Type VII Starch-g-acrylic Blast Media

This is a request for information/market research to provide data for planning purposes and to gain knowledge of available products that may be of interest to the USCG. This sources sought synopsis does not constitute a request for proposal, request for quote, invitation for bid, nor does its issuance in any way restrict the Government as to its ultimate acquisition approach. The USCG, Aviation Logistics Center is conducting market research to determine manufacturers and suppliers of commercially available Type VII starch-g-acrylic blast media. The proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the future acquisition is 327910, Abrasive Product Manufacturing. The size of business pursuant to North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) is 500 employees. BACKGROUND: The United States Coast Guard (USCG), Aviation Logistics Center (ALC) in Elizabeth City, NC, provides aviation logistics support for the entire Coast Guard. ALC is responsible for providing depot level maintenance on all USCG aircraft. These aircraft are located at various air stations throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico and deployed aircraft supported worldwide. The aircraft are flown or shipped from each air station to ALC for the required maintenance. Depot level maintenance is a major process consisting of de-painting the aircraft and the majority of the aircraft components. ALC currently performs depot level maintenance on 40 aircraft each year; of which approximately 30 aircraft are de-painted. ALC also de-paints approximately 11,000 aircraft components from these aircraft each year. These components consist of metal and composite materials. The de-paint process is performed in a building that is approximately 81 feet wide by 126 feet deep with a floor space of 10,206 square feet. The building contains a recovery system with the capability to recycle the spent media. SOURCES SOUGHT RESPONSES: Responses to this notice should include Company Name, Address, Telephone Number, Point of Contact (POC), Cage Code and complete product details, brochures, and etc. which will allow the USCG to understand your product, configurations, auxiliary equipment, recycling/disposal plan, green initiatives/sustainability, and options. Please respond to the following questions when submitting your response: 1) Does proposed Type VII (Starch-g-acrylic) dry stripping blast media meet or exceed the requirements of Mil Spec MIL-P-85891A? 2) Please elaborate on the suggested recycling/disposal plan to be used. Does spent media generated through the aircraft de-painting process result in the generation of a new recyclable product suitable for use as an absorbent material or similar use? If yes what is the use and where is it used? Does resulting product have its own Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to avoid generating a new waste stream? 3) Detailed media capabilities statements. 4) Blast media information including a detailed description of any media offered to meet this potential requirement. 5) Is your blast media commercially available? 6) If the blast media is commercially available, is there a published pricing list? If so, provide the published pricing list with your response. 7) What is the approximate lead-time for acquiring your blast media? 8) Identify standard terms and conditions associated with delivery and warranties. 9) What are the unique capabilities or performance characteristics of the blast media? 10) Is special tooling, equipment or training required to implement the use of this blast media? 11) What kind of demonstrations/testing requirements such as comparable in-use conditions would you recommend? 12) What are the benefits of using your blast media? 13) What are the risks associated with this requirement and use of the blast media? How can the risks be mitigated? 14) What specifications and standards would you recommend for this type of requirement? 15) Discuss any logistics considerations including assumptions, distribution, reliability, maintainability, quality assurance requirements, storage considerations, and standardization concepts. 16) Is your business a large or small business? 17) If small, does your firm qualify as a small, emergent business, or a small, disadvantaged business? 18) If disadvantaged, specify under which disadvantaged group and is your firm certified under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act? 19) Is your firm a certified "hub zone" firm? 20) Is your firm a woman-owned or operated business? 21) Is your firm a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned? 22) Are there subcontracting opportunities with your blast media? 23) Is your product listed on a GSA schedule? 24) Do you have other government agencies using the product, and if so which agencies, POC's and contract numbers? 25) Provide any POC's for commercial users for general usage of product questions. Firms responding to this announcement that fail to provide all of the required information cannot be used to help the Government make the appropriate acquisition decisions which is the intent of this sources sought notice. This notice is to assist the USCG in determining potential sources only. All firms responding to this sources sought notice are advised that their response to this notice is not a request to be considered for a contract award. AGAIN, THIS SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) AND IN NO WAY OBLIGATES THE GOVERNMENT TO AWARD ANY CONTRACT. Responses to this sources sought notice shall be emailed to [email protected] and [email protected] . Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than February 19, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. EST.