SOURCES SOUGHT
13 -- Physical and Chemical Characterization of Improvised Explosives
- Notice Date
- 5/1/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Procurement Section, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia, 20535, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20535
- Solicitation Number
- 13-SS-042913
- Archive Date
- 5/22/2013
- Point of Contact
- Lynda M. Theisen, Fax: 703-632-8480
- E-Mail Address
-
Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov
(Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This sources sought notice is being issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute an Invitation for Bid, a Request for Proposal, Request for Quote, or an indication the Government will contract for the items contained in this announcement. A solicitation is not being issued at this time and this notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this announcement. Responses to this request will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review. There will be no ensuing discussions or debriefings of any responses. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issues this sources sought notice to conduct market research for information and planning purposes to determine the existing market capability of potential small businesses (including certified 8(a), Small Disadvantaged, and HUBZone firms; veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and women-owned small businesses) capable of performing as prime contractor for improvised explosives characterization services. The scope of services anticipated under this solicitation will potentially encompass: (a) project management, (b) the performance of improvised explosives characterization research in vendor facilities; (c) the performance of unforeseen/unplanned, improvised explosives characterization research supporting investigations and operations; (d) the provision of technical assistance and expert advice to the Laboratory Division at Quantico, VA; and (e) the provision of project management, technical assistance, expert advice, facility operations and staffing at the FBI-operated Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center's (TEDAC) Improvised Explosives Detection and Synthesis (TIEDS) Laboratory and test ranges in Huntsville, AL. Requirements: Responsible sources are sought that possess demonstrated experience performing, at a minimum, synthesis, mixing, safety, scale-up, characterization and performance testing of the following improvised explosives: ammonium nitrate, urea, hydrogen peroxide, chlorate, permanganate and percarbonate based improvised explosives. Sources must have demonstrated experience in the manufacturing and large scale arena testing of hydrogen peroxide and chlorate based improvised explosives, up to 2,000 lbs, in various configurations. It is noted that the improvised explosives mentioned above and the tests listed below are not exhaustive of the many different types of improvised explosives safety, characterization and performance tests that could be required under this solicitation; nor does this list preclude additional tests that may be required based on evolving operational and threat requirements. Individual task orders issued under the umbrella contract will define specific tests for the explosive material(s) being tested. Sources must be able to perform appropriate small-scale physical safety and thermal stability tests on specified improvised explosives. Required tests will include, but not be limited to, impact, friction, electrostatic discharge (ESD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Advanced Reactive System Screening Tool (ARSST), Henkin Time-to-Explosion, Vacuum Thermal Stability, Microcalorimetry, and Small-Scale Cook-off Bomb (SSCB) tests. Tests may include un-aged and aged mixtures at various fuel/oxidizer mass ratios. Aging of improvised explosive mixtures will be performed at various temperature and humidity levels. Chemical kinetics and critical temperature will be determined and compared from the DSC, TGA, ARSST, Henkin and SSCB tests. Detailed particle size distribution analysis, where practical and applicable, will be performed on the explosives and/or explosives precursors. Appropriate baseline explosives such as, but not limited to, PETN, RDX and Nitromethane will be tested for comparison purposes if such data does not exist. Sources must be able to perform explosives performance tests on specified improvised explosives. Required tests shall include, but not be limited to, detonation calorimetry, detonator sensitivity, diameter effect, plate dent, air blast and cylinder expansion tests. Tests may be performed on different masses and densities of the explosive mixtures. Tests may include un-aged and aged mixtures at various fuel/oxidizer mass ratios. Aging of explosive mixtures will be performed at various temperature and humidity levels. Tests will be performed on appropriate mixtures in various configurations and confinements. Detailed particle size distribution analysis, where practical and applicable, will be performed on explosives and/or explosives precursors. Appropriate diagnostics such as, but not limited to, witness plates, high-speed cameras, radiometers, heat flux gauges, and air blast gauges will be used to determine material response. Appropriate baseline explosives such as, but not limited to, TNT, Nitromethane and Composition C4 will be tested for comparison purposes if such data does not exist. Worldwide events demonstrate that terrorist groups have a continuing interest in manufacturing and using improvised explosives in bombing attacks. A crucial intelligence and operational mission of the FBI is to provide timely and accurate technical threat assessments to assist in disrupting the planning stage of such an attack and to provide the intelligence and law enforcement community technical details to better understand the actual threat posed by improvised explosives in various sizes and configurations. The FBI is often tasked in-house and externally by numerous domestic and foreign law enforcement and intelligence agencies to quickly, often within a matter of days, assess the safety hazards and explosion potential of improvised explosives and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Often this involves assessing whether a list of chemicals, explosives, or physical components can be utilized to manufacture an IED, determining whether a chemical mixture is an improvised explosive, and assessing the potential damage that could be caused by the explosion of such a mixture. Unfortunately, scientific information pertaining to the hazards and explosion potential of improvised explosives is scant. The FBI must have the ability to quickly contract chemical and physical characterization testing of these materials to provide accurate technical threat assessments regarding improvised explosives to the law enforcement and intelligence communities. The source must be able to meet these time constraints if and when the need arises. In addition to the research that will be performed on specific improvised explosives specified by the FBI, the purpose of this contract is to conduct similar physical and chemical characterization tests on other improvised explosive mixtures to be determined by the FBI from current intelligence and investigative information. The FBI anticipates future task orders under this contract and may process modifications to add new funding or realign current funds and/or tasks at any point during the lifetime of the contract. The source must be able to perform the tests outlined above in various locations, to include but not limited to, the Huntsville, AL and Washington, DC area. The source must be able to provide requested training to appropriate FBI personnel on the use of the instrumentation required to perform the tests outlined above. This training may be conducted at the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, VA or the TIEDS Laboratory in Huntsville, AL. T he source must be able to perform market research, order, set up and perform calibration tests on all needed equipment and instrumentation at the TIEDS Laboratory in Huntsville, AL. Place of Performance: Initial task orders for improvised explosives characterization and performance testing issued under this solicitation will be performed in contractor facilities. Future task orders may require work to be performed at the TIEDS Laboratory in Huntsville, AL. Additionally, travel to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, VA, may be required. HOW TO RESPOND : Interested companies should submit an electronic statement outlining their company's capability and capacity to provide the required services for this contemplated requirement by identifying themselves and responding to this notice. The Government requests the following information: 1. Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. 2. Past Performance information demonstrating relevant past experience within the last five years performing different types of improvised explosives safety, characterization and performance tests on the specific improvised explosives listed above. Sources should demonstrate relevant past experience in part by listing applicable publication titles (technical reports and/or published scientific papers) dealing with the testing of the specific improvised explosives listed above. 3. Indicate whether interested business concern is small, small disadvantage d, 8a, woman owned, service disabled veteran, HubZone or any other socio-economic group. Interested business concerns must state if teaming arrangements or joint venture arrangements will be structured and the set of same. 4. Address whether your company has a GSA Schedule and if they are capable of providing these services on schedule. If able to provide the services on schedule, what schedule and SIN. 5. Any other comments, concerns, and/or questions relating to the contemplated services. Capabilities statement shall not exceed 12 pages. All submissions shall be unclassified. Please submit your responses to this Sources Sought Notice 13-SS-042913 electronically via email to Lynda M. Theisen at Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov. The due date for responses to notice 13-SS-042913 is on or before 12:00pm Eastern on May 7, 2013. Please note: All contractors doing business with the Federal Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database. The website for registration is www.sam.gov.
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