair scenarios – over tank-plated Cd, LHE Zn-Ni, and IVD AL. The effort will also develop transition plans to ensure the new qualified brush plating material and technology will be implemented across AF repair facilities to include depot, GOCO, and field level repairs. Zinidal coating will be qualified for brush repair operations across the weapon system enterprise using the airworthiness process for material and process substitution for successful qualification and approval. A follow-on phase is expected to include transitioning the Dalistick Station to depot, GOCO and field operations, final process demonstration, technology transition and final reports. The Contractor shall submit a full proposal for the follow-on effort to transition the system which includes a detailed cost estimate and schedule.

3. CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor shall provide full proposals for both focus areas (a) Product Support Engineering Research efforts which should include recommendations for each focus area and recommended priorities across focus areas that will eventually integrate with the airworthiness bulletin on material and process substitutions and (b) Process to fully qualify and validate brush plating for repair requirements using Zinidal Aero Zn-Ni with the Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Dalistick Station. The proposals shall include the following:

3.1. Product Support Engineering Action Plan

3.1.1. Product Support Engineering Action Plan Development

The Contractor shall perform research across focus areas that will be used to help execute the enterprise product support engineering strategy that ensures a cost effective engineering approach is achieved using airworthiness considerations which include as a minimum (but not limited to) the following focus areas: Detailed communication plan to focus both on both internal and external customers; the communication plan is critical to ensure the tenets if the product support engineering strategy is executed and communicated to affected stakeholders to improve successful implementation, research will include state-of-the-art communication tools and processes that should be employed to improve and strengthen communication; research commercially available hexavalent chromium elimination solutions that address future opportunity areas for weapon systems using the airworthiness approach that factors in life cycle costs, worker exposure considerations and risk, and technology maturity – solutions will be prioritized for future implementation based on risk and costs and potential for implementation; research on other commercially available environmental/energy solutions that impact weapon system sustainment dependent on current and future EPA/ESOH regulations such as but not limited to environmentally friendly paints, cleaning processes or materials, corrosion control; research the state of Conditioned Based Maintenance plus (CBM+) tools currently available that includes best practices, recommended process and policy changes, recommendations for a pilot program within the AF, and tools to include prognostics such as sensors that includes portfolio management considerations, data warehousing, leveraging IT best practices and way ahead – research shall include currently employed CBM practices across the aerospace industry; research reliability and maintainability (R&M) tools, best practices, guidance that focuses on improving the workforce skills, expanding R&M tool kit, expanding governing protocols identifying gaps, and ensuring communication occurs across the Center. All research efforts should be focused across both acquisition and sustainment phases of life cycle and should be focused on potential solutions that could be implemented across all weapon systems that focus on reducing risk, cost, readiness, environmental considerations and worker safety, and airworthiness considerations; sustainment considerations for reducing maintenance costs and improving readiness and reducing environmental burden on weapon systems; The Contractor may recommend additional research areas to the government for consideration. All research areas should focus on ready available solutions for both production and sustainment/maintenance facilities and processes or applications that affect product support decisions. Each research area will include a list of potential solutions, solution priorities, and recommendation for future implementation/qualification using airworthiness bulletin for material and process substitutions, enterprise considerations and will leverage work that is already being accomplished in this area. The conclusions and priorities should include life cycle costs, readiness/maturity, airworthiness risk, environmental burden, and worker safety as a factor for implementation.

Full Evaluation and Qualification of Zinidal Coating

3.2.1. Execution of Joint Test Protocol (JTP)

The Contractor shall procure, prepare, and perform qualification testing in accordance with the already developed Joint Test Protocol. Tests include paint adhesion, salt spray on unscribed and scribed specimens, hydrogen embrittlement, re-embrittlement, resistance to galvanic corrosion, stripping, SO2 resistance. Number and configuration of specimens shall be followed within specimens description defined in JTP. Coating performance shall be identified, captured, and analyzed and a final test report with all results shall be developed and provided to both Air Force and ESTCP. The Contractor shall develop all artifacts required as part of the airworthiness process. The final test plan will be coordinated with all stakeholders including EN Senior Leaders, Air Force Program offices, AFRL stakeholders, the production and maintenance communities, MAJCOMs, and other DoD Stakeholders. This is an ESTCP funded effort and deliverables required by ESTCP will also be provided to the Government PI. Several scenarios shall be employed for coating deposition using Zinidal with the Dalistick:

· On bare steel substrates (4340, 300M) using processing steps recommended by vendor. Conversion coating applied for Zn-Ni Type 2 brush process (with supplementary surface treatment, SAE AMS2451/9) will be SIFCO 5030 (trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] conversion coating (CC) for Zn-Ni Brush Plating), approved by U.S. Air Force (DRW No.201027457Solution For Use in LHE Zinc-Nickel Plating On High Strength Steel Substrate (>180 KSI)Landing Gear Components).

· Over tank plated Cd and IVD Al to ensure compatibility of Zinidal chemistry with existing coatings on weapon systems components.

· Over LHE Zn-Ni tank plated sections according to USAF DRW No.201027457 section 3.2.7 Brush Plating to ensure Zn-Ni chemistries compatibility. Zn-Ni tank plated panels will be processed with approved products Dipsol IZC17+ LHE Zn-Ni coating and Dipsol IZ-264 Cr(III)CC.

· Over a simulated damaged Zn-Ni area (USAF DRW No.201027457 section 3.2.7 Brush Plating). The simulated damage area will be created masking off area in the center of tested coupon prior to plating using the plating tank. After plating the masking will be removed exposing a bare strip to be brush plated.

3.2.2. Cost Benefit Analysis and Industrial Risk Health Assessment The Contractor shall develop a detailed cost benefit analysis that will compare the existing brush plating process and costs in both the depot and field level applications to the new Dalistick system using Zinidal Aero Zn-Ni solution. The final CBA will be approved by the Government before it is presented to the ESTCP Government PI for approval before it is submitted to ESTCP as a deliverable. The CBA shall include all environmental savings to include hazwaste disposal, compliance reporting, material costs, PPE, as well as labor cost and process flow savings associated with the new Dalistick process. In addition, an industrial risk health assessment shall be performed comparing the existing cadmium brush plating effort to the Zinidal Dalistick system. Both the CBA and Risk Health Assessments will be provided as deliverables.

3.2.3 Dalistick Station and Material Procurement

The Contractor shall purchase all materials necessary to evaluate and qualify the Zinidal solution as well as the Dalistick station and process used. The substrate materials will include but not limited to high strength steel 4340 and ultrahigh strength steel 300M. The Dalistick station will be provided to the Contractor as GFE. The Contractor will be responsible for operating the system at WPAFB and ensuring the Contractor provided platers are properly trained to use the Dalistick station, apply the solution in accordance with the OEM approved procedures, and safely operate the system. The Contractor will purchase and prepare all coupons (including baseline coupons), perform all coating applications, perform all required evaluation testing to include several repair scenarios such as over tank-plated Cd, LHE Zn-Ni, and IVD AL. All test results will be compiled, analyzed, briefed to the joint service team, briefed to ESTCP, and consolidated into a final test report which will be provided as required to ESTCP. The Contractor will coordinate all testing, reporting, and analysis with the ESTCP Government PI. The Dalistick D.2020 station is currently installed and will be operated at the Coating Technologies Integration Office (CTIO) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB). The Dalistick D.2020 station includes an activation system prior to plating. All testing will be done in accordance with the OEM recommendations using the activation system prior to plating with Zinidal. In addition, electrolytes such as Zinidal Aero solution, Activator XF, Activator ST2, Ammonium Nitrate, Sifco conversion coating solution will all be procured by the Contractor for testing. Mil-PRF-85582 primer and Calla 296 cleaner will be required for baseline coupons and will be procured by the Contractor. The Contractor will be responsible for Hazwaste disposal.

3.2.3 Operational Requirements Assessment/Draft Demonstration Plan

The Contractor shall develop an operational requirements assessment which will include defining all requirements procedures required to install the system in preparation for the follow-on phase. The Contractor shall identify all facility/technical (electrical/water/air) requirements necessary to operate the system, review operating procedures and develop local operating procedures for depot and/or field operations, review training materials and identify gaps in training. The operational requirements assessment will include maintenance requirements, spare part list recommendations, operator skill requirements, and any ESOH requirements necessary to operate the equipment such as PPE. In addition, the Contractor will develop a draft demonstration plan that will be finalized and implemented in the follow-on transition phase. The draft demonstration plan will include installation consideration, training plans (in-class and hands on training), operator certification requirements if any, identification of process documentation, checklists, and recommendations for maintenance and repair support.

3.3 Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) and IRHA assessment

The Contractor shall develop a CBA for the operation of the system in both a depot and field level operation. The CBA shall include an independent heath assessment of the Zinadel solution. The CBA shall clearly document all health and environmental savings associated with the implementation of the technology. The final CBA should be coordinated with the stakeholders before it’s released. Distribution shall be limited to Government organizations.

3.4 Coating Deposition and Testing

The Contractor shall provide all materials, supplies and labor required to procure, fabricate, and prepare test specimens to be used in the qualification tests and demonstration tests in accordance with the Test Plan and Demonstration Plan. The Contractor may be required to seek out vendors for deposition of coating employed in repair scenarios. The requirement assessment will be used to determine the type and amount of materials needed to complete the test plan.

3.5 Technical Reporting and Travel

The Contractor shall document and record in a draft Test Report all processing steps, Zn-Ni/ Dalistick plating process parameters, any modifications, specimen preparation, testing conducted, test results, discussion, conclusion and recommendations. The Contractor shall plan for at least 4 meetings/conferences during the period of performance to be in coordination with the Government. Prior to attending or presenting to any conferences and meetings, the Contractor shall coordinate the proposed briefings and technical information exchange products through the Government Technical Monitor. The Contractor shall collect all results of the demonstration and qualification test results in a test report. All reports shall be coordinated with AFLCMC/EZP before coordination with the stakeholders. The Contractor shall provide support for required documentation for ESTCP reporting. The Contractor shall prepare briefings and reports as required for ESTCP.

4 DELIVERABLES

Data Item Number

Data Item Title

Description

Due Date

Monthly

Monthly

Quarterly

Invoices

5 days following the monthly financial report. Submitted to ITSS.

5 MEETING ATTENDANCE/TRAVEL

5.5 Kick-Off Meeting The Contractor shall conduct a kick-off meeting with the Government, 30 days after contract award. The meeting topics will include, but not be limited to the following: overall project management plan, detailed scheduled and milestones, project team profile, funding spend plan, and an outline of Contractor vs. Government project responsibilities. The Contractor will take meeting minutes, capture action items and provide a draft notes 10 days after the kick-off meeting for review and approval by the PM.

5.6 Meetings The Contractor shall be responsible for coordinating and scheduling all meetings; however, the PM will maintain approval authority for date, time, and location of all meetings. The Contractor shall prepare agenda, briefing materials, brief project status and technical data, capture minutes and action items and coordinate in advance of any meeting for PM approval. The PM has authority to attend or not attend any scheduled meetings. The Contractor shall plan to participate in required ESTCP IPRs in Washington DC. The Contractor shall capture and track all action items, decisions, and minutes from all meetings and telecons.

6 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED FACILITIES AND INFORMATION: Demonstration will be performed at Air Force installations. Government will provide Dalistick Station D.2020 which is currently installed at the Coating Technology Integration Office at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Government will provide Joint Test Report.

7 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Coating Technology Integration Office (CTIO), WPAFB

8 SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: None anticipated

9 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 12 Months

10 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: None