Stainless Steel Forging Qualification Test Articles

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, under the Department of the Navy Naval Sea Systems Command, is soliciting proposals for the procurement of Stainless Steel Forging Qualification Test Articles manufactured from XM-19 stainless steel (UNS 20910). The contract scope includes multiple production stages encompassing ingot manufacture, forging, heat treatment, non-destructive testing, and metallurgical evaluation to assess the manufacturability and performance of this high-performance material for Navy propulsion shafting applications. The primary objective is to qualify an alternate material for use in naval propulsion systems, with a target yield strength of 50 ksi for the final test article. The solicitation utilizes a firm-fixed price contracting structure with multiple line items corresponding to each production stage, with optional line items available for additional processing such as hollow bore machining and RCB test specimens. The original response deadline was November 5, 2025 at 09:00 AM; however, a solicitation amendment was issued on November 5, 2025, which may have adjusted key dates and requirements, and the current proposal due date is November 10, 2025.

This procurement carries no set-aside designation and is open to all qualified contractors in the Iron and Steel Forging industry (NAICS 332111). No current contractor or incumbent has been identified in the available documentation. The specific award value and budget have not been disclosed in the solicitation materials provided, though the contract is structured as a firm-fixed price purchase order anticipated to result in a single award. The final qualification test article must be delivered by September 30, 2026, to the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Bethesda, Maryland, with intermediate deliverables required upon completion of each production stage as defined in the Contract Data Requirements Lists. Contractors must submit a Technical Report with Forging Sketch Drawing (CDRL A001) following completion of the initial production line item and prior to proceeding with subsequent stages, and a Certification/Data Report (CDRL A002) must be submitted no later than 45 days before the planned delivery date.