Rubber Compound

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD), operating under the Department of the Navy Naval Sea Systems Command, is procuring specialized rubber compound, specifically NXA5126, a proprietary neoprene formulation used in submarine component manufacturing. This sole-source acquisition will be evaluated on two primary factors: price and technical capability/approach, with an "Unacceptable" rating on technical capability rendering the entire quote ineligible for award. The government will assess price reasonableness through market research, current purchases, and comparison to an independent government estimate. Interested parties must submit capabilities statements by the December 11, 2025 deadline at 12:00 PM Noon to be considered; however, this notice is not a request for competitive proposals, and the government retains sole discretion to determine whether to compete the purchase order based on received responses. Inquiries should be directed to Michael Bonaiuto at michael.j.bonaiuto.civ@us.navy.mil.

This procurement carries no small business set-aside designation and is being awarded to Burke Industries LLC as the sole source vendor, as Burke is the only manufacturer capable of supplying the required rubber compound formulation with no compatible alternatives available in the market. The government requires up to 15,552 pounds of rubber compound across two contract line items with delivery dates of March 31, 2026, and June 30, 2026, respectively. The award will be issued as a firm fixed-price purchase order using Simplified Acquisition Procedures under NAICS code 325212 (Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing). Burke Industries LLC is a company with approximately 1,000 employees, and the specific rubber compound will support new construction and in-service engineering for multiple submarine classes including Los Angeles-class, Virginia-class, Seawolf-class, Ohio-class, and Columbia-class submarines. Performance and delivery will be directed to the NSWC Carderock Division located in Bethesda, Maryland.