Published date: 12 November 2024

Closed early engagement


Closing date: 10 December 2024

Contract summary

Industry

  • Prepared explosives - 24610000

Location of contract

SP4 0NY

Procurement reference

tender_472115/1424507

Published date

12 November 2024

Closing date

10 December 2024

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

The objective of this requirement is to manufacture explosives for research testing on a range of sizes and materials within bespoke geometries (typically without a casing). As these are for research characterisation or validation purposes, maximum care is required in terms of composition, quality control, consistency, mixing etc These tests include

- Initiation/SDT (Shock to detonation transition) testing
- UNDEX (UNDerwater EXplosion)
- Near-field testing (0.1<Z<1 m/kg1/3)
- Far-field testing
- Confined testing
- General charge boosters
Requirements are to manufacture explosives to MIL spec or equivalent, unless otherwise agreed with Dstl, to a range of criteria. Examples of which include:
- Materials:
o TNT
o PE6
o PBXN-109
o PBXN-111
o KS57
o LX17
o PBXN-5
o PBXN-110
o Propellants
o Inert surrogates of explosives (e.g. PBXN-110 using sugar instead of HMX)
o Research charges with requested composition (unique composition or change in particle size distribution etc)
- Geometry:
o Sphere
o Hemisphere
o Cylinder (various L/D)
o Detonator or booster holes would likely be required
- Casing
o No casing (cast and then removed from moulds with minimum surface imperfections or machined after removal to ensure surface quality)
o Plastic/polymer casings to allow visualisation of samples while being tested (e.g. temperature measurements during SDT testing)
o Plastic/polymer casings to charge protection/separation from ambient conditions (e.g. for UNDEX charges)
o Casing only, bespoke casings to be later filled (e.g. with nitromethane)
o Metallic casings, various thickness of e.g. steel to either provide confinement or investigate fragmentation effects
o Reactive metal casings, such as aluminium or magnesium to investigate combustion effects of the casings
- Charge size
o Small (e.g. <10g) up to large (e.g. 200kg)

More information

Additional text

Information requested: To assist the Authority, respondents to this RFI should provide information to meet these above requirements, including but not limited to:
- A breakdown of what is and is not possible for a range of combinations
o e.g. can manufacture up to 200kg within a casing but only to 5kg spheres or 3kg cylinders (with a certain L/D) if uncased
- Manufacture capacity
- Approximate lead times
- Limitations of certain materials
- Tolerances for small charges
- Anticipated issues (e.g. voids or imperfections for small charges or when removing from moulds
- Techniques for modifying initial charge conditions, such as
o Damage - sub-critical impact to alter state
o Compression to reduce voids/pores (eliminate micro-pores and leave only nano-pores)
o Vacuum/inert atmosphere manufacture - ensure voids/pored no not contain air
- Techniques for analysing charges once manufactures, such as:
o Investigate pore size
o Investigate particle size distribution
- Safety data sheets etc for transport to test site (UK or international)
- Small scale hazard testing facilities, for if unique compositions are chosen and need safety aspects before being manufactured or transported
- Manufacturing and mixing facilities/instrumentation
Your written responses should be submitted by email to dblackmore@dstl.gov.uk to arrive by not later than that date and time detailed above

About the buyer

Contact name

Dave Blackmore

Address

DSTL POrton Down
Salisbury
SP4 0NY
England

Email

dblackmore@dstl.gov.uk