W15QKN20Q0063 Attachment 0001 PWS Spread Tow Final.pdf

RFQ W15QKN-20-Q-0063 CCNJ-ET

Attachment 0001 - Performance Work Statement Investigation of Spread Tow Technology on Nextel 610

1.0 Introduction, Background & Scope

1.1 Introduction: Benet Laboratories at the United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Foreign Technology (and Science) Assessment Support (FTAS) program is run by the CCDC Global Technology Office intended to evaluate foreign technologies of interest to the Government. CCDC mission is to provide the research, engineering, and analytical expertise to deliver capabilities that enable the Army to deter and, when necessary, decisively defeat any adversary now and in the future. Included in this mission is research into improvements of armament structures such as gun tubes. The FTAS program has identified foreign technology, Spread Tow, with the potential to improve armament structures.

1.2 Background: Spread Tow is a technology that takes bundles of fibers (called tows) and spreads them out into thin tapes. This allows for a more uniform and thinner composites. It has been done for several years with carbon fibers but has not been significantly used on ceramic fibers (such as Nextel 610) used in metal matrix composites (MMC). Traditionally, MMCs have been made either by wet winding, casting, or hot isostatic pressing (HIP). All of these processes FMMC was tried several years ago under Army Small Business Innovation Research contracts and Small Business Technology Transfers called ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM). UAM was used to join tapes of MMC together. However the MMC tapes were made from traditional tows, resulting in fibers on the surface and thick tapes. These tows damaged the UAM sonotrode and resulted in broken fibers. The only solution was to add a thin foil of pure aluminum between the tapes resulting in a low fiber volume, making them unusable for armament structures. Spread tow technology provides the opportunity to make thinner and more uniform MMC tapes without surface fibers. The ability to use an MMC tape in a process analogous to PMC tape placement will allow for much lighter gun tubes of all sizes without sacrificing performance. Alternately longer (higher performance / lethality) gun tubes could be made while keeping the weight the same.

1.3 Scope: The purpose of this effort is to investigate the use of Spread Tow Technology on ceramic fibers, specifically Nextel 610. Upon completion, the Contract shall provide samples of modified Nextel 610 tape and a final report to include test results.

1.4 Applicable Documents:

- ASTM D3552 - 17 -Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Fiber Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites

- ASTM D3171 - 15 - Standard Test Methods for Constituent Content of Composite Materials

- DoD Directive 5230.24, Distribution Statements on Technical Documents

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2.0 General Requirements

2.1 Business Relations: The Contractor shall successfully integrate and coordinate all activity needed to execute the requirement. The Contractor shall manage the timeliness, completeness, and quality of problem identification. The Contractor shall provide corrective action plans, proposal submittals, timely identification of issues, and effective management of subcontractors. The Contractor shall seek to ensure customer satisfaction and professional and ethical behavior of all Contractor personnel.

2.2 Contract Administration and Management:

The following subsections specify requirements for contract management and personnel administration.

2.2.1 Contract Management: The Contractor shall establish clear organizational lines of authority and responsibility to ensure effective management of the resources assigned to the requirement. The Contractor must maintain continuity between the support operations at all designated performance locations and the Contractor's corporate offices. The Contractor's management shall oversee the execution of the administrative, managerial, and financial aspects of this contract.

2.2.2 Contract Administration: The Contractor shall establish processes and assign appropriate resources to effectively administer the requirement. The Contractor shall respond to Government requests for contractual actions in a timely fashion. The Contractor shall have a single point of contact between the Government and Contractor personnel assigned to support contracts or task orders. The Contractor shall identify this individual to the Technical Point of Contact and Contracting Officer as the focal point of all programmatic issues. The Contractor shall assign work effort and maintain proper and accurate time keeping records of personnel assigned to work on the requirement.

2.2.3 Personnel Administration: The Contractor shall provide the necessary labor required to perform the tasks set forth under the requirement. The Contractor shall maintain the currency of their employees by providing initial and refresher training as required to meet the PWS requirements. The Contractor shall provide necessary infrastructure and facilities for personnel to support contract tasks. The Contractor shall provide administrative support to employees in a timely fashion (time keeping, leave processing, pay, emergency needs). The Contractor shall maintain continuity of services in the midst of personnel disruptions such as extended sickness, leave, resignation or termination to complete tasks in accordance with the delivery schedule.

2.2.4 Contractor Personnel, Disciplines, and Specialties: The Contractor shall accomplish the assigned work by employing and utilizing qualified personnel with appropriate combinations of education, training, and experience. The Contractor shall match personnel skills to the work or task with a minimum of under/over employment of resources.

2.2.5 Subcontract Management: The Contractor shall be responsible for any subcontract management necessary to integrate work performed on this requirement

Page 3 of Attach 1 and shall be responsible and accountable for subcontractor performance on this requirement. The prime Contractor will manage work distribution to ensure there are no Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) considerations. Contractors may add subcontractors to their team after notification to the PCO.

2.2.6 Place of Performance: The requirements will be performed at the Contractor’s Location.

Oxeon AB Företagsgatan 24

SE-504 64

Borås, Sweden |

3.0 Performance Requirements

3.1 Objective: The contractor shall conduct spreading trials on Nextel 610 fibers with different deniers and sizings. Using these results the contractor will then fabricate spread tow tapes with epoxy and solvent soluble binders. The objective is to develop a spread tow tape of Nextel 610 that can be used for fabrication of metal matrix tape.

The government shall supply the following Nextel fibers for this effort:

3M Part # Product Description Billing unit Quantity

7100037702 ROVING 610 10000D WS NEXTEL LB LB 25

4100044980 610 10000D 333 ROVING LB 25

4100045533 NEXTEL 610 10000D 333 SIZING L-250501 RO LB 25

7100037693 ROVING 610 20000D WS NEXTEL LB LB 50

7100219644 ROVING 610 20000D 333 NEXTEL 4999 FT LB 50

4100045534 NEXTEL 610 20000D 333 SIZING L-250501 RO LB 50

The objective shall be conducted in eight phases or tasks. Government approval is required before the Contractor may proceed from Task 4 to Task 5.

3.2 Task #1: The contractor shall conduct spreading trials on Nextel 610 fibers with different deniers and sizings. The options that shall be tried are:

Option # Fiber type Tex value (deniers) Sizing 1 Nextel 610 10 000 Water 2 Nextel 610 20 000 Water 3 Nextel 610 10 000 3-3-3 a% 4 Nextel 610 20 000 3-3-3 a% 5 Nextel 610 10 000 3-3-3 b% 6 Nextel 610 20 000 3-3-3 b%

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The tapes shall be 25mm wide and the acceptable areal weights:

178 grams per square meter (gsm) 133 gsm 89 gsm

Results shall be documented in the Monthly Progress report (A001).

3.2.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Compliant - Process must be shown to spread Nextel 610 tow to a width of 25mm and with an areal density of between 89 and 178 gsm. Acceptable Quality Level

(AQL): 100%

3.3 Task #2: The contractor shall use the results from Task #1 to produce a spread tow tape using their standard epoxy based binder. The contractor shall ensure that the binder sticks and stays on the Nextel tape. The contractor shall ensure that the binder can be burned off and provide information on the char rate formed in the tape. 200m of the tape shall be produced.

Results shall be documented in the Monthly Progress report (A001).

3.3.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Compliant - Contractor must show that binder adheres to the tape and can be removed from either being burned or dissolved off. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL):

100%

3.4 Task #3: The contractor shall use the results from Task #1 to produce a spread tow tape using a soluble binder. Both water and solvent binders will be considered. The contractor shall ensure that the binder sticks and stays on the Nextel tape. The contractor shall ensure that the binder can be dissolved off. 200m of the tape shall be produced.

Results shall be documented in the Monthly Progress report (A001).

3.4.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Compliant - Contractor must show that binder adheres to the tape and can be removed from either being burned or dissolved off. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL):

100%

3.5 Task #4: The contractor shall record the tape dimensions and tolerances of the tapes produced in Tasks #2 and 3. This data shall be conveyed to the government for review in the Monthly Progress Report (A001).

Upon receipt, the data will be reviewed by the Government for acceptance or rejection within in 15 days of receipt of the report. The Contractor shall not proceed to Task #5 until the Contracting Officer notifies the Contractor in writing of acceptance of the data produced under this Task.

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3.6 Task #5: Upon Government acceptance of the materials delivered under Task #3 and #4, the contractor shall commence work to produce MetPreg metal matrix tape using the modified Nextel 610 tape modified in the previous tasks.

Results shall be documented in the Monthly Progress report (A001).

3.7 Task #6: The contractor shall modify the existing metal matrix tape line to handle the Nextel 610 spread tow material. This includes removing the binder (epoxy or solvent soluble) and for pancake wound spools of the spread tow material.

Results shall be documented in the Monthly Progress report (A001).

3.8 Task #7: The contractor shall use the results from Task #6 to produce 20 feet of MetPreg metal matrix tape. The tape shall have a width not to exceed one inch with a thickness not to exceed 0.015 inch.

3.8.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Complete - Process must fabricate 20 feet of metal matrix tape with spread tow Nextel 610 as reinforcement. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL): 100%

3.9 Task #8: The Contractor shall conduct tensile testing and measure fiber volume on specimens taken from the tape fabricated in Task #7. These tests must be conducted according to the appropriate ASTM standards. The results of the testing and measurements shall be documented in the Monthly Progress report (A001).

Target properties are:

Tensile strength: 200 ksi Tensile modulus: 25 Msi Fiber volume: 50%

3.9.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Compliant - Contractor must test the metal matrix tape for tensile strength, tensile modulus and fiber volume. AQL: 100%

3.10 Materials:

3.10.1 Upon completion of Task #7, the contractor shall deliver 2 ft.1 ft from Task #2 and 1 ft from Task #3) of Nextel 610 tape modified by the spread tow process for inspection and acceptance. The modified tape shall be delivered as 1 ft. from Task #2 with the Contractor’s standard binder and 1 ft. with a soluble binder.

3.10.1.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Completeness – The delivered material shall be in compliance with Task #2 and Task #3. AQL: 100%

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Contractor shall deliver 2 ft of Nextel Spread Tow tape. 1 ft of the tape will be Oxeon’s standard binder. The other 1 ft will be with a soluble binder.

Standard: Timely- The material shall be delivered within 15 days of completion of Task

#7. AQL: 100%.

3.10.2 Upon completion of Task #7, the contractor shall deliver 20 feet of the MetPreg modified Nextel 610 tape produced in Task #7 for inspection and acceptance.

3.10.2.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Completeness – The delivered material shall be in compliance with Task #7.

AQL: 100%.

Standard: Timely – The material shall be delivered within 15 days of completion of Task

#7: AQL: 100%.

3.11 Reports

3.11.1: Monthly Progress Report: The contractor shall deliver progress reports on a monthly basis. Reports shall be due by the 15th of the month. (A001).

3.11.1.1 Performance Standard:

Standard: Completeness – Reports shall fully document progress, actions taken, and any test results. AQL: 100%

Standard: Timely – Reports shall be delivered within the time specified. AQL: 100%

3.11.2 The Contractor shall prepare and deliver a Final Report upon contract completion (A002).

4.0 Quality

4.1 The Contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services and incidental materials delivered under this contract.

4.2 The Government will evaluate the Contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the Contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL). See Attachment 0001 Performance Requirements Summary, with the AQLs, dated 17 June 2020.

5.0 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

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5.1 A COR will be appointed by the Contracting Officer and the Contractor will receive a copy of the appointment letter. Overall coordination, approval, and authority for this project will be the responsibility of the COR, who will establish a team for technical input and performance. The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR appointment letter states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regards to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates or requirements. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the contract, or scope of the PWS.

5.2 The COR will serve as the Government Technical Point of Contact and will coordinate interface with the Contractor Program Manager and provide technical guidance as necessary. The COR will be the administrative point of contact for all technical guidance and administrative oversight. Final acceptance of all deliverables and tasks performed by the Contractor is the responsibility of the COR.

5.3 The COR is not empowered to make any contractual commitments or to authorize any contractual changes on the Government's behalf. The Contractor shall refer any changes they deem may affect contract price, terms, or conditions to the Contracting Officer for action.

6.0 Data Rights

6.1 All materials such as test data, test results, or records of data sources used to develop findings and recommendations, and reports and information obtained, produced, or developed by the Contractor in support of this contract shall become the property of the Government and shall be made available to CCDC upon completion or upon request. Destruction of obsolete data in this file is authorized upon receipt of written instructions from the COR.

6.2 In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.227-14, Rights in Data- General, the Government shall have the unlimited rights in data first produced in the performance of this contract; form, fit and function data delivered under this contract;

data delivered under this contract (except for restricted computer software) that constitute manuals or instructional and training material for installation, operation or routine maintenance and repair of items, components or processes delivered or furnished for use under this contract; and all other data delivered under this contract unless provided otherwise for limited rights data or restricted computer software.

6.3 All information and/or data developed under this contract shall be marked and handled as For Official Use Only (FOUO) with distribution statements applied in accordance with DoD Directive 5230.24, Distribution Statements on Technical Documents.

6.4 The Contractor shall not release any information or data to third parties without the express written approval of the Contracting Officer. All requests for publication in technical journals, magazines, newspapers, or other public releases shall be cleared by the Picatinny Arsenal Public Affairs Office in accordance with the Clearance of Technical Information for Public Release, INME-PIC-IM Form 3002, 1 Mar 2011

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(Attachment 0002). A copy of the approved release shall be provided to the Contracting Officer and PCO.

7.0 Accounting for Contract Service

7.1 Contractor shall report ALL Contractor labor hours (including subcontractor labor hours) required for performance of services provided under this contract for the Department of Army via a secure data collection site. The Contractor is required to completely fill in all required data fields using the following web address:

https://ecmra.army.mil and click on Department of the Army CMRA or the icon of the DoD organization that is receiving or benefitting from the contracted services. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer and COR of completion no later than ten

(10) calendar days after the report is generated from the CMR system.

7.2 Reporting inputs will be for the labor executed during the period of performance during each Government fiscal year (FY), this runs October 1 through September 30.

While inputs may be reported any time during the FY, all data shall be reported no later than October 31 of each calendar year, beginning with the first year of performance.

Contractors may direct questions to the help desk by clicking on Send an Email which is located under the Held Resources ribbon on the right side of the login page of the applicable Service/Components CMR Website. :

8.0 Reserved

9.0 Operations Security (OPSEC):

9.1 The highest security classification for this effort is Unclassified.

9.1.1 Protection of Sensitive Unclassified Data. The Contractor shall ensure any sensitive information, including, but not limited to, Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and For Official Use Only (FOUO), proprietary, and Law Enforcement Sensitive information residing on Mobile Computing Devices (MCD) or other external media, is protected in accordance with current Data at Rest (DAR) guidelines and requirements.

The Contractor shall use an authorized, approved, and prescribed DAR solution. The MCDs include, but are not limited to, laptop, netbook, notebook, or tablet computers, and Blackberry or equivalent devices. External media include optical disk media such as CDs, DVDs, USB drives (also referred to as flash or thumb drives) (when authorization to use them is restored), floppy disks, and other portable digital storage devices.

Guidance for protecting DAR information appears in DoD Policy Memorandum, 3 Jul 07, subject: Encryption of Sensitive Unclassified Data at Rest on Mobile Computing Devices and Removable Media and in DoD Component implementing instructions.

RFQ W15QKN-20-Q-0063 PWS Attachment 0001

CCDC Foreign Technology Assessment Support

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

Performance Requirement

Performance Measure

Performance Standard

Acceptable Performance

Level

(APL)

Method of

Surveillance

Compliance (Exceeded, Met or Partially Met)

Ref-PWS Para:

3.2

Quality - Compliant

Process must be shown to spread Nextel 610 tow to a width of 25mm and with an areal density of between 89 and 178 gsm. Results shall be documented in the monthly report (A001)

100%

COR review of report

Ref-PWS Para

3.3 & 3.4

Contractor must show that binder adheres to the tape and can be removed via either be burned or dissolved off.

Results shall be documented in the monthly report (A001)

Ref-PWS Para:

3.8

Complete

Process must fabricate 20 feet of metal matrix tape with spread tow Nextel 610 as reinforcement

Inspection by COR upon delivery

3.9

Contractor must test the metal matrix tape for tensile strength, tensile modulus and fiber volume. Results shall be documented in the monthly report (A001)

3.11

Quality – Completeness

Timeliness

Contract shall report progress monthly and a final report at completion of project

Review of report by

COR

RFQ W15QKN-20-Q-0063 PWS Attachment 0001

Ref-PWS par 3.10.1

Quality – Completeness

Timely

Contractor shall deliver 2 ft of Nextel Spread Tow tape.

1 ft of the tape will be Oxeon’s standard binder. The other 1 ft will be with a soluble binder.

100% Inspection on

Ref-PWS par 3.10.2

Quality – Completeness

Timely

Contractor shall deliver 20 feet of metal matrix tape to Benet Labs

100% Inspection on

PRS FTAS Attachment 0001.pdf