SF30-B4C_Amendment_03.pdf

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing items 8 and 15, and returning or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT 1. CONTRACT ID CODE

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUISITION NUMBER 5. PROJECT NUMBER (If applicable)

7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 6) CODE

STANDARD FORM 30 (REV. 11/2016)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

FACILITY CODE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers is extended. is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required) copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

CHECK ONE A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER

NUMBER IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation data, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15C. DATE SIGNED

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

PAGE OF PAGES

6. ISSUED BY CODE

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (X)

CODE

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of person authorized to sign)

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

Previous edition unusable

SP8000

Jennifer Phillips

See Continuation Page

SP8000

DLA STRATEGIC MATERIALS

8725 JOHN J KINGMAN ROAD

SUITE 3229 ACQUISITION

FORT BELVOIR VA 22060-6223

USA

See Block 6

SP8000-19-R-0005

05/31/2019

04/11/2019

Continuation Page

Subject: RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS FOR SOLICITATION SP8000-19-R-0005

1. Section 4: Technical Requirements. There are not so many bidders on this project (based on the latest conference call). May we suggest the following (listed in ref. to items 4.1.2, 4.1.4 and 4.1.5) in order to avoid any possibilities of material shipments rejection in the event of a successful award:

DLA Strategic Materials does not accept your suggestion.

2. Item 4.1.2: Chemical Standards. Will the bidders be allowed to submit in advance a series of test samples to The Army Research Lab (ARLin order to correlate the chemical results using different testing instruments and testing procedures according to the same ASTM Standards?

An offeror may submit product to ARL for their own internal testing. However, doing this would be entirely at the offeror’s own cost and it is not a requirement of this solicitation. Additionally, these tests will be independent of the testing the Government requires. The testing procedures to be used during performance of the contract will be discussed collaboratively among ARL, the vendor, and the Government after award.

3. Item 4.1.4: D3 of 400 microns. Will the bidders be allowed to submit in advance a series of test samples to The Army Research Lab in order to correlate the size results using different instruments and testing procedures according to the same ASTM Standards?

An offeror may submit product to ARL for their own internal testing. However, doing this would be entirely at the offeror’s own cost and it is not a requirement of this solicitation. Additionally, these tests will be independent of the testing the Government requires. The testing procedures to be used during performance of the contract will be discussed collaboratively among ARL, the vendor, and the Government after award.

4. Item 4.1.5: D97 of 1200 microns. Will the bidders be allowed to submit in advance a series of test samples to The Army Research Lab in order to correlate the size results using different testing instruments and testing procedures according to the same ASTM Standards?

An offeror may submit product to ARL for their own internal testing. However, doing this would be entirely at the offeror’s own cost and it is not a requirement of this solicitation. Additionally, these tests will be independent of the testing the Government requires. The testing procedures to be used during performance of the contract will be discussed collaboratively among ARL, the vendor, and the Government after award.

5. Section 5: Third Party Testing. Item 5.1 through 5.3. For production lot material to be submitted to the DLA Stockpile, if any lot, or lots, of powder do not conform to the standards listed on the SOW, the Government will reject those lots and seek a refund. Is it safe to assume that the required testing procedures for B4C lots (ASTM Standards or any others) will be clearly established between the vendor and the ARL prior to the supply of bulk material?

Yes

6. Conference Call Statement. During the conference call of May 21, 2019, it was explained that the vendor should proceed using the same/ current analytical techniques as used for current or previous DOD projects. This Boron Carbide product has never been provided for DOD projects to our knowledge.

a. Can you please confirm that we understood this statement correctly?

Yes, DLA Strategic Materials confirms your understanding.

b. Can/should we perform the measurement techniques correlation exercise with

The Army Research Lab to make sure that we can provide acceptable quality material (in case we get awarded a contract)?

You are not required by this solicitation to perform a measurement techniques correlation exercise prior to contract award.

c. After discussing this material specification with our customers that provide finished products to the DOD, the concern was raised that this is not the starting feed material that is used for current projects. The concern is that there may be a difference in the “after milled” powder performance in the end product as is used by the DOD to yield ballistic plates.

Your concern is acknowledged. If you intend to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation, please adhere to the SOW for this requirement.

7. SOW Paragraph 4.1.4 The material shall have a D3 of 400 microns

a. Please confirm the following statement: The 4.1.4 requirement is meant to be a D3 of minimum 400 microns (>400 microns). The low end of the standard deviation is at 400 microns.

No more than 3% of the material can be finer than 400 microns

b. This will impact availability, yield, and cost if no finer and coarser fractions are permitted in the powder blend as they are there after ball milling. A typical specification after ball milling would be D50 of 100 – 400 microns and a D97 <1200 microns, allowing for some, but still limited finer fractions, given the shape of the distribution curve. This current specification will require adjustments to the current process which has been used to produce thousands of metric tons of boron carbide powder for body armor.

This is not a question. Your comment is acknowledged.

c. How will the D3 be measured? Given the grain size, mesh analysis would be a good option.

The methodology will be determined by ARL.

8. SOW Paragraph 4.1.5 The material shall have a D97 of 1200 microns

a. Please confirm the following statement: The 4.1.5 requirement is meant to be a D97 of maximum 1200 microns. The upper end of the standard deviation is at 1200 microns.

No more than 3% of the material can be coarser than 1200 microns.

b. This will impact availability, yield, and cost if no finer and coarser fractions are permitted in the powder blend as they are there after ball milling. A typical specification after ball milling would be D50 of 100 – 400 microns and a D97 <1200 microns, allowing for some, but still limited finer fractions, given the shape of the distribution curve. This current specification will require adjustments to the current process which has been used to produce thousands of metric tons of boron carbide powder for body armor.

This is not a question. Your comment is acknowledged

c. How will the D3 be measured? Given the grain size, mesh analysis would be a good option.

The methodology will be determined by ARL.

9. SOW Paragraph 4.2.4 Each COA shall include the following, at a minimum:

d) Density

a. Please confirm the density. Is this bulk density?

Yes. DLA Strategic Materials confirms that the density in SOW Paragraph 4.2.4(d) is bulk density.

b. Will the final acceptable value range depend on the final specification?

The offerors material will not pass or fail based on the final value range.

However, DLA Strategic Materials requires this information for our records.