US Army ARDEC, AMSTA-AR-PC, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000

A -- TO REPLACE DI-N-BUTYL PHTHALATE IN MILITARY BALL PROPELLANTS SOL DAAE30-99-R-0801 DUE 030199 POC Sonya Rappoport, Contract Specialist, (973) 724-2775 WEB: US ARMY TACOM-ARDEC Procurement Network, http://procnet.pica.army.mil/cbd/SRCSgt/020119992/020119992.htm. E-MAIL: Sonya Rappoport, srappop@pica.army.mil. The U.S. ARMY TACOM-ARDEC is conducting a market survey to identify potential sources to replace Di-n-Butyl phthalate, which is used as a deterrent in a large number of military ball propellants, with a safer, more environmentally friendly compound that still provides the requisite ballistic, stability and compatibility characteristics. The work will be divided into four phases. In Phase I, the contractor shall plan and conduct a literature screen of potential replacement molecules-based on the molecular structure requirements established by past research work. Once a number of candidate molecules have been established, an extensive literature search will be conducted in order to establish their toxicity characteristics. In Phase II, the contractor shall establish a bench scale deterring process, using those promising candidate materials emerging from Phase I, in order to verify that the required depth of penetration and stability characteristics can be met. Also, the contractor shall conduct preliminary gun firings for the deterred propellants. In Phase III, the contractor shall conduct a pilot plant study using those promising candidate materials emerging from Phase II. This study will provide larger sample sizes that will be used in Phase IV. In Phase IV, the contractor shall conduct extensive ballistic testing on those samples prepared in Phase III along with a number of physical and chemical tests required for type classification. In order to conduct this program the contractor must have the facilities and experience for the full scale production of military ball propellants. Further, the contractor must have bench scale and pilot plant facilities for the experimental studies leading to the selection of appropriate deterring materials. In addition, appropriate analytical chemistry facilities, physical testing equipment and ballistic firing ranges are required. Interested companies are encouraged to submit their responses and ideas to the Contract Specialist. This notice is not a request for proposal. Participation in this market survey will not affect a company's position during any future solicitation. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market survey or otherwise pay for the information provided. No basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this market survey or Government use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any private sector input as a result of this market survey. See Note 25. Posted 02/01/99 (D-SN293286). (0032)

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