The purpose of this sources sought is to identify potential sources capable of being developed as a second source for manufacturing Light Weight (LW) 30x113MM M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) cartridges, NSN 1305-01-268-9373, Part No. 12902728 . Special equipment is required to produce these cartridges. The manufacturing process encompasses, but is not limited to: (1) machining of projectile body, fuze, and copper liner metal parts, (2)fuze production, (3) production of propellant, (4) cartrid ge case priming and loading with propellant and (5) load, assemble, and pack-out (LAP) of the completed cartridges. The LAP for M789 cartridges requires highly specialized facilities, equipment, and tooling for the safe storage, handling, transportation, w eighing, consolidation and testing of high explosives and fuzes. In most cases the production processes dealing with high explosives and fuzes must be performed remotely. The facilities must be specially designed and fabricated to meet DOD hazard/safety st andoff requirement in order to mitigate the risk of propagation in the event of an unintended initiation of explosive materials. Additionally the LAP personnel must be specially trained to work with explosives. For each step of the manufacturing process, s ophisticated test and measuring equipment is required to ensure the final products comply with Government requirements. Process engineering experience relative to the LAP of these cartridges is essential. An approved ballistics test range, M230 MANN barr els and M230 Automatic Gun are required to perform First Article and Lot Acceptance Tests on these cartridges. Production support equipment includes material handling systems, tool room equipment, furnaces for heat treat and annealing, metal forming and m achining equipment, anodize and phosphate systems, ultrasonic test equipment and metrology and metallurgy laboratories. Production of the cartridge is very complex and requires sophisticated industrial capabilities. Critical skills required to manufactur e the M789 include, but are not limited to ammunition process/design engineers, explosive experts, set-up mechanics and operators familiar with the programming and operation of ammunition component sub-assembly production equipment, quality control enginee rs, ultra sonic technicians, metallurgists and ballistics test personnel. The skills needed to manufacture and provide high quality ammunition will need to be obtained in a timely manner in order to meet the customers requirements. Due to the customers demand for these cartridges, interested parties must be able to successfully complete a First Article Acceptance Test and deliver first production quantities within 20 months from the date of contract award. Additionally, a respondents production capaci ty must be sufficient to manufacture an average of 30,000 cartridges per month based on a 1-8-5 shift schedule. Interested US/Canadian firms who feel they are capable of manufacturing the M789 cartridge are invited to indicate their interest by providing the Government a brief summary of their companys capabilities, facilities, personnel and past manufacturing experience to: Headquarters, Army Sustainment Command, ATTN: AMSAS-ACA-F/Amy VanSickle, 1 Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL 61299-6500, or elec tronically to
[email protected]. Please respond no later than February 25, 2008, and identity the 30MM M789 Second Source, Sources Sought/Market Research as the subject of your response. This market survey is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a Request for Proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market survey or otherwise pay for information solicited.