U.S. Army Materiel Command, Natick Contracting Division, Attn: AMSSB-ACN, Natick, MA 01760-5011

54 -- FIGHTING POSITION REVETMENT (FPR) SOL No Solicitation Available DUE 060999 POC Jose Rivera, Product Director, 703-704-2571 WEB: U.S. Army Materiel Command Acquisition Center, http://www3.natick.army.mil/. E-MAIL: Jose Rivera, Product Director, jrivera@pmsoldier.belvoir.army.mil. The U.S. Army Product Manager -- Enhanced Soldier Systems at Project Manager -- Soldier, Fort Belvoir VA is conducting a market investigation to identify sources capable of providing Fighting Position Revetments (FPRs) for the U.S. Army. The FPR is a retaining wall kit emplaced in a deliberate two-soldier fighting position and capable of reinforcing the walls in poor soil conditions or when exposed to external forces such as the bearing forces from overhead cover systems or ground shock from indirect fire. One soldier can carry the FPR with his weapon and load bearing equipment from a drop-off point that is no more than 300 meters from the fighting position. The FPR is reusable up to 10 times, for a period of 8 to 72 hours each time in training, and is considered to be expendable in wartime. The FPR shall consist of connecting frames or panels with an inseparable waterproof membrane or coating, carrying attachments, setup/inspection procedures and tools (if required). There shall be no more than six (6) structural components and 15 reinforcing parts/connectors that shall be securely connected to prevent loss during transport, carrying or setup. The FPR shall reinforce all four walls of a deliberate fighting position (2 feet wide by 6 feet long) at a nominal depth of 48 inches. The required FPR total weight shall not be greater than 18.1 kilograms (40 pounds). The desired weight is 15.8 kilograms (35 pounds) inclusive of all securely connected components/parts. The FPR, when emplaced in a fighting position, shall (1) maintain integrity against the static forces on soil backfill while simultaneously (2) coexist on a non-interference basis with the Fighting Position Overhead Cover and (3) resist deformation due to dynamic air or ground shock effects from near miss (15 meters) 152 mm artillery high explosive rounds. Interested sources should download the FPR Performance Specification found on the World Wide Web address: "http//:www3.natick.army.mil/" to receive more detailed performance requirements. Within thirty (30) days following the publication of this synopsis, interested sources are invited to respond with information on their product(s) including proposed or actual item/component descriptions and illustrations which detail concept or design and any performance or test data. Additionally, it is desired, but not required, that you please: (1) Identify any apparent inconsistencies with the Performance Specification; (2) Identify any requirements which appear to conflict with accepted industry practices; (3) Identify any requirements which you believe would drive cost to an unaffordable level (Upper affordable limit is defined as $300 per production system); (4) Identify the potential for leveraging off existing products/materials that could be adapted to perform an FPR function; (5) Identify whether or not your company has already developed or manufactured a component/ system that could be adapted for use as an FPR. Any information submitted will not be returned. If a firm chooses to submit samples, theGovernment will make no payment for such samples. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. No solicitation document is available at this time. The information received under this market survey may be used to formulate a formal request for proposal. Please submit information to the following address: Product Manager-Soldier, ATTN: Mr. Jose Rivera; 10401 Totten Road, Suite 121; Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5852. See Note 25. Posted 05/11/99 (W-SN330160). (0131)

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