The U.S. Army Contracting Command - New Jersey (CCNJ) on behalf of Program Manager Towed Artillery Systems (PM TAS) seeks to enter into a Prototype Other Transaction Agreement(s) (OTA) pursuant to 10 USC 2371b, in support of the U.S. Army to investigate Extended Range Soft Recoil (ERSR) Technologies. The requirement supports the U.S. Army's Artillery Modernization Strategy under the Emerging Products Program. 

The Emerging Products Program was established to investigate next generation technologies to replace the current fleet of towed howitzer systems. The mission behind the Army’s Artillery Modernization Strategy is to seek out more mobile, lethal, and survivable artillery systems. Additionally, the U.S. Army is currently modernizing its cannon artillery fleet with a directed focus on extended range and mobility.

Exploring current soft recoil technology is directly aligned with modernizing cannon artillery. Soft recoil has the potential to improve the range and mobility of the U.S. Army’s Mobile Artillery fleet by reducing carriage loads during firing as well as create the opportunity to utilize lighter weight structures. Investigating such advancements provides the Government with an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of soft recoil in extending the range of the U.S. Army’s Mobile Artillery.

The attached Extended Range Soft Recoil (ERSR) Instructions and Evaluation Criteria detail the multi-step process that the Government will utilize to award one or more Other Transaction Agreement(s) (OTA) in support of the Extended Range Soft Recoil requirement. Any questions regarding this notice shall be submitted IAW Section 1.6 of the attached Extended Range Soft Recoil Instructions and Evaluation Criteria no later than (NLT) 30 July 2021, 1200 EDT. Step One (1) responses are due NLT 04 August 2021, 1600 EDT. All responses shall be submitted IAW the attached Instructions to Offerors. 

No award will be made unless and until the Government can make a final determination that the solution meets the statutory requirements for use of a prototype OTA (it meets the definition of a prototype project, enhances mission effectiveness and your company is a non-traditional defense contractor, small business, traditional defense contractor with significant participation by non-traditional defense contractors or a traditional defense contractor offering a 1/3 resource share).

In addition, each Company responding to this notice shall be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM. The representations and certifications made by your Company, including those completed electronically via the SAM shall be incorporated by reference into any resulting OTA(s) that is awarded from this notice.

When submitting a proposal, the Offeror shall provide its Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) +4 number.  The DUNS+4 is the DUNS number plus a 4-character suffix that may be assigned at the discretion of the Offeror to establish additional SAM records for identifying alternative Electric Funds Transfer (EFT) accounts.  If the Offeror does not have a DUNS number, it should contact Dun and Bradstreet directly to obtain one.  An offeror within the United States may contact Dun and Bradstreet by calling 1-866-705-5711 or via the Internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.  An offeror located outside the United States must call the local Dun and Bradstreet office for a DUNS number.  The company should indicate that it is an offeror for a Government contract when contacting the local Dun and Bradstreet office.

Companies are advised that any Prototype Other Transaction Agreement(s) awarded in response to this Prototype Project Opportunity Notice (PPON) will include the following statement relative to the potential for follow-on production:

"In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2371b(f), and upon a determination that the prototype project for this transaction has been successfully completed, this competitively awarded prototype OTA project may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures."

Any costs incurred by the Company in responding to this PPON are not recoverable from the Government.