SOW_Rayon_030725_Final2.docx

Statement of Work Aerospace-grade Rayon Fiber

BACKGROUND

ENKA 300/60 AS Select brand rayon fiber is a critical constituent for use in advanced composite materials in various critical Department of Defense (DoD) and National Security Space (NSS) applications such as rocket motors and re-entry heat shields. Rayon-based carbon phenolics have been the industry standard material for nozzle exit cone liners and other hard insulator applications, offering a good combination of thermal insulation, erosion resistance, and producibility. US manufacturers of rayon such as AVTEX Fibers closed rayon operations in 1990 and North American Rayon Corporation (NARC) closed operation in 2000.

With NARC rayon no longer in production. The DoD and NASA qualified ENKA rayon in its place making it the only qualified source for certain critical DoD and NASA solid rocket motors and heat shield applications. ENKA’s aerospace-grade rayon product is ENKA 300/60 AS Select.

To ensure DoD, NASA, and NSS have access to a supply of these materials, DLA Strategic Materials received Congressional authority to procure Aerospace-grade rayon. Through research on rayon, the Government determined to procure ENKA 300/60 AS Select brand rayon fiber for the National Defense Stockpile (NDS). It is anticipated that the stockpile inventory will be established 24 months ARO (After Receipt of Order).

SCOPE

In order to reduce the risk of import reliance in the Aerospace-grade rayon supply chain, DLA Strategic Materials intends to purchase up to 418,410 pounds (lbs.) of ENKA 300/60 AS Select rayon with a delivery occurring over a two-year period from FY2026-FY2027. DLA Strategic Materials received authority to procure Aerospace-grade rayon in the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Table 1: Minimum planned procurement quantities and schedule for 300/60 AS Select ENKA Rayon

* +/- 0.1%

DELEVERY SCHEDULE

The Contractor shall have two (2) years from the contract award date to deliver the amounts outlined in Table 1. All material must be received at the delivery point by September 30, 2027

REFERENCE

The following are incorporated by reference:

a. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, the Tariff Act of 1930, and the Trade Act of 1974

b. United States (US) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form 7501

c. US CBP Form 6059, General Declaration

d. US CBP Form 5106 (Request for Importer Number, or Notification of Importer Number)

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The following sections define the requirements for the material, material packing, labeling, and material transportation the Contractor shall provide.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

5.1. MATERIAL DESCRIPTION

5.1.1 The material shall be ENKA 300/60 AS Select brand aerospace-grade rayon which shall be in accordance with the physical properties outlined in Table 2.

Table 2: ENKA 300/60 AS Select Physical Properties

5.1.2 The yarn shall be uniform in quality, condition, and texture and free from foreign materials, internal and external imperfections, impurities, and other defects that could prevent its use for the purpose intended.

5.1.3 Unless otherwise specified in the contract or purchase order, the Contractor is responsible for the performance of all inspection requirements specified herein. Except as otherwise specified in the contract or purchase order, the supplier may use his own or any commercial laboratory acceptable to the procuring activity. The procuring activity reserves the right to perform any of the inspections set forth in the specification where such inspections are deemed necessary to assure supplies and services conform to prescribed requirements.

5.1.4 The required tests for testing the physical properties are outlined below and shown in Table 3:

a. Yarn denier shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D 1059 and ASTM D 1907.

b. Tenacity shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D 2256.

c. Elongation shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D 2256.

d. Twist shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D 1423.

e. Boiling water shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D 2259.

5.1.5 All tested values shall conform to the requirements of Table 2. For nonconforming material, the failed test shall be repeated a minimum of ten (10) times on that particular spool. If all repeat tests conform to the requirement, the material shall be acceptable. Any repeat test failures shall be cause for rejection of that material.

Table 3: Required Tests

Length Specimens, Standard Test Method for

Counting, Standard Test Method for

Method, Standard Test Method for

the Single-Strand Method, Standard Test Method for

Test Method for

5.1.6 5.1.6 The Contractor shall ensure the material from each production lot is segregated from the material from any other production lot. Co-mingling of multiple production lots into one larger lot will not be accepted. The Contractor shall assign a unique lot number to each production lot.

CERTIFICATES OF ANALYSIS (COA)

6.

6.1. The Contractor shall provide a COA with each production lot. A production lot is defined as the material produced by the same bench for a bench- wise production process, or the same operating shift for a continuous process.

6.2. The COAs shall be sent to the Government Point of Contact (POC) for review and acceptance prior to shipment of each lot to the delivery point.

6.3. The COA is a legal document, which ensures that the materials delivered by the contractor meet the specifications stated in this SOW. The Government will determine based on the COA if the lot(s) of the material are acceptable for delivery. The Contractor shall carefully sample and test the material to ensure the reliability of each submitted COA.

6.4. The COAs shall be provided by email in the Adobe Acrobat PDF (portable document format) format to the Government for review and acceptance prior to shipping any lot(s) to the point of delivery. The email address for submitting the COAs will be designated in the Contract.

6.5. The COA shall have a statement certifying that the material meets and or exceeds required material specifications.

6.6. The Government POC will review every COA submitted to determine acceptability and compliance with the requirements in this SOW within ten (10) business days after receipt of the COA.

6.7. Each COA shall include the following, at a minimum:

a. Lot number

b. Weight and number of containers the COA covers

c. List of tests performed and/or the methodology applied. The Contractor shall include any significant assumptions made, other than typical assumptions for test methodology, as a footnote to the reported value.

d. Numerical results and qualitative results (as applicable)

e. Error ranges/limits for results

f. Specifications/requirements

g. Name of the company or name of the laboratory performing the testing

h. Date(s) each analysis is performed, and

i. Printed name and signature of analyst.

6.8. The COA and all other documents submitted to the Government shall be in English.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY, AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

7.

7.1. Transporting, Handling, and Management

7.2. The Government shall ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations (international laws, as applicable) for the use, transport, emergency response, and disposal of the acquired material.

7.3. The Contractor shall ensure compliance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations by certifying hazardous materials are properly classified, described, packaged, marked, and labeled and are in a condition safe to transport the material. (49 CFR 173)

7.4. The Contractor shall ensure compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations regarding the proper management, handling, storage, transportation, and disposition of material. (29 CFR 1910)

7.5. The Contractor shall communicate the hazards of the material by providing the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) in accordance with The United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). (29 CFR 1910)

7.6. The Contractor shall ensure compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for the characterizing waste to determine appropriate disposal of material and any associated packing and shipping material. (40 CFR 260)

7.7. The Contractor shall ensure compliance with Strategic Materials’ Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health (ESOH) Depot Orientation Guide and ESOH Policy Statement available on Strategic Materials website: https://www.dla.mil/Strategic-Materials/ .

PACKAGING

Each cone of yarn shall be packaged in industry standard containers which are formed to support the yarn in a manner that will prevent damage to the yarn during shipment to the delivery point and later storage. Upon delivery all packaging shall be intact and free of damage.

8.

8.1. PALLETIZING REQUIREMENTS

8.1.1 All containers shall be placed onto new undamaged pallets meeting the specifications listed below and be banded/shrink wrapped together to prevent box movement during handling, transportation or other operations where boxes and/or personnel could be damaged and/or injured if the containers shift. The use of used, recycled, repaired, remanufactured and/or refurbished pallets will not be accepted.

8.1.2 All palletized containers shall be covered with a water resistant (e.g. plastic bag etc.) barrier that totally covers the top and sides of each banded/shrink wrapped pallet of containers to preclude water damage to the containers during shipment and storage.

8.1.3 Pallet Design

a. All pallets shall be 48 inches deep (front to back) and 48 inches wide (side to side) in size.

b. All pallets shall contain four (4) full length, solid stringers. One stringer shall be located at each edge (side) and two stringers shall located in the interior of all pallets. Interior stringers shall be spaced 18 1/2 inches (on center) from the outside of each edge (side). Stringers shall be 1 5/8 inches in width and 3 ½ inches in height. Segmented, composite and/or block stringers will not be acceptable.

c. All pallets shall have flush sides (e.g. no wings).

d. All pallets shall contain “top decking” and “bottom decking” boards. All decking boards shall be six (6) inches in width with no more than one (1) inch between boards. All decking boards shall be ¾ inches in thickness and be solid.

e. All pallets shall be of a “two way entry” configuration.

f. Pallets may be reversible in design.

g. All pallets shall have a minimum rated load capacity of 430 pounds per square foot.

8.1.4 Pallet Construction

a. All pallets shall satisfy the requirements listed in ASTM D6199-18a.

b. All pallets shall be constructed entirely (except fasteners) of high-density hardwood meeting the requirements of paragraph 6 of ASTM D6199-18a. Only high-density hardwood species categorized in “Group IV” of ASTM D6199-18a shall be acceptable for pallet construction. The only acceptable high density hardwood species used for pallet construction are: Beech, Birch, Hackberry, Hard Maple, Hickory, Oak (Eastern), Pecan, Rock Elm, American Elm, White Oak and Green Oak. Pallets may be constructed by mixing together or using different high density hardwood species listed above interchangeability.

c. All pallets shall satisfy the requirements listed in ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Number 15) (e.g. heat treated etc.).

d. Only driven nails that are “helically” threaded, “Annularly” threaded or “fluted” will be acceptable for use in pallet construction. The fastener length shall be sufficient to provide a minimum penetration of 1 ¼ inches into the stringer.

8.1.5 A copy of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the contained material shall be accessible and external to the packed material with each delivery. All packages shall meet all requirements presented in Section 6 to ensure compliance with Federal, state, and local regulations for the transporting, handling, and management of material.

8.2. The Contractor shall use the industry standard for packaging to store the materials. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer within ten (10) business days if the packaging standards have changed.

LABELING

9.

9.1. All containers shall be identified with attached tags(s)/label(s) as follows:

e. The font size utilized to enter the required information on each tag/label shall be of sufficient size to be legible to the unaided eye.

f. All information on tag(s)/label(s) shall be in English.

g. Any ink used to print tag(s)/label(s) shall be indelible, permanent and suitable for use in unheated warehouses where temperature extremes (both hot and cold) exist. The use of paint on tags/labels to enter the required information on each tag/label is not acceptable.

h. The tag/label material shall be durable and suitable for use in unheated warehouses where temperature extremes (both hot and cold) exist. The tag/label material shall not react with the commodity being tagged/labeled.

i. Tag/label material shall have an expected lifespan of a minimum of twenty years with no degradation.

j. All tag(s)/label(s) shall be of sufficient size to permit the listing of all required information.

9.2. The information in items a through l below shall be listed on each tag/label. The marking shall not include a security classification or anything indicating DLA Strategic Materials ownership other than the contract number.

a. Commodity Name

b. Commodity Grade, Type or Form

c. Merge Number

d. Denier

e. Country of Origin

f. Producer Name

g. Producer’s part number

h. Gross Weight in pounds and metric units. (Metric units to be in parentheses.)

i. Net Weight in pounds and metric units. (Metric units to be in parentheses.)

j. Lot Number

k. Container Serial Number. (The serial number is the individual container number in relation to the total number of containers in the lot; e.g. container 25 of 100 containers in the lot.)

l. Government Contract Number

9.3. Tag(s)/Label(s) shall be attached to each container in a permanent manner that prevents accidental detachment. The means of attachment shall be suitable for use in unheated warehouses where temperature extremes (both hot and cold) exist.

9.4. Two tags/labels shall be permanently attached to each container at two locations on opposite sides/ends of each container.

9.5. All packages shall meet all requirements presented in Section 6 to ensure compliance with Federal, state, and local regulations for the transporting, handling, and management of material.

TRANSPORTATION

The Contractor shall be responsible for transport, as well as for Carrier and Insurance Paid to (CIP) of the material to the point of delivery: the Government Storage Depot in Scotia, New York. Refer to Section 6 for all legal labeling and shipping requirements.

DELIVERY

10.

11.

11.1. The Contractor shall deliver materials to the Government Storage Depot (delivery point) at the following address:

Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Materials Scotia Depot Route 5, Building #12 Scotia, NY 12302-9463 United States of America Telephone: (518) 370-3347 Unloading Hours: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM (EST), Monday – Friday Accessibility: Truck

11.2. The Contractor shall schedule all deliveries ten (10) business days in advance of their delivery with the Government POC. Deliveries will only be accepted between the hours of 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM (EST), Monday – Friday (excluding federal holidays).

11.3. The contractor must plan delivery of material so that no more than two trucks arrive per day.

11.4. The Contractor shall have two (2) years from the contract award date to deliver the amounts outlined in Table 1.

Inspection and Acceptance 12.

12.1. The material inspection and acceptance location will be at the Government Storage Depot (delivery point) in Scotia, New York.

12.2. The government will perform a visual inspection of all material upon receipt at the delivery point to verify conformance with the requirements of this SOW that can be verified visually.

12.3. The Government will provide written notification of the acceptance/rejection of delivered material to the Contractor within twenty (20) calendar days of delivery. The Contractor shall not submit an invoice until the government POC has issued a notification of Acceptance for the delivery.

12.4. If any delivered material does not conform to the requirements stated in the SOW or is not the same as that indicated on the COA, the Government will reject the nonconforming material. The Contractor shall be responsible for removal and replacement of rejected material, including all attendant costs, within ninety (90) calendar days of the final delivery. The Government reserves the right to ask for compensation for lost time.

ACRONYMS: