RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SOURCES SOUGHT SYNPOSIS for Market Research to determine potential sources to perform
"Research on Advanced NDE Methods for Materials, Processes and Structures" for a potential future BAA announcement. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RX), Materials and Manufacturing Directorate seeks potential sources for a sixty (60) month, $6M program to perform research on NDE methods within the NDE Laboratory Facilities , buildings 655 and 71 located at WPAFB, OH (on-site at WPAFB).

Because the nature and make-up of advanced aerospace materials and structures are diverse and complex, a comprehensive planning and execution of NDE research is anticipated. There are numerous well established NDE tools and techniques for use in NDE research. A partial list includes: eddy current, ultrasound, X-Ray based methods, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, boroscopy, laser based methods, terahertz methods, microwave methods, thermography, shearography, acoustic emission, and on-board monitoring methods. It is envisioned that NDE research will also require advances in the state-of-the-art, necessitating the development of new and unique tools and techniques in addition to the tools and techniques enumerated above. Materials that will be the subject of NDE research include, but are not limited to, the following materials and their associated composites: aluminum alloys; magnesium alloys; titanium alloys; nickel alloys; steels; refractory metals; advanced intermetallic compounds; niobium alloys; ceramics - monolithic; high-temperature structural ceramics based on oxides, nitrides, silicides, carbides, and borides; nanocrystalline and/or multi-layered component systems of metallics, intermetallics, and ceramics, organic materials; structural and nonstructural polymers as well as functionally graded materials, electronic materials, sensor materials, coatings and paint materials. Structures that will be the subject of NDE research will be made of the above materials and include, but are not limited to the following structures: simple plates; multilayered plate structures; plates with attached stiffeners/structure (bonded, fastened, or integral); plates or structures with rough or irregular finishes.

This program contains three tasks, which are to be conducted concurrently. Task I consists of project planning. Projects are selected from the following list of technical areas (in no particular order): residual stress assessment and instrumentation; structural health monitoring and prognosis; crack detection, evaluation, characterization methods; corrosion detection, evaluation, quantification methods; material characterization and materials state awareness; computational methods for NDE; technology transition; and probability of detection studies and demonstrations. Each project plan would address risks, risk mitigation and assess maturity. Depending on maturity it would be assigned to Task 2 or Task 3. Task 2 is the technology fundamentals task and consists of projects that are focused on fundamental theoretical studies, initial laboratory experiments to demonstrate feasibility and comparative studies of theory and experiments for NDE technologies. Periodic review of Task 2 projects will determine transition of a Task 2 project to a Task 3 project based on technology maturity. Task 3 is the technology applications task and consists of applied theoretical development and validation studies, development of prototype instrumentation, experiments (laboratory and field), and protocol/specification development for NDE technologies. The contractor must have personnel with the training and experience necessary to support the effort described above, and have the ability to adjust contract personnel competencies as required by the needs of the research projects. These personnel will be required to work on-site at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code is 541712. The small business size standard is 500 employees. The purpose of this synopsis is to provide the Air Force technical team with the ability to determine capabilities of potential respondents. It is incumbent upon the interested parties to review the site frequently for any updates and amendments to any and all documents. All potential offerors are reminded, in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS) 252.204-7004, Required Central Contractor Registration, lack of registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) will make an offeror ineligible for contract award. This Sources Sought Notice is also issued for the purpose of market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10. All businesses capable of providing these services are invited to respond. Businesses interested in this effort must respond with a complete capability/qualification package describing the company's technical expertise, experience, and personnel required to accomplish the work described above. Any information provided by industry to the Government as a result of this sources sought synopsis is voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this sources sought synopsis. The government requests interested parties submit a brief description of their company's business size, business status (i.e., small business, disadvantaged, HUBzone, woman-owned), anticipated teaming arrangements, and a description of similar services offered to the Government and to commercial customers. Include contract magnitude and points of contact for each example provided (name of the point of contact (POC), address, e-mail, telephone number, fax number, and the company's web page, if applicable). Responses are due on the response date listed above and shall be submitted in writing (only the original is necessary) only in hardcopy format and are limited to 30 pages. No electronic copies shall be accepted. Each response should reference Research and Development Source Sought Synopsis #08-19-PKM. Reponses should be sent to ATTN: Robin A. Mayberry, AFRL/PKMM, 2310 8th Street, Building 167, Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7801 . Any non-technical and/or contractual questions should be referred to the individual above at (937) 656-9001, email: robin.mayberry@wpafb.af.mil. Technical questions may be directed to Mr. John Welter, AFRL/RXLP at (937) 255-9828, email: john.welter@wpafb.af.mil. This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Proposal or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach. This Research and Development Sources Sought Synopsis should not be construed as a commitment by the Government for any purpose.