R&D Contracting Division, Bldg 7, 2530 C St, WPAFB OH 45433-7607

A -- MATERIALS PROCESSING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT POC William T. O'Hara, Project Engineer, WL/MLLN, (513) 255-1995. Notice of Contract Action for Materials Processing Research and Development. Materials Directorate, Metals and Ceramics Division is contemplating the award of a forty eight (48) month program to establish the processing conditions required to control microstructure and the mechanical properties of aerospace materials. These materials will include high temperature metal and intermetallic alloys, high temperature composites, and structural materials. Material behavior models will be developed to address constitutive, fracture, and phase transformation behavior. To this end, materials of different compositions and starting configurations will be studied using a variety of conventional processes (e.g., heat treatment, extrusion, forging, rolling, casting, and hot pressing) under both simulative laboratory and pilot-plant conditions. The material behavior models will be incorporated into finite element codes or closed form analytical models to study deformation, powder consolidation, solidification, or other processes for the manufacture of high temperature materials. Numerical or analytical results will be verified by physical modeling methods. In addition, novel processes to enhance microstructure control, avoid fracture, or reduce cost shall be investigated. Special attention shall be focussed on processes which are particularly robust. Furthermore, property data will be obtained, and the relationships among microstructure, processing conditions, and mechanical properties will be determined. The output of this work shall form the basis for a scientific understanding of materials behavior under processing conditions and the application of this understanding to the design of laboratory and production-scale processes. Research and development experience in all of the above areas is expected of successful offerors. The contractor will be required to maintain and operate the WL/ML Materials Processing Laboratory on-site at Wright-Patterson AFB OH. Moreover, substantial interaction with domestic industry, other Government laboratories, and universities is expected. Firms responding should indicate whether they are, or are not, a small business, a socially and economically disadvantaged business, a woman owned business, a historically black college or university, or minority institution. For this item the general definition to be used to determine whether your firm is small is as follows: ''A small business concern is a concern that is independently owned and operated, is not dominant in the field of operation in which it is bidding on government contracts and with its affiliates, the number of employees does not exceed 500 persons.'' SIC Code 8731 applies. ''Concern means any business entity organization for profit with a place of business in the United States, its possessions, Puerto Rico, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, including but not limited to an individual, partnership, corporation, joint venture, association or corporation.'' The Air Force reserves the right to consider a small business set-aside based upon responses hereto. Small business respondents should provide a statement of capabilities to assist the Air Force in making a set-aside decision. Large businesses are only required to submit a statement of interest to receive a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP). All respondents shall include in any request their assigned Commercial and Government Entity Code. Respondents are further requested to indicate their status as a Foreign-owned/Foreign-controlled firm and any contemplated use of foreign national employees on this effort. Responses should be sent to: ATTN: Janet Cahill, WL/MLKM Bldg 7, 2530 C St, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7607. Non-technical assistance may be secured by calling the above individual at 513-255-5830. An Ombudsman has been established for this acquisition. The only purpose of the Ombudsman is to receive and communicate serious concerns from potential offerors when an offeror prefers not to use established channels to communicate his concern during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. Potential offerors should use established channels to request information, pose questions, and voice concerns before resorting to use of the Ombudsman. Potential offerors are invited to contact ASC's Ombudsman, ASC/CY, Col Robert C. Helt, at 513-255-1427 with serious concerns only. Direct all requests for solicitations and routine communication concerning this acquisition to (contracting office point of contact with name, title, address and phone). Closing date for submission of responses is thirty (30) calendar days from the publication of this notice. Firms should reference MLK-96-06 in their responses. RFP release for this program is projected in February 1996. This program will not be republicized prior to solicitation. See Numbered Note(s): 25. (0167)

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