W911QY-20-S-0007

REQUEST FOR Project Proposals

Wound tube(s) constructed from UHMWPE tape

Objective:

     This Request for Project Proposal (RPP) is issued to request preproposals (white papers) in accordance with Section III, B, 1, of the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) Broad Other Transaction Authority Announcement BOTAA 17-01 competitive announcement, and is being issued for planning purposes only. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to award an agreement, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited.

The Combat Capability Development Command – Soldier Center, located in Natick Massachusetts is seeking proposals on the capabilities and willingness of private entities (academic, non-profit and commercial) for fabricating prototype PE tubes for ballistic evaluation from PE tape/film materials.

Background: 

     Drawn PE films and tapes have been in development by industry for several years with recent successes in disentangling PE polymer chains and creating highly drawn (oriented) PE films with very high strength.  These 100% PE film are now becoming available as tape materials between 2mm and 133mm wide with a nominal thickness of 50 µm.  Bobbins of material can be supplied with up to 9000m running length to minimize splicing.  These films have also recently been crossplied, similar to fiber based PE products, to produce shield materials at the lab/pilot scale.  From these initial lines, industry has produced ballistic data to support further development of these film materials into armor products and how to process them into 3D geometry.

     Automated filament and fiber winding is a proven additive manufacturing technology for multiple applications, such as torsion shafts or high pressure cylinders using other engineering materials.  By using industry standard tube winding technology, we can further investigate the ballistic properties of these film materials by placing them in curved structures (tubes) while maintaining [+45/-45] film orientation. 

It is assumed that standard filament winding process will need to me modified to accommodate tape materials of prescribed width.

Requirements

PHASE I – Prototype open end PE tube winding

Vendor shall use stock materials which could be sourced from multiple vendors or be single source in varying material widths or thicknesses as directed by the Government.  Materials are available in a form suitable for fabrication, i.e. no material slitting required prior to winding.  Vendors shall provide suitable mandrels to meet required tube size dimensions, although alternate mandrel sizes may be considered based on availability and cost.  Vendors shall use appropriate industrial winding equipment to fabricate tubes to meet dimensional requirements, maintain [+45/-45] orientation and without twisting of the film material.  Vendor shall have suitable equipment to post process dry wound tubes to a maximum of 300oF and 200psi, per government direction, prior to mandrel removal.  Delivery of a first article (FA) tube will be required prior to authorization of additional tubes of undetermined quantity (8 minimum).  It is understood that the first FA tube will be of higher cost, due to nonrecurring engineering and tooling, so tube cost should be broken out per the delivery table below.  Total number of tubes will be dependent on the types/vendors of film available as well as number of phase I awards.

Anticipated PE film material configurations (subject to change):

1. Tape width: 2mm, 4mm, 133mm, other
2. Tape thickness: 50-60µm
3. Pure PE film (no binder or resin)
4. Bobbin running length: 9000m for 2mm wide, 4500m for 4mm wide, or other
5. Nominal bobbin dimensions: 4” diameter core X ~11 long

First Article Tube requirements:

1. Stock PE provided as GFM, 2mm wide or 4mm wide.
2. Tube dimensions: 9-10” inner diameter X 36” long X 0.1in±0.005in wall thickness.  Dimensions apply to post processed tube. 
3. Ends: Open, to allow for corner turning on subsequent passes and mandrel removal.
4. Tape orientation: [+45/-45] alternating layers.
5. No twisting of tapes in the usable tube section length.
6. Winding: Continuous, however splicing may be required to meet final tube dimensions.
7. Post process tube in autoclave to secure films from unravelling.
8. As delivered tube shall be of suitable integrity to handle and section for further post processing and/or evaluation.
9. Additional resins or binders shall not be added to the PE tape to promote interlayer adhesion.

Prototype Tube(s) general requirements:

1. Stock PE acquired by vendor.
2. Tube dimension: 9-10” diameter X 36” long X 0.1in ±0.005in wall thickness.  Dimensions apply to post processed tube.
3. Continue / Use approved processing parameters from FA unit.
4. As delivered tubes shall be of suitable integrity to handle and cut into smaller sections for post processing and/or evaluation.
5. Additional resins or binders shall not be added to the PE tape to promote interlayer adhesion.

Phase I Deliverables:

1. Prototype and deliver one first article wound PE tube per defined specifications, subject to government inspection prior to fabrication of remaining prototypes. 
2. Prototype TBD quantity PE tubes.  Minimum order of 8 including FA unit.

Number of tubes (including FA)

Price each

Notes

1

FA only, price as only

7

Material A*

16

Material A&B

24

Material A&B&C

*Material variants could be alternate products from one vendor or alternate vendors as product becomes available.

1. Process document to show processing parameters used for each tube by Serial number.  Process parameters should include: winding sequence, base material ID, average “green” wound thickness, post processing autoclave pressure and temperature profile, final tube weight and critical dimensions.
2. Host monthly IPR to discuss progress or issues as they arise.

Multiple awards may be available for Phase I.

Phase II (option) – Prototype Closed end tube winding

Phase II objectives will be two fold based on outcomes of Phase I effort.  Part 1 will be to continue tube winding but increase overall thickness of the wound tubes from 0.1” thickness to 0.2” using existing parameters.  Part 2 will be to modify winding parameters to close the tube end(s) while maintaining the [+45/-45] tape orientation, much like a fiber wound pressure cylinder.  Final tube configuration could have either one or both ends closed depending on equipment capabilities.  Vendor shall propose Phase II project plan to include current winding capability to support part 1 and/or part 2.

Vendor shall use stock materials which shall be sourced from single vendor in varying material widths or thicknesses as directed by the Government.  Materials are available in a form suitable for fabrication, i.e. no material slitting required prior to winding.  Vendors shall provide suitable mandrels to meet required tube size dimensions, although alternate mandrel sizes may be considered based on availability and cost.  Vendors shall use appropriate industrial winding equipment to fabricate tubes to meet dimensional requirements, maintain [+45/-45] orientation and without twisting of the film material.  Vendor shall have suitable equipment to post process dry wound tubes to a maximum of 300oF and 200psi, per government direction, prior to mandrel removal.  Delivery of a first article (FA) tube will be required prior to authorization of additional tubes of undetermined quantity (8 minimum).

Anticipated PE film material configurations (subject to change):

1. Same as Phase I.

Tube requirements:

1. Stock PE acquired by vendor, 2mm wide or 4mm wide.
2. Open end tube dimensions: 9-10” inner diameter X 36” long X 0.2in±0.01in wall thickness.  Dimensions apply to post processed tube. 
3. Closed end tube dimensions: 9-10” inner diameter X ~20” long X 0.1in±0.01in wall thickness.  Dimensions apply to post processed tube.
4. Closed end shall be hemispherical in shape.
5. Tape orientation: [+45/-45] alternating layers.
6. No twisting of tapes.
7. Winding: Continuous, however splicing may be required to meet final tube dimensions.
8. Post process tube in autoclave to secure films from unravelling.
9. As delivered tube shall be of suitable integrity to handle and section for further post processing and/or evaluation.
10. Additional resins or binders shall not be added to the PE tape to promote interlayer adhesion

Phase II Deliverables:

1. Prototype and deliver one first article wound PE tube per defined specifications, subject to government inspection prior to fabrication of remaining prototypes. 
2. Prototype TBD quantity closed end PE tubes.  Minimum order of 8 including FA unit.

Number of tubes (including FA)

Price each

Notes

1

FA only, price as only

7

Material A

1. Prototype TBD quantity open end PE tubes.  Minimum order of 8.

Number of tubes (including FA)

Price each

Notes

8

Material A

16

Material A

1. Process document to show processing parameters used for each tube by Serial number.  Process parameters should include: winding sequence, base material ID, average “green” wound thickness, post processing autoclave pressure and temperature profile, final tube weight and critical dimensions.
2. Host monthly IPR to discuss progress or issues as they arise.

Single award available for Phase II.

Timeline:  Development timeline is contingent on contract award and funding availability.  Notional WBS and IMS shall be submitted as part of preproposal and detailed WBS / IMS with the full proposal if requested.

Performance Objectives: Preproposals should be limited to five pages, and include a description of the relevant technology including supporting data, the scope of the proposed effort including a high-level Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), and a description of the proposer’s research, development, manufacturing, past performance, or other special qualifications. The preproposal should indicate the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) level of the proposed prototype per the TRL level definitions found in Attachment 0001 of the BOTAA. The preproposal must also include an anticipated cost for the efforts described in the preproposal. Preproposals shall be submitted to the following email address: [email protected] and [email protected]

Brochures or other descriptions of general organizational or individual capabilities will not be accepted as a preproposal. All preproposals will be assigned an identification number and an email will acknowledge receipt of a preproposal. Usually, the Project Manager of the submitting organization should receive a decision letter or email regarding the preproposal within 60-90 days of submission.

Administration: The Government will retain comments and information received in response to this RPP. Proprietary information should be identified as Company Proprietary. Do not use Government security classification markings. All written responses must be received by 12:00 p.m. on 15 APR 2020. Responses should be sent by e-mail to:  [email protected], and [email protected], with Subject Line of Responding Organization and RPP Title. Material that is advertisement only in nature is not desired.  Respondents may review the NSRDEC BOTAA at  https://beta.sam.gov/opp/340bbe6c21d5417aa975b18fa7588384/view?keywords=BOTAA&sort=-relevance&index=&is_active=true&page=1, or keyword search “BOTAA” for additional areas of interest and/or preproposal submission instructions and representative POCs.