SOURCES SOUGHT
13 -- Request for Information - Special Notice FAR 15.201(e)- Family of Detonating Cords
- Notice Date
- 11/1/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 325920
— Explosives Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- ACC - Rock Island (ACC-RI), ATTN: AMSAS-AC, Rock Island, IL 61299-6500
- ZIP Code
- 61299-6500
- Solicitation Number
- W52P1J12DETCORD
- Response Due
- 12/1/2011
- Archive Date
- 1/30/2012
- Point of Contact
- Melissa Nunn, 309-782-4412
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC - Rock Island (ACC-RI)
(melissa.j.nunn.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for acquisition planning purposes only and does not represent a Request for Proposal or obligation on the part of the U.S. Government (USG). Industry responses to this RFI will not represent binding offers, and the USG cannot accept an industry response to form a binding contract. The USG intends to use any information submitted in response to this request to develop an acquisition strategy for future requirements (estimated USG Fiscal Year 2013 and beyond) of the subject items. The USG will hold all information submitted in a confidential status. The purpose of this RFI is for the USG to acquire information to assist in determining whether commercial items or non-developmental items are available that could meet the USG's requirements for the family of detonating cord items. The USG has previously and currently procures detonating cords to a Military Specification, MIL-DTL-17124E w/Amendment 1, dated 13 December 2010. This specification is available for review at the "ASSIST" website: https://assist.daps.dla.mil/online/start/, click on "Quick Search", enter "17124" in the Document Number data field, click on "submit", click on "MIL-DTL-17124E(1), click on the Adobe (PDF) icon immediately to the left of "Revision E Amendment 1 (amendment incorporated)." Please refer to MIL-DTL-17124 for current detailed requirements for the manufacturing, inspections, testing, and packaging for these Detonating Cord items. Detonating Cord is used commercially in the mining and construction industries. The USG military uses Detonating Cords primarily as a priming agent, breeching, or alone as an explosive charge. The Inert-Dummy Detonating Cord is used primarily in training demolition personnel in the proper procedures for priming demolition charge. The DoD currently has known requirements for Detonating Cords: Cord, Detonating: Type 1 Class E; and Cord Detonating: Reinforced. Requirements for Cord, Detonating, Wirebound; and Cord, Detonating: Inert Dummy are anticipated but currently the quantities are unknown. Currently planned annual requirements for each item are as follows for USG Fiscal Years 2013-2016: TYPE 1E: FY13: 3,603,999' FY14: 3,687,580' FY15: 3,724,941' FY16: 3,784,912' REINFORCED: FY13: 185,000' FY14: 185,000' FY15: 185,000' FY16: 185,000' Following is a brief description of need for each type: The Cord, Detonating: Type 1 Class E consists of a minimum core of 50 grains per foot of PETN with an optional center string, protected by layers of material: an optional paper liner, braided or counter wrapped textile, and an olive drab plastic sheath. The cord has the maximum diameter of 0.235 inches. The cord has a detonating velocity of not less than 5,900 meters per second and is waterproof. (NSN: 1375-00-180-9356, DODIC: M456) The Cord, Detonating: Reinforced consists of a minimum core of 50 grains per foot of PETN with an optional center string, protected by layers of material: an optional paper liner, braided or counter wrapped textile, plastic sheath, braided or counter wrapped textile, and an olive drab wax finish. The cord has the nominal diameter of 0.200 to 0.215 0.010 inches. The cord has a detonating velocity of not less than 5,900 meters per second and is waterproof. It will function after 72hour water submersion; provided one of the cut is dry (6-in.min). (NSN: 1375-00-028-5168, DODIC: M456) The Cord, Detonating: Wirebound consists of a core PETN with an optional center string, protected by layers of material: optional paper liner, braided or counter wrapped textile, plastic sheath, bronze wire, braided or counter wrapped textile, and an olive drab wax finish. It will function after 24 hour submersion, provided the cut ends have been protected or have 6-in. free ends. (NSN: 1375-00-310-2678, DODIC: M457) The Inert Dummy Detonating Cord: Type III consists of blue plastic fill with an optional center string, protected by layers of material: an optional paper liner braided or counter wrapped textile, and a bronze plastic sheath. The cord is inert and used for demonstration and training for demolition. (NSN: 1375-00-621-8373, DODIC: M458) It is the Federal Government's preference to acquire commercial items (to include non-developmental items) when available to meet the agency's requirements, as contained in Title VIII of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-355). The definition of "Commercial Item" as stated in FAR 2.101 includes: (1) Any item of a type customarily used by the general public or by non-governmental entities for other than governmental purposes; (2) Any item that evolved from an item described in paragraph (1) that is not yet available in the commercial marketplace, but will be available in the commercial marketplace in time to satisfy Government delivery requirements under a solicitation; (3) Any item that would satisfy a criterion expressed in paragraphs (1) or (2), but for - (i) Modifications of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace, or (ii) Minor modifications of a type not customarily available in the commercial marketplace made to meet Federal Government requirements. "Minor modifications" means modifications that do not significantly alter the nongovernmental function or essential physical characteristics of an item or component, or change the purpose of a process. Therefore, items that require minor Government-unique modifications are Commercial Items, as long as they meet the definition as stated above. The definition of "Non-developmental item" as stated in FAR 2.101 includes: (1) Any previously developed item of supply used exclusively for governmental purposes by a Federal agency...; (2) Any item described in paragraph (1) of this definition that requires only minor modification or modifications of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace in order to meet the requirements of the procuring department or agency This RFI solicits information and comments from commercial detonating cord manufacturers regarding current commercially available detonating cords or modifications required to those currently available, to meet the USG detonating cord requirements. The USG requests the following specific information from interested and capable detonating cord manufacturers in response to this request: a)A description, including catalogs, product data sheets, specifications, inspection/test results, etc.; of currently available commercial detonating cord items that could meet the USG requirements; including any modifications required to meet specific USG requirements for these items as stated above. Please include in the description a comparison/contrast of commercial equivalents against the USG detonating cord specification requirements. b)A description of the current commercial standards for inspection and testing of detonating cords that are commercially equivalent or very similar (requiring minor modifications). Please include in the description a comparison of these commercial inspection/test procedures and requirements against the currently required USG inspection/test requirements per MIL-DTL-17124E. c)Customary commercial business practices regarding modifications or tailoring of available detonating cord items to meet customer needs and associated estimated costs. d)Customary commercial business practices, including product warranties, buyer financing, discounts, etc. under commercial detonating cord sales. Any restrictions for shipping/transportation of the detonating cord items to DoD facilities across the contiguous U.S. or to ports for export to foreign military customers. The USG typically constructs F.O.B. Origin shipping arrangements on contracts for items containing explosives. e)A description of the respondent's company, including technical/manufacturing capability, description of facilities, personnel, capacity, and current/past experience successfully producing detonating cords. Please include estimated minimum and maximum monthly production quantities for these items and the minimum procurement quantity (MPQ) required for production. f)A statement of whether the respondent would plan to submit a formal proposal/offer to the USG as a prime offeror, in response to a formal Request for Proposal for the detonating cords as commercial items with minor modifications/non-developmental items. Include the current size status of the respondent for NAICS code 325920 Explosives Manufacturing (size standard 500 employees or less for Small Business). g)If a respondent is not a detonating cord manufacturer but proposes to act as a prime offeror/contractor for a commercial detonating cord manufacturer, please provide all information requested above for the actual manufacturer of the items. The information requested above is requested within 30 calendar days from the date of this publication to HQ, Army Contracting Command - Rock Island, ATTN: CCRC-AM (M. Nunn), 1 Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL 61299-8000, melissa.j.nunn.civ@mail.mil Please direct all questions pertaining to this RFI to the POC identified above.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/052dbbb361c4d089da76146431efbd63)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC - Rock Island (ACC-RI) CCRC-AM Rock Island IL
- Zip Code: 61299-6500
- Zip Code: 61299-6500
- Record
- SN02615721-W 20111103/111101234041-052dbbb361c4d089da76146431efbd63 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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