Steel Plates QandAs_0065.pdf

RFP 15F06722R0000065

BALLISTIC PROTECTIVE ARMOR

Rifle Resistant Steel and Spall Protection

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Posted 7 March 2022

The following questions and answers are provided for informational purposes only.

Nothing contained in the below questions and answers constitutes a change to the terms and conditions of the solicitation. Any change to a term or condition will be issued through an amendment to the solicitation. Upon review of the answers provided below, if additional clarification is needed, please forward questions to the attention of Nell Hitchye, Contracting Officer, at ELHITCHYE@fbi.gov by close of business on 10 March 2022.

Note: In some instances, questions have been abbreviated or additional context has been added to clearly describe the question for all potential Offerors.

QUESTION 1:

Will the FBI accept non-steel material solutions that meet or exceed the performance requirements documented within the solicitation?

ANSWER 1:

THE STATEMENT OF WORK STANDS AS WRITTEN. SECTION C.3.2 (AND

RELATED FOOTNOTE) OF THE SOLICITATION STATES THAT THE

SUBMISSIONS “SHALL BE MADE OF STEEL” OR STEEL-BASED ALLOY AS,

“ALLOYANTS MAY IMPROVE THE BALLISTIC PROPERTIES OF A STEEL

PLATE AND THEREFORE IT MAY BE A BENEFIT TO THE GOVERNMENT.”

FOR THIS SOLICIATION, THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS THE USE OF SOME

NON-STEEL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE ARMOR SYSTEM. THE

EXPECTATION IS THAT NON-STEEL COMPONENTS WILL IMPROVE THE

OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE ARMOR, INCLUDING IMPROVED

SPALL MITIGATION. THE FBI ANTICIPATES THAT SUBMITTED ARMOR

SYSTEMS MAY INCLUDE ARAMID FIBERS, CARBON FIBERS, POLYMER

COATINGS, ETC. THESE ARE ACCEPTABLE PROVIDED THAT STEEL OR

STEEL-ALLOY IS THE BASIS FOR THE ARMOR.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT ACCEPT SOLELY CERAMIC-BASED OR

POLYETHYLENE-ONLY ARMOR SYSTEMS IN THIS SOLICITATION.

QUESTION 2:

What is the maximum allowed thickness permitted for armor in this submission?

ANSWER 2:

THE GOVERNMENT INTENTIONALY DID NOT SPECIFY A THICKNESS

REQUIREMENT WITHIN THE STATEMENT OF WORK (SECTION C).

HOWEVER, WITHIN PHASE II TESTING (SEE PAGE 90, SECTION M.3.5 –

EVALUATION 2. THICKNESS), NO POINTS ARE AWARDED FOR AN

AVERAGE THICKNESS AT OR ABOVE 0.56”

QUESTION 3:

May an Offeror submit more than one ballistic solution? If so, should that be performed within a single proposal or under multiple proposals?

ANSWER 3:

ONE (1) PROPOSAL WOULD SUFFICE PROVIDED ADEQUATE PAPERWORK

AND DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR EACH SUBMITTED BALLISTIC SOLUTION. WHEN APPROPRIATE,

THE FBI WOULD NOT REQUIRE REDUNDANT PAPERWORK. FOR

EXAMPLE, WITHIN VOLUME #1 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (L.6 CHECKLIST

ON PAGE 82), ITEMS SUCH AS THE COMPANY BACKGROUND AND KEY

PERSONNEL WOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPEATED. HOWEVER, THERE

ARE SECTIONS WHICH WOULD REQUIRE SEPARATE DATA, SUCH AS THE

MANUFACTURER DATA SHEETS, NIJ TEST DATA, PRICE MATRIX, ETC.

QUESTION 4:

Section C.4.1(e) of the solicitation documents the ballistic resistance requirements and states, "5.56x45mm Federal Tactical Bonded Soft-Point with a nominal weight of 64 grains and an impact velocity of 2,850 fps, +/- 50 fps.” Should this read 62 grains instead of 64 grains?

ANSWER 4:

NO. IN 2021, THE FBI ENTERED INTO A NEW CONTRACT FOR SERVICE

AMMUNITION IN 5.56 NATO. THE PRIMARY AWARD IS FEDERAL’S 64

GRAIN TACTICAL BONDED SOFT-POINT.

QUESTION 5:

Section C.3.2 (and related footnote) of the solicitation states that the submissions “shall be made of steel” or steel-based alloy as, “alloyants may improve the ballistic properties of a steel plate and therefore it may be a benefit to the Government.” Would a hybrid steel- UHMWPE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) plate be acceptable to the Government?

ANSWER 5:

YES. THE FBI WILL ACCEPT ARMOR SYSTEMS WITH NON-STEEL

COMPONENTS PROVIDED THAT THE ARMOR SYSTEM HAVE A BASIS IN

STEEL OR STEEL-BASED ALLOYS. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT

ACCEPT CERAMIC-BASED OR POLYETHYLENE-ONLY ARMOR SYSTEMS

IN THIS SOLICITATION.

QUESTION 6:

Would the Government allow an extension of the deadline for the solicitation?

ANSWER 6:

NO. THE GOVERNMENT HAS AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR RIFLE

RESISTANT STEEL ARMOR AND WILL NOT EXTEND THE DEADLINE.

QUESTION 7:

For purposes of this evaluation, will the Government accept flat samples for initial testing and evaluation?

ANSWER 7:

FLAT PLATES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. PHASE II OF THE TECHNICAL

EVALUATION IS THE ONLY BALLISTIC TESTING CONDUCTED BY THE FBI

PRIOR TO CONTRACT AWARD. AS SUCH, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE

SAMPLES RECEIVED BE CONSISTENT WITH THE FINAL PRODUCT.

SECTION M.3.3 (PAGE 88) STATES THAT, “THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES

ALL SAMPLE(S) […] BE PRODUCED ON THE PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT

WHICH WOULD BE USED TO PRODUCE FUTURE ARMOR ORDERS, IF

AWARDED A CONTRACT.” FURTHERMORE, SECTION C.5.3 OF THE

SOLICITATION STATES THAT THE ARMOR MAY BE SINGLE CURVE OR

MULTI CURVE.

FLAT SAMPLES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS SOLICIATION.

QUESTION 8:

Does the FBI have a preference with respect to single curve versus multi-curve plates?

ANSWER 8:

NO.

QUESTION 9:

Section C.4.2 (page 11) of the solicitation lists plate sizes required by the FBI. It includes ~7”x11” (XS); ~8”x11” (S); ~9”x12” (M); ~10”x13” (L); and ~11”x14” (XL).

Thereafter, Section C.5.2 (pages 12-13) list the suggested or possible steel plate sizes for the Point Blank and Tyr Epic Fed (men’s size Large) as Large SAPI 11”x13”. Lastly, Section L.9 (page 84) requests that sample plates submitted be SAPI cut size Large, (~10”x13”). Which size plate(s) would you want us to quote for the bid?

ANSWER 9:

PLEASE USE THE APPROXIMATE SIZES LISTED IN SECTION C.4.2 FOR

PRICE QUOTE PURPOSES.

QUESTION 10:

In the event that an Offeror desires to submit the same model plate in two (2) separate configurations (e.g., steel plate with spall coating and uncoated steel plate with a spall bag), should the Offeror submit two (2) separate bids or one (1) bid with two (2) price matrix sheets?

ANSWER 10:

PLEASE SEE ANSWER #3.

QUESTION 11:

Section M.3.5, Phase II, test event #7 Spall Protection (pages 98-99) describes the manner in which the spall protection will be tested. Will the FBI provide Offerors with samples of the FBI plate carrier in which to conduct testing. If not, can the FBI describe the number of layers and material used in the construction of the plate pocket?

ANSWER 11:

THE FBI WILL NOT MAKE AVAILABLE SAMPLES OF THE POINT BLANK

CARRIERS. THE FBI HISTORICALLY PURCHASED CARRIERS THROUGH

TSSI. POTENTIAL OFFERORS MAY CONTACT TSSI AND INQUIRE ABOUT

AVAILABILITY (TEL. 877-535-8774, EMAIL: TSSI_FBI_ORDERS@TSSI-

OPS.COM).

QUESTION 12:

Section C.4.3 Coatings specifies that plates shall be available in Navy Blue (or similar) and black. For the purposes of procurement testing, will the FBI accept black plates?

The lead time for production of alternate colors may extend past the deadline for submission.

ANSWER 12:

YES.

QUESTION 13:

Will the FBI consider light weight polyethylene plates for this solicitation?

ANSWER 13:

NO. PLEASE SEE ANSWER #1.

QUESTION 14

Please confirm whether offerors are required to submit a copy of Volume I (Technical Proposal) with their Volume 4 (Samples).

ANSWER 14:

SEE SECTION L.10, AS WRITTEN