M67854-17-I-1218_RFI_for_IAR_021017.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

M67854-17-I-1218

For

Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM), Quantico, VA

Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR)

This Request for Information (RFI) is the initiation of market research under Federal Acquisition

Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). The information provided herein is for information only and is intended to initiate communication with industry in order to assess market potential. No solicitation document exists at this time. Issuance of this notice does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure these items or to issue a solicitation. In addition, the

Government is under no obligation to pay for information submitted in response to this RFI and responses to this notice cannot be accepted as offers. Any information that the vendor considers proprietary should be clearly marked as such. Responses to this RFI that indicate that all information therein is proprietary or represents confidential business information will be received and held in confidence for U.S. Government use only.

In accordance with Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Instruction 5400.15C, Department of the Navy

(DoN) Research and Development, Acquisition, Associated Life-Cycle Management, and Logistics

Responsibilities and Accountability, dated 02 December 2011, MARCORSYSCOM has the responsibility to centrally manage the procurement of the Infantry Automatic Rifles (IAR). The IAR has been in use in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) since 2010.

MARCORSYSCOM plans to procure approximately 11,000 new Infantry Automatic Rifles and ancillary equipment, which includes Sling, Bipod, Blank Firing Adapter (BFA), Front Sight, Rail Cover Kit, Rear

Sight, training and manuals at a future date. MARCORSYSCOM intends to fulfill this requirement via a commercial item.

MARCORSYSCOM would like interested vendors to provide their timeline for production. Please provide expected date of first delivery after contract award, along with specific data regarding quantities for monthly deliveries.

The contract structure is anticipated to be Firm Fixed Price.

The purpose of this RFI is to query industry on their approach for the production and integration of the

IAR. At a minimum, the IAR should meet the following requirements:

1 IAR System Characteristics

1.1 System Portability. The IAR, with bipod and iron sights attached but no magazine or sling, should weigh less than 12.5 pounds. The IAR should measure less than 40 inches in length with the buttstock extended to a Length of Pull of 13.5 inches (or the closest adjustable position greater than 13.5 inches). Length of Pull is defined as the distance between the front of the trigger and the rear of the buttstock.

1.2. Rate of Fire. The IAR should be capable of a rate of fire of 36 rounds per minute for 16 minutes and 40 seconds without a barrel change or risk of cook-off.

1.3 Precision in Semi-Automatic Fire. The system should demonstrate less than 4 Minutes of

Angle (MOA) dispersion in semi-automatic fire with MK318 Government ammunition for the life of the barrel.

1.4 Precision in Automatic Fire. The system should demonstrate less than 8 MOA dispersion in automatic fire when firing a 5-round burst with M855 Government ammunition.

1.5 Firing Modes. The system should be capable of both semi-automatic and full automatic firing.

1.6 Employment. The system should be employable from the standing, kneeling, sitting and prone positions by an operator wearing the fighting load. The fighting load includes static equipment, personnel protective equipment (PPE), common assault equipment, and billet specific equipment. Static equipment includes the clothing and items typically worn by a Marine during day-to-day activities whether in garrison or combat operations.

This includes camouflage utilities and boots as well as accessories such as a wristwatch.

PPE is defined as the equipment that protects, shields or isolates a Marine from chemical, physical (e.g. ballistic threats), and thermal hazards encountered in the conduct of combat operations. PPE specifically includes the following: helmet and night vision base plate, plate carrier, small arms protector insert (SAPI) plates, ballistic eye protection, goggles, and gloves. Common assault equipment includes items outside of PPE that are carried on one’s person and not in the assault pack. Common assault equipment specifically includes individual first aid kit, pouches (dump, magazine, and grenade), hydration system, and squad radio and headset. Billet specific equipment includes items such as a hand grenade, magazines and ammunition. The fighting load is approximately 60 pounds.

1.7 Signature Reduction. The signatures produced by the system (e.g. thermal bloom, muzzle flash) should not degrade the shooter’s ability to engage targets while using image intensification or thermal night-vision devices. The system should minimize or eliminate the kick-up and blowback of dirt and dust particles toward the operator.

1.8 Visual Detection. All system external surfaces should have a dull, low-reflective finish

(to include pins, bolts, lanyards, sight posts, etc.). The external color of the system should be consistent with current camouflage colors and patterns.

1.9 Infrared Detection. The system should not have a more noticeable infrared signature than the M16A4 when viewed by image intensification or thermal night-vision devices.

Infrared signature indicates any reflective or emissive properties or patterns which would distinguish the system from an operator wearing the fighting load with Marine Corps

Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU).

1.10 Heat Resistant Hand Guards. The IAR should permit the shooter to hold the hand guards with unprotected hands when firing 15 rounds per minute for 20 minutes and until the weapon cools.

1.11 Adjustable Stock. The system should have a telescoping stock that is adjustable in length, with at least four (4) position stops. The stock should accommodate cheek weld, stock weld, and eye relief for an operator wearing the fighting load. If foldable, the stock should not interfere with the operation of the weapon in any adjusted configuration.

1.12 Blank Firing Adapter (BFA). The system should be capable of firing blank ammunition with a blank firing adapter.

1.13 Weapon Recoil. The system should mitigate recoil in such a way as to not cause detrimental effects to the current weapon enablers.

2 IAR Interface Requirements

2.1 Ammunition Commonality. The system should accept and function with all Department of Defense Identification Code (DODIC) 5.56 mm ammunition, including A059 Ball, A060 Dummy, A063 Tracer, A080 Blank, AA33 Ball, AA40 Frangible, AA53 Ball

Special Match, AA69 Armor Piercing, and Mk318.

2.2 Magazine Compatibility. The system should reliably function with all of the current service rifle 30 round magazines (NSNs 1005-01-561-7200, 1005-01-615-5169, 1005-01-

659-7086) without the need for adapters or modifications to either the weapon or magazine.

2.3 Rails. The system should possess a rigid MIL-STD-1913 rail at the 12 o’clock position that has a consistent height above bore from the rear sight to the front sight, and which is mounted to the upper receiver or integral to the weapon. The system should also have

MIL-STD-1913 rails at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions in the forearm/hand guard area.

Common accessories attached to the rails should not interfere with normal weapon operation or remedial action procedures.

2.4 Rear Sight. The IAR should utilize the collapsible Back-Up Iron Sight (NSN 1005-01-

581-5324).

2.5 Front Sight. The IAR front sight should be compatible with the rear sight.

2.6 Iron Sight System. The iron sights should enable the shooter to accurately engage point targets out to 1640 feet (500 meters). The iron sights should be adjustable for windage and elevation without the use of special tools.

2.7 Bayonet (Combat Knife). The system should be compatible with the Marine Corps

Multi-Purpose Bayonet (NSN 1095-01-506-3424). The Bayonet should attach securely to the system at the bayonet mounting points.

2.8 Sling. The system should be compatible with current Marine Corps sling, NSN 1005-01-

604-0627.

3 Reliability

3.1 System Reliability. The system should demonstrate 15,000 Mean Rounds Between

Essential Function Failure (MRBEFF) for Class III malfunctions (i.e., for non-operator correctable malfunctions which cause the loss of essential functionality) and 900

MRBEFF for Class I and II malfunctions combined. Class I malfunctions are operator clearable within 10 seconds, whereas Class II malfunctions require more than 10 seconds but less than 10 minutes (for 95 percent of all Class II malfunctions that occur) to clear but can be corrected by the operator with available equipment.

3.2 Barrel Life. The system barrel should have a service life of 24,000 rounds minimum with

MK318 Government ammunition.

3.3 Weapon Orientation. The system should reliably function when fired from the following orientations: top-up, top-down, right side up, left-side up, 80° muzzle elevation, minus

80° muzzle elevation.

4 Maintainability

4.1 Cleaning Materials. The system should be capable of being cleaned and lubricated with the following U.S. Government standard weapons cleaners and lubricants without adverse effects to the weapon:

4.1.1 MIL-L-46000C - Lubricant, Semi-fluid (Automatic Weapons)

4.1.2 MIL-PRF-372D - Cleaning Compound, Solvent (Bore of Small Arms and

Automatic Aircraft Weapons)

4.1.3 MIL-PRF-14107D - Lubricating Oil, Weapons, Low Temperature

4.1.4 MIL-PRF-63460D - Lubricant, Cleaner and Preservative for Weapons and

Weapons Systems

4.2 Assembly and Disassembly. The system should be capable of disassembly and reassembly by an operator in the field without the use of tools for normal care and cleaning. The weapon parts should be designed so that incorrect assembly is highly improbable. All takedown pins should be captive.

4.3 Interchangeability. All replaceable parts of the system should be interchangeable without the need for hand or machine fitting.

5 Environmental Conditions

5.1 Weather. The system should continue to operate and safely function after exposure to blowing dust, mud, salt fog, rain, and icing/freezing rain environments as specified in

Test Operations Procedure (TOP) 3-2-045 (Small Arms - Hand and Shoulder Weapons and Machineguns) dated Sep 2007.

5.2 Shock / Vibration. The system should be able to withstand the shock from a user performing individual movement techniques in combat, and the vibrations of being transported in standard military aircraft and ground vehicles as loose cargo, without degradation of performance.

5.3 Unpackaged Drop. The system should continue to safely function after being dropped in any orientation from a 1.7 meter height onto a smooth concrete or steel surface at temperatures ranging from -25º Fahrenheit (F) to 140º F. In addition, when the safety selector is in the “safe” position, the weapon should not discharge when dropped from this height.

5.4 Temperature Extremes. The system should safely function through a temperature range of -25º F to +140º F without degradation of performance.

5.5 Protective Materials (coatings). The system should be resistant to corrosion, abrasion, impacts and chemicals, including standard Chemical, Biological, Radiological and

Nuclear (CBRN) decontaminants.

6 Safety

6.1 Safety selector. The system should have an incorporated safety selector. The safety selector, when positioned in the “safe” position, should prevent firing of the weapon.

The weapon should not fire while the safety selector is being moved from the “safe” position to the “semi” or “auto” position.

6.2 Safe Design. The design of the system should not present any significant safety risk to the operator or to the environment during the cycle of functioning, transportation, training, storage, maintenance, or disposal.

6.3 Proof firing. Each system should be capable of withstanding the firing of a Government standard 5.56MM High Pressure Test Cartridge (MIL-C-046936) or industry equivalent, and should be marked accordingly. Each high-pressure component should be inspected for evidence of cracks using magnetic particle inspection or an equivalent method.

7 Human Factors

7.1 Compatible with Combat Clothing. Operation of the system should be compatible with combat clothing (including MOPP IV), wet weather and cold weather gear both day and night and the fighting load. The weapons should operate safely through a full cycle of operation by an operator wearing CBRN protective gloves, cold weather gloves and mittens, or tactical gloves.

7.2 Ambidextrous Use. The fire selector should be ambidextrous. Ejection of cartridges should not pose a hazard to either left or right handed operators.

7.3 Weapon Controls. All controls should be designed to permit identification and selection by sight and feel during darkness and adverse conditions. Selection among safe, semi-automatic and automatic firing modes should be clear and distinct. Firing modes should not be easily selected by accident. The operator should be able to manipulate the selector lever from safe to automatic or semi-automatic positions using their firing hand, without having to adjust their palm position on the grip.

7.4 Reload Time. The IAR should be capable of being reloaded by a trained operator, in the prone position and with a ready magazine, in less than 5 seconds.

MARCORSYSCOM requests the following additional information:

(1) Provide a 15-page white paper which gives a summary of your manufacturing capability and demonstrates why your company can support the production schedule being proposed. Request your white paper address your ability to successfully complete first article testing. Identify if your facility is certified to store Government firearms and ammo, and can accommodate test activities, including but not limited to, test firings. You are highly encouraged to provide test data substantiating any performance claims made in your response, which will not count against the 15-page limit.

(2) Provide Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) pricing on the total cost of the program, including but not limited to, the estimated unit cost including breakout costs for the individual gun, and separate pricing for each item of ancillary gear. Additionally, request you provide all ROM pricing data associated with copyright release for associated technical manual(s), including instructions, maintenance, and procedures, vendor level drawings, and Instructor and Key Personnel training.

(3) Provide any relevant information documenting your experience with this type of manufacturing effort at the rate of production required by the Marine Corps. Data provided will not count against the 15-page limit.

Any questions, comments, and emailed RFI responses should be submitted to mailbox

MCSC_PFM_GCES_Contracts@usmc.mil, with M67854-17-I-1218 IAR RFI in the Subject line.

Responses are to be submitted via e-mail or regular mail, and all attachments must be in Microsoft Office products or Adobe Acrobat formats. If sensitive or proprietary information is to be submitted, let Bill

Montgomery know, via e-mail MCSC_PFM_GCES_Contracts@usmc.mil, that this will be sent by first class mail to: Commander MCSC, Attn: Bill Montgomery, Infantry Weapons Systems, 2200 Lester St.

Quantico, VA 22134. To aid the government in its review of your response, please segregate proprietary information from the rest of your response, and comply with the 15-page limit for the white paper. Please be advised that there is a 7 megabyte size limit on all e-mail traffic to MARCORSYSCOM. All e-mails larger than this may not be delivered, and should be sent via regular mail. RFI responses via e-mail or mail should be received no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 17 March , 2017.