10 -- MARKET SURVEY ENHANCED CARBINE 5.56MM CARBINE RELIABILITY PARTS SET (CRPS) OR ALTERNATIVE CARBINE SYSTEM

Notice Date

September 26, 2000

Contracting Office

Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Code 1162 Bldg 2521, 300 Highway 361, Crane, Indiana 47522-5001

ZIP Code

47522-5001

Solicitation Number

N00164-00-R-0095

Response Due

October 15, 2000

Point of Contact

Mr. Paul Johnson, Contract Specialist, 812-854-3225, FAX 812-854-5095 (Mr. S. Bingham, Contracting Officer)

E-Mail Address

Click here to contact the Contract Specialist via (johnson_p@crane.navy.mil)

Description

The Navy, on behalf of the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Special Operations Peculiar Modification (SOPMOD) Program is issuing this Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought synopsis. SOPMOD is presently conducting a market survey. Sources are sought that can provide Non-Developmental Item (NDI) Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Enhanced Carbines (EC). The SOPMOD program intends to fulfill this emerging requirement through Non-Developmental (NDI)/ Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) acquisition. It may be fulfilled either through NDI/COTS improvements to the M4A1 Carbine with a Carbine Reliability Parts Set (CRPS) or through procurement of an alternative NDI/COTS carbine system on a "Best Value" determination. EC-CRPS GENERAL OBJECTIVES (1) Increased reliability, durability, corrosion resistance, ease of cleaning, lubricity/reduced friction; fully functional for a minimum of 15,000 rounds threshold, 30,000 rounds objective, performing up to the standards and firing rates to be published in the Solicitation; functional reliability exceeding that of the standard M4A1 carbine at high and low temperature extremes as well as other hostile (sand/dust/dirt/mud/surf) environmental conditions (2) Improved safety- delay cook-off, fail-safe features, fires/functions safely and without delay of draining in the Over-The-Beach (surf zone, weapon flooded with water) environment. (3) User Acceptance: operational suitability, increased live-fire hit scores, decreased live-fire engagement times, speed/accuracy of engagement, controllability in semi-automatic and full automatic fire, improved handling qualities, light weight, snag free in movement through vegetation and battlefield obstacles. The more a carbine system or CRPS aids in the weapon meeting these and other stated objectives (see KPPs below and Solicitation) the more award preference it can receive in this "Best Value" procurement effort. The EC shall meet the following Key Performance Parameters (KPPs): KPP1, FORM AND FUNCTION EC will fire standard 5.56x45 mm NATO munitions, in semiautomatic and full automatic modes. EC will be available with two (2) separate barrel lengths for varying mission requirements. The short (9-12") barrel will be used for Close Quarter Battle (CQB). The Medium (14-15.5") barrel will be used for standard SOF missions. EC shall have a floating barrel. EC shall use a 30-round magazine. KPP2, INTEROPERABILITY EC will have a rigid MIL SPEC 1913 rail at the 12:00 position running continuously from the rear sight to the front sight, which may be mounted to the rail or integral to the weapon. The minimum distance between the front sight post and the rear sight aperture is 10 inches. The EC will also have additional MIL SPEC 1913 rails 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 rails in the fore-arm/handguard area. Fore-arm 3:00 and 9:00 rails (threshold), as well as 6:00 (objective) must also be rigid, that is, SOPMOD aiming items that attach will maintain weapon zero while conducting routine firing combined with combat movement operational training drills. Fore-arm 3:00 and 9:00 rails must be a minimum of 3.5 inches long. Fore-arm 6:00 rail must be a minimum of 6.2 inches long. All EC/CRPS provided shall remain fully compatible with the following fielded SOPMOD Kit Block 1 components with minimal reductions in cheek weld ergonomics: Reflex Sight, Day Optic, Visible Light Illuminator (Flashlight), Visible Laser (AN/PEQ-5), IR Pointer Illuminator (AN/PEQ-2), MK3 MOD 0 QD Sound Suppressor (requires standard carbine series -28 muzzle threads), Forward Handgrip, AN/PVS-17 (Mini Night Sight), and Universal Pocketscope Mount (UPM). KPP3 Reliability, Availability, Maintainability EC barrel will be readily exchanged at unit level repair. All parts/assemblies will meet or exceed current standard M4A1 carbine baseline parts coatings in wear, corrosion resistance, lubricity, and ease of cleaning. The corrosion resistance objective for all parts is a 10-day salt fog test with no visually detectable corrosion. KPP4 ERGONOMICS Primary weapon controls (safety-selector and magazine release, threshold)(all controls, objective) will be ambidextrous. EC will be designed such that the magazine loads into the receiver forward of the pistol grip. EC will be collapsible or foldable to lengths not greater than current similar configurations of (1) the M4A1 (Standard) 33.6 inches extended, 30.5 inches collapsed, and (2) the M4A1 with Crane CQB Receiver, 30.3 inches extended, 27.3 inches collapsed. EC will add no more than 12 ounces (threshold) / will reduce the current weight (objective), as compared to current similar configurations of the unloaded (1) M4A1 (Standard) 6.6 pounds, and (2) the M4A1 with Crane CQB Receiver, 6.0 pounds. CRPS, if selected over a full alternative carbine system, will consist of NDI/COTS carbine components that enhance carbine reliability, endurance, safety, and operational performance as compared to the current M4A1 carbine. The Government is not seeking alternative sources of current parts for the current M4A1 Carbine in CRPS, rather is seeking alternative parts or groups of parts that significantly increase weapon reliability and performance. Parts can be stand-alone, or be grouped with other compatible parts into parts assemblies or parts sets that enhance, improve, or otherwise extend current performance criteria. All current parts, except the M4A1 lower receiver (stripped of parts), will be considered for replacement. DISTINCT REQUIREMENTS OF M4A1 with CRPS KPP5: CRPS INTEROPERABILITY. The parts/assemblies will be compatible with current standard 5.56mm lower receivers. The Government may incorporate these parts into future government depot-level overhaul of a portion of existing carbines and rifles, therefore all CRPS parts or groups of parts must be compatible with the current M4 and M16 family 5.56 mm standard lower receivers. Several components of interest depend on other components for interface. Components offered can be designed to interface with standard interfaces when possible or can be designed to work in combination with other enhanced components. All component parts offered shall be fully compatible and interchangeable (no hand fitting) with current M4A1 lower receivers. NDI/COTS improvements are sought; the Government will not provide government property of any kind, nor M4A1 Carbine drawings. Participating vendors shall provide price of product samples and product literature. Each product sample shall consist of an entire carbine system, along with parts or assemblies (and special tools, if any) necessary to convert the carbine to CQB (short) format. CRPS vendors will provide cost of their product samples as entire M4A1 or commercial equivalent carbines, with parts and assemblies installed, with an exact list of the non-standard parts they are offering, to include sets of CQB parts/assemblies/tools. Interested vendors should provide information regarding this announcement to Mr. Paul R. Johnson, Code 1162NP, Bldg 2521, 300 Hwy 361, Crane, IN 47522. In addition it is requested that interested parties submit estimated cost and delivery schedules for 1, 12, 100, 1,000 and 10,000 carbine systems to Mr. Johnson. Questions can be addressed to Mr. Paul Miller at (812) 854-6654. The government may be interested in purchasing product samples of certain CRPS/commercial carbines. This notice does not constitute an invitation for Bids or a request for Proposal (RFP) and it is not a commitment by the SOPMOD Program to procure subject equipment. The government is only seeking possible sources for future needs, if they arise. No solicitation document exists at this time. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED.

Web Link

Click here to review Crane Division Acquisition Department (http://www.crane.navy.mil/supply/announce.htm)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20000928/10SOL003.HTM (W-270 SN501026)