SPECIAL NOTICE
79 -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) Highly organized methodology for cleaning and sanitizing mass quantities of Cordura based protective and load carriage equipment.
- Notice Date
- 4/22/2009
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U. S. Army Materiel Command, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Natick, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Natick, ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011
- ZIP Code
- 01760-5011
- Solicitation Number
- W911QY-WASH
- Archive Date
- 7/21/2009
- Point of Contact
- Matthew Thomas Hauck, 508-233-4079<br />
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This notice constitutes a Request for Information/Comment only, THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION: No award will be made for this effort at this time. The United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) and the Project Manager Soldier Equipment (PM SEQ) are requesting information regarding commercial cleaning methodologies for mass quantities of Cordura equipment components that will ultimately not negatively affect fit or appearance. Objective: To identify opportunities for research, development, commercialization and distribution of environmentally friendly and sustainable methodology for cleaning and sanitizing military Cordura based items without affecting its physical properties. The objective is an industrial solution, capable of cleaning large volumes (items in the thousands) of diverse equipment components. General Information: Service members are issued large quantities of Cordura based equipment items. Over time and particularly in field and combat environments, these items become extremely soiled with dirt and and/or stained with bodily fluids (perspiration, etc.), oils, etc. The current method for cleaning of these items is to have the individual service member hand wash the items in cold or lukewarm water using a mild detergent or soap. The ballistic vest is a particularly time intensive item to clean, and requires the removal of ballistic inserts prior to hand washing. Badly soiled areas may be scrubbed with a soft bristled brush and are to be rinsed thoroughly in clean, lukewarm water until suds are completely gone. Items are then dried indoors or in shaded area. The use of chlorine bleach, yellow soap, cleaning fluids or solvents (perc) is not authorized. Drying in direct sunlight, near direct heat or near an open flame will lead to degradation. Standard heat in commercial and home laundering will also lead to garment shrinkage. The desired performance of the methodology or treatment submitted would ideally be equal to or better than the current combat doctrine of hand cleaning. Examples of performance can be found in physical performance requirements of MIL-B-44053A (Body armor, Fragmentation Protective Vest, Ground Troops). Due to the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the desired capabilities, the Army will consider any and all methodologies that can clean and sanitize Cordura material without affecting the specified camouflage pattern (no color loss), shrinkage, coatings, and fire retardant ability. Industrial is defined as a hub that can receive clean and sanitize mass quantities (again in the thousands) of equipment components and return said material to the individual service member. Item is defined as a Warfighters garment or piece of load carriage equipment. Damage is defined as a item that has visually shrunk, warped, lost color, or failed to meet physical property requirements set forth in various military specifications, to the extent that item is unserviceable. Traditional test methods such as Vertical Flame Test ASTM D6413, Abrasion test ASTM D3884, and Hydrostatic Resistance ASTM D751 will be utilized to verify specified performance. Other test methods, depending on the type and characteristics of materials or technologies submitted, will be considered. For developmental products, estimated the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for both the developmental material and the fabrication method. All interested firms, regardless of size, are encouraged to respond to this RFI by submitting technology description, product literature, product potential, technical specifications, pertinent test data (including pictures and videos), cost, material safety data sheets (if applicable), product availability, product uses (past, present or future) and comments on performance. Responders are encouraged to provide an initial response NLT 21st May 2009. Proprietary information will not be disclosed outside the US Government. The Government will not pay for information and materials received in response to this RFI and is in no way obligated by the information received. Inclusion in this RFI or the resulting database does not constitute Government approval for any product. Technical POC for this matter is: Mr. Francisco J. Martinez Francisco.martinez8@us.army.mil Please mail all submitted items to: Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center 16 Kansas Street Natick, MA 01760 Attn. Francisco J. Martinez D236
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