SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- LIFE CYCLE SUPPORT OF ENERGETIC MATERIALS
- Notice Date
- 7/8/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- US Army ARDEC, AMSTA-AR-PC, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000
- ZIP Code
- 07806-5000
- Solicitation Number
- DAAE30-03-R-0816
- Response Due
- 8/8/2003
- Point of Contact
- SONYA RAPPOPORT, CONTRACT SPECIALIST 973 724 2775
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Sonya Rappoport
(srappop@pica.army.mil)
- Description
- The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, Research, Development and Engineering Center (TACOM-ARDEC), Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806-5000, is currently seeking interested sources for Characterization, Processing Optimization, Testing, and Life Cycle Support of Energetic Materials, Environment, Information Assurance and Micro-chemical Reactors in support of Armament Systems Processing Division of the Warheads, Energetics and Combat support Armaments Center - WECAC. The Government intends to award a contract to Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT), Hoboken, NJ on a sole source basis. As the U.S. Army begins its task of transformation, advanced materials and manufacturing processes have become increasingly important to the Army?s objective of meeting transportability, maneuverability and survivability requirements. In addition, there is a need to rapidly deliver advanced weapons and munitions technology directly to the field in order to support contingency force requirements. TACOM-ARDEC requires highly specialized analytical and engineering support for the development and production of energetic materials and compositions, especially using continuous processing mediums; and for the development, demonstration and transition of innovative technology solutions including the communications (command and control/information assurance), environmental challenges associated with the life-cycle management of weapons and munitions and development or new power sources. The US Army has been engaged in the development of advanced energetic materials and compositions for use in a wide range of applications. In order to ease the transition step from laboratory to production, a complete understanding of the process and the product are required, the ?black art? associated with energetics manufacturing must be removed. New methods of manufacturing energetic materials applying state-of-the-art technology, has required new methods in communication techniques for remote data acquisition, control and observation, be developed for the characterization and testing of these materials. On-line and off-line rheological behavior of simulant and explosive formulations, quantitatively determine the degree of mixedness of highly filled suspensions, mathematical modeling of the twin screw mixer/extruder that uses Finite Element method and characterization of raw materials to determine extreme conditions that may be produced in the mixer/extruder need to be conducted in order to develop the fundamental understanding of the energetic process. These methodologies and technologies are proprietary to Stevens Institute of Technology. Parametric models shall be developed to simulate the manufacturing process and performance of components applying selected advanced materials including amorphous metals. These models shall be integrated with existing enterprise software tools such as Windchill and Pro/ENGINEER for collaboration capabilities. Population of the database of the ACES knowledge-based software system, which is a Steven Institute of Technology patented software, will be required with the design properties including analytical material and manufacturing models of selected emerging advanced materials for immediate use by design engineers. Performance, manufacturing and cost analyses shall be performed for a select number of munitions components determined jointly by the contractor and TACOM- ARDEC using finite element methods, dynamic simulation tools, knowledge-based engineering systems, and other related software tools. The performance, vulnerability and processability of explosives depend on the morphology (shape, size, and surface properties) and defect structure (dislocations, stacking faults, mosaic structure and polygonization) of the crystalline ingredients. The crystal morphology and defect structure are developed predominantly during crystal growth/dissolution stages and obtained through modifications during processing as a function of the applied thermo-mechanical conditions. The control of crystal morphology and defect structure at the minimum requires the application of well-controlled crystal growth/dissolution studies in synergy with highly sensitive characterization methods to establish the link between the crystal growth conditions and the crystal morphology and defect structure. Mathematical modeling of the energetic materials crystal growth, size and shape, and purity must be conducted off-line and on-line to control the crystallization process. Future armament and munitions borne by the future U.S. soldier will be highly integrated systems involving advanced sensing, imaging, data analysis, communications, and weaponry capabilities. In order to sustain the energy requirements of these systems, high-density light weight power sources will be required which surpass the projected capacities of new battery technologies. As a result, the transformation of chemical fuels into electrical energy will be implemented in lightweight and compact mobile systems. Devices like miniature fuel cells offer promise for this conversion in a highly efficient way, such that the energy requirements for the soldier platform may be met while achieving the goals of light weight and low volume. All these goals appear achievable in the light of the advances in Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. Despite much progress in this area, there is a considerable lack in understanding the role of the surface in heterogeneous catalytic reactions in miniature chemical conversion devices (?microreactors?). Surface phenomena are the principal driving forces in many chemical energy conversion devices including fuel cells, desulfurizers, steam reformers, water-gas shift reactors, and preferential oxidation reactors which are all critical components in the conversion of hydrocarbon fuel sources into electrical power. This is particularly true in the development of a fuel cell in the power range of 1 to 20 W equipped with a fuel processor which converts the military?s logistic fuels into H2 with <10 ppm CO. However, the development of such a miniature fuel processor, requiring integration of catalytic microreactor components, is currently a bottleneck problem that needs to be solved for durable and affordable use of fuel cell-based micropower systems. This Market Survey should not be construed as a request for proposal or as a commitment on the part of the Government to issue a solicitation. Information and samples shall be submitted at no cost or obligation to the Government. The Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this survey.
- Web Link
-
US ARMY TACOM-ARDEC Procurement Network
(http://procnet.pica.army.mil/cbd/SRCSgt/070820031/070820031.htm)
- Record
- SN00366313-W 20030710/030708213831 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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