20260817 AMSS Integration RFI.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: Arctic Mobility Sustainment System Integration

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) notice is to conduct market research to determine the interest, capabilities, and qualifications of potential business or government sources to perform system integration, kitting, packaging, and distribution for the Arctic Mobility Sustainment System (AMSS).

This RFI does not constitute an Invitation for Bid (IFB), a Request for Proposal (RFP), a Request for Quote (RFQ) or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services contained in this notice. This is not a request for proposals. No solicitation documents exist at this time. Any information provided does not constitute a proposal but will be considered an exchange of capabilities and ideas. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred in furnishing this information or potential participation in the event. This RFI does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that the Government will take procurement action in this matter. All information received in response to this notice that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly.

Responses will be reviewed, and businesses of interest will be contacted. Additional information may be requested. The due date for responses is 23 SEP 2026.

BACKGROUND & SCOPE

The Arctic Mobility Sustainment System is the successor to the legacy Ahkio system. AMSS addresses the need for equipment to operate effectively in the Arctic environment, where the extreme cold, challenging terrain, and long distances require specialized capabilities. AMSS is being developed as a system that enables dismounted Soldiers to transport sustainment and survivability equipment essential for up to 72 hours.

AMSS consists of an Arctic Transport (sled), Arctic Shelter, Arctic Heater, and related Component of End Items (COEI), and will have both a Team (5-man) and a Squad (10-man) configuration. Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems (PdM FSS) is evaluating industry and/or government capabilities to serve as a Lead System Integrator (LSI) to execute procurement, quality control, packaging, kitting, and final delivery of complete systems to designated CONUS and OCONUS end users.

COMPONENT OF END ITEMS (COEI) - SQUAD CONFIGURATION

The following tables specify the COEI for the AMSS Squad and Team configurations.

Table 1: AMSS Squad Configuration COEI

*Note: Weights and dimensions are approximations for planning purposes.

Table 2: AMSS Team Configuration COEI

*Note: Weights and dimensions are approximations for planning purposes.

KITTING, PACKAGING, AND LOGISTICS STANDARDS

The contractor must deliver completely integrated kits that prevent internal and external damage during transit and support rapid deployment in arctic conditions.

· Packaging: Must conform to MIL-STD-2073-1 (Standard Practice for Military Packaging) and ASTM D3951 (Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging) where applicable. Items may remain in their original equipment manufacturer (OEM) packaging unless it prevents efficient packing or fails to provide adequate protection. If the packaging plan includes crates, it must meet ASTM D6251 (Standard Specification for Wood-Cleated Panelboard Shipping Boxes) and include a strategy for provisioning crate supplies.

· Hazardous Material Packaging: The integration of fire extinguishers and empty/purged fuel cells must comply with 49 CFR (DOT) hazardous material shipping regulations.

· Sharp Instrument Isolation: All sharp components (saws, machete, hatchet, lopper) must be housed in heavy-duty sheaths or physically isolated within the main kit to prevent puncture or abrasion to soft goods (shelter, ropes, bags).

· Material Handling: Final packaging must be forklift compatible. Marking and labeling must comply with MIL-STD-129 (Military Marking for Shipment and Storage) and MIL-STD-130 (Identification Marking of U.S. Military Property).

INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM RESPONDENTS

Please submit a white paper addressing the below listed information of interest, not to exceed 10 pages, and attach any pertinent supplemental information. Please structure your response according to the sections below. Do not attach marketing brochures, test reports, or other extraneous materials to your submission, as they will not be reviewed nor will they be considered as part of the evaluation. Electronic copies of responses should be in PDF format using size 12 font with one-inch margins. Following a review of the responses, PdM FSS may request additional information from respondents about their proposed capabilities.

· **For Arsenals and Depot respondents**:

· In addition to addressing each section below, please provide overarching acquisition strategy to include:

· Procurement

· Contracting

· Experience and Capability

· Describe overall integration capabilities, and any relevant experience conducting integration, kitting, and packaging efforts in support of the U.S. Government.

· For such cases, provide data on production capacity, time needed to ramp up production capacity, and throughput per month. Any available production metrics are welcomed.

· Provide CAGE code and SAM.gov active registration status.

· Integration Strategy

· Packaging Blueprints – Provide a packaging blueprint (one for Squad, one for Team) that adheres to the standards provided. Please include details of quality control and compliance with Government standards.

· Procurement – Describe strategy for procuring all COEI items, kit assembly and packaging, and shipment.

· Please address the following cost-saving opportunities in your response:

· Volume Discounting – Describe how your company will structure purchasing agreements with OEMs to capture maximum volume discounts.

· Long Lead Item Management – Identify which COEI components represent the highest cost and longest lead times. Propose strategies to mitigate price volatility and inflation.

· Kitting and Packaging Labor Efficiencies – Detail any packaging design options (such as custom-molded inserts, modular tool rolls, or nested component layouts) that would reduce the physical labor hours required to assemble, inspect, and verify each kit. Identify which items are best suited to remain in their original OEM packaging versus those requiring complete repackaging under MIL-STD-2073-1.

· Logistical & Freight Consolidation Strategies – Propose packaging arrangements inside or alongside the Arctic Transport (sled) that minimizes the overall cubic volume (cube) of the shipped kit, maximizing the number of units that can fit on a standard 463L military pallet or inside a standard ISO shipping container. Based on your established logistical footprint, propose optimal staging, warehousing, or transit nodes to minimize freight costs and transit risks when shipping to final destinations in NORTHCOM (Alaska (OCONUS) and lower 48 (CONUS) locations), PACOM (1st Special Forces Group in Japan), and EUCOM (10th Special Forces Group in Germany).

· Warehousing, Storage, and Facilities Strategies – Provide location(s) where the integration and packaging effort will be performed. Provide information on storage, available floor space, and on-site physical security.

· Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) Cost Estimate

· Assuming a destination of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, identify logistics, staging, packaging and freight costs for the shipment of:

· 2,000 AMSS Squad Kits

· Assume a COEI procurement cost of $25,000 per unit.

· 1,000 AMSS Team Kits

· Assume a COEI procurement cost of $20,000 per unit.

· Risk Identification and Mitigation

· Identify potential risks in the following areas and propose a mitigation strategy for each:

· Supply Chain Risk – NDAA Section 889 compliance, long product lead times, and price volatility.

· Integration Risk – Ensuring kit accuracy and quality assurance.

· Logistics Risk – Physical security of system items at integration facility, shipping to remote locations, and transportation damage (including sharp items damaging other items inside packaging).

· Point of Contact

· Provide name, email, and phone number for company representative(s).

The Government team will contact respondents if there is continued interest. The Government team reserves the right to request additional information from all respondents.

SUBMISSION DATE AND ADDRESS

Electronic responses to this notice are requested to be emailed to the following Points of Contact:

· Raul Lopez, Project Lead, raul.a.lopez.civ@army.mil

· Clinton McAdams, Project Engineer, clinton.b.mcadams.civ@army.mil

The subject line of the e-mail should contain the words “RFI Response - Arctic Mobility Sustainment System (AMSS) Integration”.

Please note: Brochures or other descriptions of general organizational or individual capabilities will not be accepted as a response. All responses will be given an identification number, and an email will acknowledge receipt.

NOTE: This RFI does not indicate that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services contained in this notice. All information received in response to this notice that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses may not include classified material. Responses to this notice will not be returned. No reimbursement will be made for any costs to provide information in response to this announcement or any follow-up information requests. Information contained herein is based on the best information available at the time for publication, is subject to revision, and is not binding upon the Government. Availability of any formal solicitation will be announced under a separate Federal Business Opportunities announcement.