--Remote Unit Self Heating Meals (RUSHM) Trays

The U.S. Army RDECOM Acquisition Center plans to award a firm-fixed price purchase order through simplified acquisition procedures to The Wornick Company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the procurement of 1,000 Remote Unit Self Heating Meals (RUSHM) Trays. These units are intended to support technical and field testing efforts. Wornick Company is uniquely qualified for this contract as it possesses specialized prototyping, packaging, and assembly equipment necessary for the pre-production of RUSHM trays that comply with stringent Military requirements. The trays incorporate the Unitized Group Ration Heat and Serve (UGR H&S) polymeric rations, offering a minimum 18-month shelf life, and feature a thermoformed heating tray that uses a water-activated chemical heater combined with a pre-filled activator pouch. This integral heating design enables one-step food heating within the package, enhancing field usability. In addition to production capabilities, Wornick has the required test and evaluation facilities and experience to verify product conformance and safety prior to delivery, a capability not known to be matched by any other company. The contract references the Purchase Request number W91A2K-4049-2011 and falls under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 311422 and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 2032. All inquiries regarding this procurement, which was announced on March 18, 2004, are to be directed to Ms. Michelle Miller at the Department of Defense office in Natick, Massachusetts, with a cutoff for inquiries by April 2, 2004.