Mason & Hanger - Silas Mason Co., Inc., P.O. Box 30020, Amarillo, TX 79177-0001

A -- FACILITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. Sol 95-002 due 080195. Contact Point: B.D. Faubion, (806)477-3514. The Department of Energy's (DOE), Pantex Plant, has received funding to support the DOE Defense Program's Facility Partnership Program of the Technology Transfer Initiative. A call for proposals is being issued for Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) partnerships to work with U.S. industry in the development of new products or manufacturing processes which support the Defense Program's mission needs at the Pantex Plant and have the potential to yield economic and other benefits to the nation. A CRADA requires that Pantex Plant and private industry be cost-sharing partners in a program yielding benefits to each party. The Pantex Plant will contribute a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $400,000 in services, and the industry partner will be required to match the DOE contribution with an in-kind contribution of at least equal value. Small businesses (500 or fewer employees) are encouraged to participate. The Defense Program's missions at Pantex Plant are to fabricate the high explosive components for nuclear weapons, to assemble nuclear weapons for the nation's stockpile, to maintain and evaluate nuclear weapons in the stockpile, to disassemble nuclear weapons being retired from the stockpile, and to serve as an interim storage stie for plutonium components from retired weapons. The nation and the DOE are now planning for a future in which we must use new strategies to help provide the country with a credible nuclear deterrent. The DOE and its laboratories and plants are currently developing, acquiring, and using a broad spectrum of advanced design and manufacturing technologies. Some of the technologies for the complex of the future are: concurrent engineering; modeling of materials performance and behavior; modeling of manufacturing processes; flexible, scalable, less costly manufacturing methods; processes that reduce or eliminate the need to use hazardous chemicals; processes that minimize the risk to workers and the impact on the environment; advanced nondestructive evaluation methods; development of new materials for improved performance; performance and reliability characterization; virtual manufacturing; reconfigurable and scalable manufacturing; manufacturing planning and control; knowledge preservation and access; and integrated product definition exchange. The Pantex Plant has identified six focus areas: (1) Chemistry and Materials, (2) Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing, (3) Explosives, (4) Manufacturing, (5) Special Nuclear Materials, and (6) Systems Engineering Science and Technology. Proposals must fall within one or more of these focus areas. Proposals must indicate that the private-sector partner (or partners) will participate substantially in the applied research, making both intellectual and financial contributions to the project. The Pantex Plant will conduct a formal review of proposals and select those that best reflect established criteria. A selected proposal should result in a CRADA. The private-sector partner must agree to accept the standard DOE Modular CRADA language. Proposals must be received by August 1, 1995. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Pantex Plant Technology Transfer Office to obtain details and proposal briefs. B.D. Faubion, (806)477-3514, Pantex Plant, P.O. Box 30020, Amarillo, TX 79177-0001. (172)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 19950626\A-0002.SOL)