Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) Additional Source Qualification (JASQ) Program Update

SPECIAL NOTICE: JSLIST GARMENTS (UPDATE) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this announcement or the original RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. This Market Research shall not be construed as a request for proposal nor does the Government intend to award a contract based on the results of this effort. This notice is not to be construed as a solicitation document. The Government shall not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for any technical information identified (e.g., limited and/or restricted rights). This Special Notice is issued by Marine Corps Logistics Command at Albany, GA on behalf of the Joint Program Management Office for Individual Protection (JPMO-IP). It serves as public notice regarding the status of the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) Additional Source Qualification (JASQ) program. The JASQ program is evaluating the performance characteristics of candidate materials and includes both a Qualified Products List (QPL) effort and a Unique Candidate effort. The intent of both efforts remains the qualification of products for possible use in the JSLIST program. The JASQ QPL began with the release of an RFI in December 2003 and is entering Phase III Testing. The JASQ Unique Candidate is a concurrent initiative to identify emerging technologies to satisfy unmet JSLIST requirements. The Unique Candidate effort is being conducted in four phases, as described below. A. Phase I - RFI 1) Release of original RFI announcement (Dec 2003) 2) Manufacturer submission of 8 yards (36 width) of material for Phase II screening tests B. Phase II - Screening Tests will consist of but are not limited to the following: 1) Flame Resistance testing will be conducted on new material (unlaundered and laundered 4 times); the target performance value (TPV) are 10 seconds after flame; 30 seconds after glow; 4 inch burn distance; and no melt drip. 2) GD Seawater Immersion swatch test Liquid Challenge/Vapor Penetration (L/V); test results will be compared to TPV standards. 3) HD wet POL (JP8) swatch test (L/V); test results will be compared to TPV standards. 4) HD wet Body waste (Urine) swatch test (L/V); test results will be compared to TPV standards. 5) Weight of new material will be measured to ensure material candidate is equal to or less than 18.2-oz/yd2. 6) Notification of Phase II test results C. Phase III - Full Regime Testing will consist of but is not limited to the following: 1) Manufacturer submittal of 180 suits made of the successful Phase II material for full regime testing 2) 30-day field durability trial with U.S Military personnel that will include field replicable hygienic cleanings. 3) Chemical agent swatch test (L/V) on worn candidate suits (HD, GD, GD Wet Sweat, and VX); test results will be compared to TPV standards. 4) Chemical agent swatch tests (L/V) on the unworn candidate suits (HD Seawater Immersion, HD wet AFFF, HD wet DEET, HD wet DF 200); test results will be compared to TPV standards. 5) Man In Simulant Tests (MIST) on unworn and worn candidate suits; test results will be compared to TPV standards. 6) Aerosol System Test on unworn and worn candidate suits; test results will be compared to TPV standards. 7) Swatch test Liquid Challenge/Liquid Penetration (L/L) on unworn and worn candidate suits (HD mandril, HD and GD expulsion, rain cabinet); test results will be compared to TPV standards. 8) Heat stress tests will be conducted on unworn new candidate suit using; a) Thermal manikin, the candidate must have a heat stress ratio greater than 0.21 Im /clo when tested at a wind speed of 2.5 mph, b) Guarded hot plate, the candidate must have a water vapor resistance no greater than 9.6 m'PaW. 9) Flame Resistance will be conducted on new material (laundered 4x and unlaundered); test results will be compared to TPV standards of 10 seconds after flame; 30 seconds after glow; 4 inch burn distance; and no melt drip. D. Phase IV - Data Evaluation 1) Analysis and review of Phase III data 2) Notification of Phase III test results The Unique Candidate material submitted for Phase I must be delivered to the Test Item Control (TIC) Manager, Battelle, Cathy Campbell, 1425 State Route 142, JS3, West Jefferson, Ohio 43162, +1 (555) 000-0000 no later than 7 January 2005. Submissions are limited to one candidate per company. Only those candidates that successfully pass the Phase II tests will advance to Phase III. No later than 8 weeks after successful completion of Phase II, successful candidates will provide, at no cost to the Government, one hundred and eighty (180) suits to the TIC Manager for inclusion into Phase III. Changes to doctrine and training (unless needed for donning and doffing of the new design) are beyond the scope of this limited effort but any merits observed in these demonstration products will be documented for the benefit of future programs. Oversight of this effort will consist of a panel of Government representatives. Interested parties who are not already participating in the programs may provide company name, address, phone/fax, point of contract, size of business, and product information to contact@example.gov by close of business 29 December 2004. The Government has placed information pertaining to this initiative on the MARCORSYSCOM Web Page at https://www.quickplace.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/jslist_additional_source_qualification (Reference unique candidate testing). Candidates participating in full regime testing will be provided data during industry debrief upon completion of Phase II down select and completion of Phase IV full evaluation. Data provided and f! ormat for the provision of data will be agreed upon prior to the initiation of testing. All materials will be held until completion of testing and disposition of remaining assets will occur within 60 days after notification of test results.