120mm, Advanced Tungsten Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot with Tracer (APFSDS-T) KE-W (Kinetic Energy with Tungsten) A1® and KE-W A4® or equivalent cartridges

The U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, (ACC-NJ) on behalf of the Office of the Project Manager, Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS), is seeking possible sources for the production of the 120mm, Advanced Tungsten Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot with Tracer (APFSDS-T) KE-W (Kinetic Energy with Tungsten) A1® (KE-W A1®)  and KE-W A4® cartridges or equivalent APFSDS-T Tungsten cartridges.

The 120mm KE-W A1®, 120mm KE-W A4® or equivalent cartridges will be procured to a performance specification marked Distribution D (Authorized to the Department of Defense and DoD contractors only) that contains technical data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C., Sec 2751, et. seq.) or the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (Title 50, U.S.C., App. 2401 et. seq.).  The KE-W A1®, KE-W A4® or equivalent shall be compatible with the M256 cannon and have a path to qualification on the Abrams M1A1 tank.  The KE-W A1® or equivalent shall be a ballistic match to the current ballistic solution on the Abrams M1A1.  The KE-W A1® or equivalent shall provide defeat capability against an armored vehicle.  The KE-W A4® or equivalent shall provide enhanced defeat capability against an armored vehicle with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA).

Requests for the performance specification shall be submitted in writing using AMSTA-AR Form 1350 Technical Data Request Questionnaire (attached) along with a signed DD 2345 Military Critical Technical Data Agreement form and a fully executed Non-Disclosure and Non-Use Agreement (attached).  Offerors must be registered with the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Office to obtain a copy of the specification and top drawings (See https://www.dla.mil/logistics-operations/services/joint-certification-program/ for instructions and information). Offerors should submit their certification via DD Form 2345 or register immediately. In order to provide the data to foreign subcontractors, offerors must apply for an export license. An offeror's delay in applying for DD 2345 certification or an export license will not be a basis to extend the closing date of any future request for proposal.

PLANNED ACQUISITION: The planned acquisition is for a Firm Fixed Price five (5) year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract (FY28-33). The estimated quantity to be purchased is 4,000 cartridges per year.

Submission Information: Interested firms who feel they are capable of manufacturing the above cartridges are invited to indicate their interest.  If a respondent does not have potential capacity and adequate resources available, the respondent must be able to demonstrate ability to obtain those resources in a timely fashion.

Interested sources should provide the following information:

1. A detailed description of the proposed technical solution along with the associated technical maturity.  Details shall be provided in compatibility with the M256 cannon or equivalents, and if not already qualified on the Abrams M1A1 tank – a path to qualification.

2. Summary of your prior design/development experience, current production and testing capabilities, a description of current facilities, and current personnel and past manufacturing experience as it relates to the above.

3. Address any capabilities that need to be obtained, and the timeframe required to establish those capabilities.

4. A description of key suppliers planned as it relates to the above.  Describe key supplier past manufacturing experience and maturity as it relates to the above.

5. What resources are required by industry to successfully propose a cartridge meeting our requirements, and what is industries plan to obtain them?  What non-monetary resources are required from the U.S. Government to support industry competition?  Address any U.S. Government acquisition processes that constrain competition for these cartridges, and suggest solutions that (i.e. Requirements, Multi-Award, etc.) would viably expand competition. 

6. Describe your experience with implementing standard quality production provisions on contracts and flowing them down to sub-contractors.  Explain how your complete quality system ensures conformance of product to U.S. Government requirements.  Describe your process for maintaining accountability and control of key suppliers.  Address any concerns about importing materiel and associated inspections, if applicable.

7. Estimated minimum and maximum monthly production quantities, estimated prices, and the minimum procurement quantity (MPQ) required for production.  Indicate the timeframe to surge or increase production and identify the capacity this would provide.     Include areas that aid and barriers that impede expedited deliveries.    

8.  The U.S. Government is seeking to reform the speed of acquisition award and production deliveries, what recommendations and support do you envision to accomplish this?

9. Do you have comparable military programs where you have provided deliveries to the U.S. Government? If yes, please explain the total quantities delivered. Please briefly describe and identify the timeframe and Government agency.

10. Describe any additional production information/ internal capability, experience, schedules, and strategies you would like to provide if not answered with the questions above that pertains to the ability to deliver the KE-W A1® and KE-W A4® or equivalent cartridges.

This market survey is for planning purposes only and the requirements may change.  This shall not be construed as a Request for Proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government.

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION AND DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE A SOLICITATION.  The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market survey or otherwise pay for information solicited.  Participation in this effort is strictly voluntary. The Government intends to utilize the information received only to develop the acquisition strategy for future requirements. Any of the information stated above is subject to change.

Please include company name, address, telephone number, email address, technical point of contact, Company Size (please specify as either Large, Foreign, Small, Small Disadvantaged, 8(a), Woman-Owned Small Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone concern, Veteran-Owned Small Business, or Service-Disabled Small Business), brochures/literature. The respondent should provide sufficient details to allow the U.S. Government to make a reasonable assessment of the respondent's capability to produce KE-W A1® and KE-W A4® or equivalent cartridges.

The Offeror shall provide all information requested in this notification within 30 days of this publication by electronic mail to the Government to sean.p.kelly168.civ@army.mil.

Any information deemed proprietary must be marked accordingly. All information is to be submitted at no cost or obligation to the U.S. Government. All contractors interested in this potential future solicitation must be registered in the System for Award Management. The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part any private sector input as a result of this sources sought notice. This sources sought notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall NOT be construed as a Request for Proposal or an obligation on part of the U.S Government. The U.S. Government does not intend to award a contract based on this sources sought notice. This is only a sources sought notice, not a pre-solicitation notice. If a formal solicitation is generated at a later date, a solicitation notice will be published.