1202SC25SS0005 - Notice of Sources Sought - Next Generation Fire Hose.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT

Next Generation Forestry Hose

Solicitation Number: (To be determined)

Agency: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Office: Forest Service

Location: National Technology & Development Program (NTDP)

RFI Issue Date: 11/14/2025

RFI Response Date: 12/12/2025

Synopsis:

This Sources Sought Notice (SS) is solely for information and planning purposes. It shall not be construed as a solicitation or obligation on the part of the USDA Forest Service. The purpose of this SS is to identify qualified sources capable of developing and producing a next-generation wildland fire hose. This new hose is intended to balance the competing field requirements of durability and ergonomic handling to become a national standard, addressing the long-standing operational and logistical challenges of the current two-hose-type system. The objective of the market research is to identify companies with commercially available products that fit the requirements or select companies to work with to develop new hose products.

NTDP does not intend to notify respondents of the SS evaluation and will not share information made available; please ensure any sensitive or protected information submitted is marked as such.

The Forest Service reserves the right to terminate this request and change its requirements if needed and any material submitted becomes the property of the Forest Service and will not be returned. Responding to this notice does not guarantee participation in any future activities.

Failure to respond to this notice does not preclude participation in future contracting actions.

Background:

The National Technology and Development Program (NTDP) has been tasked by the Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) program of the Forest Service to recommend a single standard wildland fire hose model for wildland firefighters that can be used across the county. The project scope includes analyzing fire fighter needs and identifying, developing or modifying a hose design that will become the standard model of fire hose for use in the NISC system.

The National Interagency Supply Cache (NISC) system currently purchases and stocks two types of single-jacketed cotton-synthetic forestry fire hose: Type I (white) and Type II (yellow). Type II hose is preferred in Region 5 (R5; California) and Type I hose is preferred everywhere else in the country. There are discernable performance differences between the forestry hose types - Type II hose is more abrasion-resistant and durable while Type I hose is lighter and packs smaller.

Stocking two different types that are region-specific leads to inefficiencies in the NISC business model.

The purpose of this SS is to allow respondents to select available products or posit the development of new products that would best fit the specific set of parameters for the next generation of standardized forestry fire hose.

General Requirements: Deliverables and Services

1.1 Durability Characteristics. A primary driver of user trust is the hose's ability to withstand the rigors of the fireline without failure. The ideal hose must exhibit:

• High Abrasion and Puncture Resistance: The hose must be highly resistant to abrasion from being dragged over sharp, rocky, and abrasive terrain. It must also resist punctures from thorns, brush, and other vegetation common to wildland environments, as hose failure was a critical safety concern noted by field personnel. The abrasion resistance of the next gen fire hose should be equal or better than the Type 2 Fire Hose, as specified in FS 5100-187.

• High Heat Resistance: The hose jacket and liner must resist damage, such as melting or delamination, from contact with hot embers and radiant heat.

1.2 Handling Characteristics. The "human factor" of using the hose is a critical component of its overall effectiveness and a key area for innovation. The ideal hose must possess:

• Reduced Weight: The next gen hose must have a significantly reduced weight compared to current Type 2 synthetic hose models. This is the single highest-weighted user priority, with the objective of reducing firefighter fatigue, mitigating the risk of injury, and increasing deployment speed. For a 1-inch hose, the weight of the hose, including couplings, should be less than 9.5 lbs. For a 1.5-inch hose, the weight of the hose, including couplings, should be less than 13 lbs.

• High Flexibility and Packability: The hose must be highly flexible to allow for easy and compact folding into various wildland hose packs. It should resist kinking and maintain a flat profile for efficient storage in engine compartments and supply caches.

1.3 Lifecycle and Performance Characteristics. The hose must meet long-term strategic and financial goals in addition to its immediate operational performance.

• Long Service Life: The hose must be constructed for a long service life (greater than 5 years) under rigorous use cycles—including refurbishment cycles after each incident usage—to provide a high total-cost-of-ownership value. This is a key logistical and financial priority for the government.

• Where possible, the fire hose should incorporate end-of-life disposal design features to minimize landfill waste.

Classification Code: NAICS Code: 326220 (Rubber and Plastics Hoses and Belting Manufacturing) or pertaining.

THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS RFI OR

TO OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED. This SS does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this contemplated effort. This SS is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor submission of responses to this SS or the Government’s use of such information. The Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any contractor’s input resulting from this RFI. Response to this SS will not be returned. Whatever information is provided may be utilized by the US Forest Service in developing its acquisition strategy and its Statement of Work. The information resulting from this SS may be included/combined with other submissions in one or more options considered in the analysis of alternatives. Any proprietary information that is submitted may be used in establishing requirements, but specific information will be safeguarded as proprietary.

Submittal of Information:

Offerors responding to this Request for Information must provide the following:

A capability statement outlining core capabilities, available technology, past performance, and other differentiators that would indicate ability to meet needs in “General Requirements”.

Response to this SS shall be limited to twenty (20) pages. The following information must be submitted with your comments:

1. Company Name

2. Company Mailing Address

3. Uei SAM Number

4. Company Point of Contact (name, telephone number and e-mail address)

5. Company’s Size Standard (i.e. Large, Small, Veteran Owned, etc.) based on NAICS code

326220 or pertaining.

6. Existing Government Contract Numbers and Schedules (if any)

7. Provide Capability Statement

• Provide a capability statement that outlines the product lines—and whether they are currently commercially available—that will meet the use case parameters. The capability statement shall clearly delineate how the products meet the technical, design, and logistical challenges.

PROVIDE ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION RELATING TO THIS SS THAT WILL ASSIST THE

GOVERNMENT IN ADJUSTING THE CURRENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR A FOLLOW-ON SOLICITATION.

The information requested by this SS shall be provided, via email, by close of business (5:00p.m. Eastern Time) on December 12, 2025, to: Sam Wu at sam.wu@usda.gov.

The U.S. Forest Service intends to use the SS responses/information to assist with the development of solicitations to obtain products and services that match the specification.

(End of SS) mailto:sam.wu@usda.gov