91--Lubricous coating for critical small arms weapon components.

This notice is a Market Survey. The U.S. Army TACOM-ARDEC is conducting a market survey to identify potential technologies/companies capable of providing a lubricous coating for critical small arms weapon components to eliminate the need for wet lubrication. Currently, most weapon parts are steel coated with hard chrome or phosphate and maintained with wet lubrication. This potential coating is expected to function without need for external lubrication in adverse conditions to include: sand, dust, extreme cold (-65 degrees F), extreme heat (defined below), rain, mud, salt water, Nuclear/Biological/Chemical (NBC) decontamination solvents, etc. The maximum operating temperature is dependent upon the weapon component in question. As such, interested firms should indicate the maximum service temperature of their coating. As a minimum, the Army is interested in a coating that has a maximum service temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit and would prefer a service temperature of at least 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, the following characteristics should be addressed as to how they well they perform with respect to hard chrome and phosphate: 1) corrosion protection, 2) abrasive and sliding wear resistance, 3) adhesion to substrate, 4) coefficient of friction, and 5) coefficient of thermal expansion. Interested firms that feel they are capable of supplying any of the above services are invited to indicate their interest by providing specifications, brochures, and/or drawings within four (4) weeks of the date of this notice to the U.S. Army, ARDEC, ATTN: David C.C. Mao, AMSRD-AAR-AEW-M(D), Bldg. 7, Picatinny, NJ 07806. Contact David C.C. Mao at 973 724 2308, e-mail [email protected], for any technical questions that you may have regarding the requirements. This is a market survey for information only and shall not be construed as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the US Government. The US Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market survey or otherwise pay for information solicited. The information you provide will only be utilized by the US Army in developing its acquisition approach for future equipment buys. Provide information by October 1, 2004, 3:30 PM, LOCAL TIME.

Amendment notice 0001 is made to W15QKN-04-X-0424 to correct the e-mail address of David C.C. Mao to read as follows [email protected]. Everything else remains the same.