A -- COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT SAVINGS INITIATIVE (COSSI) THIS IS A PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND CALL FOR PROPOSALS. The Commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative (COSSI) is a joint program of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and is administered by a joint program office. This announcement seeks proposals from firms with a concept for inserting commercial technology into a fielded military system for the purpose of lowering that system's Operation and Support (O&S) costs. COSSI's mission is to develop and test a method for reducing Department of Defense (DoD) O&S costs by routinely inserting commercial items into fielded military systems. The insertion of commercial items is expected to reduce O&S costs by reducing the costs of parts and maintenance, reducing the need for specialized equipment, increasing reliability, and increasing the efficiency of subsystems. COSSI is a two stage program. The first stage is the cost-shared adaptation, development and testing of a prototype based on a commercial item. The second stage is the acquisition and installation of the prototype into a fielded military system. Proposals should be a clear summary of your COSSI idea -- what you intend to do and how it will save the DoD money. There is a total of approximately $62 million available to support this solicitation. Proposals are due by 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, December 9, 1998. Complete program information is included in a document entitled, Program Description for the Commercial Operations & Support (O&S) Savings Initiative, Announcement No. 98-17, dated September 3, 1998. You are strongly encouraged to obtain the document in order to understand the program and submit a meaningful proposal. You may download this document from the INTERNET (http://www.acq.osd.mil/es/dut/) or request this document by phone: 1-800-382-5873, or by mail addressed to: COSSI Program Office, 5203 Leesburg Pike, Suite 1403, Falls Church, VA 22041, or by electronic mail: Internet address: cossi@acq.osd.mil. WEB: Commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative, http://www.acq.osd.mil/es/dut/. E-MAIL: cossi@acq.osd.mil, cossi@acq.osd.mil. Posted 10/21/98 (W-SN264134).

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