Inner & outer cylindrical polymer containers for mortar ammunition and artillery propelling charges

INNER & OUTER CYLINDRICAL POLYMER CONTAINERS
FOR MORTAR AMMUNITION AND ARTILLERY PROPELLING CHARGES

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning
purposes. This is not a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), the US Government
(USG) does not presently intend to award a contract, but wants to obtain price, delivery,
other market information, or capabilities for planning purposes. Responses to these
notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding
contract. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will
be handled accordingly. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated
with responding to this RFI. Based on the results of this RFI, the USG may seek to establish
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement(s) (CRADA) and/or Other Transactional
Agreements (OTA’s) with potential responder(s).

INFORMATION REQUESTED: DEVCOM Armaments Center, Picatinny, NJ is
conducting market research to identify domestic products, suppliers, designers and
manufacturers of polymer shipping and storage containers for use on 60mm / 81mm /
120mm mortar ammunition and 155mm artillery propelling charges to supplement legacy
steel and polylaminated fiber packaging industrial bases. Two polymer container
alternatives are desired: inner and outer.
The inner polymer container would serve as an alternative to the legacy polylam
fiber tubes commonly used with mortar ammunition. It would be stored within a larger
outer metal rectangular container (steel outer pack) to meet long-term palletization and
worldwide shipping / storage requirements. This inner polymer container (polymer inner
pack) is expected to be lightweight, have a closure mechanism, be of similar color/gloss
spectrum, provide moisture protection/a waterproof seal, accept marking applications,
and be of comparable cost to the legacy polylam fiber tube. In addition, it must be capable
of protecting its ammunition over a wide range of extreme temperatures from -60°F to
+160°F for storage and air transport, and -50°F to +160°F for rigorous operational handling
and ground vehicle transport. In addition, the inner packs must be capable of protecting
ammunition for up to 20 years of indoor storage while spending most of that time in the
rectangular steel outer pack. When removed from the steel outer pack, the inner packs
must be capable of protecting mortar cartridges for up to 1 month of outdoor storage in the
harshest environments.
The cylindrical outer polymer container would serve as an alternative to the legacy
metal container outer packs for mortar ammunition and/or artillery propelling charges. The
outer polymer container is expected to meet long-term palletization and worldwide
shipping / storage requirements. It is expected to have a closure mechanism, carry
handles, be of similar color/gloss spectrum, provide moisture protection/a waterproof seal,
accept marking applications, and be of comparable cost to the respective legacy
packaging configuration. The polymer outer pack must be capable of protecting
ammunition over a wide range of extreme temperatures from -60°F to +160°F (for mortar
ammunition) and -65°F to +160°F (for artillery charges) during storage and air transport. In
addition, the polymer outer packs must be capable of protecting ammunition from -50F to
+160F (for mortar ammunition) and -40°F to +160°F (for artillery charges) during rigorous
operational handling and ground vehicle transport. In addition, they must be capable of
protecting ammunition for up to 20 years of indoor storage and up to 2 years of outdoor
storage in the harshest environments.
Approx inner and outer polymer cylindrical container sizes and weights are
dependent on the caliber of ammunition (see Table below). Injection molding is preferred;
however other manufacturing methods are being considered. MIL-STD-1904C, Test
Standards for Level A and Level B Packaging for Conventional Ammunition provide details,
design, and test requirements for the packaged ammunition system. MIL-STD-1660B,
Department of Defense Design Criteria Standard, Ammunition and Ordnance Unit Loads,
provide details of requirements for the palletized ammunition systems. It is critically
important that responders to this RFI review and understand the detailed design and test
requirements of these Military Standards as they outline the very severe Military
environments that the packaging needs to survive, which are significantly different and
more severe than the conditions commercial products are designed to withstand.

KEY REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY:

• Temperature Range:
  • Mortar Ammunition: -60°F to +160°F (storage/air transport), -50°F to +160°F (handling/ground transport)
  • Artillery Charges: -65°F to +160°F (storage/air transport), -40°F to +160°F (handling/ground transport)

• Durability:
  • Inner Polymer Container: 20 years indoor storage, 1-month outdoor storage in any worldwide climate.
  • Outer Polymer Container: 20 years indoor storage, 2 years outdoor storage in any worldwide climate.

•  Features: Lightweight, closure mechanism, carry handle(s), moisture/waterresistant,marking capability, comparable cost to legacy packaging.
•  Manufacturing: Injection molding preferred, but open to other methods.
• Standard: Should meet requirements of MIL-STD-1904C (Level A Tactical) and MILSTD-1660B (Protection Level A Tactical).
  • Outer Polymer Container must be capable of withstanding a pressure differential of 3 psig with no apparent leakage before, during, and after conditioned sequential rough handling IAW MIL-STD-1904C.
  • Outer Polymer Container must be capable of supporting the weight (up to 4,000lb max), stacking (up to 16ft high), and conditioned sequential rough handling requirements of a full unitized load configuration IAW MIL-STD-1660B.

Model   60mm PA189 Fiber Container (contains 1 mortar cartridge)
Drawing   13018948
Dimensions  17.73” L x 2.74” Diameter

Model  60mm  PA191 Metal Container (contains 8 PA189)
Drawing  13027662
Dimensions 12.362” x 6.36” x 18.826”

Model 81mm PA163 Fiber Container  (contains 1 mortar cartridge)
Drawing   12993642
Dimensions 21.00” L x 4.00” Diameter

Model 81mm PA156 Metal Container (contains 3 PA163)
Drawing 12944511 
Dimensions 14.34” x 5.72” x 22.90”

Model 120mm PA167 Fiber Container(contains 1 mortar cartridge)
Drawing 12995106 
Dimensions 30.46” L x 5.43” Diameter 

Model 120mm  PA154 Metal Container (contains 2 PA167)
Drawing 12577569 
Dimensions 12.362” x 6.36” x 31.78”

Model 155mm PA103 Metal Container 
Drawing 9349398
Dimensions 37.99” x 7.49” x 7.49”

All drawings in this Table are Distribution Statement A

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: There are no page limitations. Interested sources must
respond with:
• Company Name and Parent Company (If Applicable)
• Business Address: Street, City, State, and Zip Code
• Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code
• Unique Entity Identifier (ID)
• Information on current commercial products(s)/technologies and how they might
address this emerging Military requirement.
• Information regarding the firm's experience, personnel, and facilities.
• Technical information/specifications/qualifications (i.e., technical literature, data, test
reports, illustrations, photographs, patents, etc.), level of product maturity (i.e., is the
product in the research, development or production phase?), product history (i.e., who is
the product used by and in what applications?), relevant company background/experience.
• Price list, and/or potential costs, as well as delivery capabilities.
• Indicate whether they are a Small Business, Other than Small Business, Woman Owned
Business, Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women
Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business, Service-Disabled
Veteran Owned Small Business, SBA Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, SBA
Certified 8(a) Firm and/or SBA Certified HUBZone Firm.

ATTACHMENTS:
1. Test Standards for Level A and Level B Packaging for Conventional Ammunition (MILSTD-
1904C)
2. Department of Defense, Design Criteria Standard, Ammunition and Ordnance Unit
Loads (MIL-STD-1660B)
3. Container, Ammunition Fiber, Polylam, PA189 (13018948)
4. Container, Ammunition, Metal, PA191 (13027662)
5. Container, Ammunition Fiber, Polylam, PA163 For Cartridge 81mm (12993642)
6. Container, Ammunition, Metal, PA156 for Cartridge, 81mm (12944511)
7. Container, Ammunition Fiber, Polylam, PA167 (12995106)
8. Container, Metal, Shipping and Storage, Cartridge 120mm Mortar, PA154 (12577569)
9. Container, Ammo, Metal, PA 103 (9349398)