Injection molding pellets

UNICOR, Federal Prison Industries, Inc., operating under the Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons Correctional Facilities, is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit market research and pricing data for plastic injection molding materials destined for the Butner Optical facility in Butner, North Carolina. The procurement focuses on FDA food-grade polypropylene materials in various forms and colors, with vendors required to meet specific physical, mechanical, thermal, and hardness specifications suitable for high-speed injection molding applications. Prospective vendors must maintain active registration in SAM.gov and submit pricing proposals to Chad Privett at chad.privett2@usdoj.gov, providing their SAM Unique Entity ID, point of contact information, telephone and fax numbers, email address, and business size classification. While the RFI does not establish formal evaluation criteria, submissions must demonstrate compliance with FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 food-contact application standards and include all shipping costs in pricing quotes. The pre-solicitation notice was posted on March 5, 2026, with responses requested by March 20, 2026, allowing potential bidders approximately fifteen days to prepare and submit their market research information.

This procurement carries no set-aside designation and involves no identified incumbent contractors at this stage of market research. The total procurement encompasses 17,000 pounds of polypropylene materials across five line items: 10,000 pounds of CHG2198 material (Item 0001) and 7,000 pounds of natural polypropylene pellets in various colors across Items 0002 through 0005 (5,000 pounds natural, 1,000 pounds tan, 500 pounds orange, and 500 pounds amber). UNICOR's desired delivery timeframe is fifteen days or sooner following issuance of each delivery order, establishing an expedited supply chain requirement. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in this RFI phase, as the government is conducting market research to establish pricing and availability before issuing a formal solicitation. The specifications are noted as suggested parameters, with alternative specifications acceptable provided materials meet FDA food-grade certification requirements for food-contact and potable water system applications.