Inactive

The Product Manager Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PM SCIE) is conducting a market survey to identify potential manufacturers/vendors of a system that safely releases a towed Parachutist a... The Product Manager Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PM SCIE) is conducting a market survey to identify potential manufacturers/vendors of a system that safely releases a towed Parachutist and deliver them safely all the way to the ground. The PERS shall support the U.S. Army’s Static Line Airborne Community by providing a reliable and efficient method to address towed Parachutist incidents. A capability gap exists in the ability to safely and effectively rescue a fully combat equipped parachutist who is conscious/unconscious and being towed during an airborne operation (ramp and door operations). The United States Army has an approved requirement that identifies the need for a system that will mitigate risk in the event that a Parachutist becomes towed. The government anticipates a formal Program of Record (PoR) being initiated in FY22. The PERS should be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 or higher. Responders should submit supporting information (product information, test reports, photos, etc.) indicating the level of technical maturity. Future evaluations will consist of bench top testing, followed by mannequin drops from various airframes to validate performance and verify operational suitability and effectiveness. Responses should include the following: Supporting information (product information, test reports, photos, etc.) indicating the levels of technical maturity of the system (e.g. TRL) Production capability and ramp up time to reach full production capability Information on Quality Assurance process/practices Current price, delivery/lead time, and warranty information for systems Desirable Attributes / Technical Requirements: Tables 1, 2, and 3 below indicate requirements and attributes that the government is seeking for this system. Table 1 Key Performance Parameters (KPP) Key Performance Parameter Production Threshold Production Objective KPP 1 - System Reliability and Confidence The PERS must meet reliability and confidence level of .95 at the .90 confidence level. The PERS must meet the reliability and confidence levels of greater than .99 at the .90 confidence level. KPP 2 - Altitude Loss The PERS must not have an altitude loss greater than 750 ft. from release to stabilization for a jumper with total rigged weight (TRW) of 400 pounds. The PERS must not have an altitude loss greater than 750 ft. from release to stabilization for a jumper with TRW of more than 450 pounds. KPP 3 - Weight and Altitude The PERS must support a jumper with TRW of 400 pounds at an altitude of 10,000 ft. MSL. The PERS must support a jumper with TRW of more than 450 pounds at an altitude of 10,000 ft. MSL. KPP 4 – Ground Impact Rate of Descent The ground impact rate of descent should be no faster than 27 ft/sec for a jumper with TRW of 400 pounds at sea level standard conditions. The ground impact rate of descent should be less than 27 ft/sec for a jumper with TRW of more than 450 pounds at sea level standard conditions. Table 2 Key System Attributes (KSA) Key System Attribute Production Threshold Production Objective KSA 1 – Time The PERS shall be able to be ready to release parachutist within 4 minutes of towed jumper identification. The PERS shall be able to be ready to release parachutist in less than 2 minutes of towed jumper identification. KSA 2 - Installation The PERS shall require no more than two personnel to install and operate the system. The PERS shall be capable of installation and operation by one person. KSA 3 – Repack Cycle The PERS shall have a repack cycle of no less than 182 days. The PERS shall have a repack cycle of 365 days. KSA 4 – Aircraft Compatibility The PERS shall be compatible with fixed wing, high performance aircraft including C-130, C-17, and C-27. The PERS shall be compatible with all fixed wing aircraft and can be used for both low and high performance static line operations. Table 3 Additional Performance Attributes (APA) Additional Performance Attribute (APA) Production Threshold Production Objective APA 1 - Maintenance and Packing The PERS shall be capable of repack and maintenance at the unit level. The PERS shall be capable of repack and maintenance at the unit level. APA 2 - Canopy Color The color of the PERS canopy and major fabric components shall be International Orange (Number 12246) different from all the current parachutes in the Army inventory. The color of the PERS canopy and major fabric components shall be International Orange (Number 12246) different from all the current parachutes in the Army inventory. APA 3 – Service Life: The PERS shall have a service life of at least 12 years. The PERS shall have a service life of more than 16 years. APA 4 – Shelf-Life The PERS shall have a shelf-life of at least 4.5 years. The PERS shall have a shelf-life of more than 4.5 years. APA 5 – Lifecycle Tracking: The PERS shall have the ability to track the lifecycle of the system (e.g., in-servicing, deployments, repack, and maintenance). The PERS shall have the ability to electronically track the lifecycle of the system. Administrative: Interested firms are requested to submit relevant information on their product within thirty (30) days following the publication of this RFI. Any relevant company background/experience, business category, costs, and other information that the company believes demonstrates their value/ability to meet the aforementioned requirements, should be included. All information and evaluation results will be Controlled Unclassified Information (formerly referred to as For Official Use Only) and used for Government purposes only. Proprietary/Competition Sensitive information (appropriately marked) will be protected from disclosure to the greatest extent practical, however it is preferred that respondents do not provide proprietary or otherwise restricted responses. Responses to this notice must be received no later than 1500ET on Friday, 28 May 2021. Responses are to be sent to: Product Manager Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment Attn: Mr. Mark Whiteman U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center 15 General Greene Avenue Natick, MA 01760 or emailed to Mr. Mark Whiteman g.m.whiteman.civ@mail.mil and Mr. Wolff Gentil at wolff.gentil.civ@mail.mil. This notice is for information only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION. No solicitation document exists for this action. The points of contact for questions concerning this RFI are Mr. Mark Whiteman g.m.whiteman.civ@mail.mil and Mr. Wolff Gentil at wolff.gentil.civ@mail.mil *Required Please identify: Company Name * Company Size * DUNS Number Contact Person’s First & Last Name * Contact Person’s Email * Contact Person’s Telephone * FAR 52.215-3 - Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes, applies herein. Contracting Office Address: BLDG 1 General Greene Ave. Natick, Massachusetts 01760-5011 United States Primary Point of Contact: Barbara Hunter Barbara.e.hunter.civ@mail.mil