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

84 -- CONCEALABLE BODY ARMOR-PLUS SOL DAAD16-00-R-XXXX DUE 063000 POC Contract Specialist H. Maria Luis (508) 233-5922 Email hortense.luis@natick.army.mil WEB: U.S. Army Materiel Command Acquisition Center, Natick,, http://www3.natick.army.mil/. E-MAIL: Click here to email H. Maria Luis, Contract Specialist, hortense.luis@natick.army.mil. The US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, Project Manager-Soldier, and the US Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center (NRDEC) is seeking industry feedback and recommendations on draft RFP and Performance Specification documents not later than 30 June 2000 for the development, production, and delivery of Concealable Body Armor-Plus (CBA-Plus) for use by mounted and dismounted soldiers, which will replace the current Inconspicuous/Concealable Body Armor (ICBA). The CBA-Plus design and material technology provides the soldiers with increased ballistic protection to the torso against three threats as compared to two threats provided by its predecessor (CBA). The CBA-Plus vest will provide more area of coverage, improved concealability, reduction in overall weight for the flexible ballistic inserts, and increased flexibility of the vest. The CBA-Plus consists of a ballistic soft vest and armor plates (armor inserts). It includes requirements in the areas of Fabrication, Integration, Testing, Program Management, Safety, Human Integration, Logistics, and Technical Data. The Government contemplates up to three contract awards (within funding limitations) each for both the ballistic soft vest and the armor plates with critical design review, test items, pre-production, full-scale production of the system for fielding to the Army and a product improvement methodology for design/material enhancement over the term of the contract. The Government anticipates a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) contract for the development phase with Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) options for the pre-production quantities and production quantities with Value Engineering incentives. Note: Down-selection may occur at any phase. A final down selection to the overall best design will occur before conducting DT and OT and will be based upon criteria spelled out in the RFP. The contract phases are as follows: Phase I -- Fabricate CBA-Plus prototypes and test items. Quantity of 8 CBA prototypes with front and back plates for Presentation at Critical Design Review with armor plates. Option Items: Up to 8 Initial Prototype Test Items. The contractor will also provide Technical Data listed in the Contract Data Requirements List. Phase I also contains Firm Fixed Price Option Items for 10 yards of each fabric proposed for the carrier and webbing proposed for use in the CBA prototypes. Phase II -- Fabricate and deliver test items. A minimum quantity of 115 up to a maximum quantity of 150 CBA test items (Vest only), a minimum quantity of 115 sets up to a maximum quantity of 150 sets CBA components front and back armor plates. Option Items: Up to 150 CBA extra carriers, 15 each CBA vests, 15 sets of front and back CBA armor plates, and 20 each CBA ballistic panels 14" x 14". The contractor shall provide Technical Data listed in the Contract Data Requirements List. Phase II also includes Firm Fixed Price Option Items for 10 yards of each fabric proposed for the carrier and webbing proposed for use in CBA test items. It is anticipated that at this point in the program, a best value decision will be made within funding limitations. One or more competing industry designs may be required to make final design modifications based on testing results, and the Government may exercise its option to procure additional items. Phase III -- Option Items: 8 CBA-Plus Initial Pre-Production Items and 100 CBA-Plus Pre-Production Items are required. The contractor will also be required to provide Technical Data listed in the Contract Data Requirements List. Phase IV -- CBA System: includes vest, front and back plates, and extra carrier, and production items. 35 Production Prove-out vests, 18 sets of Production Prove-Out Front and Back CBA Armor Plates, Production Items: 18,144 CBA Vests, 14,112 CBA Armor Plates, and 18,000 Extra Carriers. The contractor will also be required to provide Technical Data listed in the Contract Data Requirements List. This acquisition will be conducted as full and open competition. The selection process will be based on technical/functional performance and best value considerations. The Government reserves the right to obtain rights in data and computer software for any design or design component, as necessary, to satisfy subsequent acquisitions. Contractors will be required to have or obtain, and maintain, a DOD Facility Security Clearance (FSC) and Personnel Security Clearances (PSC) up to the Secret level. Foreign contractor participation must be submitted through the foreign country's embassy in Washington DC. Classified portions of the program effort are limited to US firms only with a Secret Level Clearance. The applicable SIC code for this effort is 3842. For the purpose of this requirement, any concern employing 500 or fewer employees is considered a small business. To be eligible for award, all offerors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Information on the CCR may be obtained at http://ccr.edi.disa.mil. A draft copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) and Draft Performance Requirements ConcealableBody Armor-Plus (CBA-Plus) will be posted for industry comment on the world wide web at http://www3.natick.army.mil/ on or about June 13, 2000. Industry comment and feedback are solicited on both drafts. The formal Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Concealable Body Armor-Plus will be released on or about 19 July 2000 on the world wide web at http://www3.natick.army.mil/. No hard copies of the Concealable Body Armor-Plus RFP will be mailed. RFP Amendments will also be posted to the above-cited worldwide web page. Notification of issuance of amendments will not be issued. Any comments/feedback/suggestions regarding the Draft Request for Proposal should be addressed no later than 30 June 2000 to H. Maria Luis at hortense.luis@natick.army.mil. Posted 06/09/00 (W-SN463346). (0161)

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