SOURCES SOUGHT
10 -- Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Netting System
- Notice Date
- 8/3/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 315280
— Other Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC - APG (W911QY) Natick (SPS), BLDG 1 KANSAS ST, Natick, Massachusetts, 01760-5011, United States
- ZIP Code
- 01760-5011
- Solicitation Number
- PM-FSS-ULCANS-RFI
- Point of Contact
- Ross A Joseph,
- E-Mail Address
-
ross.a.joseph.civ@mail.mil
(ross.a.joseph.civ@mail.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Sources Sought Notice / Request for Information: Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Netting System (ULCANS) This is a Sources Sought Notice / Request for Information (RFI) for the U.S. Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) Solicitation No. PM-FSS-ULCANS-RFI. The U.S. ACC-APG, Natick Contracting Division (NCD) on behalf of Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems (PM(O5) FSS), located at the Natick Soldier Systems Center, is conducting Market Research pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10, in advance of a potential solicitation under Authority of FAR Part 15.201 (e), for the Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Netting System (ULCANS). THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS SYNOPSIS. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this synopsis, any follow-up information requests, or subsequent Requests for Quotes/Proposals. The purpose of this sources sought is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities and qualifications of various members of industry. Product Manager, Force Sustainment Systems (PM(O5)-FSS) is conducting Market Research regarding industry's interest and capability to manufacture the eight variants of the next generation ULCANS screen system with support apparatus. The eight variants are the following: • Radar Scattering (R/S) Woodland Screen System • Radar Transparent (R/T) Woodland Screen System • Radar Scattering (R/S) Desert Screen System • Radar Transparent (R/T) Desert Screen System • Radar Scattering (R/S) Arctic Screen System • Radar Transparent (R/T) Arctic Screen System • Radar Scattering (R/S) Urban Screen System • Radar Transparent (R/T) Urban Screen System This Sources Sought RFI is part of market research which may assist the Government in developing future procurement strategies. The next generation of ULCANS systems will replace the currently-issued ULCANS and Light-weight Camouflage Screen System (LCSS) systems in the field and in storage, and where possible, will be produced just-in-time in response to a specific requirement as directed by the Government. These systems are used to conceal large military vehicles, shelters, and other critical assets. This RFI is in advance of a potential solicitation where the vendor will conduct research and development which may lead up to full scale production. The RFI asks for information from each vendor in the following areas: • Research and Development (R&D) and Technical Capability, in terms of being able to develop an item with optimized signature management performance • Production & Manufacturing Capacity • Approach to an on-demand, Battlefield-Specific camouflage solution White papers discussing technical approaches to the development and production of camouflage screen and support systems will be entertained and compared with the currently-issued systems for factors including but not limited to multispectral concealment performance, modularity (ease of use), physical performance, perceived user acceptability, logistical requirements, cost and others. PM(O5) FSS is currently looking for information and proposed solutions for any or all of the camouflage variants described above as well as a support system. PM(O5) FSS will also entertain proposals that include reversible screen systems where two different multispectral camouflage patterns are used on opposing sides of the screen. Firms responding shall indicate whether or not they are a small business. Responses shall consist of an unclassified white paper. Classified performance capability and supporting information can be received as part of this RFI upon further coordination with PM(O5) FSS. At a minimum, the white paper shall provide a description of the technical approach and a statement on the ability to meet the attached objectives and system requirements. This is not a request for quotations; this notice is for market research only. No solicitation document exists. The information received under this announcement may be used by the Government for developing an acquisition strategy. Please e-mail your technical questions to Scotlund.McIntosh.civ@mail.mil and your contracting questions to both the Contracting Officer Curtis.L.Britton.civ@mail.mil and the Contracting Specialist Ross.A.Joseph.civ@mail.mil with the subject line "PMFSS-ULCANS-RFI Questions - ADD YOUR COMPANY NAME". R&D and Technical Capability In their White Paper response, vendors are asked to provide the following information that describes their R&D expertise and technical capability in carrying out this work. • The vendor shall design the system to maximize the amount of passive spectral breakup in as many of the following spectral regions as possible: UV, VIS, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR and Radar to protect assets from detection by ground-based, airborne and satellite sensors. • Background matching capability, where if the vendor were supplied with grid reference and/or spectrometer data from a location of interest, describe the steps that would be taken to design a system that was custom-built for that specific region. • Previous experience in the fields of Camouflage, Concealment, Deception (CC&D) or Signature Management. These may include a list of publications in the study where the author(s) or co-author(s) are employed by the vendor, or areas of research where the vendor contributed to an effort. This would include acting as a sub-contractor to a prime on a Government signature management effort. • Examples of produced or marketed items created by the vendor that can demonstrate the multispectral performance and manufacturability of large screen systems • Previous government or contractor test data, as appropriate and relevant to multispectral performance, demonstrating sensor defeat, material and performance durability and related characteristics. • The vendor's technical approach to prototype, test, evaluate, refine and manufacture the new ULCANS screen systems. Production and Manufacturing Capacity • The vendor shall provide a description of the current manufacturing capability, including but not limited to manufacturing facility size, equipment, personnel, Berry Amendment compliance, supply chain, limitations (minimum purchase/yardage, etc.), and other pertinent information. PM(O5) FSS desires information on current production capacity as well as projected future production capacity. • Describe current R&D Capability, including design of multispectral fabrics, in-house testing of spectral measurements and material properties, and evaluation capability, etc. • The vendor shall provide a description of the manufacturing capability to accommodate a surge in demand in the event of a conflict. o The government is interested in understanding the firm's ability to transition production from a minimum sustaining rate to a "surge" status where up to 10,000 units per month would be required. The following details should be considered:  Production facility size  Equipment required  Personnel required  Raw materials and lead times for those materials • The vendor shall provide manufacturing capability and capacity, listing the path forward, timeline, and resources that would be required for the firm to be able to scale up to the following quantities per month in the event of a conflict: o 1000 systems/month sustained production o 2500 systems/month surge capability for 6 months o 5000 systems/month surge capability for 6 months o 10,000 systems/month surge capability for 12 months Approach to an on-demand, Battlefield-Specific Camouflage Screen Solution • The government is considering a course of action that would include an on-demand, battlefield-specific camouflage screen solution that could be ramped up on an as-required basis. This would allow a custom-tailored solution to defeat new and specific threats, the camouflage appearance for which would be a tailored multispectral match to a specific area, as opposed to a wide-area, generic camouflage solution. • Assuming a warm production line, the vendor shall propose a solution and step-by-step timeline where this approach would be achievable, starting from notification by the government that a site-specific solution would be required. Please consider the following: o Data that would be required to be supplied from the government to the vendor in order to make the best possible multi-spectral solution. (threshold and objective) o The amount of perceived flexibility in adjusting the multispectral performance of the camouflage solution to the identified location o Timeframe from notification to production of tailored camouflage solutions o Ability to produce up to 5,000 systems/month under this battlefield specific construct System Requirements: Physical/Logistical The combined weight and cube (volume) of the camouflage screen system and the support structure must not exceed 105 lbs (47 kg) and 10.0 cubic feet (0.28 m3) when dry and packaged. Logistical details for a currently-issued system are provided below for reference. o The packaged weight and cube of the Desert ULCANS camouflage screen system is approximately 61 lbs (28 kg); 5.0 cubic feet (0.14 m3). The camouflage screen system is comprised of the following:  Hexagon screen (40 lbs or 18 kg)  Rhombic screen (14 lbs or 6 kg)  Repair Kit (3 lbs or 2 kg)  Carrying case for the screen system (5 lbs or 2 kg) o The packaged weight and cube of the Desert ULCANS support system is approximately 42 lbs (19 kg); 5.0 cubic feet (0.14 m3). The support system is comprised of the following:  (12) 48-in (122 cm) Support Poles (26 lbs or 12 kg)  (24) Stakes (6 lbs or 3 kg)  (6) Shape Disrupters (6 lbs or 3 kg)  (1) Carrying case for the support system (3 lbs or 2 kg) Specific to the Camouflage Screens • Each screen system shall contain at least two screens of different physical sizes to allow for flexibility in covering the widest range of area when combined with other screen systems. • The shape of the screens in the system shall be modular and expandable to be able to cover large objects. The shape of each individual net may be any of the following: rhombic, hexagonal, rectangular, or something else otherwise offered by the respondent. The use of multiple shapes within a system is encouraged. Additional user feedback or information on performance of proposed net shape is requested. • Screen systems shall either be radar-scattering or radar-transparent. • Screen systems may exhibit an incision pattern on the outer face of the material to give a three-dimensional appearance with a garnish or they may be two-dimensional without an incision pattern. • Screen systems may be single- or double-sided/reversible to allow for two different camouflage patterns. • The outer face(s) of the screen system must exhibit a camouflage pattern consisting of at least 3 but no more than 7 colors. The substrate and/or the colors in the camouflage pattern must provide multispectral (UV/VIS/NIR/SWIR/MWIR/LWIR/Radar) breakup to conceal objects within the intended background when observed from a range of 300 meters or greater in any direction, including from above. Specific to the Camouflage Support System: • A single pole of the support system should be able to support the weight of the entire screen system without collapsing during setup • The support structure must not degrade the effectiveness of multispectral concealment of the camouflage screen system. Non-metallic components are desired. • The support structure, if properly used in combination with the screen system, shall sustain wind gusts of at least 46 mph (74 km/h or 40 knots) without structural collapse or failure. Higher wind performance is desirable. • Recommendations about the packaging to facilitate transport, storage and deployment of the proposed systems will also be considered. Contracting Questions in regards to this RFI shall be directed to the Contracting Officer Curtis Britton at Curtis.L.Britton.civ@mail.mil and the Contracting Specialist Ross Joseph Ross.A.Joseph.civ@mail.mil. Technical Questions shall be directed to Scot McIntosh (Scotlund.McIntosh.civ@mail.mil). All e-mail correspondence should include the following subject line: "PMFSS-ULCANS-RFI Questions - ADD YOUR COMPANY NAME".
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/4ee9fb80ce2c17542b4228629d52a204)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-APG Natick Contracting Division, Building 1, General Greene Ave, Natick, Massachusetts, 01760-5011, United States
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Record
- SN04208681-W 20160805/160804000108-4ee9fb80ce2c17542b4228629d52a204 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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