SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Joint Planar Target & 2PP Capabilities for the NNSA's Office of ICF
- Notice Date
- 5/11/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NNSA Services Acquisition BranchNA-APM-124Albuquerque ComplexP.O. Box 5400AlbuquerqueNM87185-5400USA
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- DE-SOL-0009857
- Response Due
- 5/25/2016
- Archive Date
- 6/24/2016
- Point of Contact
- Ray James Sisneros
- E-Mail Address
-
Ray.Sisneros@nnsa.doe.gov
(Ray.Sisneros@nnsa.doe.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request for Information (RFI) (Sources Sought Notice) for Joint Planar Target and Two-Photon Polymerization Capabilities for the National Nuclear Security Administration?s Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion May 11, 2016 I. Background: Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) capsule targets are complex, multi-component systems employed by multiple Department of Energy (DOE) programs for a multitude of high-energy-density (HED) experiments. The National Nuclear Security Administration?s (NNSA) Office of ICF is an important constituent of the agency?s Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP), which enables the United States to maintain a safe, secure, and reliable stockpile without the need for underground nuclear tests (UGTs). ICF/HED experiments conducted at the DOE?s HED programs typically involve intense energy with fluxes ranging up to 1016 W/cm2 directed onto small targets in very short time intervals, which range from 0.01 to 100 nanoseconds. Under these conditions, the target material is driven to conditions of extreme densities, pressures, and temperatures comparable to those encountered in nuclear weapon events. Material behaviors under these conditions are investigated and analyzed to improve exper imental, theoretical, and numerical methods. ICF target dimensions are typically several millimeters (mm) in diameter, and can have shell thicknesses ranging from a few microns to mm; surfaces also vary according to specifications, which can include smooth, rippled, and random but well-quantified textured designs. Targets can also consist of multiple layers separated by gaps ranging from a few microns to mm, and can be manufactured from single, multiple, or composite materials (e.g., plastics, beryllium and uranium metals, alloys, low-density foams, and/or cryogenically cooled hydrogen and/or deuterium); these specifications are characterized to prescribed precisions while minimizing impurities to acceptable fractions. ICF target requirements must also be directly connected to mission Level 2 Milestones and directives. Thus, many of the target components require short-term or long-term research and development (R&D) as well as innovative designs through engineering or assembly deve lopment. Reliable and timely fabrication and delivery of targets are also essential for continuous and efficient HED programs operations. Timely development is key to target fabrication, including continuous incorporation of innovative avenues and increasing process efficiencies. In order to meet these requirements, the contractor must have access to highly-specialized ICF target infrastructure: components, equipment, personnel, and expertise needed to execute R&D, engineering, and manufacturing of ICF targets, components, and assemblies. The scope of the current acquisition is to provide target fabrication support to the following NNSA HED programs: 1.Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), 2.Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), 3.Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), 4.University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (UR/LLE). II. Solicitation Overview: The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code and Corresponding Size Standard for the contemplated procurement are: NAICS Code ? 541712, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology); Size Standard - 500 employees. The Summary Scope of Work is provided below. The contractual effort is contemplated to be a 3-year basic period of performance plus one (1) 2-year option. The contemplated contract type is Cost Plus Fixed Fee. Work is expected to be conducted at the contractor's facilities, and at one or more of the participating NNSA HED facilities. Participation at meetings at other locations to be determined as required. The contractor must provide services in a fully integrated manner and on a timely basis. III. Deliverables: Planar target and 2PP support consists of the deliverables listed below: 1.The Contractor will provide fabrication and precise characterization of ICF planar targets, target components, and target assemblies. Planar target components refer to the parts of a target that will be integrated with other target mechanisms to fabricate a complete assembly. The latter consists of one or more target components that have been assembled on a target mount and incorporated into a fixture in the experimental facility. As such, a target assembly can also be a sub-assembly serving a larger assembly. The position and orientation of target components relative to each other and to the mount are part of the target specifications. Target assemblies and target components can be delivered individually, or in lot quantities; 2.The Contractor will supplement endeavors in Deliverable 1 through 2PP R&D, engineering, and manufacturing of targets, target components, and target technologies to execute requirements specified in the Deliverables of the Performance Work Statement (PWS); 3.The Contractor will deliver ICF targets, target components, and target assemblies to the HED programs; 4.The Contractor will document the fabrication and characterization processes in their entirety. This process begins with the Principal Investigator?s (PI?s) initial target requests, and ends with the acknowledged delivery of the end product. Documentation should include fabrication history, characterization results, and final delivery; 5.The Contractor will enable access to the aforementioned documentation (and processes) discussed in Deliverable 3. This information should be accessible through an electronic (web or e-mail based) system, which includes a means to track deliveries of shipments; 6.The Contractor will support advanced R&D, engineering, and manufacturing for Planar Target and Two Photon Polymerization endeavors needed to create new techniques for fabricating, characterizing, and testing new target designs; 7.The Contractor will provide on-site target fabrication/characterization support. This includes on-site personnel responsible for the final assembly, characterization, and deployment of the target; 8.The Contractor is strongly encouraged to establish and maintain collaborations with academics programs (e.g., universities, academic centers, colleges) in the execution of this work. This focus is part of an effort to recruit, train, and retain early-career professionals in HED-centric programs. IV. Summary Scope of Work [Also see Attached Draft Performance Work Statement (PWS)]: The purpose of this contract is to ensure joint Planar Target and Two Photon Polymerization (2PP) support to the aforementioned NNSA HED facilities. A.Planar Targets This contract will provide capability to annually design, engineer, and manufacture approximately 750 planar targets for a period of three years (a total of 2250 targets). During this period of performance the capability of the contract can be increased to accommodate an additional 900 targets, dependent on target needs and resources. In effect, this increase will raise the contractual cost ceiling of the basic period of performance. If exercised, this increase can also partially encompass the next option period of performance; the option period of performance of the contract can be extended for an additional two years, enabling the annual fabrication of an additional 750 targets (1500 total). The number of ICF targets is used as a representative figure for the costs on the contract and to determine the contractual cost ceiling. B.Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP) Current fabrication of target parts and sub-components often relies on readily available advanced precision machine tools and machining methods. This approach is often cost-prohibitive to initiate and operate for small component volumes and related ICF target requests. Moreover, certain complex structures and surface features cannot be fabricated at the required spatial scales and precisions without extensive development. Preliminary 2PP work has demonstrated the use of laser direct-write, nano-fabrication methods to produce micron-scale technologies with nano-scale precisions. In an effort to expand experimental capabilities, the NNSA Office of ICF plans to increase the dimensional and morphological complexities of targets manufactured using 2PP and related methods; foam-like structures and target surfaces with complex curvilinear features are two examples of this endeavor. Moreover, it is possible that the proposed work can further develop and demonstrate laser direct-writing as a versatile and cost-effective tool for ICF target and component fabrication. The proposed work will also focus on advancing present capabilities by achieving greater writing speeds and working dimensions. Two-Photon Polymerization is a pioneering method in the Target Fabrication with multiple potential advantages over current methods. However, there are also some challenges presented by this method of fabrication. Therefore, in addition to supporting and advancing current 2PP capabilities, research and development (R&D) considering relevant alternatives will also be supported. Interested parties should respond to this RFI by providing a written expression of interest which includes the following information: Company name, address, DUNS, Cage Code, Type of Business, company?s size in relation to the NAICS Code and associated Size Standard listed above, and a point of contact with contact information (phone number and e-mail address). Your expression of interest should also include a statement of capabilities that describes your company?s interest, experience, and capabilities (personnel and facilities/equipment) to provide Planar Targets and 2PP support. Your expression of interest shall not exceed ten (10) pages, including attachments (if more than 10 pages are submitted, the additional pages will not be read). Standard company brochures or capability statements will not be considered a sufficient response to this RFI. The Government will not respond to businesses that do not follow the submission instructions in this notice. The Government will review each respondent?s expression of interest submission to determine if the respondent has the requisite experience and past performance to complete the requirements described herein and in the attached draft PWS. Responding to this expression of interest request does not commit an interested party to participate in any future business transaction. Any responses that are regarded as business confidential or proprietary must be marked accordingly. Responses must be received prior to 5:00 PM Eastern Time (3:00 PM Mountain Time) on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. All responses must be submitted to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Ray James Sisneros via e-mail at ray.sisneros@nnsa.doe.gov NOTES: ?The information received in response to this notice will be used for acquisition planning purposes only. ?This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Pre-Solicitation Notice and a formal solicitation for this effort is not available at this time. ?Responses in any form are not offers and this notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue a RFP, grant, order, or contract. ?The Government does not have funds available to pay for effort expended or material provided in response to this notice. ?The Government will not return any data provided in response to this notice. ?Any information submitted by respondents to this notice is completely voluntary. ?Information cited above is subject to change; please refer to a Final RFP, if issued, for actual terms, conditions, and instructions. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. The Government does not commit to providing a response to any comment or question. No basis for a claim against the Government shall arise as a result of this notice.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOE/PAM/HQ/DE-SOL-0009857/listing.html)
- Record
- SN04112772-W 20160513/160511234219-7fa55a45b058c79e632d66737fad8a97 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |