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

R -- ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR RDTE ENERGETIC MATERIALS SOL DAAE30-99-R-0803 DUE 090799 POC Joyce Horn, Contract Specialist, 973-724-4340 WEB: US ARMY TACOM-ARDEC Procurement Network, http://procnet.pica.army.mil/cbd/SRCSgt/080419990/080419990.htm. E-MAIL: Joyce Horn, jhorn@pica.army.mil. Sources are sought to provide research, development, engineering, and testing for the design, development, fabrication, manufacture, surveillance, and demilitarization of energetic materials and systems including propellants, pyrotechnics, explosives, and their related munitions and associated technologies of military interest for The Energetics and Warheads Division (EWD) of the Warheads, Energetics, and Combat-support Armaments Center (WECAC), US Army TACOM-ARDEC. Work will be performed on-site at US Army TACOM-ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. This work involves the handling of hazardous material, hazardous waste, and OSHA regulated substances. Respondents will provide a statement of capability addressing technical experience and personnel qualifications to include personnel training and experience in ammunition/explosive handling and safety and hazardous waste handling. Respondents must provide evidence that their personnel have been trained & certified IAW 29CFR1910 and that they have in place a medical surveillance program for all personnel handling hazardous materials and OSHA regulated substances. Respondents must demonstrate knowledge, experience, personnel qualifications, and current capability in the following areas: (1) Synthesis of cage molecules containing functionalities that are ultimately convertible to nitro or other power-producing groups. (2) nitration reaction studies to obtain energetic cage molecules (higher nitrocubanes) with more than four nitro groups including octanitrocubane. (3) characterization of new energetic materials and their intermediates, (establish molecular homogeneity, determine molecular weight, confirm molecular structure, ascertain bond angles and interatomic distances and determine molecular crystal densities using ultra-violet, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectroscopies, x-ray crystallography and other analytical techniques) (4) Optimization of current synthetic routes and identification of new routes to existing materials to improve product yields, improve efficiencies for production, and develop the most economical pathways for scaled-up production of materials, such as TNAZ, CL-20. (5) calculation of energy performance and molecular reactive properties for new and existing energetic material formulations. (6) development of new primary explosives with performance characteristics which are equal or better than existing materials such as lead azide but which contain no heavy metals or other environmentally objectionable moieties. (7) phase diagram studies on components of mixtures of explosives and propellants. (8) theoretical calculations, such as Tiger and Cheetah calculations, to predict optimal formulation compositions. (9) experimental equipment design for a small scale explosive or propellant pilot plant to include apparatus for the synthesis, purification, formulation, and further processing of energetic materials. (10) casting and pressing of new and existing energetic materials formulations into defined sizes and forms. (11) development of new and improved explosive loading processes that can accommodate a variety of ammunition calibers. (12) analysis of explosives, pyrotechnics, propellants, formulations, binders, plasticizers, and other chemical compounds using classical wet chemistry and instrumental methods (high performance liquid chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, gas chromatography, gel permeation chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, near-infrared spectroscopy) . (13) analysis of solid and liquid propellant formulations and their degradation products under aged conditions. (14) determination of the relative roles of physical and chemical properties in the response of energetic materials to both desired and undesired stimuli. (15) research, analysis, characterization and modeling of energy release processes of energetic materials and determine the application of the data to gun propulsion and munitions technology. (16) vulnerability and hazards analyses on new and existing propellants and explosives. (17) energetic materials testing and hazard classification testing to characterize and evaluate energetic materials and their behavior (impact, friction, and electrostatic sensitivity, differential thermal analysis, small scale and large scale gap, ignition and detonation, heat-of-explosion, deflagration-to-detonation, atmospheric burn rate, closed bomb, flash and wear vented vessel, adiabatic compressive ignition, high pressure burn rates, rates of gun barrel heating and erosion). (18) biological degradation and biological synthesis of energetic materials to include the identification, isolation, purification, and characterization of candidate enzymes which are suitable for individual processes. (19) development of hazardous waste abatement/entrapment procedures for specific energetic materials such as TNT. (20) studies and demonstrations for the remediation of areas contaminated with energetic materials using biological or other appropriate technology. (21) instruction, license qualifications, and signature authority to properly treat contaminated waste water generated by the processing and/or production of energetic materials and related processes. (22) conversion of energetic materials such as TNT, Ammonium Picrate or other energetic materials to higher value added products of commercial utility. (23) development of methods for the recovery of valuable energetic components such as RDX and HMX from formulations and mixture such as Comp. B and octols. (24) identification of alternatives to the open burning and open detonation methods currently used for disposal of energetic materials. (25) performance of searches for buried ordnance or other hazardous materials using state-of- the-art instrumentation, such as ground penetrating radar. (26) development of mathematical models, computer simulations and process flow diagrams for new and improved process for manufacturing explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics; to accurately predict the trajectory of artillery projectiles from launch to impact under a variety of atmospheric conditions; and to predict the ballistic performance of propellants and the shock sensitivity of energetic materials. (27) design, development, testing, and evaluation of the performance of new and existing non-lethal weapons, for example, acoustic, radio frequency, and optical energy devices. (28) development of canine detection technology for unique military applications and train canines to detect ultra-trace levels of specific explosive and chemical compounds at a minimum 96% confidence level. Each statement of capability shall be limited to 25 pages, excluding resumes. Submissions should be mailed to the following address: Commander, US Army TACOM-ARDEC, ATTN: AMSTA-AR-WEE, Building 3028, ATTN: Ms. Diana Herbst, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000. For technical questions, please contact Ms. Herbst at (973) 724-4914 or dlarweth@pica.army.mil. For contracting issues, please contact Ms. Joyce Horn, Contract Specialist, at (973) 724-4340 or email: jhorn@pica.army.mil.Responses to this synopsis must be received within 30 days from the date of the synopsis publication. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only. It does not constitute an IFB or RFP, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents to this notice will not be notified of the results of the evaluation of information submitted. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement. Posted 08/04/99 (D-SN363003). (0216)

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