Sources Sought
Pentolite
Department of Defense · Department of the Army
AI summaryThe U.S. Army Contracting Command - Rock Island at Picatinny, for the Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is doing market research (a sources sought: not a bid request) to find companies able to manufacture Pentolite. Pentolite is a sensitive secondary high explosive (HE) used in card gap tests, which check how explosives react to a shock. Capability statements are due November 16, 2026, 3:30 PM Eastern. More in the summary
Market research, not a bid. Replying is free and tells Department of the Army who could do this work. Send a short reply to the contracting contact; no price is needed. See the contact
AI summary Beta
Some details are in the notice's attachments, which this summary didn't read. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The U.S. Army Contracting Command - Rock Island at Picatinny, for the Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is doing market research (a sources sought: not a bid request) to find companies able to manufacture Pentolite. Pentolite is a sensitive secondary high explosive (HE) used in card gap tests, which check how explosives react to a shock. Capability statements are due November 16, 2026, 3:30 PM Eastern.
Who can bid
- Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM)
How to submit: Email to Contracting/Agreements Officer Charlotte Sylvain-Ceraul (charlotte.a.sylvain-ceraul.civ@army.mil) and Contract Specialist Antonius Gill (antonius.gill.civ@army.mil). What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch
From the version posted Oct 15, 2026.
- Worth checking: Material must pass qualification tests. Pentolite must be qualified through large-scale card gap tests before it can be used in Department of War (DoW) items, so a new maker faces a testing step before use.
- Worth checking: Explosives manufacturing. The Army says commercial mining and blasting makers produce only lower-grade material, so the higher-grade product may need new capability from them.
- Minor: Market research only. No award follows from this notice; a later solicitation, if any, would be posted on SAM.gov and bidders must watch for it.
Read from the notice text only.
Full summary
What they want
- Show you can manufacture Pentolite to the (unstated) specifications; the notice says higher-grade material than commercial mining and blasting product is needed
- Send a capabilities statement with contract numbers, dollar values, points of contact and a short description of past work
- Give company name, address, contact, CAGE code (an ID for the plant), DUNS number, size of business, NAICS and Product Service Codes, and website
- Place of performance
- Picatinny Arsenal, NJ (as given on SAM.gov)
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- Offers due
- November 16, 2026, 3:30 PM Eastern
- How to submit
- Email to Contracting/Agreements Officer Charlotte Sylvain-Ceraul (charlotte.a.sylvain-ceraul.civ@army.mil) and Contract Specialist Antonius Gill (antonius.gill.civ@army.mil)
What to include when you submit
- Send a capabilities statement showing you can provide a product that meets the specifications
- Include history of similar work: contract numbers, dollar values, points of contact and a short description of work performed
- Include full company name and address, a contact with phone and email, CAGE code and DUNS number, business size, applicable NAICS and PSC codes, and website
- Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM)
- Send questions in writing by email; phone inquiries are not accepted
Not in the notice text
- The product specifications the notice refers to ("the above specifications") are not in the text, and the notice does not say where to find them
- Quantities, delivery schedule, contract type and value
- Whether any later solicitation will be set aside for small business (SAM.gov states no set-aside)
- Any licensing or facility requirements for making explosives; the notice does not list them
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside. Any business can reply: this is market research, and no bid is being taken yet.
- To respond, send a short reply to the contracting contact near the top of this page. No price is needed.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 15, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Office
- W6QK ACC-Ri-Picatinny, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
- Product/service code
- 1375 · Demolition Materials
- Business type
- Manufactured parts & equipment (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 325920)
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Sources sought notice
Full notice text from SAM.gov
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