Automated Fluidized Bed Mixer Facility Modernization for end use at Pine Bluff Arsenal – CSO

The Army Contracting Command – Rock Island seeks vendors for an Automated Fluidized Bed Mixer Facility Modernization for end use at Pine Bluff Arsenal, with Phase 1 submissions due November 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Central Time under Amendment 0003. The procurement is a Commercial Solutions Opening under 10 U.S.C. 4022 and DFARS Subpart 212.70, awarded as FAR Part 12 firm-fixed-price contracts, with the Set Aside line reading "No Set-Aside Used." Both traditional and non-traditional defense contractors are eligible.

Place of performance is Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The system must process 800 to 1,200 lb batches and deliver at least 30% throughput improvement over the legacy system, sub-millimeter granulation consistency, 95% operational availability and repeatability, and raw material weighing accuracy within 1.5%. It must handle hygroscopic sugar and potassium chlorate in humidity up to 95%, perform potassium chlorate de-clumping and particle size reduction, and include automated fail-safe shutdown, high-speed fire detection and suppression, and automated venting for closed systems. Equipment must carry Class I and II, Division 1 ratings and be compatible with the specified dyes, oxidizers, fuels, coolants, binders, solvents, and additives, documented in a chemical compatibility compliance table. The government originally quoted three fluidized bed units, but no fixed quantity is set; vendors must submit a best-case operational plan that determines equipment quantities. CAD and layout drawings are not yet available.

Phase 1 requires a solution brief of no more than 5 pages or a 15-slide presentation, a commercial specification sheet, and rough order of magnitude pricing split into equipment and hardware and integration, engineering, and setup. Phase 2 is a 30-minute presentation by invitation within 15 calendar days of notification. Phase 3 is a full quote by invitation, requiring a statement of work, engineering drawings, a firm-fixed-price cost breakout, and an execution and logistics plan. Phases 1 and 2 are evaluated on technical merit and innovation, importance to agency programs, and financial feasibility. Phase 3 adds price reasonableness including total lifecycle cost, technical approach and risk, and execution schedule feasibility. No weights are stated. The government may award to one or multiple vendors or make no award.

Submissions must be unclassified, under 10 MB, in Word, PDF, or PowerPoint format, pre-scanned for malicious code, and sent without .zip files or third-party cloud links. They must include the vendor's CAGE Code and email address and be signed by a corporate officer or an individual authorized in writing by one. Packages remain valid for 240 days. DFARS 252.225-7021 (Trade Agreements, February 2024) is incorporated. NAICS is 333248 and PSC is 3650. Points of contact are Ashley Testrake and Michelle Pleasant, the Contracting Officer.