Cornerstone Initiative Request (CIR) CS-23-1214 Thick Aluminum Armor

U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), Rock Island, IL, on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy via its Innovation Capability and Modernization Program (10 U.S.C. 4817), in conjunction with Army Contracting Command Rock Island (ACC-RI), manages the Cornerstone Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 4022. Cornerstone was architected to create a broad-based, flexible and enduring public-private consortium focused on strategic strengthening of the U.S. Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and provide a strong complement to the mandates in Presidential Executive Order 13806.

ACC-RI, on behalf of the Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), intends to issue a competitive Cornerstone Initiative Request (CIR) for prototyping and maturing mill practices to produce thick 7xxx aluminum alloy armor plates, on or after October 2, 2023, with an estimated closing date of 30 calendar days after issuance. Thermomechanical mill practices will be prototyped to demonstrate improved mechanical and ballistic properties, producibility, yield and quality for thick precipitation strengthened weldable armor plate in comparison to current practice. Utilizing enhanced manufacturability prototype processes will produce and qualify thick precipitation strengthened aluminum armor plates. The CIR for Thick Aluminum Armor is restricted to Cornerstone consortium members.

The CIR will solicit proposals for one fixed-price OTA with incremental payments made upon completion of specific milestones. Period of performance will be 36 months. A non-competitive follow-on production OT may be awarded following a successful prototype.

The objective of this effort is to focus on prototyping and maturing mill practices to produce thick 7xxx aluminum alloy armor plates. Specifically, ingot casting processes will be prototyped to demonstrate large (24" thick minimum) rolling ingot slabs for 7xxx weldable armor alloys. Extending the production of 7xxx armor alloys to thicker plates enables thick plate mass machining which is desired.

Any OT awarded as a result of this initiative will incorporate the following clauses:

a. Revised FAR clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment, dated Aug 2020

b. DFARS Clause 252.232-7006, WAWF Payment Instructions

The CIR for Thick Aluminum Armor will be communicated to the Cornerstone consortium and companies with pending applications via email. Entities are required to have begun the membership process for their proposal to be reviewed. Entities must be members of the Cornerstone consortium, with a signed Cornerstone Consortium Management Agreement, to be awarded this OTA task. Contractors may obtain Cornerstone registration information by inquiring at: usarmy.ria.devcom-cbc.mbx.cornerstone-ota@army.mil.

Interested parties should stay alert for any changes that may be published to this sam.gov posting. Please email all questions and responses to the following mailbox: usarmy.ria.devcom-cbc.mbx.cornerstone-ota@army.mil.

This Special Notice is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a CIR or an obligation on behalf of the U.S. Government. Issuance of this Special Notice is not a guarantee of a future CIR or an award and is not a commitment of any kind by the Government.