A--Temper Tent Fabrication

Introduction: Pursuant to FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, on behalf of the Shelters Technology, Engineering & Fabrication Directorate (STEFD), intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order on a sole source basis to: HDT Engineering Services, Inc., Fredericksburg, VA 22401. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. RESPONSES WILL BE USE FOR REFERENCE ON FUTURE SOLICIATIONS ONLY. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE. 1. Nature and description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs: HDT, Inc. has an Army production contract for high pressure airbeam shelters that provide significant weight, cube and deployment time for military shelters. These shelters are being used in Force Provider Base Camps and more recently adopted by the Army Medical Community for their next generation field hospitals. For medical functions, the ability to provide protection in a Chemical and Biological (CB) warfare environment is required, however, is not currently available in production. The objective of this effort is to fabricate a CB airbeam shelter using a new skin fabric that provides good environmental as well as CB protection. The Army Medical Research and Materiel Command has tasked NSRDEC to perform this work. The outcome will be a design variant suitable for testing and transition to follow-on production. This project will improve capability readiness for the medical community as well as other users of ai rbeam shelters requiring collective protection. 2. A demonstration that the proposed contractor is the only source available to provide these services or goods (i.e. unique qualifications, proprietary rights, etc.): The high pressure braided airbeam shelter technology that has performed so well in the field for Force Provider, is a proprietary technology protected via patents and SBIR data rights. The optimal solution to provide CB protection to the airbeam shelters is to replace the tent skin with a new CB barrier fabric as well as make design changes in order to minimize contamination and be airtight enough to maintain an overpressure. In 2005, a NSRDEC contract (W911QY-04-C-006) invested $223,000 in the design and fabrication of such a prototype. The contract was with Vertigo, Inc., a small business which has since been bought by HOT, Inc. HOT, Inc. is in possession of the drawings of this first generation prototype which will serve as the basis for design modifications and fabrication using a new CB barrier fabric made by Bondcote, Inc. (BondBarrier H17484). 3. A description of the market research that was conducted and the results, or a statement of the reason a market research was not conducted: Other investments have been made by NSRDEC in airbeam technology to develop a second source for this application. To date, competing technologies have not demonstrated the required level of durability and air holding required for military use. The HOT, Inc. technology is the only one in production and being adopted for Army medical use. Other vendors were not sought for this action as the required outcome is a design that can be transitioned quickly to production. 4. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition: In summary, due to the proprietary nature ofthe technology, and past investment in a CB airbeam shelter design, no other contractor could perform this work at a similar cost. 5. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required: A second source for suitable airbeam shelters has been sought and prototypes evaluated. Unfortunately, the technology is not yet mature enough. NSRDEC will continue efforts where possible, to mature and evaluate emerging inflatable and rapidly deployable structures for Army Medical Shelter use. 6. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement to the U.S. Army RDECOM Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division via e-mail to: contact@example.gov no later than 5:00PM EST on August 30, 2010. Contracting Office Address: RDECOM Contracting Center - Natick CCRD-NA-SU, Natick Contracting Division Kansas Street, Building 1 Natick, MA 01760-5011 Point of Contact: Steven Streeter, Contract Specialist +1 (555) 000-0000 contact@example.gov