Project Manager Soldier Lethality (PMSL) Innovative Designs & Engineering Assessment (IDEA) Program

Project Manager Soldier Lethality (PM SL) Innovative Designs & Engineering Assessment (IDEA) Program FY23 The U.S. Army Contracting Command - New Jersey (ACC-NJ), on behalf of PM SL, is hosting its 3rd annual PM SL IDEA Program. The purpose of the IDEA Program is to conduct advanced market research by seeking information on new, innovative, enabling technologies that can generate new capabilities or provide enhanced capabilities to the Army's portfolio of small and medium caliber weapons, fire control, optics, binoculars, remote weapons stations, suppressors, powered rails, barrel life enhancements, externally powered systems, recoilless rifles, ammunition, or other accessories. These technologies will be used for experimentation, technical evaluation, and/or assessment of operational utility focused on enhancing system performance, sustainment, and/or training. This information will advise/inform future requirements that would potentially serve as new or replacement system(s), complimentary system(s) or be integrated into existing system(s). These technologies must be commercial or non-developmental. The IDEA program is not a developmental program, a competitive solicitation, or a follow-on program. Interested vendors shall complete the attached PM SL IDEA form and submit a three-minute video or less, demonstrating their technologies for consideration. Videos shall be compatible with Windows Media Player 10. This notice will remain open through September 30, 2023. Responses received will be reviewed and considered for follow-on action within 60 days of submission. The Government reserves the right to consider responses on a first come first serve basis. Responses received after September 30, 2023 may not be accepted. Multiple awards or no awards may be made off this notice and any responses. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. All vendor information will be treated confidentially. All information received in response to this notice marked or designated as corporate or proprietary information will be fully protected from any release outside the Government. The Government is under no obligation to make an award based on information received as a result of this notice. The Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this notice. The Government will not pay for any information submitted nor for any costs associated with providing this information. Vendors shall email their response to the points of contact identified below. If you have trouble emailing your response or have any other questions, please reference the points of contact below. Vendor submitted information may lead to a one-on-one pitch of their technology and/or the potential for a non-competitive award under the authority of 10 U.S.C, ?4023 - Procurement for Experimental Purposes (recently renumbered from 10 U.S.C, ?2373 - Procurement for Experimental Purposes). Questions & Responses: 1. Question: Does the text, "Responses received within the dates below will be reviewed on a quarterly basis" mean that if we submit one time during the first quarter that we continue to be evaluated each subsequent quarter or, do we need to resubmit each quarter for reevaluation? Response: At the end of the quarter we collect the submissions and evaluate. You may continue to submit as many different IDEAs as often as you would like; however, you only need to submit once. You will be notified if the Government has or does not have interest in your IDEA. Sometimes, depending on the development of other programs we may be interested in an IDEA, but decide to delay it and/or revisit it again in the future. Your information will be kept on file if there is future interest. 2. Question: Is the subject effort a new requirement or a follow-on to an existing contract? Response: This is a new requirement that continues the PM SL IDEA Program. Reference previous notices: W15QKN-20-X-0CRU (July 08, 2020 - June 30, 2021) and W15QKN-22-X-0LAQ (September 29, 2021 - September 30, 2022). 3. Question: When a firm submits a proposal and the proposal is accepted, what data rights does the firm retain, and what data rights will the government obtain? Response: The contractor retains all rights to their data. The Government has the same rights as a normal commercial customer would have. The normal FAR and DFARS clauses pertaining to data rights are not applicable and are not included in the 4023 agreements. 4. Question: Can the ideas, concepts, or technologies purchased in small quantities from the firm under this program be passed on to another firm, reverse engineered, or otherwise, using government purpose rights, be transitioned from the possession and control of the submitting firm? Response: The contractor retains all rights to their data. The Government has the same rights as a normal commercial customer would have. The Government does not receive additional intellectual property rights to the items delivered. The Government will not use or disclose proprietary information without permission. Items purchased under the 4023 agreement become Government Property. Government property is tracked, recorded, and may be issued to third parties, but it remains Government property until disposition instructions are provided. 5. Question: Do you have any examples of previously approved projects? Response: Examples of previous approved projects have been for barrels, coatings, wind sensing devices, suppressors, suppressor cleaners, and weapons.