Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), a single purpose national laboratory and federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) operated by Princeton University under contract to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), seeks expressions of interest from firms with the capability and capacity to fabricate fifty-five (55) Inner Toroidal Field (TF) conductor assemblies for the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), a high performance, magnetic confinement fusion research device located at the PPPL site in Plainsboro, New Jersey. NSTX employs a spherical torus (ST) configuration. In 2009, DOE approved the initiation of a project to upgrade the NSTX for improved performance. The TF conductor assemblies referred to above form the inner legs of the upgraded NSTX TF coils. The assemblies will be fabricated in accordance with the requirements of PPPL Statement of Work D-NSTX-SOW-13-133 and the manufacturing drawings referenced therein, which describe applicable manufacturing requirements and documentation and hardware deliverables. This fabrication effort will employ copper extrusions supplied as Government-furnished material by PPPL. The furnished extrusions are manufactured from C10700 OFHC silver bearing copper. Each conductor weighs approximately 600 pounds and is 20 feet in length. Fabrication activities to be performed include: (1) Initial machining of all copper surfaces on each extrusion; (2) Fabrication of lead extensions that will be joined to each end of the conductor (the material for the lead extensions is Copper-Chromium- Zirconium); (3) Joining of the lead extensions to the conductor ends using Friction-Stir Welding; (4) Final machining of the conductor assembly lead areas and addition of threaded inserts to the leads; (5) Performance of additional manufacturing details, QC inspections, etc. as identified in the SOW and manufacturing drawings; (6) Inspection and documentation; and (7) delivery to PPPL. This announcement is not a Request for Proposals (RFP). Applicable RFP No. 11-050-G is expected to be released on or before April 29, 2011. Offerors responding to this announcement will be notified of RFP availability, and will be provided instructions for downloading the RFP and associated documents from the PPPL web site. Firms should submit their statements of interest by email to Ms. Natalya Gnyp, Subcontract Administrator at [email protected]. Statements should include: (1) a brief description of the firm's infrastructure for the machining, fabrication and assembly of large, heavy (~600 lbs.) precision-machined components; (2) a statement as to whether or not the firm is classified as a small business by the US Small Business Administration (SBA) for the above cited NAICS code, and any SBA socioeconomic classifications applicable to the firm; and (3) complete contact information, including a contact individual's name, telephone/fax number, and email and physical addresses. Questions concerning this announcement my be directed to Ms. Gnyp by email, or by telephone at (609) 243-2397.

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