SOURCES SOUGHT
84 -- Inclement Weather Combat Shirt (IWCS) - RFI Attachment 0001
- Notice Date
- 10/3/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 315210
— Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Navy, United States Marine Corps, MARCORSYSCOM, 2200 Lester Street, Quantico, Virginia, 22134, United States
- ZIP Code
- 22134
- Solicitation Number
- M67854-15-I-1004
- Archive Date
- 12/31/2014
- Point of Contact
- Peggy L Smith,
- E-Mail Address
-
peggy.l.smith1@usmc.mil
(peggy.l.smith1@usmc.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- IWCS Purchase Description The United States Marine Corps requires the IWCS-a component of the ACAT IV-M, Flame Resistant Organizational Gear (FROG) Program. The Combat, Cold Weather, and Dress Clothing Team (under Marine Corps Systems Command Product Manager Infantry Combat Equipment (PdM ICE) manages the program. The IWCS is manufactured in Desert MARPAT TM, Woodland MARPAT TM, Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type II, and NWU Type III. PdM-ICE, is conducting market research to determine if IWCS materials exist that meet or exceed the requirement referenced in the IWCS Product Description (MIL-PRF-IWCS). PdM ICE seeks to evaluate IWCS materials, specifically the stretch woven material (used in the torso, collar and elbow areas), stretch woven laminate material (used in the sleeves, upper chest, and raglan underarm areas), and the cuff material (used in the sleeve cuff area). PdM ICE seeks materials that provide the same or superior protection, comfort, and durability as listed in the IWCS Product Description. PdM ICE prefers materials that are significantly lighter, less bulky and stiff, and less expensive without sacrificing any flame resistant (FR) protection. The materials submitted should meet current FR requirements including vertical flame, thermal protective performance, and thermal shrinkage. PdM ICE will consider tradeoffs on materials that significantly exceed a requirement but may not quite meet another requirement. For example, PDM ICE could evaluate a material exceeding the weight requirement by 30% but does not precisely meet a colorfastness or a stretch requirement. Submitted materials do not have to match the specific item description (e.g., a RFI submission for stretch woven laminate is not required to be a laminate); meeting or exceeding the material requirements is more important than how the material is constructed. In Fiscal Year 15, PdM ICE anticipates awarding a contract for approximately 35,000 IWCS, mostly in Woodland MARPAT TM. The solicitation will include an updated IWCS Product Description. INDUSTRY DAY PdM-ICE will hold one-on-one meetings with industry on 16-October 2014 in Stafford, VA, to exchange information regarding this RFI and determine if industry can supply materials meeting or exceeding the above requirements. Industry Day Registration: All sources desiring a one-on-one meeting with the Government should request a meeting time via e-mail to Mr. Lou Curcio at louis.curcio@usmc.mil by 13-October 2014, with a courtesy copy to the Contracting Officer at Peggy.L.Smith1@usmc.mil. Please provide the name, position/title of attendees, contact information, items to be discussed, and business size with the request. Meeting requests received after 01-October 2014 will only be fulfilled if space is available. Meeting time per source is limited to 30 minutes. Questions and Answers: Please submit RFI questions to the Contracting Officer via e-mail at peggy.l.smith1@ usmc.mil no later than 13-October 2014. The Government will post all questions, answers, information discussed, test protocols, and any other information pertinent to this RFI on the Federal Business Opportunities website (https://www.fbo.gov/). RFI Response Submission: Written Submission: Respondents are encouraged to submit information papers that describe the fabric(s) being developed and outline the technical approaches taken to meet or exceed the performance requirements specified in this RFI. Submissions should contain test data to demonstrate performance of the respondent's fabric. Garment testing (e.g. Instrumented Manikin testing) is not required for RFI submission. Comments to improve the performance specification or other requirements outlined in this RFI are also welcome. Please submit all submissions electronically. Respondents should upload and submit their RFI responses within 60 calendar days after the RFI is posted to the Safe Access File Exchange (SAFE) application (https://safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe2/). Proceed as a Guest user by clicking on "I do not have a CAC or this machine is not configured to read my CAC and I would like to access SAFE as a Guest User." Fill in all required fields, upload your RFI response, grant access to files to peggy.l.smith1@usmc.mil and john.bauer@usmc.mil, and click the "Submit" button. Material Samples: Respondents may submit material samples with their written responses, and accompanying test data should represent the material submitted. The evaluation process will likely degrade or destroy any sample, and the Government will not return samples to the respondent. Respondents should also provide the following information regarding the submitted samples. 1. Material description, to include fiber blend percentages 2. Berry Amendment compliance documentation. 3. Estimated unit cost per linear yard at the projected volume (35,000 IWCS). 4. Minimum of ten linear yards in Woodland MARPAT TM for the stretch woven and the stretch woven laminate submissions and a minimum of five linear yards in coyote for the cuff fabric. Respondents may submit a material in an alternate color or pattern with a written assurance that final production material(s) will comply with required colors, camouflage patterns, and specific color specifications, such as shade, color fastness, and spectral reflectance. Respondents may submit up to two of the most promising fabric candidates for each item. 5. Certification that the finished product is composed of materials that are commercially safe historically or sufficient toxicity data otherwise to show compatibility with prolonged, direct skin contact. The finished cloth or end item must not present a dermal health hazard when used as intended and tested. Non-Government Support Contractors: The Government will use support contractors from Patricio Enterprises and Kalman and Company who are non-Government personnel to help collect and review market research information. Subsection 27 of the Office of Procurement Policy Act as amended (Title 41 U.S.C. § 423) (hereinafter "the Act"), also implemented in the FAR, protects proprietary information from unauthorized disclosure. Contractual organizational conflict of interest and non-disclosure clauses bind these support contractor's to safeguard proprietary information in accordance with law and regulation. Supporting contractor personnel are procurement officials within the meaning of the Act and will sign Non-Disclosure Agreements as well as take all appropriate action to preclude unauthorized use or disclosure of proprietary data. The Berry Amendment will apply to any future procurement actions resulting from this RFI. Inability to attend this Industry Day will not preclude any interested party from responding to future notices regarding this effort. THIS RFI IS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PROCURE ANY ITEMS OR SERVICES OR TO PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION IT RECEIVES. NO ENTITLEMENT TO PAYMENT FOR DIRECT OR INDIRECT COSTS OR CHARGES BY THE GOVERNMENT WILL INCURE AS A RESULT SUBMITTING RESPONSES TO THIS RFI OR THE GOVERNMENT'S USE OF SUCH INFORMATION. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENT EXISTS AT THIS TIME.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/USMC/Contracts_Office_CTQ8/M67854-15-I-1004/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03542777-W 20141005/141003235626-93d32478e23d849637ba6ba9a2bfd4f6 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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