November 20, 2025

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is conducting a Sources Sought to identify industry capabilities to support an initiative aimed at enhancing the preservation and corrosion control processes aboard US Navy vessels. The effort will target improvements to the existing standard, NAVSEA Standard Item (NSI) 009 032 (“Cleaning and Painting Requirements; accomplish”) processes, emphasizing measurable gains in efficiency, reduction of rework, decreased downtime, and extended service life of US Navy vessels.

Potential offerors are encouraged to provide responses that outline relevant past performance, technology/methodology maturity, and approach capability for process improvements in any phase of shipboard preservation (e.g., surface preparation, application, inspection, sequencing). This information will inform NAVSEA’s decision to pursue a follow-on acquisition or incorporate updates into the NSI.

Background

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) plays a critical role in maintaining the materiel readiness, safety, and operational reliability of US Navy ships and submarines through the continuous oversight of maintenance, overhaul, repair, modification, and modernization activities. Among the most significant maintenance cost drivers within the fleet is corrosion, which directly impacts hull integrity, system functionality, and overall mission readiness.

To address this persistent challenge, NAVSEA has developed and implemented comprehensive preservation standards and procedures designed to ensure uniformity, quality, and durability of coating applications across all naval platforms. NAVSEA Standard Item (NSI) 009-032, “Cleaning and Painting Requirements; accomplish,” (latest revision) establishes the mandatory requirements for surface preparation, coating application, inspection, and documentation in support of shipboard preservation. Compliance with this standard is essential to achieving consistent corrosion-control performance and minimizing rework due to coating failure or inadequate surface preparation.

Through improved adherence to NAVSEA preservation standards and the continual refinement of corrosion-control processes, NAVSEA seeks to reduce life-cycle maintenance costs, increase the efficiency of depot and intermediate-level availabilities, and enhance fleet materiel readiness. Any clarification or interpretation of the requirements in Standard Item 009-32 is therefore critical to ensuring accurate implementation of preservation processes, maintaining safety and environmental compliance, and optimizing the long-term service life of US Navy ships.

Objectives

The objective of this initiative is to develop, evaluate, and implement an improved process for shipboard preservation and corrosion control that can be formally incorporated into an update of NAVSEA Standard Item 009-032, “Cleaning and Painting Requirements; accomplish” via the NAVSEA Standard Specifications for Ship Repair and Alteration Committee (SSRAC). The goal is to identify innovative methods, materials, technologies, or process improvements that yield measurable gains in preservation efficiency, quality, and life-cycle performance while maintaining compliance with applicable safety, environmental, and performance standards, including all Category I NSIs.

Tasks include one or more of the following:

  • Identification of corrosion issues to be mitigated
  • Management and local storage of Government Furnished Equipment/Material (GFE/GFM) and Contractor Furnished Equipment/Material (CFE/CFM) including all necessary material required to execute the corrosion reduction effort such as paint, corrosion resistant parts, necessary HAZMAT, etc.
  • Procurement of materials necessary to execute the corrosion reduction effort
  • Procurement/leasing of equipment necessary to execute the corrosion reduction effort including equipment necessary to fully execute the corrosion reduction effort (e.g. man-lifts, surface preparation hardware, coating application systems, etc.)
  • Innovated processes being implemented:
    • Generation and execution of a surface cleaning plan
    • Generation and execution of a preservation plan in accordance with NAVSEA Standard Item 009-032
    • Generation and execution of a corrosion-resistant material installation plan to include non-metallic materials, corrosion-resistant materials, and appliques
    • Generation and execution of a thermal spray nonskid plan
    • Generation and execution of an advanced technologies and advanced manufacturing plan
    • Generation and execution of a corrosion prevention and control (CPAC) plan
  • Prototype development and testing:
    • Conduct operational tests and visual assessments to validate technology effectiveness
    • Provide material analysis assistance to support prototyping and process development
  • Provision of all data and reports in formats approved by NAVSEA
  • Direction by NAVSEA or delegated representative regarding the specifics of the execution packages and the schedule of ships to be worked
  • Coordination of work planning and integration with NAVSEA and other government personnel
  • Compliance with applicable safety and environmental requirements, including all Category I NAVSEA Standard Items

This effort seeks to optimize the preservation process across any or all stages — including surface preparation, environmental control, coating application, inspection, documentation, and process sequencing. Proposed improvements should demonstrate quantifiable benefits that directly contribute to reduced cost, time, and risk associated with shipboard corrosion control. NAVSEA is particularly interested in solutions that integrate advanced technologies or methodologies that enhance consistency, repeatability, and long-term coating system performance in the operational fleet environment.

Increased efficiency may be demonstrated through one or more of the following measurable outcomes:

  • Reduction in total preservation process timeline, including surface preparation, coating, and inspection stages
  • Reduction in required rework or non-conformance corrections at any phase of the process due to improved process control, quality assurance, or environmental mitigation
  • Reduction in downtime between preservation steps, achieved through optimized sequencing, decreased time to overcoat or time to service windows, or better coordination of parallel work activities
  • Increase in the service life and performance of corrosion control systems, as indicated by extended time intervals between required preservation or maintenance actions
  • Reduction in total life-cycle costs of corrosion control, as indicated by implementing solutions that decrease material expenses, minimize labor hours, extend the lifespan of coatings and preservation systems, and reduce the frequency of emergent maintenance caused by corrosion. Proposed solutions should demonstrate a clear return on investment through quantifiable reductions in direct and indirect costs associated with shipboard corrosion control and preservation

Ultimately, the objective is to enhance the materiel readiness and operational availability of US Navy vessels by improving the preservation process’s efficiency and effectiveness, thereby reducing life-cycle maintenance costs and increasing fleet readiness.

Solutions that focus on improved application, durability, and maintenance of the following are highly desired:

  • Non-liquid coatings applications, such as powder coatings and thermal spray metallic coatings
  • Non-metallic and corrosion-resistant materials that provide alternatives to liquid applied coatings such as peel and stick nonskid
  • Advanced, UV-stable topcoats, specifically polysiloxane chemistry coatings
  • Corrosion preventative compounds

Potential Areas of Performance to be determined by Government Sponsor including but not limited to:

  • Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), United States, 23709, Portsmouth, VA
  • Naval Station Norfolk, United States, 23511, Norfolk, VA
  • Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, United States, 23459, Virginia Beach, VA
  • Naval Station Mayport, United States, 32228, Jacksonville, FL
  • 32nd Street Naval Base San Diego, United States, 92136, San Diego, CA
  • Naval Base Coronado, United States, 92135, Coronado, CA
  • Naval Station Everett, United States, 98201, Everett, WA
  • Naval Base Kitsap (Bremerton), United States, 98314, Bremerton, WA
  • Ship Repair Facility (SRF) Detachment and Combined Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS), Hirasemachi, Sasebo, Nagasaki 857-0056, Japan
  • Naval Base and Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Honcho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 238-0041, Japan
  • Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS), United States, 98314, Bremerton, WA
  • Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, United States, 96860, Honolulu, HI
  • Naval Base Guam, United States, 96915, Apra Harbor, GU
  • FDRMC Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center Rota, 11520 Base Naval, Cádiz, Spain

Submission Requirements

Interested parties should provide a white paper response between 4 and 15 pages, using the format below.

The white paper must:

  1. Describe a general approach including phases to accomplish the objective
  2. Describe assumptions
  3. Provide a detailed approach to the objective (engineering approach)
    • List of tasks, list of deliverables
  4. Establish a high-level project schedule and estimated timing
  5. Describe rough order of magnitude cost
    • A more detailed cost analysis will be expected later in the process
    • The ROM cost should include a brief justification outlining the anticipated cost savings or benefits associated with the proposed solution. This should include a discussion of how the solution will reduce life-cycle maintenance costs and improve fleet readiness.

Deadline

Responses should be submitted to opportunities@ncms.org by COB December 12, 2025. All submissions should be in the form of a PDF file that is titled: SourcesSought.C2Pres.CompanyName.

*** The intention of this Sources Sought is to contract the initiative through the Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) contract vehicle. It is important to note that this contract vehicle is a Cooperative Agreement, requiring an in-kind contribution and a CTMA final report. The program also does not allow fixed fee/profit. Please reach out to opportunities@ncms.org for any questions or concerns regarding these items.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Technical Feasibility. How technically feasible is the proposed solution, given the present state of the technology? Solutions with a lower technological risk profile are favored
  • Responsiveness. How responsive is the proposed solution? Solutions responsive to the problem identified, without creating new problems, are favored
  • Viability. How viable is the proposed solution, given existing organizational and regulatory environments? Solutions compatible with existing DLA, DoD, and federal policies, processes, and procedures are favored
  • Desirability. How desirable is the proposed solution to the eventual end-user? Solutions easily adaptable, useful, and implementable are favored
  • Funding. Does funding reasonably exist to fund the proposed solution? Solutions with lower prices are favored

Disclaimer and Other Legal Information

NCMS encourages the participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), including Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs).

Responding to a Sources Sought, RFI, or Survey does not guarantee that a CTMA Program initiative will result. By submitting a response, you are agreeing to allow NCMS to share your information with the United States government. All submissions containing proprietary information shall be marked accordingly.

Any industry or academia participant awarded a contract by a participating government sponsor pursuant to a Sources Sought, RFI, or Survey will be compensated, under the agreement, on a cost-reimbursable basis. Each project participant will be expected to share in the total project cost by contributing cash or in-kind resources.

Under the CTMA Program, the parties shall limit participation on the project to (1) U.S. citizens, (2) lawful permanent residents as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20), (3) other protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), and (4) Canadian citizens (pursuant to the principles underlying the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement), if such participation will involve visual inspection of the Technology, Intellectual Property or Technical Information, or oral exchanges of information about the foregoing. We also require the project participants to furnish NCMS, upon request, with proof of the citizenship status of its personnel participating on the project, including (1) U.S. citizens; (2) legal permanent residents; and (3) foreign nationals who are not permanent residents. In instances where it is necessary to involve foreign national employees in the visual inspection of the Technology, Intellectual Property, or Technical Information, or oral exchanges of information about the foregoing, the parties will be required to furnish to NCMS proof of appropriate valid export license, or technical assistance agreement, or exemption from licensing requirements (e.g. Canadian exemption) to the extent required by the International Traffic In Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). A copy of such license or agreement shall be furnished to NCMS before any disclosure of information to such foreign person. In the event a party believes that the subject matter of the project agreement is not covered by ITAR, that party may request a written waiver of the requirements of foreign national provision in the CTMA Agreement, which may be granted if the NCMS contracting officer agrees that ITAR does not cover the subject matter.

These requirements also apply to individuals who have dual citizenship status.