Request for Information – Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility Postal Police Safety Rainwear/Cold Weather Styles Background: The Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility (NCTRF) is conducting a market survey to determine the availability of Commercial-off-the-shelf, Postal Police Safety Wet and Cold Weather styles for use in the United States Postal Service (USPS) Uniform Program. Subsequent action to the evaluation of submitted samples by the Program Office, a Qualified Product List (QPL) will be compiled of the most promising styles for future procurement actions. This RFI is issued solely for information and does not promise the submitter will be added to the QPL. Description: NCTRF seeks to identify new commercial styles for Safety Rainwear to be worn by USPS Postal Police Officers. Styles can be offered in men’s, women’s or unisex sizing. Candidate styles submitted are not limited to specific material structures i.e. knits, laminates and/or woven structures. The basic material used in the commercial submissions must be commercially available in the approved Postal Rainwear color of Yellow/Lime Green - High Visibility 7000 (see attached Table I for reference). Submitted designs must have an attachment for a metal badge plate centered on wearers’ left chest. All styles shall have safety silver reflective trim. A silver reflective heat sealed US Postal Police logo centered on the wearer’s back yoke will be required if item is added to the QPL (see attached Drawing 1 for reference). Table I lists baseline performance parameters for basic material and end items. Interested Parties: To respond to this Request for Information (RFI), interested parties are REQUIRED to submit the following to enable NCTRF to efficiently evaluate the viability and benefit of the proposed style(s): Two (2) samples in a men’s, women’s or unisex size medium. A style description, to include: identification of fiber (fiber age), yarn structure, material structure, Certificate of Compliance to performance characteristics as referenced in Table I, production lead time, production material locations (fiber, yarn, weaving and finishing) and end item production locations. An estimated unit cost of garment, which may be broken down by quantity reflecting economies of scale. Information which certifies that the finished product is composed of materials which have been safely used commercially or provide sufficient toxicity data to show compatibility with prolonged, direct skin contact. The finished cloth shall not present a dermal health hazard when used as intended. Complete disclosure of chemical treatment for topical finishes, applicable Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Submissions are limited to two (2) styles per submission per company. Required documentation and samples are due by close of business 15 SEPTEMBER 2020. Information will be handled as proprietary and samples will be Government property and will not be returned. Contact Information: Please submit responses to this RFI to Kelly Fratelli, Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility, 10 General Greene Ave, Bldg. 86, Natick, MA 01760-5019, 508-206-2762,
[email protected] . THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. No solicitation document exists.