Lubrication System Components and Maintenance

An Army research program being carried out at the ERDC laboratories to explore use of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) in hydropower turbine generator units, requires use of ERDC-CERL requires operation of a Tribometer instrument for testing purposes.  A set of parts and accessory components that are compatible with existing equipment within the Army inventory are required for carrying out the planned testing which includes:

1. One tooling set for the Tribometer (#TE 92/AREA/6 Three Pad Thrust Bearing (Stribeck) Tooling),
2. One extra runner compatible with the tooling set above.
3. Ten thrust washers compatible with the tooling set above.
4. Nine hundred steel pads/shoes (of various material specifications) that are compatible with the tooling set above.
5. Services to install the above components and calibrate the Tribometer to ensure full functionality. 

The original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Phoenix Tribology Limited is the only company capable of fulfilling the Government’s requirement.  The US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) possesses a Phoenix Tribometer that is fully suitable for the EAL performance testing that is needed for a project that is currently underway within ERDC research laboratories.  The existing tribometer at GVSC is a unique apparatus that was purchased over 10 years ago. Due to the highly specialized and unique nature of the system, no other vendor is able to service this piece of equipment or provide compatible attachments. To ensure mechanical and functional compatibility without risking damage to the existing Government-owned machine or compromising the research data, the specific Phoenix tooling must be procured. No equivalent product is available from any other manufacturer or distributor that can safely interface with the existing tribometer.

This is not a request for proposal and in no way obligates the Government to award any contract.

The associated North American Classification System (NAICS) code is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, which has a size standard of 1,250 employees. This is not a small business set aside. Any interested party that believes they can fulfil this requirement should submit a capability statement to be reviewed. All submissions will be considered, however there is no guarantee that submissions in response to this notice will in any way alter the Government’s acquisition strategy.

The anticipated award date for this action is 30 September 2026. 

Please provide responses to this notice by the response date listed above to:

cerl-ct-quotes@usace.army.mil

Telephone responses will not be accepted.