NTDP - Injection Molding - WFCS Corrosion Tests Improvements

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service seeks injection molding services for Wildland Fire Chemical Systems corrosion testing equipment, with quotations due September 18, 2026. This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside with a 750-employee size standard under NAICS 326199.

Place of performance is the vendor's facility, with delivery to the National Technology and Development Program in Missoula, Montana. The base contract period runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, with three optional one-year periods through September 30, 2030.

The procurement requires design, tooling, and fabrication of injection molds for four polyetheretherketone (PEEK) parts: a threaded rim-ring top, and three dipping shafts (pincher, galvanic, and crevice). All parts must be manufactured from unfilled, pure PEEK (low-to-medium viscosity) from approved sources including Victrex 450G, Solvay KetaSpire KT-820, or Evonik VESTAKEEP 2000. Unfilled PEEK is mandatory because filled variants contain conductive materials that would compromise electrochemical corrosion test results. All three shaft types require matching male threads (.75-16-UNF-2A) to interface with the rim ring's female threads (.75-16-UNF-2B), enabling full interchangeability. Base-year requirements include one-time mold tooling plus manufacturing of 1,000 rim-ring tops and 500 of each shaft type, with option-year volumes of 6,000–7,500 rim-ring tops and 2,000–2,500 of each shaft type annually across three product lines (retardant, foam, and gels). The contractor must deliver an initial batch of 20 parts per design for testing before production runs. All mold designs and intellectual property rights transfer to the Forest Service with unlimited utilization rights. Evaluation criteria are technical approach (schedule and requirements compliance), price (fair and reasonable), and past performance (acceptable or neutral rating). All offerors must provide complete pricing for all line items to be considered responsive. U.S. manufacturing is preferred; overseas sourcing must be identified and complies with FAR 25. Questions were due September 14; delivery is F.O.B. Destination. The contracting officer is Michael J. Simpson.