Restraint Webbing Material - Berry Amendment Compliant

TITLE: Request for Information (RFI) for Berry Amendment Compliant Restraint Webbing Material. DESCRIPTION: The Product Director for Light Tactical Vehicles (PD LTV) and Army Contracting Command (ACC) Warren have initiated this RFI to assess market availability and sourcing of domestically produced vehicle occupant restraint webbing. The Berry Amendment requires certain items be grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States. Upon review of the applicable Federal acquisition, laws, and regulations, it is determined the textile fibers and yarns used in the manufacture of restraint webbing requires compliance to 10 U.S.C. 2533a (the Berry Amendment). Initial market research conducted by PD LTV indicates the high tenacity polyester or nylon (of sufficient quality) materials used in the manufacture and weaving of webbing style restraint fabric is no longer being produced domestically with supplies of on-hand material being depleted in April 2018. As such, supply chain availability issues are surfacing from HMMWV seatbelt and gunner restraint suppliers that webbing material compliance to Berry Amendment requirement will no longer be possible. Material availability shortfalls of Berry Amendment compliant webbing is expected to affect other military Platforms with ramifications and impacts being currently undetermined. PD LTV has identified a list of twelve HMMWV seatbelt and gunner restraint parts/NSNs which utilize restraint webbing subject to Berry Amendment compliance. The twelve parts are featured in Appendix A and can be made available to an inquiring respondent upon request and authorization approval. INFORMATION NEEDED: PD LTV is seeking response from industry regarding Berry Amendment compliant restraint webbing domestic availability. If there is restraint webbing available domestically, please describe what production capacity is currently available. Please also describe whether such restraint webbing meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) requirements 209 (Seatbelt Assemblies) and 302 (Flammability of Interior Materials) - either at the component or system level. DFARS 225.7002-2 lists several exceptions to the Berry Amendment that would not require a Domestic Non Availability Determination (DNAD). One such material is "210 denier high tenacity nylon fiber". PD LTV requests information from industry concerning the availability and suitability of this material, or any other material listed under DFARS 225.7002-2, to meet the requirements for the HMMWV webbing related items without degrading performance in operation or requiring redesign. Instructions to Potential Respondents: Companies that desire to participate in this RFI are encouraged to submit a 1-2 page response supporting the company's claims of domestic webbing material availability or applicable exceptions to the Berry Amendment. Companies may also provide supporting information of requisite manufacturing processes, facilities, qualifications, capabilities, past experience, and assumptions to produce or supply the required material. Please include the Name, Location, CAGE Code, Point of contact, and phone number in the RFI Response. RFI Responses must be submitted by 31 January 2018, 5:00 PM EST. Submit all responses, UNCLASSIFIED documents only, via email to Steve Davenport at steve.davenport.civ@mail.mil. Any technical questions concerning this RFI shall be directed to Steve Davenport at steve.davenport.civ@mail.mil. Please include name, phone number and email address for a response. Questions may be answered via email or phone. GENERAL INFORMATION: The Government appreciates the time and effort taken to respond to this survey. The Government acknowledges its obligations under 18 U.S.C. - 1905 to protect information qualifying as "confidential" under this statute. [To avoid possible confusion with the meaning of the term "confidential" in the context of "Classified Information," we will use the term "PROPRIETARY." Pursuant to this statute, the Government is willing to accept any PROPRIETARY (e.g., trade secret) restrictions placed on qualifying data forwarded in response to the survey questions and to protect it from unauthorized disclosure subject to the following: 1. Clearly and conspicuously mark qualifying data with the restrictive legend (all caps) "PROPRIETARY" with any explanatory text, so that the Government is clearly notified of what data needs to be appropriately protected. 2. In marking such data, please take care to mark only those portions of the data or materials that are truly proprietary (over breadth in marking inappropriate data as "PROPRIETARY" may diminish or eliminate the usefulness of your response). The respondent's marking of data as "PROPRIETARY" will preclude disclosure of same outside the Government and therefore preclude disclosure to support contractors assisting the evaluation effort. The Government will use its best efforts to evaluate those responses that contain proprietary information without using support contractors consistent with the resources available. Use circling, underscoring, highlighting or any other appropriate means to indicate those portions of a single page which are to be protected. 3. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT OBLIGATED TO PROTECT UNMARKED DATA. Additionally, marked data that is already in the public domain or in the possession of the Government or third parties, or is afterward placed into the public domain by the owner or another party through no fault of the Government will not be protected once in the public domain. Data already in the possession of the Government will be protected in accordance with the Government's rights in the data. 4. Proprietary data transmitted electronically, whether by physical media or not, whether by the respondent or by the government, shall contain the "PROPRIETARY" legend, with any explanatory text, on both the cover of the transmittal e-mail and at the beginning of the file itself. Where appropriate for only portions of an electronic file, use the restrictive legends - PROPRIETARY PORTION BEGINS:" and "PROPRIETARY PORTION ENDS." 5. In any reproductions of technical data or any portions thereof subject to asserted restrictions, the government shall also reproduce the asserted restriction legend and any explanatory text. 6. Participation in this RFI is NOT a requirement for future participation in any future activities or acquisitions.