Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract and Sources Sought for FMS Vertical Deployment Tube (VDT) Technical and Tooling Package
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 Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Keyport has issued a Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) for a FMS Vertical Deployment Tube (VDT) Technical and Tooling Package. Concurrently, this notice serves as a Sources Sought for market research to identify any other responsible sources. Responses are due by April 27, 2026, at 13:00 Pacific Time.
Scope of Work
The requirement is for a comprehensive technical and tooling package based on the U.S. VIRGINIA Class program to support future manufacturing of VDT components. This includes:
- Developing all necessary tooling (fixtures, NDT calibration standards, dies, etc.)
- Delivering procurement-ready drawings for tooling.
- Providing a comprehensive list of tooling with life expectancy, cost/schedule for production, and maintenance costs.
- Preliminary production documents (manufacturing process plan, test location, supplied size drawings).
- A documented plan for unit testing and a comprehensive production schedule for initial production.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Presolicitation (Notice of Intent / Sources Sought)
- Intended Award Type: Firm-Fixed-Price/Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (Sole Source)
- Set-Aside: None specified for market research (intent is sole source)
- Response Due: April 27, 2026, 13:00 Pacific Time
- Published: April 20, 2026
- Anticipated Contract Award: By October 2026
- Initial Production Unit Delivery: Within 12 months of contract award
Evaluation
The Government intends to award sole source to GDEB due to their existing design and manufacturing capabilities, PRL 9, and ability to meet an accelerated timeline without substantial cost duplication or delays. For other interested parties to be considered, responses must provide clear and convincing evidence of the ability to satisfy all of the following:
- Immediate, authorized access to U.S. VIRGINIA Class submarine VPM proprietary design data, tooling manufacturing processes, and testing standards.
- Demonstrate an existing, validated Production Readiness Level (PRL) of 9 for manufacturing large-scale, HY-80 submarine hull-integrated components.
- Guarantee the ability to meet the accelerated timeline (contract by Oct 2026, initial production within 12 months) without requiring a multi-year development and qualification period.
Responses failing to provide detailed and substantiated explanations for these three points will be considered non-responsive.
Additional Notes
This is a market research request and does not constitute a solicitation. The Government will not reimburse costs incurred for responding. Submissions should include availability, budgetary cost estimates, lead time, company/product literature, a 5-page white paper addressing requirements, and identification of similar Government contracts. Reference N0025326R9001 in all correspondence. Contact Shelby Hallman (shelby.n.hallman.civ@us.navy.mil) or Kimberly Hammit (kimberly.s.hammit.civ@us.navy.mil).