United States - C-5 Aircraft Bonded Honeycomb Panel

Description

Added: Apr 25, 2019 3:00 pm

 

C-5 Panels Fabrication Source Sought
 
Notice Type:
Sources Sought and Request for Information (RFI)
 
Synopsis:
Potential C-5 Panels Competition
 
Classification:
15 -Aircraft
 
NAICS Code:
336413 - Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
 
1. INTRODUCTION
The Government is exploring potential business sources with the expertise, capability, and experience to provide structural honeycomb panels and floorboards used to support C-5 aircraft Planned Depot Maintenance (PDM) at Warner Robins Air Force Base as well as requirements from worldwide Department of Defense (DoD) customers.  If pursued, the proposed multiple award contract will be a follow-on contract(s) to the following Contract #s awarded in 2016:
           
            SPE4AX-16-D-9002/SPRWA1-16-D-0002
            SPE4AX-16-D-9003/SPRWA1-16-D-0004
            SPE4AX-16-D-9004/SPRWA1-16-D-0007
 
This RFI is for informational purposes only, is not a request for proposal, and shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government.  Responses in any form are not offers and the Government is under no obligation to award a contract based on this announcement.  No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement.  Any information submitted by respondents is strictly voluntary.  Participation in this survey of industry capabilities shall not ensure participation in future solicitations or contract awards.  The Government will not reimburse participants for any expenses associated with participation in this industry survey.
 
The results of this Sources Sought and RFI will be utilized to determine the Government's acquisition strategy.  All information provided by interested parties is strictly voluntary and will be treated as proprietary to ensure company interests are protected.
 
 
 
2. BACKGROUND
The C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin that provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with heavy intercontinental strategic airlift capability.  The C-5 is one of the few large aircraft in DoD's inventory that can carry oversized cargo to include all air-certifiable cargo.  Management and engineering responsibility for C-5 repair, modification, and overhaul resides with the Engineering Support Activity (ESA) at Warner Robins AFB. 
 
The C-5 relies on various adhesively bonded honeycomb panels to provide structural integrity to the airframe.  C-5 honeycomb panels have a history of logistical and quality problems due to the availability of materials and complexity of their manufacture.   The overall objective of this effort is to ensure high material availability of quality C-5 panels to support C-5 PDM flow schedules, which are approximately 90 days in duration.   The applicable Federal Supply Class (FSC) is 1560.
 
3. OBJECTIVES
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Aviation has not yet defined its acquisition strategy to provide follow-on C-5 Panels logistics support to include the competitive approach;  solicitation, evaluation and award; contract vehicle; socio-economic considerations; scope of support; delivery schedule or period of performance; intended number of contract awards; or acquisition timeline.  The Government C-5 Panels Integrated Product Team (IPT) intends to use the information provided in the RFI responses, as well as information gained in other market research efforts, to refine the requirement, develop the acquisition strategy and to evaluate alternatives that will deliver the best value solution to support C-5 Panel requirements.
 
4. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES/SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
DLA Aviation needs to identify companies that are capable of manufacturing and/or ensuring delivery of C-5 structural honeycomb panels and floorboards within production lead times that are compatible with PDM flow schedules.  Manufacturing bonded panels requires strict control in facility contamination levels, building temperature & humidity, tracking adhesive shelf life, autoclave operation, and bond line surface preparations.  Bonded honeycomb panel manufacturing follows detailed processing specifications, and in the case of highly contoured areas, requires experienced technical staff to interpret aircraft loft data.
 
The anticipated scope of work encompasses source-controlled items.  However, AMC/AMSC coding for panel and floorboard items vary and are subject to change based on USAF engineering evaluation.  Many items in the anticipated population require First Article Testing and special tooling requirements.  The Government's anticipates providing suppliers up to 365 days to produce the first panel.  After the 365 days first production/ramp-up period, the Government delivery requirement is 90 days after issuance of an order.
 
Engineering Source Approval is required for those items that are identified as source-controlled.  As a part of the C-5 Panels contract awarded in 2017, the USAF ESA developed a Source Qualification Statement (SQS) that determined select pre-screened suppliers were qualified to manufacture C-5 panels and floorboards.  To participate in the upcoming C-5 Panels acquisition, potential sources must be either: (a) qualified sources on the ESA's Qualified Sources List (QSL) or (b) will need to become source qualified by the ESA prior to contract award as only QSL suppliers will be considered for award by DLA .  All potential sources must demonstrate that they, or their subcontractors, have gained ESA approval in order to be considered for award.  Any supplier that wants to explore becoming a QSL supplier should contact Ms. Mary Schleider, C-5 Chief Structures Engineering, at mary.schleider.1@us.af.mil  or by phone at (478) 327-7181.
 
5. BUSINESS INFORMATION
Request RFI responses include the following business information for your company and any anticipated teaming or joint venture partnering:
 
Company Name
Address
Point of Contact (POC)
POC Email Address
POC Phone Number
CAGE Code
Web Page URL
Size of Business North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Code: 336413 - Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
Based on your NAICS Code, state whether your company is:
•-          Small Business (Yes/No)
•-          Woman-Owned Small Business (Yes/No)
•-          Small Disadvantaged Business (Yes/No)
•-          8(a) Certified (Yes/No)
•-          HUBZone Certified (Yes/No)
•-          Service Disabled Veteran Small Business (Yes/No)
•-          System for Award Management Registered (Yes/No)
 
Electronic responses are requested by 1600 EST on Tuesday 11 June 2019. 
 
Please email your response to Tony Kemp tony.kemp@dla.mil and Steven Morgan steven.morgan.ctr@dla.mil
 
Questions regarding this RFI should be addressed to Tony Kemp at tony.kemp@dla.mil or (804) 279-3674.
 
6. QUESTIONS
Please address all of the below questions in your company's response.
•1.      Briefly describe the capabilities of your facility to manufacture honeycomb panels and floorboards.
•2.      Describe your company's past experience manufacturing short lead-time honeycomb panels.  Focus on your company's experience organizing and sourcing material, First Article Tests, and Engineering Source Approvals.
•3.      Describe your company's experience interpreting complex aircraft loft data.
•4.      Describe your company's experience with 3D modeling as it relates to manufacturing.
•5.      Is your company currently manufacturing (or has it previously manufactured) panels supporting other airframes?  If so, please describe the panel support provided.
•6.      Does your company have, or have access to, the requisite tooling and equipment to manufacture panels?
•7.      What implementation and execution risks are associated with this effort and how would your company mitigate each of the identified risks.
•8.      After producing the first panel in 365 days, is the Government's 90-day delivery requirement realistic?  Please explain why or why not.
•9.      If your company is unable to produce panels inside the 90-day delivery window, what delivery schedule can you offer?
•10.  What are the primary factors affecting your company's ability to meet the 90-day requirement?
•11.  If there is significant time between orders for a panel, what actions will be required for your company to respond to the 90-day delivery on a subsequent order?
•12.  With honeycomb material sourcing becoming more challenging, how would your company mitigate or overcome this material sourcing challenge?
•13.  Should the Government decide to group items based on panel type and/or aircraft location, provide recommendations on how groupings could be compiled to assure the Government's 90 day required delivery date is met.
•14.  How long would your company need to submit a proposal upon receipt of a solicitation?

Opportunity closing date

11 June 2019

Value of contract

to be confirmed