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3110 - (NAVSUP) intends to procure a family of items under the GDN Weapon System (Noise Tested Bearings) using a qualification requirement per the provisions of FAR 9.2

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General Information

  • Contract Opportunity Type: Sources Sought (Original)
  • Original Published Date: Jan 23, 2025 02:45 pm EST
  • Original Response Date: Feb 28, 2025 05:00 pm EST
  • Inactive Policy: 15 days after response date
  • Original Inactive Date: Mar 15, 2025
  • Initiative:
    • None

Classification

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code: 3110 - BEARINGS, ANTIFRICTION, UNMOUNTED
  • NAICS Code:
    • 332991 - Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing
  • Place of Performance:
    Mechanicsburg , PA
    USA

Description

Introduction
Authority is requested to incorporate a pre-qualification requirement per the provisions of FAR
Part 9.2 in all future solicitation and contracts for the procurement of Noise Tested (NT)
Bearings. These NIINs fall under the Weapons System of Submarine Auxiliary Systems.
Background
The Table below provides a list of the Noise Tested (NT) Bearings affected by this qualification
requirement along with their associated NIINs and Part Numbers. This listing is not fully
encompassing due to the constantly changing nature of NT Bearings. Authority is requested that
the NIINs below, as well as all subsequent NIINs added under the NT Bearings program, be
designated as AMSC “C.”
NIIN NOMENCLATURE P/N
009910896 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G001
009910897 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G002
009910924 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G003
009910899 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G005
009910901 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G007
009910902 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G008
010548439 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G009
009910903 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G010
009873715 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G011
010548437 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G012
009910904 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G013
009873700 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G015
009873716 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G016
009873717 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G017
009910906 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G018
009910907 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G019
009873718 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G020
009873719 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G021
009873720 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G022
009910908 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G023
009910933 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G024
009873721 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G025
009873722 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G026
009910909 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G027
000042695 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G028
009910910 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G030
009873723 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G031

009873724 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G032
009910911 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G033
009228516 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G034
009910912 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G035
013718796 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G035A
009873725 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G036
009873726 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G037
009910926 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G038
009910913 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G039
009873727 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G040
009873728 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G041
009910914 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G042
009910915 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G043
009910916 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G044
009873729 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G045
009873730 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G046
009910917 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G047
000033468 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G048
009910927 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G049
010578983 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G050
009873731 BALL,BEARING G051
009873732 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G052
001296525 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G053
010548438 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G054
009910918 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G055
009910919 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G056
009873734 BALL,BEARING G057
009873733 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G058
009910920 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G059
009910921 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G060
009873735 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G061
009873736 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G062
009873737 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G064
009873738 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G065
009910923 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G066
015741702 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G067
009910929 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G068
009873739 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G069
009873740 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G072
009169393 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G073
010542626 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G074

009873741 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G076
009873742 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G077
009873743 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G078
009873744 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G079
009873745 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G080
010604875 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G083
009913667 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G084
010447290 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G085
009921005 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G086
013190021 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G087
010670623 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR G088
009910928 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C001
009910934 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C002
009910935 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C003
009910936 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C004
009910937 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C005
009910938 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C006
009910939 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C007
009910940 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C008
009910941 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C009
009910942 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C010
009921007 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C011
009910943 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C012
009910944 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C013
009921008 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C014
009910945 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C015
009910946 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C016
009910947 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C017
009921009 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C018
009910948 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C019
009910949 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C020
009910950 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR C021
009910956 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A001
009910951 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A002
009910957 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A004
009910958 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A005
000123731 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A006
009637269 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A007
009910959 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A008
008911546 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A009
009921010 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A010
009910960 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A011

014872476* BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A011A
009910961 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A012
009910962 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A013
009921011 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A014
009769738 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A015
009873711 BEARING A016
009921012 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A017
015629488 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A017B
007297252 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A019
009331647 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A020
009769743 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A021
009910964 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A022
009921019 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A023
010268109 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A024
011137728 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A025
009921013 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A026
009910966 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A027
009921014 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A028
009910963 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A029
012545460 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR A030
009921016 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A031
009921015 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A032
008821316 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A033
009921017 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A034
009838281 BEARING A036
009838284 BEARING A037
010299708 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A039
009873712 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A040
009921018 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A041
009987775 BEARING,BALL,ANNULAR A042
009987780 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A043
010447289 BEARING,BALL,DUPLEX A044


*A011A (014872476) is pending back-transfer from DLA to NAVSUP cognizance as a NT
bearing.


Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Caderock Division has determined that NT Bearings
should be designated as AMSC C, requiring engineering source approval by the design control
activity in order to maintain the quality of the part. Existing unique design capability,
engineering skills, and manufacturing knowledge by the qualified source(s) require acquisition of
the part from the approved source(s). The approved source(s) retain data rights, manufacturing
knowledge, or technical data that are not economically available to the Government, and the data
or knowledge is essential to maintaining the quality of the part. An alternate source must qualify
in accordance with the design control activity's procedures, as approved by the cognizant
Government engineering activity. The qualification procedures must be approved by the Government engineering activity having jurisdiction over the part in the intended application Engineering source approval is provided by the In-Service Engineering Agent (ISEA) upon a vendor’s facility qualification in accordance with NAVSEA letter 9070, serial number 61/24-108, dated 28 October 2024. The letter is up to date and N97 verified this process is accurate and complete. As such, the following justification has been provided by the Commanding Officer, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Caderock, and meets the requirements of FAR 9.202(a)(1) paragraphs (i) through (iii). 

 FAR 9.202(a) (1)(i). The necessity of establishing the qualification requirement and specifying
why the qualification must be demonstrated before contract award:
The Noise Tested (NT) Bearings operate in a harsh salt water environment. Historical issues
have been experienced with vendors producing deficient/inefficient material that could not pass
First Article Testing (FAT), which compromised schedules and fleet readiness. NT Bearings are
part of a critical defense system that are designed to function in environments where low noise
levels and minimal vibration are crucial for the performance, protection and safety, and overall
stealth capabilities of the submarine. By utilizing improper NT Bearings, it could reduce the
submarine’s acoustic signature, making it more detectable by sonar systems. Ineffective material
may not absorb or scatter sound waves effectively, allowing more sound to reflect off the
submarine’s hull. This would increase the submarine’s detectability, making it easier for
adversaries to track and target. This would leave the submarine and its occupants more
vulnerable to attack, and possibly result in loss of property and possibly death.
FAR 9.202(a) (1)(ii). Estimating the likely cost for testing and evaluation which will be incurred
by a potential offeror to become qualified:
The program office has estimated that the cost for vendors to become prequalified would range
from $50k to $200k depending on the complexity of the prequalification requirements for the
items being manufactured. This is based on the historical costs to meet the FAT requirements,
which would now serve as the prequalification requirements.
FAR 9.202(a) (1)(iii). Specifying all requirements that a potential offerer must satisfy in order to
become qualified:
The list above encompasses materials (bearings) used for installation of all NT Bearing systems
used by the Navy. In all these specifications, material composition, manufacturing process,
dimensions and radial internal clearance, and performance requirements are specified. In order
for a vendor to be qualified, the vendor must meet the appropriate testing procedures required
within First Article Test (FAT) requirements as a pre- qualification requirement. Since the
Government does not control or specify the manufacturing process, the testing procedures
established in the FAT process are essential to maintaining the quality of NT Bearings by
validating each component’s acceptability as present in a medium sized 313 bearing. For NT
Bearings, the FAT technical requirements are executed across between NSWCCD and vendor
testing facilities, and are time consuming to complete with typical lead times of 2 to 4 years for
each product. For products that fail initial testing, remanufacturing and retesting adds additional
lead time especially due to stringent composition, processing and performance requirements.

Thus, awarding contracts prior to vendor qualification presents additional risk to the government,
in addition to the low likelihood of a potential new bearing vendor making significant capital
investment to be capable of manufacturing NT Bearings. Therefore, authority is requested to
establish the testing procedures required within FAT requirements as prequalification
requirements. Interested vendors who potentially possess the technical capabilities may inquire
about the requirement. Such inquiries will be forwarded to the ISEA. Vendors may become
prequalified up until the time of award. Award will not be delayed to allow for prequalification.


Summary


In accordance with N7 CPR 9.202(a) and CPR Appendix 1-4, Action Code #11, Chief of
Contracting Office approval is requested to incorporate a pre-qualification requirement per the
provisions of FAR Part 9.2 in all solicitations in support of the Noise Tested (NT) Bearings.

Contact Information

Contracting Office Address

  • P O BOX 2020 5450 CARLISLE PIKE
  • MECHANICSBURG , PA 17050-0788
  • USA

Primary Point of Contact

Secondary Point of Contact





History

  • Jan 23, 2025 02:45 pm ESTSources Sought (Original)