Solicitation
1377-01-520-9738 JM60 CKU-5C/A Catapult Rocket Motor
Dept of Defense · Dept of the Navy · Sol. N0010426RK080
Due in 12 days
AI summary Beta
Some details weren't available to this summary, so it may miss requirements. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support (Navy) wants 190 CKU-5C/A (JM60) rocket catapult assemblies, the explosive device that fires an ejection seat and aircrew out of an aircraft. It is an open competition (no set-aside) for a firm-fixed-price contract, mostly for foreign military sales customers, and it is a Critical Safety Item that needs first article and lot testing at the contractor's facility. Proposals are due 21 Oct 2026 at 2:00 PM Eastern.
Watch out for
- Explosive item with critical safety status. This is a live explosive device (class 1.3C) that ejects aircrew, so only firms already set up to make and ship energetic items can realistically bid.
This item is a CSI - Critical Safety Item.
- CMMC Level 2 certification needed before award. A third-party (C3PAO) cybersecurity assessment can take months and real money; without it you are not eligible.
CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO)
- Heavy testing costs built into the unit price. First article units, propellant blocks and lot test samples are not separately priced, and lot test units are destroyed and do not count toward the 190, so you absorb that cost.
These units cannot be used to meet the total contract quantity.
- Past performance counts far more than price. A new or small firm with little relevant history is rated neutral and can lose to a firm with a strong record even at a higher price.
Past performance is significantly more important than small business participation.
- No authority to accept nonconforming product. Only the Contracting Officer can approve use-as-is or repair, so defects mean variance requests, delays and possible default termination.
5. Contractors do not have Material Review Board (MRB) authority.
- Shelf life requirement at delivery. Units delivered with under 85 percent of shelf life left count as nonconforming, which ties tightly to your production and delivery timing.
Any delivery from a contractor not having at least 85% shelf-life remaining shall be considered non-conforming.
- Digital x-ray needs prior government approval. If you plan to use digital radiography you must submit a qualification plan and pass a site audit by NSWC Indian Head first.
qualified and given prior approval to use digital radiography by NSWC IHD.
- Drawing revision is inconsistent. Section B and Section E cite drawing 512-174-0068 Rev H, while the Section C data list shows revision R dated 24 Mar 2026 with an exception; confirm the right revision in the restricted data package.
0001 DL512-174-0068 CATAPULT, CKU-5C/A ASSEMBLY R 24 MAR 2026
- Key documents not available in the text. The delivery schedule, special requirements, government-furnished property list and most of the instructions to offerors were not in the text I could read, and the drawings need an access request.
- Rated order and FMS paperwork. The contract is a DO-A6 rated order for national defense and the units are for foreign customers, which adds export, marking and shipment documentation.
DO (DO-A6) rated order certified for national defense, emergency
Read from the notice and 8 attachments. 2 not read in full.
- 3.02_RFP_Solicitation_N0010426RK080.pdf
- 3.04_Amend0002_N0010426RK080.pdf
- 3.04_Amend0001_N0010426RK080.pdf
- 3.06_ADC_SOW_Rev_Basic_Dated_Jan2018_26RK080.pdf
- 3.06_CADPAD_Item_Marking_Instruction_Ver1.6_26RK080.pdf
- 3.06_ADC_MASTER_Rev16_26RK080.pdf
- 3.06_CDRLs_26NB078.pdf
- 3.06_RFV_Form_DD1694_Example_Only_dated_6_5_25_26RK080.pdf
- GFP_26NB078.xlsx: spreadsheet: not read yet
- 1.05_CUI_JM60_TDP_N0010426NB078.pdf: controlled: request access on SAM.gov
Full brief
What they want
- Build and deliver 190 CKU-5C/A rocket catapult assemblies (NSN 1377-01-520-9738, drawing 512-174-0068), split across eight FMS (foreign military sales) lines
- First article testing: 18 loaded catapults, cured propellant blocks and sub-vendor preproduction part tests (included in price, not priced separately)
- Production lot testing at your facility, with 16 extra units per lot for destructive testing, plus radiographs (x-rays) of the units
- Ammunition Data Cards in the government WARP system, and contract data deliverables (product baseline, obsolescence and DMSMS reports, project planning chart, test plan, lot test report)
- UID (unique item identification) marking and military packaging to SPI F00-262-1679 Rev Y, with hazardous (class 1.3C) shipping rules
- A quality program modeled on ISO 9001:2015, configuration control and a formal request-for-variance process for any nonconformance
- Protect covered defense information and hold the required CMMC Level 2 cybersecurity certification before award
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price (single contract award)
- Period of performance
- Not stated in the text provided; the delivery schedule is in Section F, which was left out. Service life of the item is stated as 9 years.
- Place of performance
- Not stated in the notice. First article and lot acceptance testing will be done at the contractor's facility per Amendment 0002.
- How they'll choose
- Best value tradeoff (the Government may pay more than the lowest price)
- Offers due
- 2026-10-21 2:00 PM Eastern (Amendment 0001 moved the due date from 21 Sep 2026 to 21 Oct 2026)
- How to submit
- Email the offer to alicia.l.wargo.civ@us.navy.mil (electronic submission is allowed per Section B notes); Section L has the full instructions but was not fully provided
What they'll judge offers on
- Past performance (sub-factors: quality, timeliness of delivery, small business utilization)
- Small business participation
- Price (evaluated for reasonableness and balance, not given a rating)
What to include when you submit
- Four volumes: Volume 1 introductory/compliance, Volume 2 past performance, Volume 3 small business participation, Volume 4 price
- Price Section B twice: with First Article Testing and without it; unit prices limited to two decimal places; failure to do so may get the offer rejected
- Proposal must stay valid for at least 120 days after the RFP closes
- Include your CMMC unique identifiers (UIDs) from SPRS for each system that handles FCI or CUI
- Companies that are not small businesses must submit a small business subcontracting plan
- You may ask in the proposal for a first article test waiver (if you built identical or similar items before) and for a waiver of the project planning chart deliverable (CDRL A004)
- If only one offer is received, you must supply extra cost or pricing data when asked
- Acknowledge Amendments 0001 and 0002
You must have
- CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO assessed) current status and affirmation in SPRS before award, for each system that handles federal contract information or controlled unclassified information
CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO)
- Facility and safety program for explosives, including a Safety Survey (hazard class 1.3C, UN 0186)
Item is explosive. A Safety Survey will be required.
- Past performance rating of at least limited confidence to be eligible for award (no record is rated neutral)
Offerors must receive a rating of at least limited confidence in past performance to be eligible for
- Quality system modeled on ISO 9001:2015 or an equivalent
The Contractor shall provide and maintain a quality program acceptable to the Government and modeled on ISO 9001:2015 or an equivalent
- Radiographers certified Level II or III under NAS 410; any digital x-ray system must be qualified and approved by NSWC Indian Head
Radiographers shall be certified level II or III and qualified in accordance with the requirements described in specification NAS 410.
- Access to the controlled technical data package (drawings and specs) through a SAM.gov access request
- Active SAM registration; access to government systems for invoicing and ammunition data cards (WARP needs a DoD-approved credential)
Current contractor
No incumbent is named. A related procurement number N0010426NB078 appears in the names of the technical data package and CDRL attachments, but the text does not explain what it is.
Not in the notice text
- Delivery schedule and ship-to points (Section F was left out of the text provided)
- Place of performance and whether a particular facility or explosives license is required beyond the Safety Survey
- Government-furnished property (spreadsheet GFP_26NB078.xlsx was not read; Amendment 0002 says extra primers need written justification)
- The full Section L instructions, including page limits and exact format of each volume
- Contents of the controlled technical data package (1.05_CUI_JM60_TDP_N0010426NB078.pdf), which needs a SAM.gov access request
- Estimated contract value
- Section H special requirements and most Section I clauses
- Which of the 190 units are delivered to which foreign customers and where
- Amendment 0002 changed the lot approval period from 15 to 30 calendar days (Section E item 9); other sections may also be changed by it
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Key facts
- Response due
- Oct 21, 2026, 6:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Oct 2, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Solicitation
- N0010426RK080
- Agency
- Dept of Defense · Dept of the Navy
- Office
- NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support Mech
- Set-aside
- No Set aside used
- NAICS
- 325920
- Product/service code
- 1377
- Business type
- Manufactured parts & equipment
- Contracting contact
- Alicia Wargo; alicia.l.wargo.civ@us.navy.milalicia.wargo@navy.mil
- Versions
- 5 (amended since first posted)
Full notice text from SAM.gov
Paper copies will not be provided. Competitive. Drawings are available. Drawings are NOT available on CD. Item is explosive. A Safety Survey will be required. See solicitation for explosive weight and class.
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