Request for Information - Cold Weather Combat Boot with Steel Safety Toe

SYNOPSIS: This Sources Sought Announcement is to assist the US Army DEVCOM Soldier Center on behalf of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) to identify potential sources to provide?a cold weather combat boot with an integrated steel safety toe. The Government requests that responses be submitted electronically to contact@example.gov and contact@example.gov by August 5, 2022 by 5pm EST. Background: The Government (AFLCMC Agile Combat Support Directorate, Human Systems Division, Combat Ready Airman Branch) is in need of combat boots in Coyote shade with a steel safety toe and environmental protection for Airmen operating in cold weather environments (14 F to -20 F). The US Air Force (USAF) recently adopted the Army's Cold Weather Combat Boot. However, certain career fields require additional impact and compression protection not specified in the Army Purchase Description (PD). This Sources Sought Announcement is intended to identify suppliers and products that meet the salient characteristics of the Army's Cold Weather Combat Boot PD as well as the safety toe protection requirements specific to Air Force career fields. Description: The boots shall meet all salient characteristics of GL-PD-19-03B, Purchase Description, Boot, Combat, Cold Weather, dated 03 November 2020, including but not limited to environmental protection, material, shade, sizing, quality, and workmanship requirements. Additionally, each boot shall have a steel safety toe that properly fits the last (size and width). The finished boot shall meet the requirements of ASTM F2413, Class I75/C75 safety footwear. The toe should not be readily detectable by visual observation from a distance of three (3) feet. Minor deviations from construction requirements in the PD, that do not affect overall performance of the boot, may be necessary to accommodate the safety toe requirement and may be acceptable. Specific Specifications: GL-PD-19-03B, Purchase Description, Boot, Combat, Cold Weather, dated 03 November 2020 Deliverables: Interested parties shall provide: Company address, telephone number, primary contact(s) with email address(es). Business size, applicable NAICS code, CAGE code, and if you hold a GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract, your contract number. A brief statement of capability demonstrating background, relevant past experience, technical skills, and available production capacity to fulfill the Government's requirements described herein. This can also include current or past performance of providing this or similar products to the Government. The part/item number of the boots. A fact sheet/white paper detailing system specifications (materials, construction, finishes, design features) and relevant testing data/analysis that would indicate performance properties against the requirements listed above. If available, certified lab testing data validating: Impact and compression protection per ASTM F2413 Thermal insulation (clo) per GL-PD-19-03B, Paragraph 3.8.3 Pricing estimates and estimated minimum and maximum delivery schedules for the following: Test assets: up to 50 pairs of prototype boots Bulk purchasing: potential orders between 10,000 to 100,000 pairs Estimated production and delivery capacity per month Pricing estimates: If pricing is dependent upon contract minimum and/or order size, a matrix correlating price to quantity shall be provided for a range from 10,000 to 100,000 pairs or maximum capacity (if less than 100,000 pairs). Documentation of Berry Amendment compliance. All assumptions, including any assumed/required Government support. Interested parties are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Announcement. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY This Sources Sought Announcement is issued solely for information and planning purposes and to identify interested sources. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. This Sources Sought does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. It is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. Further, unsolicited proposals will not be accepted. Funding is not available at this time. The United States Army has not made a commitment to procure any of the items/services discussed, and release of this Sources Sought Announcement should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. Response to this Sources Sought Announcement is voluntary and no reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this and any follow-on information requests. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Not responding to this Sources Sought Announcement does not preclude participation in any future RFP if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the SAM.gov website. It is the responsibility of the potential responders to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this subject. RESPONSES: Interested parties may identify their interest and capability by sending responses regarding this requirement to DEVCOM Soldier Center via e-mail ONLY to contact@example.gov and contact@example.gov no later than August 5, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. EST. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this Notice. All costs associated with responding to this Notice will be solely at the expense of the interested party. Please provide business size (indicate your socioeconomic status), applicable NAICS code, and CAGE code. If you hold a GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract, please identify your contract number. QUESTIONS: Any questions for clarification may be emailed to contact@example.gov and contact@example.gov no later than August 1, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. EST. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. An unattributed list of questions and answers will be published at the same web location of this Sources Sought Announcement. Amendment 0001: Question 1: Can these cold weather boots, be sourced/ purchased from China? Answer 1: No. The boots are required to be compliant with the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. 2533a), meaning the end product and all components thereof must be produced and sourced in the United States or one of its territories. Documentation of Berry Amendment compliance is requested as a deliverable in the announcement. Amendment 0002: Question 2: Would an ASTM certified non-metallic toe be acceptable or considered for this solution? Answer 2: A steel toe is preferred for this request due to serviceability concerns.