U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Acquisition Center (AMSTA-AQ-DS), Warren, MI 48397-5000

23 -- POTENTIAL SUPPLIERS TO SUPPORT THE USMC'S PROGRAM TO UPGRADE FLEET OF LIGHT ARMORED VEHICLES POC Sue Stoner (810) 574-8359 E-MAIL: Click here to forward e-mail to buyer, stoners@cc.tacom.army.mil. Reference Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Market Survey # 98004, due 30 days from the date of this ad. This is NOT an Invitation for Bid (IFB) or a Request for Proposal (RFP). Under PL 98-369 (CICA), this sources sought market survey is seeking to identify potential suppliers to support the USMC's program to upgrade its fleet of Light Armored Vehicles. The following is a list of projects which are under consideration for the upgrade program. The objective is to provide these installation improvements in all 771 LAVs in the USMC fleet. Technical manual illustrations are available upon request. LAV DRIVER'S PERISCOPE INSTALLATION UPGRADE: At the driver's station on the LAV, water seeps through a tight gap between the driver's M-17 periscope and the edge of the armor penetration through which these vision devices are mounted for use. This water induces premature corrosion of the threads of the fasteners (studs and wing nuts) that hold these vision devices in place. Rust also forms in the gap between the vision device and the edge of the mounting hole. Corrosion at these sites frequently makes removal of the vision device extremely difficult and often results in damage to the device in the removal process. Means of preventing the corrosion problem and water intrusion are desired. A process is required for an easy removal of the M-17 vision device by LAV operators or maintainers without those operators/maintainers: 1) damaging the device or first having to break the corrosion in the gap between the hull armor plate & the mounted device; 2) having to break and replace the device's mounting fasteners; or 3) adding to the current LAV Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services requirements. The objective is to provide an installation meeting this requirement in all 771 vehicles in the USMC LAV fleet. LAV ALTERNATOR INSTALLATION UPGRADE: U.S. Marine Corps LAV has a slotted arm and locking bolt mechanism for tensioning the alternator belt. The alternator is levered and the engine momentarily turned over to install the belt on the alternator pulley. A means of safely installing and tensioning the alternator belt is required. Further, the bracket of the LAV's alternator is not structurally robust enough to permit sustained proper alignment of the pulley, to ensure that the pulley is in plane with the engine pulley, and to prevent premature wear of the alternator belt. A means of bolstering the bracket or otherwise correcting this problem is required. The objective is to provide these installation improvements in all 771 vehicles in the USMC LAV fleet. LAV BRAKE SYSTEM AIR DRYER: U.S. Marine Corps LAV has a pneumatically boosted hydraulic brake system. The compressed air in the pneumatic subsystem is collected in an accumulator and two service tanks. Petcocks on the bottom of the service tanks are currently opened by the user/maintainer to void the pneumatic system of moisture collected from the air in these tanks. In this process, insufficient moisture is removed from the system to prevent the accelerated corrosion and degradation experienced in the brake system lines and components. A cartridge-type air dryer installation is required to slow or moderate this degradation. The objective is to provide these installation improvements in all 771 vehicles in the USMC LAV fleet. All interested firms, regardless of size are encouraged to respond to this announcement. However, companies must indicate business size with their written response to this synopsis. Companies with experience with same or similar items should provide a summary of their experience and capabilities within 30 days of this publication. Responses should be as short and concise as possible, and should be sent via e-mail to: stoners@cc.tacom.army.mil, or via regular mail to: USA TACOM, ATTN: Sue Stoner, AMSTA-DSA-LV-P, WARREN, MI 48397-5000. This market survey is for information and planning purposes only, does not constitute a request for proposals, and is not to be construed as a commitment by TACOM-Warren." (0091)

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