Pre-Solicitation Notice - Procurement of Special Ammunition and Weapon Systems (SAWS)

This posting provides updated versions of various draft attachments in support of the upcoming Procurement of Special Ammunition and Weapon Systems (SAWS), W519TC26RA036. 

The primary objective of this updated notice is to provide industry partners with a comprehensive understanding of the mission requirements and to provide updates for the upcoming solicitation.  It is important to clarify that the government is not currently soliciting or negotiating formal proposals through this posting. The focus of this phase is strictly on refining the acquisition's technical and administrative requirements to ensure clarity and feasibility. This posting remains non-binding, and all information contained within is subject to further modification based on continued evaluation. The United States Government (USG) is not requesting industry feedback at this time. 

Milestones

The USG anticipates releasing the formal solicitation, W519TC26RA036, within the next 30 days.

The expected proposal responses will be due within 30 days of the formal solicitation release date.

Proposal Submission

Prospective Offerors shall establish a PIEE Proposal Manager account to access documents and submit proposals.

Vendor Access Instructions and Account Support Contact Information:

https://piee.eb.mil/xhtml/unauth/web/homepage/vendorGettingStartedHelp.xhtml

PIEE Solicitation Module Web Based Training:

https://pieetraining.eb.mil/wbt/xhtml/wbt/sol/index.xhtml

General Information

The USG anticipates awarding up to five (5) Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts to Offerors that meet or exceed the Minimum Technical Threshold Rating (MTTR) under the Highest Technically Rated Offeror (HTRO) Source Selection criteria. If fewer than five (5) Offerors meet this requirement, the USG reserves the right to make awards to the highest-rated Offeror(s) below the MTTR.

Procurement Categories

The ammunition and weapon systems to be procured fall within the following Federal Supply Groups (FSGs) provided in the SAWS Tailored Federal Supply Classification (FSC) Item List (Attachment 0001).

FSGs and subordinate Federal Supply Classification (FSC) codes used as a basis for categories (Attachment 0001).

Source Selection

A Highest Technically Rated Offeror (HTRO) source selection approach will be utilized. This is referenced in the DoD Source Selection Guide (para 1.3.1.5) and will be conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15.103-3, DoD Source Selection Procedures, and the Army Source Selection Supplement.

Technical Experience Evaluation

Offerors are required to use the HTRO Self-Score Matrix (Attachment 0008) to self-score their past technical experience. To substantiate their self-scores, Offerors must submit work samples documenting relevant past technical experience as either a Prime Contractor or a Subcontractor.

Pricing

Offerors will be required to submit a pricing summary for specified SAWS items on Attachment 0016, Pricing Matrix. In order to be considered for award, a price for ALL required fields must be listed in Attachment 0016. The ceiling unit prices (excluding transportation) will establish firm fixed-price, not-to-exceed unit prices for the specified SAWS items that shall remain valid for each Delivery Order competed in Ordering Period One.

Sourcing and Prohibitions

Key prohibited source lists, regulations, and policies include, but are not limited to:

• System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Exclusions: The Offeror must not engage with any entity or individual listed as debarred, suspended, or otherwise ineligible in the SAM.gov database. It is the Offeror's responsibility to consult this list before entering into any subcontract.
• FAR 52.225-13, "Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases," restricts most transactions with Cuba, Iran, and Sudan, as well as most imports from Burma and North Korea.
• Section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2019: The procurement and use of telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from specific Chinese companies, including Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua, are strictly prohibited.
• Executive Order 13662 dated 20 March 2014: Any restricted parties under this order are prohibited from being involved with the production of items procured under this Solicitation, any resulting contracts and delivery orders, or in the End Use Certificate (EUC) process. The USG will not accept items manufactured or furnished by any restricted parties under Executive Order 13662 dated 20 March 2014.
• DoW's Section 1260H "Communist Chinese Military Companies" List: The DoW prohibits contracting for goods, services, or technology from entities on this list.
• Russian Federation Sourcing Policy: Due to the current geopolitical climate, it is the policy of the USG to treat the Russian Federation as a prohibited source for DoW contracting. Offerors shall not source materials, products, or services from Russia's financial, energy, and defense sectors due to extensive sanctions. Furthermore, in accordance with (IAW) DoD Class Deviation 2024-O0006, Offerors are strictly prohibited from utilizing Russian fossil fuels and fossil fuel business operations with Russian entities.
• Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) Section 231: The USG shall avoid contracting with sources from the defense or intelligence sectors of the Russian Federation.
• Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Sanctions: Transactions with entities and individuals on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons List are prohibited. This list includes numerous Russian entities and individuals.
• Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act (FASCSA) Orders: Sources or products excluded by a FASCSA order to mitigate supply chain risk are prohibited.
• International Traffic in Arms (ITAR): Offeror(s) must comply with ITAR (22 CFR 120-130).

Failure to comply with these prohibitions constitutes a material breach of contract. In such an event, the USG reserves the right to pursue any and all remedies available by law or under the awarded contract, including, but not limited to, termination for cause or default IAW FAR 52.249-8. The Offeror may also be held liable for reprocurement costs and documentation of non-performance, potentially adversely impacting future contract awards.

Updated Attachments

The following draft documents have been updated since the release of Draft RFP #3 and are attached herein:

• Attachment 0001 – SAWS Tailored Federal Supply Classification (FSC) Item List
• Attachment 0002 – SAWS IDIQ Statement of Work
• Attachment 0008 – SAWS HTRO Self-Score Matrix
• Attachment 0009 – SAWS Cross-Reference Matrix
• Attachment 0016 – Price Matrix
• Attachment 0024 – Alternate Country List

NOTE: These documents remain non-binding, and all information contained within is subject to further modification based on continued evaluation.

This posting is for informational purposes only, the USG is not seeking industry feedback. 

Any questions regarding this posting shall be submitted to the following USG Contracting Representatives:

•    Logan Frye, Contract Specialist, Email: logan.e.frye.civ@army.mil

•    Bethany Carbajal, Contracting Officer, Email:  bethany.n.carbajal.civ@army.mi

______________________________________________________________________________________

PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE 

Procurement of Special Ammunition and Weapon Systems (SAWS) 

1. Action Code: Pre-solicitation Notice 

2. Solicitation Number: W519TC26RA036 

3. Issuing Agency: 
Army Contracting Command – Rock Island Arsenal (ACC-RIA) 
Rock Island, IL 61299 

4. Classification Code: 

• NAICS Code: 332993 - Ammunition (except Small Arms) Manufacturing 

• Federal Supply Group (FSG): 13 - Ammunition and Explosives (and others as detailed in the forthcoming solicitation) 

5. Subject: 
Procurement of Special Ammunition and Weapon Systems (SAWS) and non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standard ammunition in support of the Department of War (DoW), other U.S. Government (USG) Agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations. 

6. Description: 
The Army Contracting Command – Rock Island Arsenal (ACC-RIA) and Product Lead Special Ammunition and Weapon Systems (PdL SAWS) intend to issue Solicitation W519TC26RA036 to establish contracts for the procurement and delivery of a diverse portfolio of Non-Standard Ammunition (NSA) and select Non-Standard Weapon Systems (NSWS). The primary objective is to establish reliable, agile, and responsive supply chains capable of sourcing specialized, foreign-produced munitions and weapon systems to support the National Security Strategy. 

While these items are not type-classified for U.S. troop use, the Government will strictly evaluate a contractor's ability to implement rigorous quality control, inspection, and testing protocols to ensure the delivery of safe, reliable, and effective materiel. 

7. Proposed Solicitation and Award Information: 

• Contract Type: The Government anticipates awarding up to five (5) Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. 

• Period of Performance: The contract will include five (5) one-year ordering periods. 

• Source Selection: A Highest Technically Rated Offeror (HTRO) source selection approach will be utilized in accordance with FAR Part 15.103-3. 

• Guaranteed Minimum: A minimum guarantee of $1,000.00 will be obligated with the award of each base IDIQ contract. 

• Contract Maximum: The total maximum quantity for all orders under the resulting contracts is 3,552,685,000 items. 

8. Set-Aside: This acquisition will be conducted on an unrestricted basis (Full and Open Competition). 

9. Place of Delivery: The FOB (Free on Board) point will be specified on an order-by-order basis. 

10. Response Date: The proposal due date and time will be specified in the forthcoming solicitation. Proposals will be required to be valid for 180 calendar days from the closing date of the solicitation. 

11. Additional Information: 

• Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) at the time of proposal submission to be eligible for award. 

• Offerors must comply with all prohibitions on sourcing from restricted entities and countries as detailed in the solicitation, including but not limited to regulations concerning the Russian Federation, specific Chinese companies, and parties listed on the SAM.gov Exclusions list. 

• Compliance with International Traffic in Arms (ITAR) regulations is mandatory. 

• Prior to award, potential offerors must pass a Pre-Award Financial Capability Review. 

12. Point of Contact: 
All inquiries concerning this requirement must be directed to the Contracting Office: 

Logan E. Frye, Contract Specialist, ACC-RIA: logan.e.frye.civ@army.mil  

Bethany N. Carbajal, Contracting Officer, ACC-RIA: bethany.n.carbajal.civ@army.mil