The U.S. Army Product Manager, Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PM-SCIE) and Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) have identified a need for a family of camouflage patterns for uniforms and personal equipment such as, but not limited to, body armor, ammunition pouches, and rucksacks. A family is considered to be of the same or similar geometry with coordinating color palettes to cross the global operating environments. Global operating environments are defined by a geographic classification system that subdivides the global landmasses into areas with similar environmental characteristics. Examples of these environments include but are not limited to: physiographic features such as arid and humid river plane, low and high relief mountains, plateau; land cover such as forest / full ground cover, shrub land / moderate ground cover, barren or sparse ground cover, cropland, snow and ice; along with seasonal changes. We anticipate a family will include three uniform camouflage patterns, i.e. woodland , desert and transitional (sometime called universal), and one pattern for personal equipment (such as body armor, ammo pouches and rucksacks) which works with all three (3) uniform camouflage patterns. The family must provide capability in the visual and near infrared spectrums. Detection and blending and effectiveness at various distances as the environments dictate will be ultimately used as measures of technical performance. The following daylight visual detection conditions will be evaluated: The woodland pattern may be evaluated in forest, full ground cover, cropland and jungle terrain at distances between 35 and 400 meters. The desert pattern may be evaluated in low sandy desert and high rocky desert terrain at distances between 35 and 500 meters. The transitional pattern may be evaluated in both woodland and desert terrain types at the distances cited above. All evaluations will be made with a subject mannequin and/or human wearing a uniform in the evaluated pattern and a body armor vest with ammo pouches in the family personal equipment pattern. The primary method for evaluating uniform and personal equipment pattern effectiveness will be determining the distance at which observers have a 50% probability of detecting the camouflaged test subject; the shorter the distance the more effective the camouflage. The secondary method for evaluating pattern effectiveness, to be used in instances where all patterns are detected at the same range, will be the relative time to detection; the longer the time to detection the more effective the camouflage. Near IR performance will also be evaluated at distances from 35 and 200 meters. The patterns will be evaluated for Near IR performance in the same terrain types as for daylight performance. The intent of this RFI is to investigate uniform and equipment camouflage development capabilities and technologies as described above. The Government is conducting this market investigation to acquire information on the types and sizes of businesses that will be able to compete on future developmental contracting actions, potential costs, and data rights. Interested organizations that have the capability to rapidly address this request are asked to submit relevant information on their company/institution, product and capabilities within thirty (30) days following the publication of this RFI. Any relevant company background/experience, business category, costs, and any other information that the organization believes demonstrates their value / ability to meet the aforementioned intent should be included. Respondents must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database and provide a DUNS number. Firms may register for CCR at www.ccr.gov. All information will be controlled and used for governmental purposes only. Responses to this notice are to be sent to PM Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment, ATTN Dave Geringer; 5981 13th St. Bldg 1155, Ft. Belvoir Va., 22060 . This notice is for information only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS. No solicitation document exists for this action. POC for this request is Dave Geringer (703) 805-8506, FAX (703) 805-8571, or e-mail
[email protected]. E-mail responses should include Company Name and Sources Sought Number in the subject line, and a short synopsis which includes the following items of information; CAGE Code, Company Name, Business Type (Large/Small/HUBZone), Qualification (i.e current producer of iCVC, can meet production), Estimated Price, and NAIC Code. Subsequent to the close of this RFI, the Government intends to solicit for and award multiple developmental contracts for the purposes of computer and field evaluations. The developmental contracts will include a priced option for the Government to purchase the data rights to the family of camouflage patterns.