Shank 2.0 SSN_Final.pdf

INTRODUCTION: The U.S. Army Contracting Command –Rock Island at Picatinny (ACC-RIP)), on behalf of the Office of the Project Manager, Close Combat Systems (PM CCS) under the Portfolio Management Executive Ammunition & Energetics (MPE A&E), Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is issuing this sources sought notice as a means of conducting market research to identify potential sources to produce the Government developed Shank 2.0 payload, training warhead, and pre-packed anti-personnel warhead for employment on small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) platforms. The Government is also seeking Industry recommendations on improving the Technical Data Package (TDP) for producibility.

The U.S. Government intends to use the results of this market research to solicit under the Title 10 USC 4022 Authority of the Department of War to carry out certain prototype projects, and Title 10 USC 4023 Procurement for Experimental Purposes Authority, however other contracting strategies may be considered based on the results of the market research. Multiple awards may be pursued. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions.

DISCLAIMER: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO BE SUBMITTED. IT

DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION, AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A

COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT

OFFERS, AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A

CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE

TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY

INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL

DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND: The Army is accelerating acquisition of low-cost, domestically produced UAS and lethal payloads to enhance battlefield effectiveness by 2027. Shank 2.0 provides modular lethality for sUAS through the government-owned small Universal Payload Interface (sUPI). The Government may require production capacity scaling to approximately 40,000 systems per month.

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES: The U.S. Army has an immediate need for lethality integrated onto unmanned systems to achieve and maintain overmatch. Industry must be able to manufacture Shank 2.0 and warheads (training and live), integrate with Picatinny CLIK / sUPI interface design standards, work with High Voltage Electronic Safe and Arm Device (ESAD) initiation systems and Low Energy Exploding Foil Initiator (LEEFI) or shock tube initiation chains, scale production to up to 40k systems per month while ensuring quality, safety, and compliance with export-controlled data. Shank 2.0 is a platform agnostic payload that can rapidly integrate with any platform that adheres to the sUPI design standard. sUPI is a Government-owned standardized mechanical, electrical, and data interface within the Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit (CLIK) ecosystem. Shank 2.0 employs a ESAD to initiate warheads through a LEEFI or shock tube and blasting cap and can be loaded with various warheads. The training warhead is the same form factor and weight as the live warhead and uses LED lights to simulate detonation when employed without the LEEFI installed. The live pre-packed blast-frag warhead contains qualified high-blast explosive in a charge body with a steel fragmentation pack. The Government is seeking Industry input on requirements to scale production up to 40k systems per month.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Government will release the Shank 2.0 TDP, drawings, and specifications, if requested. Any interested source must have an approved DD form 2345, Military Critical Technical Data Agreement, on file with the Joint Certification Program (JCP) in order to be granted access to the Technical Information. Restricted technical data will not be available to an interested source who has not been certified through the JCP. If an interested party is not based in the U.S., a copy of their approved Export License issued by the U.S. Department of State must be provided as well.

The TDP, drawings and specifications are marked as Distribution Statement D – Distribution authorized to Department of Defense and U.S. DoD contractors only.

The TDP, drawings and performance specifications contain technical data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C., Sec 2751, et seq.) or Export Administration Act of 1979 (Title 50, U.S.C., Appt 2401 et seq), as amended.

Violations of these export laws are subject to severe criminal penalties. Disseminate in accordance with provisions of DoD Directive 5230-25. All respondents to this Sources Sought Notice shall show they have certification to receive export-controlled technical data (including drawings restricted by Distributions Statement D) and must have facility clearance to handle classified material.

Destruction Notice Export-Controlled Technical Data: For classified documents, follow the procedures in DoD 5220.22-M, Industrial Security Manual, Section 11-19 or DoD 5200.1-R, Information Security Program Regulation, Chapter IX. For unclassified, limited documents, destroy by any method that will prevent disclosure of contents or reconstruction of the document.

To request a copy of the Shank 2.0 TDP, drawings, and specifications:

1. Contractors must submit their request for the TDPs, drawings, and specifications on company letterhead addressed to ACC-RIP along with the forms specified below.

Submissions should be transmitted via email to the primary and secondary ACC-RIP POCs listed below:

2. The subject line of email requests must read as follows: “Shank 2.0 Systems Sources Sought Notice W15QKN-26-X-1CFG TDP Request (Company Name)”

3. For US / Canadian contractors the request will be processed as follows:

a. Submit the following:

• DD Form 2345 Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement

• After receipt of these documents, the Contract Specialist will provide the following for signature. These must then be completed and submitted to the Contract Specialists.

• FCDDAC Form 1350 Technical Data Questionnaire

• Shank 2.0 / Non-disclosure and Non-Use Agreement

4. When all completed documents are received, the TDP, drawings, and specifications will be sent.

5. The Government will advise regarding any additional requirements related to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliance.

SUBMISSION DETAILS: Interested companies shall respond by providing the Government with the following information:

1. Brief summary of the company's capabilities, including a description of facilities, personnel, and technical and manufacturing capability.

2. Description of any history or experience manufacturing items that are compliant with Picatinny CLIK or items that feature CLIK alternatives.

3. Provide Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) pricing and schedule for ramping up to 40k systems per month. If relevant, include a brief description of modifications necessary to enhance producibility.

4. Respondents are encouraged to provide feedback/comments regarding the Shank

2.0 TDP for producibility (recommendations for design simplification, substitution materials, process automation options, modular tooling concepts, alternate manufacturing methods, etc.)

5. Provide the organization’s name, address, technical point of contact, position, phone number, e-mail address, mailing address, CAGE Code, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), website address, FAX, business size, and type of ownership for the organization (public, private, joint venture).

6. Due to current global supply chain and other factors, respondents are asked to identify any components or materials that may be subject to price volatility or scarcity, and address what their firm is doing to mitigate risk related to obtaining materials, price impacts, and production stability.

Interested businesses shall submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten 8.5 X 11 inch pages, font no smaller than 10 point), demonstrating the ability to provide the products/systems listed in this Technical Description. Documentation shall be in bullet format. No phone or email solicitations with regards to the status of the RFP, will be accepted prior to its release.

Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialist, (Michael Arena), in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email (michael.w.arena3.civ@army.mil), and the Contracting officer (Yolie Davila) (yolie.m.davila.civ@army.mil), no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 15 September 2026, and reference this notice number in subject line of e-mail and on all enclosed documents. No award will be made as a result of this posted notice. All information is to be submitted at no cost or obligation to the Government. The Government will accept written questions via email only. In addition to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer, please include the following personnel on any question submissions: MAJ Jacob LaGue, jacob.a.lague.mil@army.mil. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL.

If your organization has the potential capacity to provide the required products/systems, please provide the following information:

1. Organization name, address, primary points of contact (POCs) and their email address, CAGE Code, UEI, FAX, website address, telephone number, business size, and type of ownership for the organization (public, private, joint venture); and

2. Tailored capability statements addressing the requirements of this notice, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations shall address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

All data received in response to this Notice that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government. Additionally, any information submitted by respondents to this Sources Sought Notice is strictly voluntary. Information and materials submitted in response to this notice WILL NOT be returned.