DESCRIPTION

This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP), and award of a contract will not be made as a result of this questionnaire.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD), Code 808,  requests assistance from industry to conduct market research for the design and manufacturing of a shaft seal for use as a demonstrator at a developmental shaft seal test facility needed to support propulsor Research & Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E).

This notice is not an RFP. Proposals submitted as a result of this request for information (RFI) will not be accepted and the Government will not reimburse for a proposal/response provided. 

Included with this notice is the Shaft Seal Demonstrator Parameters (SSDP) (Attachment 1) . The SSDP document establishes the requirements and constraints for the design of a demonstrator shaft seal for use on a shaft seal test facility.  The document is being provided to request comments, recommendations, and questions from industry.  Note, the document is Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and interested parties shall reach out to the POCs listed below for access.

1. BACKGROUND

NSWCCD Code 808 is in the process of developing and delivering a shaft seal suitable for demonstrating the capabilities of a propulsion shaft seal test facility. The demonstrator shaft seal is expected to be delivered by NSWCCD Code 808 by mid-2029. The shaft seal design requires expertise in various disciplines such as mechanical design, materials, and fluid dynamics.  NSWCCD Code 808 intends to develop a demonstrator shaft seal utilizing existing and emerging technologies to demonstrate the seal test facility’s capabilities.   

2.1 Demonstrator shaft seal is to be delivered by NSWCCD in mid-2029.

2.2 Security Requirement Minimums: Approval to handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)

2.3 Security Desired: Subject Matter Expert(s) with Active DoD SECRET clearance.

2.4 US-Only Engineering and Manufacturing: Build America, Buy America Act provisions will apply for this effort.  No foreign participation is permitted.

RESPONSE

As part of the response, interested parties, at a minimum, shall provide the following information:

1. Company Name, Company Address, Point of Contract including name, title, phone and email addresses.  A statement as to whether your company/institution (and partners) is domestically or foreign-owned (if foreign, please indicate the country of ownership).  Identification and verification of company’s business size (i.e. small, large).
2. NAICS code 336611.  Including company’s cage code and unique entity ID.
3. Security.

• Facilities: State whether your company/institution (and partners) are able to handle/process CUI information and material in your facilities and information systems.

• Personnel:  All personnel must have the ability to handle CUI information.  It is desired, but not required, that key subject matter experts possess an active DoD Security SECRET Clearance.  Provide a statement regarding your company’s/institution’s current personnel security clearances, or willingness to obtain clearances. 

4. Compliance with Build America, Buy America Act provisions.  No foreign participation is permitted.

5. Capability Statement:

• Provide a company overview, including your facilities, areas of business, company structure, and workforce.

• Describe your services, capabilities and experience regarding the design, development, manufacturing, testing, and/or maintenance of shaft seals or other shaft seal experience applicable to the requirements of this effort. Include whether your company has experience in the assessment of service life/mean time between failure for shaft seals and their subcomponents and experience in developing maintenance procedures/standards for shaft seal systems.

• Describe your company's capabilities and experience in generating shaft seal design technical data, analytical or numerical predictive models that capture shaft seal physics, test and evaluation data, and engineering drawings.

• Please list all contracts that your company is currently performing with the same/similar work requirements as those identified in Attachment 1 and indicate service similarity. For all references, include the contract number, description of services, and name and phone number of associated POCs.

6. Interested parties shall provide the Government with Unlimited or Government Purpose data rights for all aspects of the design. 

7. Provide recommendations and questions to the Shaft Seal Demonstrator Parameters (Attachment 1).

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist.