Sources Sought for the Establishment of a Center of Excellence for Energetics
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Army Contracting Command-Rock Island (ACC-RI), on behalf of the Office of Project Lead Joint Services (PL JS), has issued a Sources Sought notice for the establishment of a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Energetics. This initiative seeks information from domestic industry regarding the design, development, construction, commissioning, and operation of a comprehensive facility for the scale-up and production of current and emerging explosives at Blue Grass Army Depot, KY. The Army aims for rapid acceleration, with completion prior to 2031. Responses are due April 15, 2026.
Purpose & Government Intent
The primary purpose is to establish and retain domestic capability for additional explosive production, serving as a focal point within the organic industrial base for both traditional (RDX, HMX) and next-generation explosives. The government is conducting market research to understand industry capabilities and capacities, which will help refine requirements for the CoE. While a single, integrated campus model is preferred, distributed or networked concepts will be considered. This Sources Sought is for planning purposes only; however, the government anticipates a potential follow-on non-competitive, sole-source Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) for the CoE's design, construction, commissioning, and long-term operation.
Response Requirements
Interested parties (individual companies, teaming arrangements, or partnerships) should address the following key areas in their submissions:
- Corporate and Team Capability: Organization structure, team members, roles, and ability to acquire necessary resources.
- Background and Experience: Relevant projects in process design and scale-up of explosives, design/construction/commissioning of large-scale hazardous materials facilities, operation/management of explosive material facilities (including safety and environmental compliance), Explosive Safety Site Plans, and environmental permits/NEPA assessments.
- Proposed Technical Approach / CoE Concept: Conceptual approach, proposed technologies, infrastructure, representative campus layout, and facility design flexibility.
- Program Management and Schedule: Integrated Master Schedule, list of buildings/facilities with Net Explosive Weight, and required personnel breakdown.
- Cost, Assumptions, and Contract Model: Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost for design, construction, commissioning, and transition to production; ROM for price per pound of RDX/HMX; proposed capital structure and financial commitments; and suggested contracting vehicle.
Submission Details
- Response Due: April 15, 2026, by 5:00 PM CDT.
- Submission Method: Electronic mail to SFC Pramod Khanal (pramod.khanal.mil@army.mil), Lindsey Arguello (lindsey.j.arguello.civ@army.mil), and Rebecca Bernard (rebecca.s.bernard2.civ@army.mil).
- Page Limit: 20 pages.
- File Size: For responses exceeding 5 MB, request a DoD SAFE drop-off link.
- Required Information: Company Name, Address, CAGE code, Unique Entity Identifier, Point of Contact, and Company Size/Socio-Economic Status.
Disclaimer
This is a market research notice only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a commitment to issue one. Participation is voluntary, and the government will not reimburse costs associated with this notification.