This Sources Sought opportunity from Department Of Defense was posted on June 10, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
Request for Information (RFI) - Ration Supplement, Frameless Heater, for Meal, Ready-to-Eat - NSN 8970-01-321-9153
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The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support is seeking input through a Request for Information to update the technical specification for the Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE) Flameless Ration Heater, NSN 8970-01-321-9153, with the goal of modernizing MIL-R-44398B to reflect current and future technological advancements. The government is not seeking quotes or proposals for procurement but rather detailed technical feedback from industry on how the existing specification can be revised into a performance-based framework that better aligns with the state of the art across the entire life cycle of the heater, including component design, manufacturing, packaging, global storage, transportation, safe use, and disposal. Respondents are required to annotate outdated language in the current specification and provide supporting documentation for proposed revisions, with emphasis on two critical areas: defining shelf life performance metrics—such as maintaining heating capacity after five to ten years of storage at 88°F and 88% relative humidity—and exploring alternative heating technologies that eliminate the need for water activation, addressing logistical challenges on the battlefield. All submissions must include company name, CAGE code, point of contact, and email, and must be received via email by the deadline of June 22nd, 2026. The government explicitly states it will not pay for any information provided or compensate respondents for development costs, and participation does not indicate any future contracting intent. Proprietary data submitted must be clearly marked to ensure protection. The updated specification, once developed, will be performance-based, focusing on required outcomes rather than prescribed methods. Packaging and marking standards referenced include MIL-STD-129, MIL-STD-147, MIL-STD-731, and 49 CFR Part 171-180 for hazardous materials, while safety requirements mandate that unit packs include lot numbers, pack dates, and the warning “OPEN CAREFULLY IF USING KNIFE TO AVOID SLITTING CONTENTS.” The heater must currently enable a minimum 100°F temperature rise in an MRE pouch within 12 minutes when activated with water, sealed in permeable packaging, and built with heat-sealable or hot-melt-adhered components. Quality assurance provisions require contractor responsibility for compliance prior to inspection by the Defense Contract Management Command, with AQLs of 1.0 for critical performance parameters and 2.5 for general packaging defects. A certificate of compliance may be accepted as evidence
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Full Description
This is a Request for Information (RFI). Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Troop Support, Subsistence Supply Chain, is requesting information on state of the art of the individual ration heater technology/performance
The supplies to be described are:
Item NSN Item Name
FRH 8970-01-321-9153 Meal Ready To Eat (MRE), Heater
This is not a sources sought notice. This is a request for information. Periodically the government is required to update their product specifications to foster innovation and competition. The government seeks to update MIL-R-44398B RATION SUPPLEMENT, FLAMELESS HEATER, FOR MEAL, READY TO EAT. The specification for MIL-R-44398B is included as an attachment to this RFI. The government is requesting that interested parties review the specification and annotate language that is out of date and to propose language that better reflects the current state of the art for individual ration heaters, over the entire life cycle, specifically including the discussion of the constituent components, manufacture, packaging, storage, shipping/transport, safety of use, disposal, etc. Interested parties are requested to address issues on a global basis as the MRE is shipped and used globally. The Government will collect the annotated documents and republish a performance based* specification based on current, innovative and possible future technologies.
**See below for areas of interest not covered in the current specification
Interested parties shall return the annotated document to the Government. In addition, the respondents shall separately supply, in a format of their choice, documentation that supports the annotated changes. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this RFI, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information provided to the Government. This RFI does not constitute a commitment from the Government and any information provided in response to this market survey will be used for informational purposes only. Any proprietary information submitted will be protected if appropriately marked. Vendor participation is not a promise for future business with the Government. The sole purpose of this RFI is to better understand available technology.
Please provide the following company information
Company Name: _______________________________________
Cage Code (if available): ____________________________________________
Point of Contact: _______________________________________
E-Mail: _______________________________________________
* A performance-based specification is a type of technical requirement that defines what the end product or system must achieve — such as performance levels, efficiency, durability, or functional outcomes — without dictating exactly how to achieve it.
**
- MREs have a long shelf life. The government is interested in expressing the shelf life of proposed MRE heaters as a performance specification based on the state of the art. i.e. “the heater shall demonstrate no loss of heating capacity when stored for 5-years at 88°F and 88% relative humidity” or the “heater shall demonstrate no less than 80% of heating capacity when stored for between 5-10 years at 88°F and 88% relative humidity”. These performance requirements shall be based on current or projected state of the art for individual ration heaters
- Water on the battlefield is a difficult logistics problem. The government is interested in technologies that can heat the MRE meal without the use of added water and how those technologies could be included in a performance specification for ration heaters.
We thank you in advance for your participation. Your responses, questions, or concerns regarding this RFI are requested to be received by the close of business on June 22nd, 2026. Please respond via e-mail to the following address: Joseph.Venuto@dla.mil and Jacob.slotnick@dla.mil
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