U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command, Acquisition Directorate, Attn: AMSSC-AD, Natick, MA 01760-5011

51 -- U.S. MARINE CORPS (USMC) ETOOL SOL DAAD16-99-R-0100 DUE 011599 POC Ms Audra Earle, contract Specialist (508) 233-5917 WEB: click here to access FAR clauses, http://www.arnet.gov/far. E-MAIL: click here to contact Ms Audra Earle, contract specialist, aearle@natick-amed02.army.mil. U.S. MARINE CORPS (USMC) ETOOL This is a combined synopsis /solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 and 13.1, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The Request for Proposal (RFP) number is DAAD16-99-R-0100. This document incorporated provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-09. The determination whether this acquisition will be set-aside for small businesses has not been made. If technically acceptable proposals are received from at least two small businesses, only proposals from small businesses will be considered, otherwise this will be full and open competition. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code for this procurement is 3423 and the small business standard is 500 employees. CLIN 0001 is for 40 each Entrenching Tools. The entrenching tool (E-tool) must be lightweight and hand-held and is intended for use as a shovel or as a pick to move dirt, sand, gravel, or grass, sever roots, clear brush, and pound tent stakes. The E-tool must be able to operate fully in all terrestrial extremes (jungle, arctic, and temperate environment) in all weather conditions. The E-tool must also be collapsible (folding or telescopic) with a curved blade capable of being used as a shovel when fully extended and as a pick when locked at a 90 degree angle from the handle. The shovel blade shall be designed to meet the intended use for digging, severing, and clearing (i.e. beveled edge for cutting or serrated to allow severing of large roots). The E-tool must be made of corrosion resistant materials and be durable enough to withstand use in a military environment. The E-tool must weigh less than the currently fielded entrenching tool made by Ames (NSN#5120-00-878-5932) which weighs 2.3 pounds (excluding carrying case), and must have equal or greater durability as determined through materials evaluation. The E-tool must be no larger than the current entrenching tool when folded for storage or carriage. The E-tool should come with a carrying case, or be able to fit within the current carrying case, and must meet the requirements for durability and compatibility. The color of the E-tool and carrier must be either black or subdued green. Each offeror whose proposal is evaluated as technically acceptable, fair and reasonable in price, with acceptable past performance, will be awarded a contract. The forty (40) items per each contract awarded will undergo operational testing. The E-tool will be tested for all of its intended uses in a simulated combat environment designed to assess the performance, equipment compatibility, safety, ease of use, durability, and overall user acceptance of the item(s). The results of this test will determine which contractor will be awarded a follow-on, sole source, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with one basic ordering period and four optional ordering periods. The minimum/maximum quantities for the follow-on contract will be as follows: Basic Ordering Period, 10,000/250,00 each; First Optional Ordering Period, 10,000/240,000 each; Second Optional Ordering Period, 10,000/230,000 each; Third Optional Ordering Period, 10,000/220,000 each; Fourth Optional Ordering Period, 10,000/210,000 each. The unsuccessful contractor(s) will also be notified of the Government's award decision, and may request a debriefing at that time. If the Government decides not to award the follow-on contract due to the results of the operational test, all contractors will be notified and may request debriefings. Prior to award of the follow-on contract, the Government will conduct a site visit at the proposed awardee's facility to ensure that the delivery requirements can be met. Items shall be preserved, packaged, and shipped in accordance with best commercial practices. For the initial contract, CLIN 0001 shall be delivered within twenty-one (21) days after contract award. It is desired that items for the follow-on contract be delivered at a rate of 25,000 each per month, commencing 30 days after award. The required delivery rate for rate for the follow-on contract shall be 15,000 each per month, commencing 60 days after award. If an offeror proposes their own delivery schedule it must, at a minimum, meet the required delivery parameters. If a delivery schedule is not proposed, the desired schedule will prevail. All deliveries shall be F.O.B. destination; shipping costs will be borne by the contractor. The contractor shall assume that shipping destinations will include Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Twenty-Nine Palms, California, Bridgeport, California, Camp Pendleton, Callifornia, as well as other CONUS destinations. A small portion (approximately 10%) of these items may be required for delivery to Hawaii or other OCONUS destinations. FAR provisions 52.212-1 and 52.212-2 apply to this solicitation. The addenda to FAR 52.212-1 are as follows: Offerors must submit a written proposal not exceeding 3 pages which describes how their proposed item meets the requirements stated herein; product literature commercially available on the proposed item; a written document not exceeding 2 pages which describes the offeror's recent, relevant experience in providing the items to either commercial or government customers required herein or similar items with points of contact and phone numbers, and two (2) actual product samples of the item proposed which meets the requirement stated herein. The addenda to FAR 52.212-2 are as follows: The following factors shall be used to evaluate responses: TECHNICAL: Proposed item's capability to meet the solicitation requirements as demonstrated by, written proposal, product literature and two (2) product samples submitted. Literature submitted should include commercial warranty terms offered. Product samples submitted will undergo materials evaluation and testing to determine that the item meets the requirements set forth for performance, durability, and weight. PRICE: Price will be evaluated for realism through price competition and must be determined to be fair and reasonable to be considered for award. PAST PERFORMANCE: Offeror's recent relevant experience in providing these or similar items to either the commercial or government customers will be evaluated in accordance with FAR 13.606 (b)(2)(ii). Evaluation criteria in order of importance: TECHNICAL is more important than PRICE which is significantly more important than PAST PERFORMANCE. All clauses applicable to this solicitation may be accessed electronically at the following addresses: http://www.arnet.gov/far; http://farsite.hill.af.mil; http://www.dtic.mil/dfars. In addition to the proposal information above, offerors must provide a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3 with their proposal. DFARS provision 252.212-7000 applies to this solicitation. FAR clauses 52.212-4 and 52-212-5 apply to this solicitation. Clauses within 52.212-5 that apply are 52.203-6, 52.219-8, 52.219-23, 52.219-25, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, and 52.222-37. Additional clauses that apply are FAR 52.203-3, 52.203-8, 52.203-10, 52.209-6, and DFARS 252.212-7001. Clauses within 252.212-7001 that apply are 252.204-7004, 252.225-7001, 252.225-7007, 252.225-7012, 252.225-7014, 252.225-7015, 252.243-7002, and 252.247-7024. In the follow-on contract all of the above clauses will apply, as well as: FAR 52.219-9 within FAR clause 52.212-5; DFARS 252.205-7000 and DFARS 252.219-7003 within DFARS clause 252.212-7001. In order to be eligible for award, contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (http://ccr.edi.disa.mil). Offers should be submitted to: U.S. Army Materiel Command Acquisition Center; ATTN: STEAA-NC/Audra Earle; Kansas Street; Natick, MA 01760-5011. Proposals are due no later than 1500 hours (3:00 PM EST) on January 15, 1999. Amendments to this solicitation will be issued in the CBD. Contact Ms. Audra Earle, Contract Specialist, at "aearle@natick-amed02.army.mil" or (508) 233-5917, if you have anyquestions regarding this solicitation. Posted 12/30/98 (W-SN284131). (0364)

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