B-1a_Attachment_1_-_SOW_CBP_Ballistic_Plate_Carrier_updated_7-24.pdf

Statement of Work (SOW) Ballistic Plate Carrier System

1. BACKGROUND: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a requirement for a ballistic plate carrier system to be used for training and law enforcement operations. This effort is integral to providing effective Use of Force equipment to officers and agents within CBP.

CBP is the participating agency. This contract shall be awarded by and administered to CBP.

2. SCOPE: This statement of work delineates the required performance criteria for ballistic plate carrier systems for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

2.1. Each carrier system shall consist of a front panel, a rear panel, adjustable shoulder straps, and adjustable quick release cummerbund.

2.2. Carrier system shall be available in three different colors: black, coyote tan, and rifle green.

2.3. Carrier system shall be bottom loading and compatible with CBP issued HESCO plates in sizes 8x10 and 10x12.

2.4. Carrier system shall come with custom front and rear identification placards.

2.5. The carrier shall have the capability of mounting agency required placards, badges, and nametape.

2.6. The carrier system shall accept front flap variations.

2.7. The carrier system shall NOT be serialized.

The technical requirements for the ballistic plate carrier systems, to be acquired under this solicitation, are specified in section 4 of this SOW.

3. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS:

3.1. DHS Handbook for Safeguarding Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (Mar. 2012) (available at https://www.dhs.gov/dhs-security-and-training-requirements-contractors)

3.2. Safeguarding Sensitive But Unclassified (For Official Use Only) https://www.dhs.gov/dhs-security-and-training-requirements-contractors

Information, DHS Management Directive No. 11042.1 (Jan. 6, 2005) (available at https://www.dhs.gov/dhs-security-and-training-requirements-contractors)

4. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

4.1. General Requirements: The following requirements apply to all carriers.

4.1.1. Shall be compatible with the following HESCO ballistic plate models. The cut of the plate model shall be the “LE Cut.”

• Model 3800C- LE-MC-L

• Model 3800C- LE-MC-S

• Model 3611C- LE-MC-L

• Model 3611C- LE-MC-S

4.1.2. Carrier shall be available in two distinct sizes.

• Size large shall be built to accommodate a size 10x12 plate.

• Size small shall be built to accommodate a size 8x10 plate.

4.1.3. Carrier shall be available in three distinct colors. This includes all outer facing fabric unless otherwise specified.

• Black

• Coyote Tan

• Rifle Green o The Rifle Green is referenced under 19-0419 TCX Rifle Green o Color Values: RGB 65, 72, and 50, HEX/HTML 414832 o Pantone detail document attached to SOW (Attachment

1) o Color sample shall be provided to the COR for approval within thirty days of award and prior to initial production of carrier.

4.1.4. Carrier hook and loop material, and outward facing webbing (including MOLLE) shall match the color of the carrier as closely as possible. Hypalon, synthetic attachment pieces, and inner facing 4 way stretch material shall be matching in color or black.

4.1.5. The outward face of the front and rear panel shall be constructed of a material better than or equal to Cordura® nylon (400-500 denier).

The inward face of the front and rear panel shall be constructed of a material better than or equal to Cordura® nylon (shall not exceed the denier of the outward facing panels) and a 4 way stretch nylon material.

4.1.6. Panel shape shall follow the contour of the compatible plates and shall be constructed to minimize weight and excess material.

4.1.6.1. Panel exterior dimensions shall not extend significantly beyond the dimensions of an inserted plate.

4.1.7. Plate pockets shall follow the contour of the compatible plates and shall be constructed to allow for little to no lateral movement of plates once inserted. The four way stretch material shall be utilized along the sides of the inward face to maintain a snug fit.

4.1.8. Plate pockets shall be bottom loading and shall close using an integrated flap. The flaps shall secure inside the plate pocket using hook and loop and shall fold outward to inward. The flap shall secure the plate and prevent it from becoming dislodged while maintaining little to no vertical movement, without the use of an internal suspension system.

4.1.9. MOLLE shall match the color of the panels. MOLLE loops shall be consistent in size throughout the carrier system.

4.1.10. Carriers shall exhibit high standards of construction: consistent dyes (when applicable), no loose threads, no stitching errors, runs, or fabric imperfections.

4.1.11. Carrier shall include front and rear placards as described in Section 4.6.4.

4.2. Front Panel Specific Requirements

4.2.1. The top portion of the outward face shall have loop material for agency specific placards. The loop shall be 5” in height for a large carrier and placard shall be 4 ½” in height for a small carrier. Loop shall follow the contour of the panel edge, and shall extend to between ¼” and ¾” from the panel edge. This loop is intended to provide sufficient area to attach the following items (see Figure 1):

• Front ID Placard (3”H x 4”W)

• Agency Provided Badge (3 ½”H x 2 ½”W)

• Agency Provided Name Tape (1”H x 6”W)

Figure 1

The top edge of the loop shall be placed as high as possible on the front panel without interfering with the placement of the admin pouch.

The loop may be either a solid piece of material or a combination of loop MOLLE and solid material, provided that the loop coverage is continuous.

4.2.2. Lower portion of the outward face shall have four rows of MOLLE.

MOLLE rows shall extend laterally edge to edge, and be centered (see Figure 2).

Figure 2

4.2.3. Panel shall have an “Admin” pouch located at or near the top edge of the panel, behind the loop material. The pouch shall be top opening, close with a zipper or a hook and loop (no flap), be covertly integrated into the panel, and be large enough to hold a 3”x5” note card. Depth of pouch shall not exceed 6” (see Figure 3).

Figure 3

4.3. Rear Panel Requirements

4.3.1. The top portion of the outward face shall have loop material which matches the profile of the rear placard. See Section 4.6.4.8.

Figure 4

The top edge of the loop shall be placed as high as possible on the rear panel without interfering with the placement of a drag handle.

The loop shall be a combination of loop MOLLE and solid material providing for continuous coverage (see Figure 4, the red portion shall be loop MOLLE and the black portion shall be solid loop material). All MOLLE rows shall have consistent vertical spacing and shall be a continuation of the MOLLE rows as described in section 4.3.2.

4.3.2. Lower portion of the outward face shall have a minimum of three rows of MOLLE, but should have more, space permitting. MOLLE rows shall extend laterally edge to edge, and be centered.

4.3.3. Panel shall have a horizontal drag handle located at the top, center of the panel. The handle shall not extend over the top of the panel more than 1” or protrude more than ½”. The handle shall be securely affixed to the panel and shall be capable of dragging an individual of 250 lbs, for 25ft over flat ground, without breakage (see Figure 5).

Figure 5

4.4. Shoulder Strap Requirements

4.4.1. Shoulder strap (left and right) shall be constructed using Hypalon.

The Hypalon material shall be affixed directly to both the front and rear panels (see Figure 6).

4.4.2. Shoulder straps shall be adjustable in length and shall not exceed 2” (nominal) in width when measured at the apex of the shoulder.

Straps may exceed 2” approaching and at the attachment point to the panels.

Figure 6

4.4.3. Adjustability system shall be of minimal thickness, and be concealed with a removable wrap. The use of hook and loop in the adjustability system is acceptable, but the use of a buckle is not.

Wrap shall incorporate 4 way stretch material to allow expansion room for cord management and hydration tube. A thin layer of padding on the underside of the wrap is acceptable but not required.

Wrap length shall be between 4” and 6” and be appropriate for carrier size.

4.4.4. The front facing portion of each shoulder strap, below the removable wrap, shall contain slots or holes in the Hypalon that create a secure attachment point for a microphone clip. It shall be compatible in size with a microphone clip belonging to Motorola HMN4084A or the equivalent dimensions.

4.5. Cummerbund

4.5.1. Shall be a skeletonized system consisting of 3 rows of MOLLE.

4.5.1.1. MOLLE rows shall be designed to maintain shape, structure, and spacing of rows. Rows shall not be connected with continuous material (such as mesh or laser cut material).

4.5.1.2. Cummerbund MOLLE shall align with MOLLE on the front and rear panel (see Figure 7).

Figure 7

4.5.2. Rows shall have the ability to mount accessories to inward face and outward face of cummerbund.

4.5.3. Cummerbund shall come sized appropriately to the carrier size (large and small). Additional sizes shall be available, to fit up to a 54” waist.

4.5.4. Cummerbunds shall be removable and replaceable.

4.5.5. Cummerbund shall be adjustable. Adjustability mechanism shall be located at the rear of the carrier and shall not prevent the use of rear panel MOLLE. Adjustability mechanism shall also allow for some passive flexible expansion without the need for active repositioning by the end user.

4.5.6. Cummerbund shall be secured to the rear panel.

4.5.7. The outer cummerbund shall be equipped with an equal to or better than 4” Quick Release Tubes™ system (FirstSpear, P/N HW-T007- 04.000-005, HW-T008-04.000-005). Any other quick release system proposed must meet or exceed all of the requirements of the Quick Release Tubes™ system specified below.

4.5.7.1. Quick release system shall be made of a lightweight high performance polymer.

4.5.7.2. The quick release system shall connect the cummerbund to the left side and right side edge of the front panel.

4.5.7.3. Quick release system shall not be located on the rear panel (see Figure 8).

4.5.7.4. Quick release system shall be between 3.5” and 4.5” in length.

4.5.7.5. Quick release system shall have the capability of one-handed operation.

Figure 8

4.6. Accessories

4.6.1. M4 magazine pouch

4.6.1.1. Pouch shall hold three M4 30 round magazines, to include standard and PMAGs.

Figure 9

4.6.1.2. Pouch shall be made of the same material better than or equal to Cordura® material (including denier) and shall match the color used to construct the front and rear panels.

4.6.1.3. Pouch shall be rectangular in shape, have a continuous front face, with internal dividers to separate the magazines, and mount flush to the carrier utilizing the MOLLE system. MOLLE shall extend to bottom edge of pouch, to prevent unnecessary movement.

4.6.1.4. Magazines shall lie flat against the carrier and be positioned side by side when loaded into pouch.

Figure 10

4.6.1.5. Magazines shall be retained in pouch by a bungee system that does not interfere with MOLLE listed in SOW 4.6.1.6.

Figure 11

4.6.1.6. MOLLE shall be mounted on front face of pouch. MOLLE shall contain three rows and extend across the entire width of the pouch as close to the edges as possible while maintaining complete/standard MOLLE loops.

4.6.2. Detachable MOLLE Platform

4.6.2.1. The independent MOLLE platform allows the user to pre-position multiple variations of pouches and accessories.

4.6.2.2. Platform shall be made of the same material better than or equal to Cordura® material (including denier) and shall match the color used to construct the front and rear panels.

4.6.2.3. Platform shall be rectangular in shape, have a continuous front face, and extend across the width of the carrier panel as close to the edges as possible without going over, and mount flush to the carrier utilizing the MOLLE system. The MOLLE straps shall extend to bottom edge of platform, to prevent unnecessary movement.

4.6.2.4. MOLLE shall be mounted on front face of platform. MOLLE shall contain four rows and extend across the entire width of the platform as close to the edges as possible while maintaining complete/standard MOLLE loops.

4.6.3. Side Plate Pouch

4.6.3.1. Shall be compatible with the following HESCO ballistic side plate model. The cut of the plate model shall be the “LE Cut.”

• Model 3401C- SP-SC-S (6”x 6”)

4.6.3.2. Pouch shall be made of the same material better than or equal to Cordura® material (including denier) and shall match the color used to construct the front and rear panels.

4.6.3.3. Pouch shall attach utilizing a MOLLE system.

4.6.3.4. Pouch shall be top opening with hook and loop closure.

4.6.3.5. Pouch shall secure the plate and prevent it from becoming dislodged while allowing for little to no movement.

4.6.3.6. Pouches shall come as a set of two.

4.6.4. Placards

4.6.4.1. Placards (front and rear) shall be provided with each carrier system.

4.6.4.2. Color of text, font, and verbiage for front and rear placards will be provided by the ordering agency at time of delivery order.

4.6.4.3. Placards shall be silk screened.

4.6.4.4. Placard color shall match the color of the outer facing panel material.

4.6.4.5. Placard material shall match the material of the outward face of the panel.

4.6.4.6. Placards shall be backed with a hook attachment.

4.6.4.7. Placard for front panel shall be rectangular in shape and be sized 3”H x 4”W.

4.6.4.8. Placard for rear panel shall be 5” in height for a large carrier and placard shall be 4” in height for a small carrier. Placards shall follow the contour of the panel edge, and shall extend to between ¼” and ¾” from the panel edge (see Figure 12).

Figure 12

4.6.4.9. A sample rear and front placard must be approved by CBP prior to manufacturing.

4.6.5. Instruction Sheet

4.6.5.1. A simple instruction sheet shall be included with each system. The instruction sheet will include installation for ballistic inserts, all available strap adjustments, and how to properly attach accessories and pouches.

5. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

5.1. Quality Control and Quality Assurance

5.1.1. No changes in design of any carrier or accessory within this contract shall take place without the prior approval of the COR and the CO.

5.1.2. Carriers and accessories which fail any portion of the vendor’s (including manufacturer’s) QC testing shall be rejected and not shipped. No further attempts shall be made to correct or otherwise remediate a carrier or accessory which has failed any portion of the QC testing, for purposes of delivery under this contract.

5.1.3. The Government may conduct periodic random Quality Assurance (QA) testing of carriers and/or accessories produced under this contract, to ensure items meet performance requirements for which the contract was awarded.

5.1.4. QA may be conducted by Government personnel at a Government owned facility.

5.1.5. Carriers and accessories which fail QA testing may be sent back to the vendor, at no cost to the Government, and replaced with an equal amount of new supplies. The vendor shall be notified by the COR, in writing, of the nature of the failure, defect, or deficiency.

5.1.6. Vendor shall take corrective action within seven (7) calendar days of written notification of any contract non-conformance. Corrective action shall include shipping of replacements for all defective, deficient, or suspect carriers and/or accessories. The vendor shall also provide a written failure analysis plan to the COR within 7 calendar days. A completed failure analysis report, to include preventative measures, shall be submitted to the COR within 60 calendar days of notification from CBP.

5.2. Warranties

5.2.1. Vendor shall warrant all products contained in this contract to be free of defects and of merchantable quality within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code. Vendor further warrants that the product conforms to all applicable requirements as outlined within this Statement of Work, and guarantees that the product will maintain useful shelf life under reasonable storage conditions (both CONUS and OCONUS) for a period of thirty months from the date of product acceptance.

5.2.2. The vendor shall provide to the COR a single point of contact (including name, phone number, and email address) who will handle all warranty claims occurring under this contract.

5.2.3. The vendor shall utilize FEDEX, UPS overnight, or other trackable next day service for all warranty shipments to the government.

Ground service may be used for return shipping. Exemptions may be authorized by the COR on a case by case basis. All shipping charges associated with warranty claims (both to and from the Government) shall be the vendor’s responsibility.

5.2.4. The vendor shall replace any carrier or accessory that has a gross failure due to workmanship or material defect with a new carrier or accessory. In cases of broad systemic issues that could be corrected by the vendor more efficiently in the field, at no cost to the Government, the COR may authorize an alternative plan of corrective action.

5.2.5. The vendor shall complete and ship to the Government all warranty claims within 7 calendar days of notification by the COR (or COR-authorized designate). Exceptions may be made by the COR for broad based systemic issues requiring high volume returns.

5.3. Government Access of Contractor's Facility

5.3.1. The vendor shall permit the Government to conduct quality control inspections of the vendor’s facility (including production facility) to ensure consistency of manufacture and quality of products ordered and delivered.

5.3.2. The authorized inspection team shall be identified in writing by the COR or the CO.

5.3.3. The minimum advance notice of inspection shall be three business days.

5.3.4. Inspections may include all aspects of manufacturing, testing, quality control, and packaging.

5.4. Production Capacity

5.4.1. The Government requires that a vendor have the capacity to manufacture a minimum of 1000 carriers per month; however, the Government does not guarantee that this number of carriers will be ordered in any given month.

5.4.2. The Government reserves the right to verify the company’s ability to produce at an acceptable level in accordance with the requirements.

This may include a pre-award site visit.

5.4.3. Orders for carriers in excess of the minimum production capacity indicated above shall be shipped in accordance with instructions in any resultant delivery order.

5.5. Distribution Authorization

5.5.1. With proposal submission, the vendor (if not the manufacturer) shall provide a letter from the manufacturer indicating it is an authorized distributor/retailer of the carrier and its accompanying accessories.

Unauthorized distributors and retailers are unacceptable.

5.6. Shipping

5.6.1. Shipping locations may be centralized or may include individual locations throughout CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

5.6.2. All items are to be shipped FOB destination.

5.6.3. Carriers and accessories shall be shipped by either Common Carrier Freight or Ground Shipping (e.g., FedEx Ground).

5.6.4. Shipping methods for each location may be specified by CBP at the delivery order level and may vary depending on location, quantity of carriers, and receiver’s ability to handle freight shipments.

5.6.5. All shipments shall be trackable. Tracking information shall be provided to the COR (or designate) upon request.

5.6.6. The vendor shall provide advanced notice of shipping via email 2 business days prior to each shipment. Notification shall be sent to the COR or the designate, and to the local recipient for each shipping location.

5.7. Packaging

5.7.1. Preservation, packaging, and packing for all items delivered shall be in accordance with commercial practice and adequate to ensure acceptance by a common carrier and safe arrival at destination.

5.7.2. Pallets and associated packaging, when used for shipping, shall be fully enclosed, and shall be stackable allowing for a second complete pallet to be placed on top of a first complete pallet without structural problems or damage to the contents of either pallet.

5.7.3. Vendor shall place the contract and delivery order number on or adjacent to the shipping label.

5.7.4. An effort shall be made to minimize packaging materials, including selection of an appropriate size box or pallet container for the quantity being shipped.

5.8. Vendor Performance Conferences

5.8.1. Within 30 days of contract award, the vendor shall host a pre-production meeting telephonically.

5.8.2. CBP and the vendor may meet in person once per year, commencing six months after production begins and continuing approximately every year thereafter. These performance conferences are to discuss contract issues, review technical and financial status of the contract, discuss vendor and Government performance, and to resolve any issues or problems as they may arise. Each year the meeting location shall be at the discretion of the Government.

5.8.3. Government attendees may include, at a minimum, the Contracting Officer and/or the Contract Specialist, and the COR. Other attendees may include, but are not limited to, representatives from the CBP components and Law Enforcement Safety and Compliance (LESC) subject matter experts.

5.9. Reporting Requirements

5.9.1. Delivery Schedule of Reports

5.9.1.1. Reports shall be provided in electronic format, and shall be cumulative throughout the contract.

5.9.2. Warranty Work Reports

5.9.2.1. The Warranty Work Report shall include a line item summary of all warranty activity; as well as the numerical totals of claims received, total completed, and the average number of days required for completion.

5.9.2.2. Each line in the report shall contain the following information:

return merchandise authorization (RMA) #; date vendor was notified; date corrected item was shipped to vendor; brief statement of problem; brief statement of solution; and date shipped back to the Government.

5.9.2.3. The Warranty Work Report shall be categorized by

purchasing group and ordered chronologically by the date the vendor received notification.

5.9.3. Delivery Order Report

5.9.3.1. The Delivery Order Report shall include a cumulative line item Excel spreadsheet of all delivery orders.

5.9.3.2. Each line in the report shall contain the following information:

name of purchasing group; delivery order number; unit cost;

quantity of units on the delivery order; value of delivery order;

current quantity of units shipped; remaining number of units to be shipped; and the total dollar amount spent against the contract up to that point.

5.10. Media Statements

5.10.1.1. All press statements and releases related to the contract shall receive advanced written approval by the Contracting Officer and COR.

6. DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULE

6.1. Deliverables and delivery schedule will be provided per each individual delivery order.

7. PLACE OF DELIVERY

7.1. Place of delivery shall be CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

8. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

8.1. The contract will have a five year ordering period from date of award of contract.

9. SECURITY

9.1. All work under this SOW is unclassified, but may require secure handling of information designated as FOUO and/or personally identifiable information (PII).

9.2. Vendor personnel who will perform work on the contract may be required to execute a non-disclosure agreement which must be delivered to the COR prior to commencing work in accordance with DHS policy for safeguarding FOUO information.

9.3. Vendor will be responsible for ensuring that, if required, its personnel adhere at all stages of performance of the contract to the DHS Policy and its guidelines for safeguarding PII.

10. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: See Attachment 1, Rifle Green Pantone color

ATTACHMENT 1: PANTONE - RIFLE GREEN