Cdr, U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command, Procurement, Attn: AMSCB-PCB, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5423

A -- ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR ASSEMBLED CHEMICAL WEAPON ASSESSMENT SOL DAAM01-97-R-0031 DUE 082997 POC Mr. Eric Braerman, Contract Specialist, ph. (410)671-4469, Fax (410)671-4549; Mr. Charles A. Comaty, Contracting Officer, ph. (410)671-3750, Fax (410)671-4549 E-MAIL: Chemical and Biological Defense Command, ewbraerm@cbdcom.apgea.army.mil; cacomaty@cbdcom.apgea.army.mil. Solicitation Purpose -- The Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapon Assessment (ACWA) intends to identify "total solution" alternatives to incineration for the disposal of assembled chemical weapons and to select at least two technologies for demonstration testing in late 1998. Technologies that do not provide a "total solution" or can not meet the aggressive demonstration testing schedule can be submitted for evaluation under a forthcoming, separate Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Program Overview -- In accordance with Public Law 104-208, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology has appointed the Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapon Assessment (ACWA) with the mission to demonstrate at least two alternate technologies to incineration for the disposal of assembled chemical weapons. The search for alternate technologies has been directed to academic, commercial, government and international entities to reach as wide a base as possible. The selection criteria for choosing candidate technologies for demonstration testing will be developed in conjunction with stakeholders and used in a technology assessment conducted by a Program Evaluation Team. The technologies offered for consideration are required to provide a total solution. Specifically, the technologies must be presented in a system sense, clearly demonstrating the ability to deal with all components and process related materials of a fully assembled chemical weapon. These component/materials encompass at a minimum the chemical agents GB, VX, and H; fuses; explosives; propellant; metal parts; fiberglass containing PCB; wooden and fiber board dunnage; protective clothing consisting of butyl rubber, chlorinated polymers and silicon rubber; various plant process waste including aqueous decon solutions, synthetic/hydrocarbon hydraulic fluids, pumps, valves, motors, and mechanical equipment; and carbon filter media. Additional Program information was provided in an earlier CBD Announcement dated 21 February 1997 (On-line version), and 25 February 1997 (print version). Technology Assessment Process -- In order to identify alternatives to incineration and select a minimum of two technologies for demonstration testing, the Department of Defense (DoD) has developed a four step process. Stakeholders will be invited to participate in each step of the process. In the first step, offeror proposals will be evaluated for overall responsiveness as well as against the threshold ("go/no go") criteria described below. As a result of this evaluation, contracts will be awarded to all offerors whose technology meets the threshold criteria and are responsive to the Solicitation requirements. In the second step, the Program Evaluation Team will conduct an initial assessment of the selected candidate technologies (using the developed program evaluation criteria) and prepare a list of data gaps that need to be resolved before a final assessment can be performed on each technology. Each offeror that is selected in the first step willreceive $50,000 to prepare a test plan (requiring DoD approval), and subsequently perform testing to fill the data gaps. Any costs in excess of the amount will be at the offerors' expense. In the third step, the Program Evaluation Team will perform a final assessment (using the program evaluation criteria) of each of the technologies using the information collected in response to the data gaps and the original proposal. As a result of this assessment, the Program Evaluation Team Will recommend, to the extent possible, a minimum of two technologies for demonstration testing. The offerors recommended for demonstration testing will be requested to prepare a work plan (requiring DoD approval) for the demonstration testing. In the fourth step, the DoD will oversee and validate the selected offerors' demonstration test program and data. The results of the demonstration testing will be evaluated by the Program Evaluation Team and recommendation will be provided to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology by the PM for Assembled Chemical Weapon Assessment. The DoD will summarize findings and recommendations in a report to Congress. Solicitation Evaluation Criteria -- The proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria: (A) Responsiveness to the solicitation requirements. (B) Threshold ("go/no go") criteria: 1. The technology must be a total ACWA Program solution for at least one single agent-filled munitions type (M55 GB Rocket or M55 VX Rocket, etc.). The proposed solution may include use of the existing reverse assembly process to access the components (i.e., agent, metal parts, energetics, and dunnage/packaging); 2. The treatment process must be an alternative to baseline incineration; 3. The technology must utilize processes and equipment that are developed or capable of being developed in time to meet (not extend) the current ACWA program schedule; 4. Laboratory-scale testing must have been completed with agent(s) or chemicals with similar properties to agent to support the viability of the technology being proposed; 5. Laboratory-scale testing must have been completed with energetic(s) or chemicals with similar properties to energetics to support the viability of the technology being proposed; and, 6. Technology providers must have the legal right to use any proprietary technology for testing and demonstration purposes, as evidenced by unencumbered ownership or by an existing licensing or other agreement granting such right. C. Program evaluation criteria-Process efficacy, Public Health and Environment, Safety, Cost, and Schedule. D. Past performance. Only responsiveness and threshold criteria will be used for initial contract award. The program evaluation criteria will be used during the identification of data gaps, subsequent final assessment, and the exercise of the contract options to proceed to demonstration testing. Past performance will be used when exercising the option to proceed to demonstration testing. The aforementioned threshold ("go/no go") and program evaluation criteria are currently in draft form, and subject to revision prior to RFP release based on in-process stakeholder meetings. Solicitation Description -- The target date for release of the RFP is 14 July 1997, with offerors' proposals due 45 days later. Due to the aggressive ACWA program schedule, the DoD will not grant time extensions for proposal submission. The RFP will require offerors to describe their "total solution" to demilitarizing assembled chemical weapons. Contracts will be awarded to offerors whose proposals are responsive to the solicitation requirements and pass the thresholds ("go/no go") criteria. Each contract awarded will fund successful offerors the same fixed amount for providing/developing additional data to the DoD for technical assessment. Contracts will contain an option for development of a technical work plan for continuing into the demonstration phase, as well as an option for conducting a technology demonstration. These options will be awarded only to the offerors whose technical solutions are selected for technology demonstration. A pre-solicitation conference will be held 25-27 June 1997 at the Chemical Demilitarization Training Facility (CDTF) located at the Edgewood Area, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. The DoD will present an overview of the ACWA program including program objectives, milestones/schedule, procurement approach, stakeholder concerns, and the technology assessment process. A tour of the CDTF will be conducted to familiarize offerors with the current reverse assembly process for munitions. Following the CDTF tour, a question and answer session will be held. To encourage teaming to achieve a total system solution, 20 minute time-slots have been allotted at this conference for offerors to present an overview of their proposed technology/approach. These presentations will be held as an open forum and offerors should not present proprietary or confidential information. Pre-registration for this conference is required. Please contact Kimberly Collins, Horne Engineering Services, Inc. (888-482-4312) or E-mail (kcollins@horne.com) by 17 June 1997 to register for the pre-solicitation conference. To access more information on the ACWA program through the internet, see the program's home page at http://www.cbdcom.apgea.army.mil/Staff/Public Affairs/pm_frame.html. (0160)

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