--Pre-Solicitation Conference to be held on 1 December 2004

The Army Field Support Command intends to competitively solicit from the private sector an operating arrangement that will achieve the following objectives: (A.) Reserve, at all times, the nation's ability to produce and/or procure its Warfighters' primary service ammunition, 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50 Caliber in its primary configurations, ball, traced and blank. (B.) Obtain the critical provisions to support the military missions. It is a National imperative to maintain the ability to acquire small caliber ammunition in an environment where projected requirements are expected to increase for the foreseeable futur e. Increasing military contingencies have created a situation where the capability to produce small caliber ammunition through conventional methods have been fully exercised. A Second Source Prime Contractor for Small Caliber Ammunition is anticipated to remedy the current situation by arranging for capability to deliver up to 300 million rounds per year for a five-year period to the U.S. Government. Quantities could increase up to 500 million per year. The AFSC is seeking sources interested in the Second Source Prime Contractor concept. To that extent, the Army intends to issue a formal Request for Proposal (RFP), anticipated in January 2005. A competitive award of a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract for establishment of the Second Source Prime Contractor, followed by Firm Fixed Price (FFP) delivery orders for small caliber ammunition, with the source that provides the best value proposal to the formal RFP is anticipated. A Pre-Solicitation Conference will be held at the RiverCenter, Davenport, Iowa on 1 December 2004 beginning at 0900 hours. At that time, industry questions in reference to the draft RFP issued 6 October 2004, will be considered and addressed. Sources int erested in attending the Pre-Solicitation Conference must contact the Contract Specialist, Ms. Kristin Engelken, with the name of your firm and the number of personnel attending, by 27 October 2004 at AMSFS-CCA-F, 1 Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL 612 99-6500, (309)782-7345, or [email protected]. Additionally, you are encouraged to submit questions that may be answered at the Pre-Solicitation Conference in reference to the draft RFP issued 6 October 2004, NLT 1 November 2004 to the point of contact above. A formal agenda will be sent out to registered participants at a later date.