B-1 Fire Carts

The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Lifecycle Management Center at Hill Air Force Base seeks production of B-1 fire extinguisher cartridges, with proposals due July 30, 2026. This is a qualified source acquisition limiting competition to vendors approved under existing qualification standards; new sources may compete if they achieve qualification prior to award.

Place of performance is Utah. The procurement covers three National Stock Numbers (1377013366648ES, 1377016319582ES, and 1377016319588ES) designated as Class 1.4 hazardous materials and critical safety items. Three currently qualified manufacturers exist: Kidde (CAGE 61423), AETC (CAGE 57597), and PacSci (CAGE 54181). Prospective offerors must complete comprehensive qualification requirements including facility certification, qualification test procedures and reports per DI-NDTI-80604, material source identification, and production of qualification articles demonstrating form, fit, and function at the offeror's expense, with estimated qualification costs ranging from $5,000 to $50,000+. The Air Force estimates 360 days for qualification completion; full qualification must be demonstrated before contract award, though approval does not guarantee award.

Technical specifications require compliance with CAD/PAD Item Marking Instruction Version 1.6, including Item Unique Identifiers with Data Matrix ECC 200 formatting and both Human Readable Information and Machine Readable Information. Energetic materials and all components cannot exceed 24 months from original manufacturing date and must be traceable to DoD-qualified manufacturers and compliant with ITAR Parts 120 and 121. Percussion primers must be certified or recertified within the past 24 months and X-rayed for critical defects. Contractors must submit Ammunition Data Cards per MIL-STD-1168 to the Worldwide Ammunition-data Repository Program, Lot Acceptance Test Plans at least 90 days prior to testing, and lot acceptance test reports within 30 days of completion. All items must pass gross and fine leak checks per MIL-STD-883L Method 1014.18. Report of Shipment must be submitted no later than 24 hours prior to arrival.

The NAICS code is 325920, Explosives Manufacturing; PSC is 1377, Cartridge and Propellant Actuated Devices and Components. Evaluation is best value, weighing technical factors (Qualified Vendor status and Schedule) as significantly more important than price. Schedule submissions must include a Work Breakdown Structure with major deliverables and realistic task durations, formatted in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, or Project format not exceeding 10 pages. All contractors must comply with packaging standards MIL-STD 2073-1, ASTM D3951, and MIL-STD 129, and hazardous materials packaging per 49 CFR, ICAO, IATA, and IMDG Code requirements.