A -- CORE METALS AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVE ("CORE MAI"), AGREEMENT NUMBER F33615-99-2-5215

Notice Date

October 30, 2000

Contracting Office

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL -- Wright Research Site, Det 1 AFRL/PK, Bldg 167, Area B, 2310 8th Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433-7801

ZIP Code

45433-7801

E-Mail Address

Terry Rogers (Terry.Rogers@wpafb.af.mil)

Description

Introduction: Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/ML), announces solicitation number 2 under the Core Metals Affordability Initiative ("Core MAI"), Agreement Number F33615-99-2-5215 awarded September 29, 1999. This Initiative is a joint effort of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate and a Consortium made up of raw material producers, component suppliers, designers, assemblers, and original equipment manufacturers, currently: The Boeing Company, Brush-Wellman, Dynamet, Honeywell (formerly Allied Signal), Ladish Co. Inc., Howmet, Oremet-Wah Chang, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce Allison, General Electric Aircraft Engines, and Pratt & Whitney with Northrop-Grumman inclusion in the Consortium being formalized. Presently Pratt & Whitney is the fiduciary agent or lead company ("Recipient") for the Consortium and staffs a Program Office to support the Consortium. It is noted that as a Technology Investment Agreement ("TIA") this Cooperative Agreement is not subject to the requirements of the Federal Acquisitions Regulations ("FAR"). The Statement of Work, Proposal Evaluation Process, Program Operating Plan, Points of Contact and Important Dates corresponding to this solicitation as well as the unabridged version of this CBD announcement/request for White Papers containing all information necessary to propose can be accessed from the Wright Research Site Contracting office home page at the MAI-CORE Contracting Toolbox site, "http://www.wrs.afrl.af.mil/contract/". Further the actual Technology Investment Agreement (included all documents and procedures referenced herein) and the Articles of Collaboration, that details the modus operandi of the Consortium, may be obtained by contacting the MAI Program Office. Please see all the corresponding names, postal and electronic addresses, telephone and facsimile numbers as set forth in the documents that have been made available electronically at the website indicated above. The Core MAI Initiative is structured to facilitate the conduct of projects based upon the submittal and selection of White Papers setting forth projects that will further the goals stated herein. This is the second such request and notice of the opportunity for the submission of these White Papers. The Materials Affordability Initiative Consortium (MAIC), in conjunction with AFRL/ML, is interested in receiving proposals ("White Papers") on the technical efforts ("Projects") described below. White Papers in response to this announcement shall be sent to the MAI Program Office at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Ct (see the Points of Contact section assessable through the website indicated above). White Papers shall be submitted for receipt on or before 1600 Hours local (East Hartford) time, December 04, 2000 if the offeror wishes to have his/her White Paper considered for funding at the expected Technical Oversight Committee ("TOC") meeting to be held in mid-January 2001. Offerors who wish to submit White Papers after December 04, 2000, can do so 4 (four) months prior to the proposed start date of the project (with no end date of a project proposed to go past the completion date of the Core MAI Cooperative Agreement which is currently September 30, 2004). However, because of uncertainty of funding, it is not known when the TOC committee will again meet to review and evaluate White Papers. No other solicitation is anticipated in regard to this requirement round; but you are advised to monitor the Wright Research Site Contracting Office Home Page indicated above. You are further advised to continue to monitor the CBD for adjustments and updates, including possible changes in the performance period for which White Papers Projects may apply and in the event of a third round of solicitations. Potential submitters are put on notice that if an offeror is not a consortium member at the time a White Paper is submitted, it must be designated by the Air Force as a consortium member in accordance with the Government's established and objective criteria and procedures and must sign the Collaboration Agreement between the consortium members, or team with a Consortium Member before its White Paper may be evaluated for funding in accordance with the process described in the Proposal Evaluation Process (PEP) document. New consortium members will participate with existing consortium members on the TOC in the evaluation and scoring of White Papers as described in the PEP. All White Papers received in response to the solicitation will be submitted to the MAI Program Office which, in turn (and, if the offeror is not currently a member of the Consortium), after (1) notification by the Air Force that the offeror has been admitted as a new Consortium Member under the relevant objective criteria and (2) the offeror has signed the Collaboration agreement), will forward copies to each member of the Technical Oversight Committee ("TOC") at least three (3) weeks prior to the collective TOC evaluation . Technical Description: The Metals Affordability Initiative Consortium (MAIC) and AFRL/ML have started a major new initiative, the Metals Affordability Initiative (MAI), aimed at reducing airframe, space vehicle and aeropropulsion metallic component costs by 50% while also developing a more robust and responsive metals supplier base. The focus of the initiative is to improve the affordability of metallic components that make up the majority of current as well as future airframe, space vehicle and propulsion systems. The goal of the initiative is to develop and demonstrate affordable metallic materials and processes and accelerate their implementation in aerospace applications. The MAIC has identified eight key technical challenges, which are, in order of priority: (1) Efficient Manufacturing Processes (2) Collaborative Design and Manufacturing, (3) Part Count Reduction, (4) Improved Yield, (5) Low Cost Metals, (6) Reduced Time to Market (7) Reduced Inspection Steps and (8) Reduced Maintenance Actions. This announcement is published to invite interested participants from the metals community to submit White Papers that focus on but are not limited to the technical challenges listed above. A description of each of the Technical Challenges and details regarding White Paper requirements including but not limited to: Deliverables, Reports, ITAR's, Security, Funding Projections, Schedules, Proposal Preparation Instructions, Award Criteria and Consortium Membership is available at the Wright Research Contracting Office Home Page site referenced above. Any offeror who wishes to submit a White Paper (and therefore join the MAIC or team on a White paper with a present MAIC member) should access the above provided Web-site. Additional questions should be directed to the MAI Air Force Grants Officer indicated therein.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www2.eps.gov/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS?ACode=S&ProjID=Reference-Number-F33615-99-2-5215&LocID=904)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001101/SPMSC003.HTM (D-304 SN5054T9)