Lighter Weight Materials for Tropical Uniform - Novel Materials

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY for novel fabric materials that may be suitable for use in a tropical wet environment and are capable of meeting the basic requirements described below. This is not a Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP) or an Invitation for Bid (IFB). It is a market research tool being used to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources for planning purposes only. Responses to this notice are not considered as offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information presented or the use of any such information. DESCRIPTION: The U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) is requesting information on novel materials that may be used in a Jungle Combat Clothing Ensemble. Materials may include novel fiber types/blends, weave constructions and functional finishes. These materials may have potential use as base fabrics, design features and/or reinforcement patches within a Jungle Combat Clothing Ensemble. A separate RFI has been posted for commercial material (W911QY-17-LtWeightMatl-Commercial). The objective of this RFI is to determine the availability in the marketplace of materials that may be suitable for use in a tropical wet environment, where temperatures range from 75 to 95'F and relative humidity ranges from 75% to 100%. Further considerations are as follows: - Soldier priorities for a uniform are quick-drying followed by, durable, breathable and lighter weight. - Materials of interest are novel woven, knit, mesh, spacer, auxetic and phase-change materials that meet Soldier priorities. Materials must be machine washable. - Attributes such as no melt/no-drip materials and vector protection (via permethrin treatment or other modes of action) are required. Fabrics should contain an EPA-approved treatment (e.g. Permethrin, etc.) that is in accordance with EPA-approved levels to protect against vector-borne diseases. - Desired material durability and other performance attributes are listed in Table 1. - Fabrics should have the ability to be camouflage printed via rotary screen printing or dyed, depending on the intended application. - According to Soldiers, the 50/50 Nylon/Cotton rip stop uniform (~6.5 osy) takes more than 4 hours to dry in a tropical wet environment. A more acceptable range in a hot, humid environment (i.e., 75-95'F and 70-100% RH) is 1-2 hours. REQUESTED INFORMATION: Vendors who believe they have materials capable of meeting the above requirements are requested to submit a short (no more than 5 pages total per sample) summary, including Company name and address, point of contact with phone number, DUNS number, CAGE Code and a statement regarding any small business designation (if applicable), by the date and to the address noted below. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 313310 and the small business size is 1,000 employees. Responses should include 1. A description of the tropical combat materials being submitted or developed, a summary of the technical approaches taken to meet the performance requirements of this RFI, and the ability to scale up production if required. 2. Estimated cost per linear yard. 3. Test data demonstrating the performance of the material being submitted as it compares to the technical requirements of this RFI in Table 1 (attached). 4. Samples equivalent to a minimum of one (1) linear yard of material (in any color) with written assurance that the shade, color fastness and spectral reflectance requirements can be met if printed in a multi-color earth tone camouflage pattern. Submitted materials must be permethrin or etofenprox treated by an EPA-registered facility. 5. A material description including fiber blend percentages and Berry compliance documentation (all textile-based technology products-all materials and manufacturing-must comply with Berry Amendment Restrictions, per DFARS 252.225-7012). Respondents may submit up to five (5) different fabric candidates, but should clearly identify the advantages/disadvantages of each. Any finishes added to the fabric should be identified in the response. Respondents should clearly identify any areas where the samples do not meet the attribute thresholds in Table 1 and discuss tradeoffs. The submissions may be used by the Government in formulating a program to assess the performance of the submitted materials and design concepts for functionality in a tropical environment. While there is no guarantee that a subsequent solicitation will be issued and/or a contract awarded, currently, it is the Government's interest to explore the feasibility of procuring lighter weight textile materials for use in tropical uniforms. Respondents are requested to provide information and sample materials by Wednesday, 29 March 2017/3:00PM Eastern Standard Time. Responses to this notice are to be sent to Ms. Melynda Perry, NSRDEC, ATTN: RDNS-SEW-TDT, 15 General Greene Ave., Natick, MA 01760-5019. This notice is for information and sample materials only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION. No solicitation document exists. POC for this request is Ms. Melynda Perry. Email your questions to the POC at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center at the following address: contact@example.gov. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This RFI is solely for information purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or the issuance thereof. This notice does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation and/or award a contract. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Any information or sample materials submitted will not be returned, and no payment will be made by the Government for such information or sample materials. Any testing results will be controlled and used for Government purposes only. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for any potential requirement. Input on technical aspects of the responses may be solicited by NSRDEC from non-Government consultants/experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. By responding to this RFI, the Respondent agrees to allow such input from non-Government consultants/experts concerning the information and materials submitted.