Cleaning compound, solvent

Product Supply Code: 6850, Miscellaneous Chemical Specialties.

NAICS Code: 325998, All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing

The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ is issuing this Request for Information as a means of conducting market research to identify potential sources having an interest and industry technologies available to support/provide the military with a CLEANING COMPOUND, SOLVENT (FOR BORE OF WEAPONS), A.K.A. Rifle Bore Cleaner (RBC), that contains a minimum of 35% biobased carbon content.

DISCLAIMER

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO BE SUBMITTED. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center is conducting a Request For Information (RFI) in accordance with FAR 15.201 to determine the availability and technical capability of producing and/or supplying a military weapons’ rifle bore cleaner (RBC) that contains biobased carbon material as a constituent of its formulation. Biobased materials are derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials, which serve as alternatives to conventional petroleum derived materials. The goal is to achieve maximum environmental and user safety benefits with a minimum of 35% biobased carbon content, while still meeting all existing RBC performance requirements and price constraints.

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

The Government requires that the RBC must meet all of the performance requirements contained in MIL-PRF-372G, entitled; CLEANING COMPOUND, SOLVENT (FOR BORE OF WEAPONS), dated 29 May 2024, which is available at the ASSIST QuickSearch website: https://quicksearch.dla.mil/ . The intent of this Request for Information is to assess the state-of-the art of the technology available in biobased RBC products that could be applied to meet this requirement.

QUALIFICATION

The RBC must demonstrate conformance to all qualification performance requirements contained in MIL-PRF-372G, dated 29 May 2024. RBC covered by this specification is for a type of solvent cleaning compound for use in the removal of copper fouling and firing residue in the bore of weapons.  The application of this RBC includes use in cleaning small, medium, and large caliber military weapons, operating in the temperature range of - 45°C to + 43°C (-49°F to +110°F).  RBCs identified under this notice may be selected for military qualification evaluation and testing by the Army DEVCOM Armaments Center as part of a Department of Army Standardization Program funded project.  Army Standardization Program funding may be available to partially offset some of the laboratory evaluation and testing expenses. RBC products that meet all qualification requirements may be added to the DoD Qualified Products List, QPL-372, for competitive DoD procurement and use.  

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Your response to this Request for Information, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialist, malgorzata.stroynowski.civ@army.mil and Contracting Officer vincent.s.conca.civ@army.mil  in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email on September 16 ,2024 no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time  and reference this Request for Information number in subject line of e-mail and on all enclosed documents. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted, and no guaranteed feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions.

If your organization has the potential capacity to provide the required product, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, primary points of contact (POCs) and their email address, FAX, Web site address, telephone number, and type of ownership for the organization; and 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the requirements of this notice, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of the material’s suitability to meet the performance requirements contained in MIL-PRF-372G, dated 29 May 2024. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.