United States Special Operations Command, Directorate of Procurement (SOAL-KB), 2418 Florida Keys Ave., MacDill AFB, FL 33621-5316

84 -- JOINT INTERIM GLOVE (JIG) POC Ms. Deb McLean E-MAIL: keelers@socom.mil, dmclean@natick-emh2.army.mil. This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. The United States Marine Corp (USMC) has the program lead for the Joint Interim Glove (JIG) project and is conducting a Market Investigation seeking product information and/or samples of a glove liner, glove or over-glove shell that can provide protection from chemical and biological agents. This market investigation is seeking innovative commercial off-the-shelf or non-developmental solutions for evaluation in the year 2000 to replace standard military Chemical Protective (CP) Gloves (MIL-G-43976) and cotton liners. The pending Joint Service military program JIG intends to identify, test and field the best CP Glove solutions that will offer improved performances over the standard butyl rubber CP Glove sets for various military missions. The glove product is intended for use to perform all operations: combat, combat service support, peacekeeping, chemical warfare training, and logistic functions. Products are sought to meet the following 14 day mission threshold/30 days objective with required protection from chemical agents for 24 hrs from time of contamination. This can be a glove, glove liner, or over-glove candidate which should be compatible with all currently fielded standard issue military work gloves. At a minimum threshold, glove liners or over-glove candidates must be compatible with the Summer Flyer's glove, the Light Duty Work glove and the Heavy Duty Work glove (TBD). The product shall meets these performances: DESCRIPTION THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS OBJECTIVE REQUIREMENTS Durability 14 Day Mission Exercise 30 Day Mission Exercise Agents same VX,HD,TGD,GB, Lewisite Same Liquid 10gm/m2 10 gm/m2 Vapor 5000 ct 5000 ct Aerosol 5000 ct 5000 ct Radioactive alpha Particle size (2 micron) Same & beta particles Chemical Agent Resistance* 4 Hours 24 Hours Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants Gun Lube See Below** Salt Water Yes Yes Color Subdued Subdued Sizing Minimal Number Minimal Number Fit 5th Percentile Female -- 95th Percentile Male Same Bodily Fluids Blood, Urine Same Dexterity/Grip See Human Factors Below Same Tactility See Human Factors Below Same Body Fluids Not Degrade CP Blood, Urine, Sweat Same Flame & Melt Protection Improved over 7 Mil Butyl Reduce Sweat Build-Up Compared to Std Butyl Rubber Same *Chemical Agent Resistance shall be equal to or better than the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) P3I material. **Gun lube, motor oils, DEET, gasoline, diesel, transmission fluid, weapon oil, hydraulic fluid. These should not degrade chemical protection. Human Factors: Threshold Requirement (equal to 7 mil CP Glove) -- Must have improved comfort, improved tactility and dexterity which allows the wearer to clean,load, and fire individual weapons (to include M16, M249, M60 and M9), to don and doff the clothing and accessories listed in the compatibility requirements below; and to administer atropine injections, chemical detection/decontamination kits. Objective Requirements -- use standard computer keyboards and palm pilot-type computer, conduct flight panel operations in aircraft cockpit, conduct emergency egress procedures, load and unload cargo into an H-53 and C-130, tie a knot on first aid package, operate SINGARS. Compatibility: Threshold Requirement -- with JSLIST chemical protective ensembles to operate closures, interface fit to wear under the sleeves, ability to put on and remove the hood, mask, helmet, socks, or booties, and boots. Packaged in unit packaging that can be decontaminated with the use of non-corrosive decontaminants. Impermeable to any form of Chemical Biological agents in any form, water, and POL products which can maintain a complete seal in storage conditions including extreme cold and heat, and altitude over long periods of time. The volume of the packaged pair of gloves, or inserts, or shells should be reduced from that of the current butyl rubber gloves. Threshold storage life of 10 years with an objective of 15 years. This request seeks information from manufacturers of gloves and materials both foreignand domestic, for products that are currently able to be produced to meet the requirements described above. Each product should be noted as a potential for a glove liner or a standalone glove, or a glove shell for use with a Flyers Glove and cost estimates provided per pair based on large scale productions. Product samples (commercial gloves or examples of modified commercial gloves), candidate materials and test data supporting product claims are requested to support the material physical properties and glove performances that would be proposed by your company. Material properties should include: any chemical warfare agent permeation rates and breakthrough times, material stiffness, tear strengths, stretch ratio, thickness, moisture vapor transmission rates, air permeability, seam strengths, bursting strengths, weight of materials, melt and flame resistance, petroleum/oil/lubricant resistance, etc. Please submit any information and product samples to US Army Soldier & Biological Chemical Command, ATTN: AMSSB-PM-RST-S(B), Ms. Deb McLean, SPEAR Team, Kansas Street, Bldg 4, Rm D216, Natick, MA 01760. To be of maximum benefit and consideration for the Joint Interim Glove project all responses must be received no later than 4 April 2000. Any questions can be directed to Ms. Deb McLean at dmclean@natick-emh2.army.mil. Proprietary information MUST be marked as such, on a page-by-page basis. This Request For Information (RIF) does not constitute a Request For Proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment from the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice, nor otherwise pay for information/items solicited. Data, Samples, and Materials will not be returned. Posted 03/14/00 (W-SN434357). (0074)

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