Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, 9500 MacArthur Blvd., West Bethesda, MD 20817-5700

99 -- TECHNOLOGIES, PROCEDURES, CONCEPTS, SYSTEMS, ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS OR DEVICES TO REPLACE, MINIMIZE, PROCESS OR OTHERWISE CONTROL POLLUTANTS PRESENT IN SONAR DOME DISCHARGE GENERATED BY ARMED FORCES VESSELS SOL N00167-99-SS-0096 POC Sheila Riggs (301)227-5198 In support of the development of Uniform National Discharge Standards (UNDS), the Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (CDNSWC) seeks sources to propose technologies, procedures, concepts, systems, alternative materials, or devices, in support of the requirements of Reference (a) -- SHIP SYSTEMS COMMAND CONTRACT SPECIFICATION (SHIPS-W-5477 of 15 Sep 69): Title -- WINDOW, RUBBER, DOME, AN/SQS-26 SONAR and Reference (b) NAVAL SEA SYSTEMS COMMAND TECHNICAL DOCUMENT (NAVSEA T9830-AA-DDT-010 of 19 JUL 82): Title -- SONAR DOME WINDOW DESIGN REQUIREMENTS to replace, minimize, process, or otherwise control pollutants present in sonar dome discharge generated by Armed Forces vessels. This discharge may include tributyl tin (TBT), copper, nickel, and zinc. References (a) and (b) are available at www.uswinfo.com as ".pdf" files. This discharge is generated by the leaching of anti-foulant materials from the sonar dome material into the surrounding seawater, and into the water within the dome itself which must be discharged during maintenance activities. The use of anti foulant materials in the sonar dome interior is being phased out with the introduction of sonar domes that do not have these materials on the internal surfaces. Hull-mounted sonar domes house the electronic equipment used to navigate, detect, and determine the range to objects. Sonar domes are composed of either rubber impregnated with TBT anti-foulant, or rubber without TBT, steel, or glass-reinforced plastic, and are filled with freshwater and/or seawater to maintain their shape and internal pressure. The discharge is generated when materials leach from the exterior surface of the dome, or when water from inside the dome is pumped overboard to allow for periodic maintenance or repairs on the sonar dome or equipment housed inside the dome. Potential offerors are requested to respond with technical documentation supporting the technology, procedure, concept, system, alternative material, or device. The proposed solution must demonstrate the ability to control, reduce, or eliminate the discharge and some or all of its constituents listed above. Additional information should include, but not be limited to, the following: process description, current commercial or military applications, specific applications in the marine environment (including customer references/ship class/name), processing rate capability, normal operative and maximum permissible pressures, physical size, total dry and wet weights, maintenance requirements, operational manning requirements, power consumption per hour of operation, utilities required, secondary wastestreams generated, and equipment performance and testing results. Technical, industry, or professional society certifications or endorsements should be provided, if available. A summary of agents or contaminants which could potentially interfere with the operation and performance of the technology is also requested. In evaluating the submissions, DoD will, in support of the requirements identified in references (a) and (b), consider the following criteria: (1) the nature of the discharge that the technology, procedure, concept, system, alternative material, or device is designed to process, (2) the effectiveness of the technology, procedure, concept, system, alternative material, or device at mitigating the environmental effects of that discharge, and (3) the technology, procedure, concept, system, alternative material, or device's cost, practicability and effect on operations or operational capability when installed and used on a vessel. This synopsis is for information purposes and to identify potential technologies and offerors. This sources sought announcement does not constitute an RFP and does not obligate the government in any way to purchase or test any of the potential solutions offered. Further, it does not commit the government to pay for any proposal costs in response to the sources sought announcement. Submit responses for this synopsis to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Attn: Sheila Riggs (Sonar Dome), Code 633, 9500 MacArthur Boulevard, West Bethesda, Maryland 20817. Responses to this sources sought announcement are due within 45 calendar days of the date of publication. For additional technical information on sonar dome discharge, refer to the nature of discharge (NOD) report available at http://206.5.146.100/n45/doc/unds/Proprule/Rule_idx.html. For more information on this effort, please consult the Federal Register dated 25 August 1998 or visit the notice on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's homepage at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/1998/August/Day-25/w22533.htm. Posted 09/29/99 (W-SN386235). (0272)

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