3110 - (NAVSUP) intends to procure a family of items under the GDN Weapon System (Noise Tested Bearings) using a qualification requirement per the provisions of FAR 9.2

Introduction

Authority is requested to incorporate a pre-qualification requirement per the provisions of FAR

Part 9.2 in all future solicitation and contracts for the procurement of Noise Tested (NT)

Bearings. These NIINs fall under the Weapons System of Submarine Auxiliary Systems.

Background

The Table below provides a list of the Noise Tested (NT) Bearings affected by this qualification

requirement along with their associated NIINs and Part Numbers. This listing is not fully

encompassing due to the constantly changing nature of NT Bearings. Authority is requested that

the NIINs below, as well as all subsequent NIINs added under the NT Bearings program, be

designated as AMSC “C.”

NIIN NOMENCLATURE P/N

009910896 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G001

009910897 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G002

009910924 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G003

009910899 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G005

009910901 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G007

009910902 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G008

010548439 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G009

009910903 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G010

009873715 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G011

010548437 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G012

009910904 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G013

009873700 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G015

009873716 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G016

009873717 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G017

009910906 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G018

009910907 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G019

009873718 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G020

009873719 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G021

009873720 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G022

009910908 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G023

009910933 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G024

009873721 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G025

009873722 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G026

009910909 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G027

000042695 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G028

009910910 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G030

009873723 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G031

009873724 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G032

009910911 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G033

009228516 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G034

009910912 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G035

013718796 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G035A

009873725 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G036

009873726 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G037

009910926 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G038

009910913 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G039

009873727 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G040

009873728 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G041

009910914 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G042

009910915 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G043

009910916 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G044

009873729 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G045

009873730 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G046

009910917 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G047

000033468 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G048

009910927 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G049

010578983 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G050

009873731 BALL,BEARING G051

009873732 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G052

001296525 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G053

010548438 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G054

009910918 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G055

009910919 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G056

009873734 BALL,BEARING G057

009873733 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G058

009910920 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G059

009910921 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G060

009873735 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G061

009873736 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G062

009873737 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G064

009873738 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G065

009910923 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G066

015741702 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G067

009910929 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G068

009873739 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G069

009873740 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G072

009169393 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G073

010542626 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G074

009873741 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G076

009873742 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G077

009873743 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G078

009873744 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G079

009873745 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G080

010604875 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G083

009913667 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G084

010447290 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G085

009921005 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G086

013190021 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G087

010670623 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G088

009910928 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C001

009910934 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C002

009910935 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C003

009910936 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C004

009910937 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C005

009910938 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C006

009910939 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C007

009910940 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C008

009910941 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C009

009910942 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C010

009921007 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C011

009910943 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C012

009910944 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C013

009921008 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C014

009910945 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C015

009910946 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C016

009910947 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C017

009921009 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C018

009910948 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C019

009910949 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C020

009910950 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C021

009910956 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A001

009910951 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A002

009910957 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A004

009910958 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A005

000123731 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A006

009637269 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A007

009910959 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A008

008911546 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A009

009921010 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A010

009910960 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A011

014872476* BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A011A

009910961 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A012

009910962 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A013

009921011 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A014

009769738 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A015

009873711 BEARING A016

009921012 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A017

015629488 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A017B

007297252 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A019

009331647 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A020

009769743 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A021

009910964 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A022

009921019 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A023

010268109 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A024

011137728 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A025

009921013 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A026

009910966 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A027

009921014 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A028

009910963 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A029

012545460 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR A030

009921016 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A031

009921015 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A032

008821316 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A033

009921017 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A034

009838281 BEARING A036

009838284 BEARING A037

010299708 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A039

009873712 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A040

009921018 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A041

009987775 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR A042

009987780 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A043

010447289 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A044

*A011A (014872476) is pending back-transfer from DLA to NAVSUP cognizance as a NT

bearing.

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Caderock Division has determined that NT Bearings

should be designated as AMSC C, requiring engineering source approval by the design control

activity in order to maintain the quality of the part. Existing unique design capability,

engineering skills, and manufacturing knowledge by the qualified source(s) require acquisition of

the part from the approved source(s). The approved source(s) retain data rights, manufacturing

knowledge, or technical data that are not economically available to the Government, and the data

or knowledge is essential to maintaining the quality of the part. An alternate source must qualify

in accordance with the design control activity's procedures, as approved by the cognizant

Government engineering activity. The qualification procedures must be approved by the Government engineering activity having jurisdiction over the part in the intended application Engineering source approval is provided by the In-Service Engineering Agent (ISEA) upon a vendor’s facility qualification in accordance with NAVSEA letter 9070, serial number 61/24-108, dated 28 October 2024. The letter is up to date and N97 verified this process is accurate and complete. As such, the following justification has been provided by the Commanding Officer, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Caderock, and meets the requirements of FAR 9.202(a)(1) paragraphs (i) through (iii).

FAR 9.202(a) (1)(i). The necessity of establishing the qualification requirement and specifying

why the qualification must be demonstrated before contract award:

The Noise Tested (NT) Bearings operate in a harsh salt water environment. Historical issues

have been experienced with vendors producing deficient/inefficient material that could not pass

First Article Testing (FAT), which compromised schedules and fleet readiness. NT Bearings are

part of a critical defense system that are designed to function in environments where low noise

levels and minimal vibration are crucial for the performance, protection and safety, and overall

stealth capabilities of the submarine. By utilizing improper NT Bearings, it could reduce the

submarine’s acoustic signature, making it more detectable by sonar systems. Ineffective material

may not absorb or scatter sound waves effectively, allowing more sound to reflect off the

submarine’s hull. This would increase the submarine’s detectability, making it easier for

adversaries to track and target. This would leave the submarine and its occupants more

vulnerable to attack, and possibly result in loss of property and possibly death.

FAR 9.202(a) (1)(ii). Estimating the likely cost for testing and evaluation which will be incurred

by a potential offeror to become qualified:

The program office has estimated that the cost for vendors to become prequalified would range

from $50k to $200k depending on the complexity of the prequalification requirements for the

items being manufactured. This is based on the historical costs to meet the FAT requirements,

which would now serve as the prequalification requirements.

FAR 9.202(a) (1)(iii). Specifying all requirements that a potential offerer must satisfy in order to

become qualified:

The list above encompasses materials (bearings) used for installation of all NT Bearing systems

used by the Navy. In all these specifications, material composition, manufacturing process,

dimensions and radial internal clearance, and performance requirements are specified. In order

for a vendor to be qualified, the vendor must meet the appropriate testing procedures required

within First Article Test (FAT) requirements as a pre- qualification requirement. Since the

Government does not control or specify the manufacturing process, the testing procedures

established in the FAT process are essential to maintaining the quality of NT Bearings by

validating each component’s acceptability as present in a medium sized 313 bearing. For NT

Bearings, the FAT technical requirements are executed across between NSWCCD and vendor

testing facilities, and are time consuming to complete with typical lead times of 2 to 4 years for

each product. For products that fail initial testing, remanufacturing and retesting adds additional

lead time especially due to stringent composition, processing and performance requirements.

Thus, awarding contracts prior to vendor qualification presents additional risk to the government,

in addition to the low likelihood of a potential new bearing vendor making significant capital

investment to be capable of manufacturing NT Bearings. Therefore, authority is requested to

establish the testing procedures required within FAT requirements as prequalification

requirements. Interested vendors who potentially possess the technical capabilities may inquire

about the requirement. Such inquiries will be forwarded to the ISEA. Vendors may become

prequalified up until the time of award. Award will not be delayed to allow for prequalification.

Summary

In accordance with N7 CPR 9.202(a) and CPR Appendix 1-4, Action Code #11, Chief of

Contracting Office approval is requested to incorporate a pre-qualification requirement per the

provisions of FAR Part 9.2 in all solicitations in support of the Noise Tested (NT) Bearings.