U.S. Army Materiel Command, Natick Contracting Division, Attn: AMSSB-ACN, Natick, MA 01760-5011

84 -- COMBAT ASSAULT SLING FOR THE M16A2 RIFLE SOL DAAD16-00-R-0002 DUE 111599 POC Thomas Bouchard (508)233-4026 WEB: click here to upload your proposal, http://www3.natick.army.mil. E-MAIL: Click here to contact the contract specialist via, tbouchar@natick-amed02.army.mil. This combined synopsis/solicitation is identical to the previous synopsis/solicitation for the Combat Assault Sling (Solicitation No. DAAD16-99-R-1024) WITH THE EXCEPTION of the width of the sling, solicitation number and the closing date for receipt of proposals. The U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command -- Soldier Systems Center (SBCCOM-SSC), on behalf of the United States Marine Corps, has a requirement for a Combat Assault Sling (CAS) for the M-16A2 Rifle. This is a combined synopsis and solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation for the CAS; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number for this acquisition is DAAD16-00-R-0002. The CAS shall have the following salient characteristics: adapt to the M-16A2 rifle, shall not be larger than 1.25 inches in width, and long enough to suspend the rifle in a ready to present position (horizontal across the body) when hung on a combat equipped Marine Rifleman. Each CAS shall also be equipped with the necessary accessories to positively attach it to the M-16A2 rifle. The CAS and all its components shall be a subdued black color. The CAS shall facilitate the performance of duties for a Marine Rifleman. These duties include but are not limited to the following: Beach landings from assault craft, throwing of hand grenades and other Infantry related tasks associated with Individual Movement Techniques (IMT) (Reference Field Manual (FM) 6-5 "Marine Rifle Squad") during close combat operations while maintaining the cross body position described above. This document incorporates Provisions and Clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-12. This acquisition is one hundred percent (100%) set-aside for Small Business. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) for this procurement is 3949 and the Small Business Size Standard is 500. The Government anticipates awarding a single Firm-Fixed-Price/ Requirements contract with one CLIN for an estimated quantity of 82,000. The ordering period shall remain in effect for 14 months from date of contract award. The designated Government activity for which this Requirements contract will apply is the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The contract will be issued by the U.S. Army Materiel Command Acquisition Center, Natick Contracting Division, Natick, MA on behalf of the USMC. This Requirements contract does not apply to elements of the U.S. Army or other elements of the U.S. Government; however, this does not preclude the ordering of the CAS for organizations other than the USMC. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial applies to this acquisition, addenda to include the following: Offerors shall hold the prices in its offer firm for 60 days. Delivery shall be F.O.B. Destination and Inspection and Acceptance shall be atDestination by the cognizant receiving authority. The contractor may assume that approximately equal quantities, based on the estimated quantity, will be shipped to the following locations: Quantico, VA 22134; Chicopee, MA 01022; Okinawa, Japan; Camp Lejeune, NC 28542; Cherry Point, NC 28533; Camp Pendelton, CA 92055; and Irvine, CA 92709. The required delivery schedule is 3,000 items per month beginning 30 calendar days after issuance of delivery order. The contractor will not be required to deliver in excess of 3,000 items per month irrespective of the number of orders received. Offerors are required to submit one Product Sample with their proposal. The Government will not return any samples submitted. Offerors shall submit, limited to 3 pages, a description of their facilities, equipment and personnel that will be utilized for this effort, which provides convincing evidence that the offeror can produce the required quantities within the required schedule. The Offeror shall provide a standard commercial warranty for the CAS. The Offeror shall describe, limited to 2 pages, the terms and conditions of the warranty, to include the process for handling claims and repair and/or replacement, to include their quality plan that will be utilized for this effort. Offerors shall provide the unit price for the estimated quantity and describe any economic pricing with their proposal. Should the Government issue delivery orders within 60 days of each other and final delivery has not occurred, the delivery order will be issued reflecting the economic quantity pricing for the total quantity of all relevant delivery orders. All affected delivery orders will be subsequently modified to reflect the lower economic quantity pricing. Offerors are encouraged to provide pricing for economic order quantities (i.e. 1 to 3,000; 3,001 to 6,000, etc.). The Government may determine that a proposal is unacceptable if the proposed prices relative to any economic ordering quantities are materially unbalanced. Unbalanced economic ordering pricing exists when, despite an acceptable total evaluated price, the unit discount pricing is significantly understated or overstated as indicated by the application of price analysis techniques. A proposal may be rejected if the Contracting Officer determines that the lack of balance poses an unacceptable risk to the Government. The Government anticipates placing a delivery order for 40,000 to 50,000 CASs upon award of the contract; however, this does not commit the Government to placing such an order upon contract award. Offerors shall provide, limited to 3 pages in length, past performance information, for themselves and any proposed subcontractor, in accordance with FAR 52.212-1(b)(10). Offerors shall provide a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3 and DFARS 252.212-7000 with their proposal. Offerors shall describe how they will comply with the Berry Amendment. Offerors shall submit two (2) copies plus one original (identified as such) of their proposal, the information presented shall be submittedin the order as it was requested and it shall be bound in a binder. PRICING INFORMATION SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN A SEPARATE BINDER. The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. The following Areas will be evaluated and are stated in order of importance (Technical>Price>Past Performance): TECHNICAL AREA -- The performance of the Product Sample as tested by Marines conducting IMT's and Quality/Workmanship of the Product Sample through inspection and performance during the Marine IMT review. PRICE AREA -- Price will be evaluated on the overall price associated with the estimated amount and the economic ordering quantity discount prices given the anticipated initial delivery order of approximately 40,000 units and the likelihood that most orders will be in excess of 5,000 units; and PAST PERFORMANCE AREA -- The Offeror's and subcontractor's past performance with Government and Commercial customers in the area of producing similar and/or related products of the CAS. Specific areas of past performance examined will include demonstrated technical and schedule performance, responsiveness to contract requirements and customer satisfaction. Emphasis will be placed on recent, relevant experience. The technical area will receive an adjectival rating as follows: Excellent, Acceptable, or Unacceptable. The Price Area will be evaluated based on the price competition of this acquisition. Fairness and reasonability will be determined accordingly by the Contracting Officer. The Past Performance Area will be rated as acceptable or unacceptable based on the relative risks associated with the Offeror's likelihood of success in accomplishing this effort. Award will be made to the responsible and responsive Offeror whose Product Sample is the most highly rated based on an individual Marine subjecting the Product Sample to a simulated mission environment with Price and Past Performance considered. This is a best value acquisition; therefore, award may not necessarily be made to thelowest priced offeror. The following FAR clauses and provisions apply to this acquisition: 52.202-1; 52.212-4; 52.212-5 (the following clauses thereunder are applicable: 52.203-6 ALT I; 52.219-8; 52.219-14; 52.222-36; 52.222-21; 52.222-26; 52.222-35; 52.222-36; 52.222-37; 52.225-18; 52.232-33; 52.247-64); 52.216-18 (Fill in as follows: from date of contract award through 14 months); 52.216-19 (Fill in as follows (a) 100 items (b)(1) N/A (b)(2) N/A (b)(3) N/A ); 52.216-21 (Fill-in as follows: 12 months after the last effective day of the contract.); 52.219-6; 52.233-1; 52.243-1; 52.247-34, and DFARS 252.204-7004, 252.212-7001 (the following clauses thereunder are applicable: 252.225-7001; 252.225-7012; 252.225-7014; 252.243-7002; 252.247-7024). The full text version of these provisions and clauses may be located at http://farsite.hill.af.mil. This synopsis/solicitation may also be viewed on the AMC Acquisition Center-Natick Homepage, at http://www3.natick.army.mil. Questions concerning this combined synopsis/solicitation can be directed to Mr. Thomas Bouchard, Contract Specialist, at tbouchar@natick-amed02.army.mil. All offerors who submitted a proposal under solicitation number DAAD16-99-R-1024 and desires their proposal submission to be considered under this combined synopsis/solicitation must provide that request in writing. Offerors, who submitted a proposal under the previous acquisition and who do not provide a written request to the Contract Specialist to consider their previous submission, THE PROPOSAL WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED OR EVALUATED IN RESPONSE TO THIS REQUIREMENT. Offerors who change their proposal in any area must submit an entire new proposal for consideration, to include the product sample. Offerors who do not comply fully with this requirement will not be considered. All potential offerors who did not submit a proposal for the previous acquisition may submit a proposal for this acquisition. All proposals must be received (Facsimile proposals will not be accepted) via mail or through the AMC Acquisition Center-Natick Homepage no later than November 15, 1999 at 1:00p.m (EST). The mailing address is: U.S. Army Materiel Command Acquisition Center, Natick Contracting Division, Attn: AMSSB-ACN-S (Mr. Thomas Bouchard), Bldg. 1, Kansas St, Natick, MA 01760-5011. Posted 10/28/99 (W-SN396215). (0301)

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