Sources Sought for Robotic Solution to Modernize the ABMC’s Robotic Headstone Program

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) Overseas Operations office in Paris, France, has a potential project for the redesign and modernization of the agency’s Headstone Engraving Robotic Program.

Agency Background:

ABMC administers, operates and maintains 26 permanent American burial grounds on foreign soil. ABMC’s portfolio includes 23 commemorative cemeteries with 124,117 headstones honoring Americans who died during World War I, World War II, as well as other conflicts. ABMC utilizes two distinct types of Italian marble for its headstones: Carrara for WWI, and Lasa for WWII. This marble material is procured via separate established agency contracts. ABMC also maintains three historic cemeteries containing non-traditional headstones.

Project Background:

ABMC WWI and WWII cemeteries contain three shapes of headstones: a Latin cross, Star of David, and the standard Veterans Administration’s rectangular headstones. These headstones are procured and delivered to ABMC sites in their finished shapes. Currently, ABMC has two engraving robots engraving approximately 2,000 headstones per year, which are in facilities at Meuse Argonne American Cemetery (MAAC) located in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France, and Oise-Aisne American Cemetery (OAAC) located in Seringes-et- Nesles, France.

These cemeteries receive shipments of marble headstone blanks, store them, engrave new via robotic means, pumice and re-engrave old headstones via robotic means, and then ship the finished products worldwide supporting our global portfolio.

Each cemetery is responsible for monitoring and submitting requests through a centralized internal software application.

There are specific engraving requirements pertaining to sizing, font, etc., which will be made available to prospective contractors upon the release of the anticipated Request for Proposal.

Project Objective:

ABMC is looking for a Robot Integrator to assess the current headstone engraving program and develop a comprehensive solution for evaluation by an ABMC board. The purpose of this Sources Sought is to identify companies capable of analyzing the Agency’s current headstone robot program and propose solutions for improvement.

Desired Robotic Engraving Solution:

The primary objective of the future Request for Proposal (RFP) will be to secure a robust, industrial grade robotic engraving solution that can sustain the Agency’s headstone replacement and refurbishment program over the coming decades. The solution will be expected to deliver accurate, repeatable engraving on Carrara and Lasa marble, engrave flat panels for our walls of the missing, and any other additional stone materials in our portfolio.

The proposed system shall be capable of both new inscription work and re-engraving of existing material, provide for a pumicing solution, and shall be supported by a software platform that is scalable, upgradable, and maintainable. The final solution preserves and systematizes institutional knowledge regarding fonts, engraving depths, and finishing standards.

Description of Need:

ABMC has developed a framework for the proposed solution composed of one base and three option requirements.

The base requirement will focus on the full in-depth analysis for the replacement of the two existing fixed 3D robotic systems and any required infrastructure upgrades or modifications at both Oise Aisne American Cemetery (OAAC) and Meuse Argonne American Cemetery (MAAC) in kind. Both robotic system locations are at MAAC and OAAC. The base option should analyze all infrastructure needs and requirements and shall consider efficiencies and inefficiencies with the current systems.

Along with the base analysis, the desired solution would include an in-depth analysis which explores the following options:

1. Option One: Analyze the addition of a new fixed 3D robot installation and infrastructure upgrades at Manila, Philippines. This system does not currently exist.

2. Option Two: Analyze the development of mobile robotic re-engraving systems designed to work directly in the cemetery plots. This system does not currently exist.

3. Option Three: Analyze and provide a full in-depth feasibility study for the consolidation of engraving operations and infrastructure upgrades, to provide one complete engraving center of excellence at either OAAC or MAAC, ABMC’s current engraving locations.

Offerors will be expected to submit one integrated proposal that addresses the base requirement and options identified above, with an in-depth analysis including, but not limited to, the pros and cons of each solution, identification of infrastructure needs, graphics, drawings, cost analysis, and anticipated maintenance requirements clearly separated per line item.

Offerors may be invited to propose other innovative solutions to meet the Agency’s needs.

The anticipated date for RFP issuance is: To Be Determined

The anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is: 541330 – Engineering Services

Response Requirements:

Responses to this Sources Sought are requested for market research purposes only and will be used to assess industry capabilities, refine the acquisition strategy, and help determine the appropriate scope and structure of any future solicitation. This notice is not a solicitation for proposals, and responses will not be evaluated as proposals.

If you are interested in this project, provide the following information to the Point of Contact listed at the end of the announcement no later than 5:00 PM Paris time / 11:00 AM Washington, D.C. time on Friday, July 10, 2026:

1) Company name and address

2) Company Point of Contact name, email address, and phone number

3) SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEI), if available

4) Capabilities Statement

ABMC Point of Contact: SourcesSought@ABMC.gov

ABMC Cemeteries and Locations:

Belgium Ardennes American Cemetery Neupré, Belgium Flanders Field American Cemetery Waregem, Belgium Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery Hombourg, Belgium

France Aisne Marne American Cemetery Belleau, France Brittany American Cemetery Saint-James, France Epinal American Cemetery Dinozé, France Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery Marnes-la-Coquette, France Lorraine American Cemetery Saint-Avold, France Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France Normandy American Cemetery Colleville-sur-Mer, France Oise-Aisne American Cemetery Seringes-et-Nesles, France Rhone American Cemetery Draguignan, France Saint-Mihiel American Cemetery Thiaucourt, France Somme American Cemetery Bony, France Suresnes American Cemetery Suresnes, France

Italy Florence American Cemetery Impruneta, Italy Sicily-Rome American Cemetery Nettuno, Italy

Luxembourg Luxembourg American Cemetery Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Mexico Mexico City National Cemetery Mexico City, Mexico

Netherlands Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, the Netherlands

Panama Corozal American Cemetery Corozal, Panama

Philippines Clark Veterans Cemetery Pampanga, the Philippines Manila American Cemetery Taguig City, the Philippines

Tunisia North Africa American Cemetery Carthage, Tunisia

United Kingdom Brookwood American Cemetery Woking, United Kingdom Cambridge American Cemetery Cambridge, United Kingdom