Caisson Wagon - Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) W51EW7-26-R-A010

The Mission & Installation Contracting Command (MICC) Theater Support Center is issuing a Request for Prototype Proposal under Other Transaction Authority (10 U.S.C. § 4022) to design, develop, and deliver a single prototype Caisson Wagon for use by the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, at Arlington National Cemetery. The current fleet is aging and no longer sufficient to support the daily ceremonial mission, and this initiative aims to create a sustainable, long-term replacement that preserves the historic 1917 aesthetic while incorporating modern, humane, and logistically efficient design elements. The prototype must weigh no more than 2,000 pounds, carry an 800-pound casket, sustain daily operations of at least 10 miles per day at 10 mph on 10% gradients, and include features such as casket rollers and an internal sign hook. All structural components must be constructed of powder-coated high-grade metal, and the design must use readily available, non-obsolete parts to ensure future maintainability. Proposals must be submitted electronically by July 13, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET to [email hidden], with questions due by May 26, 2026. All submissions must adhere to strict file format requirements: Microsoft Office or PDF only, no ZIP files, no special characters in filenames, and must be print-capable and searchable. This procurement is open to all businesses but awards are restricted to those where all significant participants are certified as either small businesses or nontraditional defense contractors under NAICS code 336999, with a size standard of 1,000 employees. Offerors must complete an Affirmation of Business Status Certification that includes UEI, CAGE, SAM registration status, tax identification, and confirmation of small business or NDC status, and must submit a detailed cover letter verifying compliance with these requirements, agreement to the Terms and Conditions (Attachment 002), acknowledgment of Limited Use Rights for the prototype design, and confirmation that proposals remain valid for 60 days. Evaluation will be based on a best-value trade-off, with the non-price factors—Technical Approach, Integrated Logistics and Sustainability Plan, Management and Lifecycle Management, and Past Performance—being significantly more important than price; the government is prepared to select a technically superior proposal even