The U.S. Army Contracting Command - Rock Island, on behalf of the Project Director Joint Bombs (PDJB), Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is issuing a sources sought announcement in an effort to identify capable sources for the production and delivery of the M70 Series Cable Assemblies for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2025-2029 requirements. The U.S. Government’s anticipated requirements included the following items:

M72 Cable Assembly, NSN: 1325-00-633-5264, P/N: 7542966
M73 Cable Assembly, NSN: 1325-00-633-5262, P/N: 7542967

M74A Cable Assembly, NSN: 1325-01-081-6972, P/N: 7542968

ITEM DESCRIPTION: The M70 Series Cable Assemblies are used to transfer power and communication between the aircraft and the fuze and target detection devices. Cables are identical except for length. The cable assembly consists of two lengths of cordage wire originating from a shared 1.5-inch receptacle and terminating at plugs on the other end of each cordage wire.

CRITICAL SKILLS/PROCESSES: The cable assembly includes strict First Article Test and Lot Acceptance Test requirements. The M70 Series Cable Series may appear similar to other commercial cables in the marketplace but testing in harsh environmental conditions (e.g., extreme temperatures, salt fog, salt immersion) is necessary to determine if the cables meet the performance requirements. Any potential producer must have a highly trained, experienced workforce that possess the critical, specialized skills and capability necessary to manufacture and test the cable assemblies to the standards defined in the Technical Data Packages (TDPs).

NOTICE: The Technical Data Packages (TDPs) associated with the cable assemblies are classified as Distribution D - limited distribution authorized to the Department of Defense (DOD) and US DOD Contractors Only. These documents contain technical data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U.S.C., SEC 2751, ET SEQ.) or the Export Administration Act of 1979 (Title 50, U.S.C., APP 2401 ET SEQ.), as Amended. Violations of these export laws are subject to severe criminal penalties. Disseminate in accordance with provisions of DOD Directive 5230.25.

Interested vendors must be registered with the U.S./Canada Joint Certification Program (JCP) to gain access to the TDPs (see www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/ for instruction and information). Each individual requiring access to the TDPs must have a SAM.gov account prior to accessing the TDPs. Access to the TDP will only be granted to those individuals who are listed as the Data Custodian (block 3) on the DD Form 2345, Military Critical Technical Data Requirement, which was required to be registered within the JCP. The Data Custodian is the sole representative identified to receive export controlled TDPs. Interested vendors must request explicit access through the "attachments/links" tab in SAM.gov under this posting.

RESPONSES: Interested companies who consider themselves capable of manufacturing the M70 Series Cable Assemblies are invited to indicate their interest by providing the U.S. Government with the following information:

a. Provide a brief summary of the companys capabilities (a description of the facilities, personnel experience, quality system, and past/current relevant manufacturing experience and processes) and their availability. If a respondent does not have adequate resources (facilities, technical, manufacturing, personnel, etc.) available, then they should demonstrate their ability to obtain those resources without significant delay. Any potential key subcontractors should also be addressed, by indicating which key components or processes would be subcontracted and provide a brief summary of potential key component and/or process subcontractors. Current major manufacturing processes and associated critical skills and equipment should also be provided.

b. Discuss the feasibility of, or alternatives to, the U.S. Governments preferred lead-time of 270 days after award for First Article Test (FAT) approval and 365 days after award for production deliveries to commence.

c. Provide Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) prices for an approximate FY25 production quantity of 5,000 M72 Cable Assemblies, 5,000 M73 Cable Assemblies, and 5,000 M74A Cable Assemblies, and a ROM for each First Article Test.

d. Identify minimum and maximum monthly production quantities and identify the available capacity. Intended line capacities (existing or planned) for the cable assemblies should be identified.

e. Identify if your firm has ever produced the M70 Series Cable Assemblies. If so, please state when it was last produced, who the customer was, the production rate under that contract, and the contract number.

f. The NAICS code for these items is 332993 with a business size standard of 1,500 employees. Identify your companys size status for the identified NAICS code in your response along with the following information:

1) Company name and address

2) Point of contact name, phone, and email address

3) Company Cage Code

This sources sought announcement is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a Request for Proposal or as an obligation on the part of the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this sources sought announcement or otherwise pay for information solicited. Industry responses to this sources sought will not represent binding offers, and the U.S. Government cannot accept an industry response to form a binding contract. The U.S. Government intends to use any information submitted in response to this request to determine a path forward for meeting the future requirements of this item.

In order to be eligible for contracts with the U.S. Government, Contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract resulting from a planned solicitation for these items. Contractors may obtain information on SAM registration by visiting: https://www.acquistion.gov. All interested companies are highly encouraged to get registered in SAM immediately.

The U.S. Government will hold all information submitted in a confidential status.

For additional information regarding this announcement, please contact the Contract Specialist via email at kelly.k.clifton.civ@army.mil.

Industry responses are requested electronically no later than November 2023. Please submit all industry responses to U.S. Army Contracting Command - Rock Island; ATTN: Ms. Kelly Clifton at kelly.k.clifton.civ@army.mil and Mr. Jonathon Compton at jonathon.a.compton.civ@army.mil. All responses to this sources sought announcement should reference in the subject: Sources Sought Response for the M70 Cables Series.

Attachments/Links