Sources Sought Notice Cold Weather Balaclava

SYNOPSIS: This Sources Sought Announcement is to assist the Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (CCDC Soldier Center) on behalf of Product Manager Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PM SCIE) to identify potential sources to provide a cold weather balaclava. The RFI is issued solely for information gathering and planning purposes. The RFI does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals and will not directly lead to any contract awards. The following sections of this announcement contain details of the scope of technical efforts of interest as well as instructions for the submission of responses. The Government requests that responses be submitted electronically to mary.k.prebensen.civ@mail.mil and patrick.s.balogh.civ@mail.mil by 3 July 2020 by 5pm EST. Background: In winter 2018/19 and 2019/20, PM SCIE and CCDC Soldier Center evaluated both commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) garments and government designed and developed prototypes of balaclavas. Using feedback from soldiers operating in cold weather environments, salient characteristics that affect soldier performance were identified. This RFI is intended to identify suppliers and products that meet the requirements developed from these evaluations. Description: The balaclava shall be pulled down over the head and worn to cover the head, face, and neck. It shall have an adjustable face opening, so that it may cover the mouth and nose completely or be pulled down and worn under the chin, while still covering the neck and top of the head. The finished edges or trim material around the face opening shall fit tightly against the skin, preventing air gaps. The balaclava must integrate with cold weather goggles from the Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL) with minimal skin exposure, and the fabric should not bunch up under the goggles. The balaclava should fit snugly on the head under the Army Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) without causing discomfort due to fabric bunching or bulky seams. The portion covering the neck shall be long enough to be tucked into the collar of an Army issued cold weather jacket or parka (i.e., midweight fleece / lofted synthetic insulation layer, soft-shell jacket, cold-wet weather waterproof-breathable jacket, or extreme cold weather parka). The balaclava should stay tucked during moderate physical activity (e.g., rucking, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing). The portion covering the head and neck shall be two layers, consisting of a protective shell fabric and a breathable insulating liner. A separate front panel, covering the mouth and nose and extending to the bottom of the neck, shall be a single layer of breathable stretch fabric. Materials: Shell fabric: stretch woven Nylon ripstop Liner material: polyester raschel knit insulation Front Panel: breathable stretch knit fabric Requirements: The balaclava shall: Provide thermal protection to the head, face, and neck between wet cold (20 F) and the lower end of intense cold (-25 F) environments. Have a service life of at least 120 days under combat/field use. Minimize eyewear fogging when worn with cold weather goggles. Have a total weight of 2.5 +/- 1 ounces. Measure at a minimum, the following length from crown of head to bottom edge of front of garment: Size S-M: 15.25 inches Size M-L: 16 inches Be dyed to coyote 498. Be easily donned and doffed. Minimize irritation against the skin. Be Berry Amendment compliant, meaning the end item and all components of the end item are required to be manufactured domestically. 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 garment. 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. Documentation of Berry Amendment compliance. One sample in each available size of the garment to be sent to CCDC Soldier Center. Estimate of minimum and maximum delivery schedule for each submitted garment. All assumptions, including any assumed/required Government support. Additional Information: Responses must be electronic only (recommended in PDF file format). All properly marked proprietary information will be appropriately handled. Submitted materials will not be returned. The sample garment(s) will be submitted to the following address: ATTN: Patrick Balogh x3786 CCDC Soldier Center 15 General Greene Ave BLDG 4 RM 207 Natick, MA 01760-5020 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 Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOps) 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 CCDC Soldier Center via e-mail ONLY to mary.k.prebensen.civ@mail.mil and patrick.s.balogh.civ@mail.mil no later than 3 July 2020 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. QUESTIONS: Any questions for clarification may be emailed to mary.k.prebensen.civ@mail.mil and patrick.s.balogh.civ@mail.mil no later than 30 June 2020 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: Do you have the Purchase Descriptions for both the cloth and the end item? Answer 1: There are currently no purchase descriptions for the cloth or end item. The requirements that must be met are listed in the Sources Sought Announcement. Question 2: Are there estimates for minimum, AEQ & max quantities of expected demand? Answer 2: This is solely a request for information and will not directly lead to any contract awards. There are no estimates for demand at this time. Amendment 0002: Question 3: I would like to find out how many units is the W911QY-RFIColdWeatherBalaclava bid for? Answer 3: This is solely a request for information and will not directly lead to any contract awards. There are no estimates for demand at this time. Question 4: Is there anywhere I could see an actual garment or if not available a photo of this garment online so I can get a better idea? Answer 4: This request is for any balaclava that meets the salient characteristics and requirements. It does not need to match a specific garment or design. As such, we are not providing any images or drawings. Qusetion 5: Can you clarify if this (2.5 +/- 1 ounces) is a total weight of the end item? Answer 5: Yes, the total weight of the end item shall be 2.5 +/- 1 ounces. Amendment 0003 Question 6: The Notice states, "The Government requests that responses be submitted electronically by 5:00 PM EST July 3, 2020. Do you also require the physical product samples be delivered by that time and date as well? Answer 6: Yes, samples should be received at the address provided by 3 July 2020 at 5 PM EST. Question 7: Can we submit two or three different options for your review? Answer 7: Yes, multiple items may be submitted by a single vendor.