R&D Contracting Directorate, Bldg 7, 2530 C Street, WPAFB, OH 45433-7607

A -- ADVANCED PERFORMANCE COATING DEGRATION MECHANISMS SOL PRDA #98-28-MLK DUE 122397 POC Contact Lt Leigh Johnson, Contract Negotiator, (937) 255-5051 or Contracting Officer Mr. Frederick Rueth, (937) 255-5051 E-MAIL: click here to contact the contract negotiator, johnsolg@wl.wpafb.af.mil. INTRODUCTION: Wright Laboratory (WL/MLBT) is interested in proposals (technical and cost) on the research effort described below. Proposals in response to the PRDA shall be submitted by 23 December 1997, 1500 hours, Eastern Standard Time, addressed to Wright Laboratory, Directorate of R&D Contracting, Bldg. 7, Area B, Attn: (Lt. Leigh Johnson, WL/MLKN), Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7607. This is an unrestricted solicitation. Small businesses are encouraged to propose on all or any part of this solicitation. Proposals submitted shall be in accordance with this announcement. Proposal receipt after the cutoff date and time specified herein shall be treated in accordance with restrictions of FAR 52.215-10; a copy of this provision may be obtained from the contracting point of contract. There will be no other solicitation in regard to this requirement. Offerors should be alert for any PRDA amendments that may permit subsequent dates for proposal submission. Offerors should request a copy of the WL Guide entitled, "PRDA and BAA Guide for Industry," dated November 1992. This guide was specifically designed to assist offerors in understanding the PRDA/BAA proposal process. Copies may be requested from the contracting point of contact stated herein. The Guide is also available on the internet, address: www.wl.wpafb.af.mil/contract. B -- REQUIREMENTS: Technical Approach. (1) The purpose of this effort is to establish physical performance requirements and define their metrics for aircraft topcoats through an understanding of long-life coating exposure. The project shall focus on understanding coating physical property change with weathering, aging, and cleaning. Newly developed aircraft topcoats provide lower maintenance through improved cleanability and long-life physical properties. An understanding of these new topcoats' performance and the changes in these topcoats during use is needed. Current coating requirements testing does not take into account coating weathering and repeated aircraft washing over the coating's full lifetime. As an example, coating properties, such as flexibility, solvent resistance, gloss, and color among others, are measured initially for coating qualification. However, no requirements exist that adequately test and predict physical properties after weathering and washing. The results from this program will aid in preparing future Air Force topcoat requirements, validating topcoat performance, and developing advanced aircraft topcoats. This effort will be accomplished through the following tasks: (a) conduct a performance requirements review of aircraft topcoats, determine the environment to which they will be subjected, and choose critical performance requirements and accompanying tests; (b) understand the relationship between performance requirements and material properties; (c) evaluate material properties of existing aircraft topcoats using established testing methods or new testing methods; emphasis shall be placed on determining accelerated (whether simulated or natural) methods for testing coating property change which correlate to long-term aging, weathering, and cleaning. Up to three state-of-the-art topcoats and a control will be placed on Air Force transport aircraft and in an Air Force weathering site in Florida. The performance of these weathered coatings will be validated by the contractor with metrics established by the contractor. (2) Deliverable items: The following deliverable data items shall be proposed: (a) Scientific and Technical Reports, DI-MISC-80711/T, draft and reproducible final report; (b) Contract Fund Status Report, DI-FNCL-81468/T, quarterly, (c) Funds and Manhour Expenditure Report, DI-FNCL-80331/T, monthly; (d) Scientific and Technical Reports, DI-MISC-80711/T, Contractor's Billing Voucher, monthly; (e) Innovations report, DI-MISC-80406/T, 24 MAC; (f) Project Planning Chart, DI-MGMT-80507A/T, monthly; (g) Status Report, DI-MGMT-80368/T, monthly; (h) Presentation Materials, DI-ADMIN-81373/T, as required; (i) Still Photo Coverage, DI-MISC-80169, as required;and (j) Test Plans/Procedures, DI-NDTI-80808/T, one per year. (3) Security Requirements: TEMPEST requirements do not apply. (4) Other Requirements: International Traffic in Arms Regulations do apply. C -- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: (1) Anticipated Period of Performance: The total duration of the technical effort is estimated to be 12 months plus an additional four months for processing/completion of the final report. (2) Expected Award Date: 30 Feb 1998. (3) Government Estimate: The Government funding profile is estimated as follows: FY98 -- $300K. This funding profile is an estimate only and is not a promise for funding as all funding is subject to change due to Government discretion and availability. (4) Type of Contract: Cost plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) is anticipated, but other contract types may be proposed. (5) Government Furnished Property: None contemplated. (6) Size Status: For the purpose of this acquisition, the small business size standard is 500 employees (SIC 8731). (7) Notice to Foreign-Owned Firms: Such firms are asked to immediately notify the Air Force point of contact cited below upon deciding to respond to this announcement. Foreign contractors should be aware that restrictions may apply which may preclude their participation in this acquisition. D -- PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: General Instructions: Offerors should apply the restrictive notice prescribed in the provision at FAR 52.215-12, Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data, to trade secrets or privileged commercial and financial information contained in their proposals. Proposal questions should be directed to one of the points of contact listed elsewhere herein. Offerors should consider instructions contained in the WL PRDA and BAA Guide for Industry referenced in Section A of this announcement. Technical and cost proposals, submitted in separate volumes, are required and must be valid for 180 days. Proposals must reference the above PRDA number. In an effort to move toward paperless contracting, proposers are encouraged to submit cost proposals via electronic means on computer disk or CD ROM. If proposals are not submitted on computer disk or CD ROM, they shall be submitted in an original and five copies. If proposals will be submitted by electronic means, submit 2 paper copies and three electronic copies. The disk shall be 3 1/2 inch high density disk or on CD ROM. Proposals shall be submitted in original and five copies. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered against the criteria set forth herein. Offerors are advised that only contracting officers are legally authorized to contractually bind or otherwise commit the government. (2) Cost Proposal: Adequate price competition is anticipated. The accompanying cost proposal/price breakdown shall be supplied with supporting schedules, and shall contain a person-hour breakdown per task. Copies of the above-referenced forms may be obtained from the contracting office cited. (3) Technical Proposal: The technical proposal shall include a discussion of thenature and scope of the research and the technical approach. Additional information on prior work in this area, descriptions of available equipment, data and facilities, and resumes of personnel who will be participating in this effort should also be included as attachments to the technical proposal and are not included in the page limit. The technical proposal shall include a Statement of Work (SOW) detailing the technical tasks proposed to be accomplished under the proposed effort and suitable for contract incorporation. Offerors should refer to the WL guide referenced in Section A to assist in SOW preparation. PL 98-94 applies. Offerors must submit approved DD form 2345, Export-Controlled DOD Technical Data Agreement with their proposal. Any questions concerning the technical proposal or SOW preparation shall be referred to the Technical Point of Contact cited in this announcement. (4) Page Limitations: The technical proposal shall be limited to 150 pages (12 pitch or larger type), double-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11 inches. The page limitation includes all information, i.e. indexes, photographs, foldouts, appendices, attachments, etc. Pages in excess of this limitation will not be considered by the Government. Cost proposals have no limitations; however, offerors are requested to keep cost proposals down to 75 pages. (5) Preparation Cost: If selected for negotiations, qualifying offerors will be required to submit a subcontracting plan. This announcement does not commit the Government to pay for any response preparation cost. The cost of preparing proposals in response to this PRDA is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting or any other contract. However, it may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost as specified in FAR 31.205-18. E -- BASIS FOR AWARD: The selection of one or more sources for contract award will be based on scientific and/or engineering evaluation of your response (both technical and cost aspects) to determine the technical merit of yourproposal in response to the announcement. Practical and creative solutions are of primary interest and will be ranked most heavily in the evaluation process. Additional criteria for selecting proposals under this announcement are as follows in descending order of importance: (1) Soundness of Approach: (a) Selection and suitability of coating evaluation methodology. (b) Development of techniques for testing coatings prior and after exposure. (c) Approach for verifying of results. (2) Understanding of the Problem: (a) Understanding of the state-of the-art of high-performance coatings. (b) Rationale for the selection of evaluation methods based upon problem. (c) Understanding of the technical difficulties in evaluation of coatings by weathering, accelerated weathering, cleaning, and requirements testing. (d) Understanding of field use and environmental stability of high-performance Air Force coatings. (e) Understanding of the application and coating morphology on resulting coating properties and the field maintenance of the Air Force coatings. (3) Special Technical Factors: (a) The background, capability, technical expertise, and completeness of the team assembled for the effort. (b) Availability and adequacy of required equipment and facilities. Cost and/or price, which includes consideration of proposed budgets and funding profiles, is a substantial factor, but ranked second in priority. No additional evaluation criteria will be used in source selection. The technical and cost information will be evaluated at the same time. The Air Force reserves the right to select for award any, all, part, or none of the proposals received. Award of a grant to universities or nonprofit institutions or cooperative agreement, in lieu of a contract, will be considered and will be subject to the mutual agreement of the parties. The Government reserves the right to award any resulting contract pursuant to the Research and Development Standard Contract format in DFARS 235.70. The contractor's proposal (or any part thereof) may be incorporated by reference and/or be used to supplement the Air Force SOW. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not commit the government to pay for any response preparation cost. Specific technical requirements and other information follow: F -- POINTS OF CONTACT: (1) Technical Contact Point: Project Engineer -- Lt Rob J. Passinault, WL/MLBT, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-6533, (937)255-4611. (2) An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear concerns from offerors or potential offerors during the proposal development phase of this acquisition. The purpose of the Ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the program director or Contracting Officer, but to communicate Contractor concerns, issues, disagreements, and recommendations to the appropriate government personnel. When requested, the Ombudsman shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the source of the concern. The Ombudsman does not participate in the evaluation of proposals or in the selection decision. Interested parties areinvited to contact Colonel Donald R. Kitchen, AFRL/ML, telephone (937) 255-2738, E-Mail kitcherd@wl.wpafb.af.mil. All routine communication concerning this acquisition should be direct to Lt. Leigh Johnson, Contract Negotiator, WL/MLKN, Bldg 7, 2530 C Street, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7607, telephone (937) 255-5051. (0321)

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