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

99 -- HEATER, WATER & RATION SOL DAAD15-00-R-0021 DUE 042800 POC Jay F. Britton, Use e-mail WEB: Click here to download a copy of MIL-PRF 44466A and, http://www3.natick.army.mil. E-MAIL: Click here to contact the Contract Specialist assigned, jbritton@natick-amed02.army.mil. The U.S. Army Materiel Command Acquisition Center, Natick Contracting Division, has a requirement for a Heater, Water and Ration (H, W&R). The H, W&R is an electrically-operated, thermostatically-controlled heater that uses the host vehicle's 24/28-volt, 15 amp system as the power source. A voltage controller set to 20 volts prevents the H, W&R from draining the vehicle battery. Requiring a minimum of space in armored, infantry, and artillery tracked vehicles, and potentially, some wheeled vehicles, the H, W&R can be operated when the vehicle is stationary or on the move. The H, W&R is designed like a double boiler, with an inner and outer container. The larger outer container (heater) is filled with water and the smaller container, which holds as many as five MRE entrees, is inserted into the outer container to heat the contents. The H, W&R heats one gallon of water in 40 minutes, or five MRE entrees and 40 ounces of water in 80 minutes. The H, W&R will maintain the water and rations at set temperature for as long as operationally required. The unit can dispense hot water for beverage, soup or hygiene use through a spigot. This is a combined synopsis and solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6 and 13.5, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation for the H, W&R. Proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number for this acquisition is DAAD15-00-R-0021. The H, W&R shall have the following salient characteristics as described in Performance Specification MIL-PRF 44466A which is available for download from http://www3.natick.army.mil under the solicitation number. This document incorporates Provisions and Clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-16. This acquisition is 100% set-aside for Small Business. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) for this procurement is 3699 and the Small Business Size Standard is 750 employees. The Government anticipates awarding a single Firm-Fixed-Price contract for 5,000 each H, W&R. 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 at Destination by the cognizant receiving authority. The contractor may assume that approximately equal quantities will be shipped to the following locations: New Cumberland, PA; Texarkana, TX; and Stockton, CA. The required delivery schedule is for no less than 400 items per month commencing not later than 100 calendar days after issuance of award. All offerors are required to submit one production demonstration sample (PDS) to the contracting activity (at no cost to the Government), postage prepaid, for evaluation by Government technical experts for non-destructive testing. At the completion of testing, the sample shall be returned to each offeror postage prepaid in the same condition as submitted to the Government. The production sample shall be tested as follows: 1. Heating water test. The H, W&R shall be connected to a 24/28 Volt DC power supply at an ambient air temperature of approximately 70 degrees F. One gallon of water at approximately 40 degrees F (T1) shall be added to the main container. The temperature selection switch shall be set to the high temperature setting for 1 hour. Upon completion of 1 hour, the unit shall be shut off and the temperature of the water taken (T2). Verify that T2-T1 is greater than or equal to 100 degrees F. 2. Capacity verification. The capacity of the main compartment and the removable inner container shall be verified. 3. Control panel verification. During the heating tests, verification shall be made that the low/off/high temperature selection switch works properly; the indicator lights are color coded (power -- green; heating -- white) and functioning; the electrical supply receptacle is properly located, and that the spigot is heavy-duty and properly guarded to prevent accidental activation. 4. Automatic shutdown verification. The temperature selection switch shall be set to the 'high' position. Verify that the 'over temperature control' stops the current and shuts down the H, W&R when the main compartment temperature exceeds 205 degrees F. The H, W&R shall be given sufficient time to cool down. Proper operation of the H, W&R shall be verified by performing the test procedure specified in 4.3.2.2. 5. Spillage test. One-half gallon of water shall be placed into the H, W&R and the lid shall be secured. The container shall be placed on its side and left for 10 minutes. The container shall then be placed on its next side by rotating 90 degrees and again left for 10 minutes. This procedure shall be repeated until all 4 sides have been done. TheH, W&R shall then be turned upside down so that the H, W&R is resting on its lid. Verify that no leakage, except leakage through the pressure relief valve has occurred. 6. Operating current test. The H, W&R shall be connected to a 24/28 Volt DC power supply. The temperature selection switch shall be set to the "high" position and to the 'low' position for 20 seconds each. Drawing of a current no less than 10 amps or no greater than 15 amps shall be verified.; 7. Low voltage detector test. Verify that the 'low voltage detector' monitors the power supply and activates the heater off latch when the voltage level is less than or equal to 20 Volts DC. 8. Dimensions verification. Verify that overall dimensions of the H, W&R are no greater than indicated on figure 1 of MIL-PRF 44466A which is located at: http://www3.natick.army.mil. 9. Electric supply receptacle verification. Verify that the receptacle, pins and polarizing key location are as shown on figure 1. Verify that the pin connections are Pin A positive, Pin B negative, and Pin C no connection. 10. Mounting studs verification. Verify the permanency of the mounting stud attachment and that the stud thread, location, and dimensions are as indicated on figure 1. 11. Weight verification. Verify that the empty H, W&R does not exceed 20 pounds. 12. Maintainability verification. Verify that all components are accessible for ease of installation, adjustment, maintenance, servicing and replacement without the removal of any other component and that there is no requirement for special tools. 13. Instruction plate inspection. Visually verify that all instructions are complete and accurate and that the plate is located as indicated on figure 1.; 14. Heat retention test. The H, W&R shall be connected to a 24/28 Volt DC power supply at an ambient air temperature of approximately 70 degrees F. One gallon of water shall be added to the main container. The temperature selection switch shall be set to the "high" temperature settingfor 2 hours. After 2 hours, the switch shall be turned to the "off" setting and the temperature of the water shall be taken and recorded as the maximum achieved temperature, T3. The switch shall remain in the "off" position for 3 hours. After 3 hours, the temperature of the water shall be taken and recorded as T4. Verify that the H, W&R has retained not less than 45 percent of the maximum achieved. Offerors shall submit a written proposal not exceeding 3 pages which describes how their proposed item meets the requirements stated herein and in the performance specification, to include product literature commercially available on the proposed item, and terms of the commercial warranty offered; Offerors shall submit Past Performance information not exceeding 1 page which describes the offeror's recent, relevant experience in providing similar items to either commercial or Government customers with points of contact and phone numbers. Offerors shall provide the unit price of each H, W&R. Offerorsshall provide a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3 and DFARS 252.212-7000 with their proposal. Offerors may submit one electronic copy of the entire proposal on an IBM compatible 3 inch floppy disk(s), a 100 Mb Zip disk(s), or on CD-ROM if technology permits, textual documents shall be provided in Microsoft Word (Word 6.0/95, or greater) format; spreadsheets shall be provided in Microsoft Excel (Excel 5.0/95, or greater) format; slides or other computer generated graphics presentations shall be provided in Microsoft PowerPoint (PowerPoint 95, or greater) format; engineering drawings shall be provided in cad/cam format; photographs shall be provided in .jpg (jpeg) format; any other material, not described above, shall be in a commonly accepted, publicly doimained, viewer format." The Offeror may, at their discretion, employ a file compression utility only so long as the corresponding decompression utility is widely available in the public domain. The information presented shall be submitted in the order as it was requested that is to say each volume shall be a separate file. The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. A best value source selection will be conducted based on the offeror's production demonstration sample (PDS) evaluation result, proposed price and past performance. When combined, the PDS is equal in importance to the Price Area which are significantly more important than the Past Performance Area. The following FAR Clauses and Provisions apply to this acquisition: 52.252-1 (To complete the fill ins see: http://farsite.hill.af.mil); 52-252-2; 52.202-1; 52.212-4 and its addendum, Figure 1; 52.212-5 (the following clauses thereunder are applicable: 52.203-6 ALT I; 52.219-8; 52.219-14; 52.222-3; 52.222-21; 52.222-26; 52.222-35; 52.222-36; 52.222-37; 52.225-18; 52.232-18; 52.232-33; 52.247-64); 52.219-6; 52.219-16; 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; 252.247.7023; 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. Jay F. Britton, Contract Specialist, at jbritton@natick-amed02.army.mil. All proposals must be received via mail, facsimile, as an e-mail attachment, or through the AMC Acquisition Center-Natick Homepage no later than April 28, 2000 at 3:00 PM (EDT). The mailing address is: U.S. Army Materiel Command Acquisition Center, Natick Contracting Division, ATTN: AMSSB-ACN-M (Mr. Jay F. Britton), Bldg. 1, Room A-325, Kansas St, Natick, MA 01760-5011. Posted 04/10/00 (W-SN443197). (0101)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0433 20000412\99-0010.SOL)