Attachment 9 - Statement of Requirements SAPI.pdf

Statement of Requirements

SMALL ARMS PROTECTIVE INSERT (SAPI)

for

U.S. ARMY SECURITY ASSISTANCE COMMAND (USASAC)

October 2025

1.0 Background.

1.1 The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is for mounted and dismounted Soldiers Outer

Tactical Vests (OTV) during a full spectrum of combat operations. When placed in the Outer

Tactical Vest (OTV), the insert provides the Soldier with ballistic protection from specific 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm rifle rounds. This Statement of Requirements (SOR) addresses specifically the

Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI).

1.2 Critical Safety Item. The Government considers the Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) a Critical Safety Item (CSI) subject to the requirements outlined in this SOR at section 8.0.

2.0 Scope. This SOR sets forth the requirements to deliver the Small Arms Protective Insert

(SAPI) (hereafter referred to as the “end item”). The scope of work covered by this SOR includes all procurement and production activities required to obtain First Article Test (FAT) approval and production authorization to begin production, manufacture the end item, and delivery of the end item after Lot Acceptance Testing (LAT).

2.1 End Item Documentation. The Contractor shall provide the end item in accordance with the latest Purchase Description (PD) for the Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI), Purchase

Description CO/PD 00-03G, dated November 2018, listed in Section J of the contract, (hereafter referred to as the “PD”). The end item shall provide Soldier protection as required by the PD. For the purpose of this document, the term “Contractor” (capitalized) refers specifically to the entity providing the end item, whether or not that entity is the actual end item manufacturer (see “actual manufacturer” at 8.2.9.1 of this SOR). The terms “contractor” and “subcontractor” (small case) refer not to the entity providing the end item to the Government but rather to entities providing end item components or supplies to the Contractor, or ancillary services to the Government.

3.0 Requirements.

3.1 Procurement Requirements.

3.1.1 Required Delivery Dates for Production Quantities. Required delivery dates will be established on each individual Delivery Order(s) (DOs).

3.1.2 Sizing Tariffs. The Government will specify the size tariff prior to award of individual

DOs. The Government reserves the right to order the quantity of specific sizes that best meet the needs of Soldiers. The Government continuously reviews the size tariffs to ensure procurement of the correct quantities of equipment.

3.1.3 Lot Size. Each production lot shall be tested in accordance with ANSI/ASQ Z1.4:2008

General Inspection Level II for the appropriate lot size sampling procedures and the product specific Lot Acceptance Testing (LAT) requirements established in the Purchase Description

(PD). The PD identifies quantities required for LAT based upon lot size. The Contractor may choose lot size according to the PD requirements. The Government does not allow mixed product size lots. The Government may give approval for the Contractor to adjust the size tariff to allow full lots of each product size without changing the contract quantity.

3.2 Product Support Requirements. The Contractor shall verify design characteristics, product support strategy, and infrastructure.

3.2.1 Workmanship. The finished product shall conform to the quality requirements established by the respective PD listed in Section J of the contract. The Contractor shall verify and validate that all fabrication procedures used during production meet workmanship requirements as defined in the PD and contract. All materials used by the Contractor in the construction of the finished end item shall consist of quality levels to assure conformance to all requirements, unless otherwise authorized by the Government. All components shall be thoroughly clean and free from production debris, stains, and other foreign matter. Material layers shall be free of contaminants such as foreign objects, debris, any material not associated with the Design Package (DP), loose fragments of component material, and operator elements not part of the component material level.

3.2.2 End Item Shelf Life. The Contractor shall ship the finished end items following

Government LAT approval and ensure that no less than ninety percent (90%) of component shelf life remains. The remaining shelf life shall be at least five (5) years or sixty (60) months at time of receipt at the delivery location indicated on each DO. The Government will verify remaining shelf life prior to acceptance of the finished end items. End item, components, and materials shall suffer no additional degradation in performance in storage for a period of five (5) years after delivery.

3.2.3 Manufacturing Shelf Life. The Contractor and its subcontractor(s) shall not incorporate, integrate, or include expired (shelf life) raw materials or parts in the manufacturing of any subassembly or end item. If the end item’s PD does not define shelf life expiration for raw materials, the Government will honor the recommended shelf life expiration from the raw material source. The Government will consider any end item manufactured with expired material as “nonconforming” and will reject the end item.

3.2.4 Limited Life Materials. The Contractor shall provide shelf life, cure date, date of manufacture, and expiration date to the Government for all limited life materials. The Contractor shall record this information on the Certificates of Conformance (CoC). The Contractor shall consume all materials used to manufacture the subcomponents and finished end item prior to the material expiration date established by the actual manufacturer.

3.2.5 Warranty. The Contractor shall deliver a product that conforms to contractual requirements after acceptance. The warranty period shall be a minimum of three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days from the date of delivery. If the Contractor’s commercial warranty exceeds three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days, the Government shall receive the benefit.

The Contractor shall deliver to the Government the written terms of the commercial warranty for use in returning nonconforming products identified after acceptance. The Contractor shall ensure that the warranty for all production lots complies with the contract. Products provided shall comply with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.246-19, Warranty of Systems and

Equipment under Performance Specifications or Design Criteria.

3.2.6 Traceability. Lots shall not contain commingled approved designs from different sources of supply; all lots shall be traceable to and from a single component source of supply, in accordance with the Government approved Production Process Package (PPP). In the event of item failure, the Contractor shall have access to, and shall provide to the Government upon request, all information necessary to trace the end item back through the manufacturing process.

The Contractor shall produce the documents outlined in this SOR at 4.5.5 when requested by the

Contracting Officer.

3.3 Intellectual Property Rights. Any Intellectual Property (IP) such as data, design, pattern, or otherwise, contained in the SOR or in the PD and provided to the Contractor under this contract is Government owned and the property of the Government.

3.4 Berry Amendment Compliance. The Contractor shall ensure that all delivered products comply with the Berry Amendment, meaning all applicable components of end items are to be

“grown, reprocessed, reused, or wholly produced in the United States.” All component parts shall be identifiable and traceable throughout the supply chain and in compliance with the Berry

Amendment. The Contractor shall abide by Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement

(DFARS) clause 252.225-7012, Preference for Certain Domestic Commodities and this contract.

The Contractor shall provide documentation to the Government each time there are changes to raw material lots in order to validate Berry Amendment compliance.

3.5 Inquiries. The Contractor shall direct all inquiries, comments, or complaints arising from any matter observed, experienced, or learned, because of, or in connection with, the performance of the contract, the resolution of which may require the dissemination of official information, to the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

3.6 Payment. Section G of the contract provides Wide Area Workflow instructions.

3.7 Changes in Contractor Status. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer via electronic mail within twenty-four (24) hours of detecting any changes in contract status after the

Contractor has submitted end items for FAT approval. Changes in contract status include any manufacturing or production process changes, production facility changes, subcontractor defaults, or component, subcomponent, or material failures, etc. Notification shall include a clear description of the changes and, or, nonconformity, to include affected parts, serial numbers, product nomenclature, CLINs, National Stock Numbers (NSNs), the identity of the contract facility from which shipment was released, and quantity and date(s) of delivery. Even when a status change is due to a subcontractor failure, or any other event over which the Contractor has no direct control, the Contractor shall not implement engineering or product changes without the explicit knowledge and approval of the Contracting Officer. The Government reserves the right to reject any Engineering Change Request (ECR) (i.e., waiver). The Contractor bears all financial responsibility for all delays and for correction of any non-conforming materials delivered to the Government.

3.8 Change in Design Status. FAT approval establishes the end item baseline. The

Contractor shall not proceed with changes to manufacturing, suppliers/subcontractors or product design configuration without written approval from the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer of any of the following changes prior to implementation:

a. Revisions to the PD, drawings, other specifications, or standards using the ECR process

b. Changes in material, material suppliers or subcontractors

c. Changes in the manufacturing process

d. A change in the approved source’s manufacturing location

e. A transfer of manufacturing facilities for any approved source since FAT manufacture

3.9 Documentation. Any documentation provided by the Contractor shall correspond to the exact FAT approved end item(s) and components that the Contractor has furnished to the

Government. If the Contractor is not the actual manufacturer of the end item or of any portion of the end item, the Contractor shall obtain updated documentation from the actual manufacturer(s) and shall provide that documentation to the Government. Failure to provide adequate documentation within the timeframe requested by the Contracting Officer may result in critical schedule delays, for example lot rejections.

3.9.1 Records Maintenance and Availability. The Contractor shall maintain U.S. Government records, including copies of original results and reports, verified original data, corrected data, and corrected supporting final reports, these items remain the property of the U.S. Government.

The Contractor shall surrender these files, results, reports, and data to the COR when requested by the COR. Digital files shall be in the original, text-searchable form.

3.9.2 File Formats. The Contractor must follow the specific file formats shown below (or compatible file formats) for document creation. If a submitted file requires a password to access the content, the Contractor shall provide the password to the Government. Spreadsheet formulas must be accessible without password restriction. Files shall be in their original, text-searchable form.

Narrative: Microsoft Word 2013 or later

Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF)

Spreadsheets: Microsoft Excel 2013 or later

Presentations: Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 or later

Pictures: JPEG

Patterns/Drawings: AccuMark

3.9.3 Documentation templates. The Contractor shall submit the following documentation in accordance with (IAW) requirements in the SOR and the Attachments located in Section J of the contract.

a. Purchase Description CO PD 00-03 Revision G. Attachment 1. (Not releasable with the

Solicitation, must be requested using Attachment 11).

b. Engineering Change Request (ECR) form. Attachment 2 – Product Manager Soldier

Protective Equipment (PM SPE) FORM 1 Engineering Change Request (ECR).

c. Corrective Action Request (CAR) form. Attachment 3 – PM SPE FORM 3 Corrective

Action Report.

d. Process Control Plan. Attachment 4 – PM SPE FORM 15 Process Control Plan.

e. Production Readiness Review (PRR) form. Attachment 5 – Production Readiness

Review.

f. Pricing Matrix. Attachment 8 – SAPI_Pricing_Matrix.

g. Document Release Approval Form – Attachment 11. Request form for CO/PD Revision

G.

h. Quality Management System Verification Table. Attachment 12 – PM SPE FORM 11

Product Manager Soldier Protective Equipment ISO 9001:2015 Crosswalk.

3.10 Contract Management Requirements.

3.10.1 Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The Contracting Officer will issue a letter of appointment to the COR, stating the responsibilities and limitations of the COR. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the contract, to include changes in contractual delivery dates or shipping address of contract end items, or to direct the Contractor to perform any work outside of the scope of the contract. The Contractor shall notify the

Contracting Officer in writing within twenty-four (24) hours of any unauthorized commitment made by the COR or any other Government employee.

3.10.2 Program Manager (PM). The Contractor shall assign a Program Manager who shall serve as the primary Point of Contact (POC) between the Government and the Contractor and shall be fully responsible for the coordination of all Contractor activities related to the contract, to include cost, schedule, performance, and data management. This person shall have the authority to commit the Contractor to specific courses of action and accept direction from the Contracting

Officer or the Contracting Officer’s authorized representative(s). The PM shall be responsible for coordinating all meetings between the Government and the Contractor. The PM shall be responsible for notifying the Contracting Officer of any conflicts in the Contractor's interpretation of the contract requirements (first by telephone, then in writing).

3.10.3 Government Reviews/Visits/Reporting. The Contractor shall make personnel available for informal reviews and visits by Government representatives or Government support contractors. If the Government initiates a review or visit, the Government will provide an agenda to all participants. If the Contractor initiates a review or visit, the Contractor shall prepare and submit an agenda prior to the meeting.

3.10.4 Meeting Minutes. The Contractor’s PM shall be responsible for taking minutes of all meetings and for distributing those minutes via e-mail to the entire Integrated Product Team

(IPT) (see 3.11.3) and to all attendees no later than (NLT) two (2) business days after the meeting. The Contractor shall prepare a report following the meeting or review to summarize the discussions and any action items generated, including the topics, a brief description of each discussion, the Action Officer assigned, and the suspense date for completion. Contractor format for this report is acceptable.

3.11 Meetings.

3.11.1 Post Award Conference (PAC) and Periodic Progress Meetings. The Contractor shall coordinate, schedule, and conduct a post award conference. The Contracting Officer, COR, Defense Contract Management Agency Quality Assurance Representative (DCMA QAR) and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the Contractor to review the Contractor’s performance. At these meetings, the Contracting Officer will apprise the

Contractor of how the Government views the Contractor’s performance. In turn, the Contractor shall apprise the Government of any problems the Contractor may be experiencing. The responsible party shall take appropriate action to resolve any outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the Government.

3.11.1.1 The PAC shall occur NLT twenty-one (21) calendar days after contract award. If schedule conflicts preclude the parties from conducting the PAC within twenty-one (21) calendar days of contract award, the Government and the Contractor will agree to a meeting date as soon thereafter as possible.

3.11.1.2 The purpose of the PAC shall be to discuss project orientation, transfer background information, and ensure a mutual understanding of the technical requirements, contractual requirements, and Quality Assurance (QA) provisions of the contract. The Contractor shall ensure attendance of all personnel and subcontractors that are necessary for a discussion of the contract effort. Scheduling of the PAC shall not change the delivery schedule of the contract.

The Contractor shall:

a. Conduct a system requirements review to ensure that the Contractor understands all requirements and that there is mutual agreement of these requirements between the

Government and the Contractor.

b. Conduct a preliminary review of the design concept to verify its capability to meet the requirements of the PD.

c. Make available to Government representative(s) the documentation for production planning, manufacturing methods and controls, material and manpower resource allocation, production engineering, the quality control and assurance program, production management organization, and controls over subcontractors and suppliers. The Contractor shall provide documentation that identifies all subcontractors and suppliers, if any, by location and manufacturing function, as well as all raw materials to be used in the product and all critical processes.

d. Review and clarify all contract requirements and production milestones required to execute the contract within the schedule constraints set forth by the Government (see summary in Table 1). Review production milestones. The Contractor shall keep an up to date schedule tracking production milestones, including baseline and production progress. The

Contractor shall make the milestone schedule available to the Government NLT seven (7) calendar days after the PAC. The type of schedule shall be to the Contractor’s discretion, but a Gantt schedule is preferred. The Contractor shall deliver the schedule to the Government in either a Project, PowerPoint, Word, or Excel format. The key milestones should include, at a minimum, those provided in Table 1.

e. The Contractor shall document post award meeting minutes and distribute those minutes via e-mail to all attendees NLT seven (7) calendar days after the PAC.

3.11.2 Production Readiness Review (PRR) Meeting. The Government will conduct a PRR meeting IAW 5.3 and its subsections, as well as 3.9.3.b and 4.4 of this SOR, to verify that the

Contractor has incorporated all lessons learned from FAT into the Contractor’s design and manufacturing process(es) for the product.

3.11.3 Integrated Project Team (IPT) Meetings. The Contractor shall attend IPT meetings on a weekly basis (or other mutually agreed to schedule) to review the progress of the effort throughout the contract period of performance. Each IPT meeting will include, at a minimum, the Government Assistant Product Manager (APM), COR, DCMA QAR, Contracting Officer, Contractor PM, Product Team Engineer, Product Team QA, and other key personnel. The IPT meeting shall be held at a day and time that is mutually agreed upon between the Government, the Contractor’s PM, the Contracting Officer, and DCMA QAR. The Contractor’s PM shall be prepared to brief the production status, logistics schedule, and any issues related to execution.

The Contractor shall provide an updated version of the milestone schedule one calendar day prior to the IPT and The Contractor’s PM shall provide meeting minutes to all attendees IAW 3.10.4.

The Government will be responsible for the agenda.

3.12 Monthly reports. The Contractor shall provide Monthly Status Reports (MSRs) to the

Contracting Officer and COR. The Contractor shall submit an MSR NLT the fifth (5th) calendar day of each month and it shall detail the activities for the prior month. The Government will provide the format for the report to the Contractor. Monthly reports shall contain, at a minimum, pending ECRs, internal and external corrective action response statuses, problem-solving initiatives, risks, areas of opportunity, and issues during contract execution.

3.13 Contract Performance Requirements.

3.13.1 Contractor’s Obligation to Meet Requirements of the Contract. The Contractor shall perform to the quality standards, reporting systems, and supportability required for testing, inspection, and delivery of the end item as defined in the contract, PD, and this SOR. The

Contractor is encouraged to use commercial and industrial processes and practices that shall reduce production and operational support costs while meeting the requirements of the contract.

All Contractor requirements within the SOR are subject to audit by the Government.

3.13.2 Production Performance. The Contractor shall establish measures, metrics, and parameters for production performance as key indicators of end item performance to verify that production quality, capacity, consistency, etc. meet contract requirements. The Contractor’s key indicators shall be feasible and meet the intent of the SOR. The Contractor shall document

Production Performance metrics as part of the Quality Control Plan in the Production Process

Package (PPP).

3.13.3 Technical Performance. The Contractor shall assess all technical activity critical to successful end item production and performance of requirements stated in the order, contract, and PD. The DP and internal processes shall reflect the Contractor’s successful end item realization. The Contractor shall provide, maintain, and make available upon request, Test and

Evaluation (T&E) measurement methods, equipment used, and measurement feasibility documentation for validation or verification of approved designs.

3.13.3.1 Calibration System. The Contractor shall maintain a calibration system IAW American

National Standard Institute/ National Conference of Standards Laboratories (ANSI/NCSL) standard Z540.3-2006 or higher regarding Requirements for the Calibration of Measuring and

Test Equipment to ensure that all test, inspection, measurement, and diagnostic equipment, including all accessories and ancillary equipment, are calibrated, identified, and labeled appropriately, and that the calibration is traceable to national measurement standards from the

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

3.13.4 Use of Contractor's Inspection Equipment. The Contractor shall make available to the

Government all gauges, measuring, and testing devices required in order to determine conformance with contract requirements. If requested by the Government, the Contractor shall make available personnel for operation of such devices and for verification of their accuracy and condition.

3.13.5 Operations. The Contractor shall carry out all manufacturing operations under controlled conditions in order to assure that the end item achieves and maintains the product characteristics and criteria specified by the contract. Controlled conditions include documented process control and in-process inspection procedures, methods for identifying and handling material, and adequate production equipment and working environments.

3.13.6 Place of Performance. The Contractor shall identify all work to be performed, end item component suppliers, subcontractor and material supplier names, and places of performance, including subcontractor names, physical locations of performance, and component and or material supplied. The Contractor shall submit any request for changes to the contractually identified place of performance to the Contracting Officer for review and approval. The

Contractor shall identify the new location and provide the verification data used to certify the new location, including production capacity, floor plans, and management reviews and transition plans for startup at the new location. Changes in production location may also require conduct of a new FAT; if so, the Contractor shall bear the cost of this additional testing.

3.13.7 Logistics Support. The Contractor shall ensure appropriate equipment, facilities, spares, technical information, trained personnel, procurement, and distribution for all actions essential to complete proper operations and meet contractual requirements.

3.13.8 Schedule. The Contractor shall deploy feasible measures, metrics, parameters, and constraints in the initiation, execution, monitoring, and control of the end item delivery schedule.

The Contractor shall implement proper corrective actions and communication with Contracting

Officer for high risks to the critical path and schedule slippage.

3.13.9 Production Milestone Schedule. The Contractor shall provide a production milestone schedule NLT seven (7) calendar days after the award of a Delivery Order (DO). The Contractor shall include, at a minimum, a timeline for receipt of raw materials, completion of pre-production milestones, delivery of test articles, and anticipated production initiation. Once production begins, the schedule shall contain all intended end item lots, quantities, associated sizing tariff(s), and delivery dates associated with the DO.

3.13.10 Timeline for Deliveries. The Contractor shall deliver the contract’s minimum number of end item articles within the following timelines:

a. Government approval of Design Package (DP) NLT twenty-one (21) calendar days after award of Delivery Order IAW 4.2 of this SOR.

b. Deliver FAT samples NLT One hundred eighty (180) calendar days after award of

Delivery Order IAW with 5.1.4 of this SOR.

c. Deliver PPP NLT fourteen (14) calendar days after FAT delivery IAW 4.4 of this SOR.

3.14 Packaging and Shipping Instructions. Required Packing and Shipping instructions will be established on each individual Delivery Order(s) (DOs).

3.15 Advanced Shipment Notice (ASN). The Contractor shall provide ASN via Wide Area

Work Flow (WAWF) and direct Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transmittal. The Government will present the requirements and communication instructions for direct transmittal at the PAC.

3.15.1 Shipping Discrepancy Instructions. Receiving location personnel will immediately inform the Contracting Officer Representative of any shipping discrepancies. The Contracting

Officer will inform the Contractor of any such discrepancies and will recommend remediation within seven calendar (7) days of discovery. The Contracting Officer will provide the Contractor with a POC at the receiving location and the Contractor shall ensure that its shipping or WAWF representatives connect with the provided receiving location POC to remedy the issue. The

Contractor shall have fourteen (14) calendar days to rectify the issues before the Government issues a formal non-conformance notice.

3.15.2 Submission of Dry Layups and DP Samples. The Contractor shall send the dry layups and unfinished and/or finished end items, if required by the PD, to the address listed on the individual delivery orders on this contract. Should Contractor proprietary information prevent distribution, the Contractor shall be required to maintain configuration control and any changes require written consent from the Government. The Government shall review and approve this deliverable at the Contractor’s facility. The Government shall have access to review this deliverable at any time with minimal.

3.15.3 Address for Test Article Submissions. The Contractor shall submit Government selected test samples with a Department of Defense (DoD) Form DD1222, Request for and Results of

Tests, (DD1222) for evaluation to the address in the contract. USASAC will provide guidance on filling out the DD1222 prior to the first test article submission.

DODACC: W81C5M United States Army, Aberdeen Test Center

6850 Lanyard Road, Building 358

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5059

Attention: Soldier Survivability Branch (Building 608)

POC: Erin Elburn

(410) 278-1569 erin.m.elburn.civ@army.mil

3.15.4 Address for Delivery of Production Items. The Contractor shall submit accepted production items utilizing a DD1222 to the address listed on the individual delivery orders on this contract.

3.16 Training Requirements

3.16.1 Antiterrorism (AT) Level I training: All Contractor employees, including subcontractor employees, requiring access to Army installations, facilities, or controlled access areas shall complete AT Level I NLT forty-five (45) calendar days after contract start date or effective date of incorporation of this requirement into the contract, whichever applies. The Contractor shall submit Certificates of Completion for each affected Contractor employee and subcontractor employee to the COR and Antiterrorism Officer (ATO), NLT sixty (60) calendar days after completion of training by all employees and subcontractor personnel. Antiterrorism (AT) awareness training through the Joint Knowledge Online (JKO) platform, where they can mailto:erin.m.elburn.civ@army.mil complete the "Level I Antiterrorism Awareness Training" course.

3.16.2 Compliance with Access and Security Policies. The Contractor’s and all associated subcontractors’ employees shall have training on applicable Army installation, facility, and area commander installation and facility access and local security policies and procedures (provided by the Government representative). The Contractor shall also provide all information required for background checks to meet installation access requirements enforced by the installation

Provost Marshal Office, Director of Emergency Services, or Security Office. The Contractor workforce shall comply with all personal identity verification requirements as directed by the

DoD, Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA), and local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the Force Protection

Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or installation change, the Government may require changes in Contractor security matters or processes.

3.16.3 iWATCH Training. The Contractor and all associated subcontractors shall brief their employees on the local iWATCH program https://www.dvidshub.net/video/583923/iwatch-2018.

or https://www.swf.usace.army.mil/Missions/Antiterrorism-Community-Awareness/. The

Contractor shall use this training to inform employees of the types of behavior to watch for and instruct employees to report suspicious activity to the COR and ATO. This training shall be completed NLT forty-five (45) calendar days after contract award and NLT forty-five (45) calendar days after a new employee’s commencing performance, with the results reported to the

COR and ATO NLT sixty (60) calendar days after contract award or new employee commencement respectively.

3.16.4 Personnel Training. The Contractor shall ensure workplace training includes, but is not limited to, job skills, ethics, non-discrimination, security, anti-retaliation, safety, and Fair Labor

Standards Act (FLSA) training, and other training requirements set forth in this SOR.

3.17 Security Requirements.

3.17.1 Disclosure. Neither the Contractor nor any of its subcontractor providers shall disclose or cause to disseminate any information concerning operations of military activities and or sensitive performance requirements. Unauthorized disclosure shall constitute a violation of the contract and may result in legal action.

3.17.2 Background Checks. The Contractor shall implement an employee verification process, whether through background checks or other similar processes, provide a written response explaining how the verification process was completed, and attest to the trustworthiness of the workforce, within forty-five (45) calendar days of contract award.

3.17.3 Operations Security (OPSEC) Plan. The Contractor shall develop an OPSEC Standard

Operating Procedure (SOP) Plan NLT ninety (90) calendar days after contract award (and updated annually thereafter). This SOP Plan will specify the Government’s critical information, why the Contractor needs to protect the information, where it is located, who is responsible for it, and how to protect it. In addition, the Contractor shall identify an individual who will be the

OPSEC Coordinator.

3.17.4 Program Access Approval. All Contractor employees, including subcontractor employees, requiring access to Army installations, facilities, or restricted access areas shall complete AT Level I Training IAW SOR 3.16.1. The Contractor shall submit Certificates of

Completion for each affected Contractor employee and subcontractor employee to the

COR/ATO, (or to the Contracting Officer, if a COR is not assigned) NLT sixty (60) calendar days after completion of training by all employees and subcontractor personnel.

3.17.4.1 Identification Verification. The Contractor’s and all associated subcontractors’ employees shall comply with applicable installation, facility, and area commander installation and facility access and local security policies and procedures. The Contractor workforce shall comply with all personal identity verification requirements as directed by DoD, HQDA, and/or local policy. In addition to the changes authorized by the changes clause of the contract, if the

FPCON at any individual facility or installation changes, the Contractor shall update their security processes and procedures to align with the new installation or facility changes.

3.17.5 Authorized Personnel. The Contractor shall only conduct business with designated

Government personnel listed as the USASAC POCs.

3.17.5.1 Government Notice of USASAC POCs. The Government will provide the names of

Government authorized personnel contacts to the Contractor in writing, and will update the information if POCs change throughout the contract period.

3.17.6 Security Classification Guide (SCG). The Contractor shall classify all documentation relating to the SOR using the SCG.

3.17.6.1 Contract Security Classification Specification. A DD Form 254, Contract Security

Classification Specification, may be included with the Request for Proposal (RFP) and contract if applicable. The DD Form 254 contains the requirements for handling and processing any sensitive or classified documentation related to the contract and identifies the SCG that the

Government developed for the Soldier Protective System (SPS) Program. The SCG also covers all related component systems, including the end item. [NOTE: The SCG is not a Contractor deliverable. The Government will provide a copy of the SCG that describes the security requirements for the Program and all of the component sub-systems, as required by FAR Subpart

4.4, Safeguarding Classified Information within Industry.]

3.17.6.2 Security Agreements. The Contractor shall comply with FAR 52.204-2, Security

Requirements. This clause involves access to information classified “Confidential,” “Secret,” or

“Top Secret,” and requires Contractors to comply with (1) the Security Agreement (DD Form

441), including the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) (Part 117 of Title 32, Code of Federal Regulations) and (2) any revisions to the NISPOM, notice of which will be furnished to the Contractor.

4.0 Product Realization. The Contractor shall fulfill the requirements of the International

Organization for Standardization publication, ISO 9001:2015, Quality Management Systems-

Requirements, or higher, regarding Product Realization.

4.1 Production Design. The Contractor shall consider production process architecture and risks during development of the design. The Contractor shall create production processes that represent the design’s requirements in its entirety, satisfy lot size requirements, ensure process and product safety, process control, and minimize or eliminate variation.

4.2 Design Package (DP). The Contractor shall ensure completeness and accuracy of the DP data in describing the end item and component parts. The Contractor design described by the DP documents is that configuration submitted for FAT and obtaining FAT approval. The DP for all design variants shall include the items and information required by the end item PD. The

Government will verify the DP prior to submission.

4.3 Design Verification and Validation Review. The Contractor shall conduct a review at the end item system level and component level to ensure that the initial product baseline is established. This shall include Verification and Validation (V&V) of the drawings, patterns, or designs provided by the Government, for this product. The Contractor shall provide a memorandum confirming they have completed the V&V and that their system and components meet the requirements specified in the PD or shall provide comments and suggested changes if the patterns or drawings do not meet requirements. The Contractor shall provide the memorandum and results of the V&V to the Government prior to the Pre-FAT audit and shall not proceed with any production, FAT or otherwise, prior to Government adjudication of any suggested changes proposed by the Contractor.

4.3.1 Pre-FAT Audit. The Government will conduct a Pre-FAT audit to ensure the Contractor is sufficiently ready for production of FAT samples. The Government will review the Bill Of

Materials (BOM), all Purchase Orders (PO) associated with materials needed for production, Certificates of Conformance (CoC), test data, and the production workflow to ensure that requirements for production are in place and all operations are performed by the Contractor or by the Subcontractors listed in the contract. Only after a successful audit can the Contractor begin building FAT samples.

4.4 Production Process Package (PPP). The Contractor shall submit a PPP for Government acceptance and approval NLT fourteen (14) calendar days after FAT submission. The PPP shall be design-specific for the end item and shall represent all processes and products used to make the end item, including design variants identified in the DP. The Contractor shall submit the PPP for Government Source Inspection and approval prior to submitting the PPP to the Contracting

Officer, COR and USASAC. The Government may request additional information in writing at no additional cost. The Contractor is responsible for all associated delays due to the submission of a technically unacceptable PPP. The Contracting officer will provide written disposition before, or NLT, the date of the Production Readiness Review (PRR). The Government uses the following definitions when evaluating the PPP.

a. PPP Approval: The PPP shall be technically acceptable for written approval.

b. PPP Rejection: The Contractor shall resubmit a new PPP, when rejected, NLT fourteen

(14) calendar days after notice of rejection. The PPP rejection letter will state the required updates to processes, products, and, or deliverables for FAT. The Contractor is responsible for all associated delays from submitting a technically unacceptable PPP.

c. PPP Changes: The Contractor shall only submit a proposed ECR for changes to a previously approved PPP or in the event of a FAT failure, when there are changes in the process, design, material, or production conditions. The Contractor shall communicate proposed changes to the Contracting Officer for submission requirements prior to implementation. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor when changes require a new FAT. In this case, the Government will provide FAT requirements in block (20) of the

ECR.

4.4.1 Contractor Responsibility. Government acceptance of the PPP does not relieve the

Contractor from ensuring that all production documentation, processes, and procedures are effective; that product development and realization are demonstrated and available to the

Government; and that all documentation, processes and procedures yield an effective end item that meets all specifications as stated in the contract, this SOR, and the PD. The Government reserves the right to suspend or revoke production authorization for non-compliance with the contract requirements, to include but not limited to, the PD, PPP, FAT, or LAT.

4.4.2 PPP submission. The Contractor shall submit a signed and dated PPP in electronic format (in source format; no scanned copies or printed Adobe Portable Document Formats

(PDFs) will be accepted). All internal documentation shall state the controlled document revision used for the PPP under consideration. The PPP is design-specific. The Contractor shall ensure that the information submitted in the PPP represents all design variants and the information for each design variant is clearly identified by size and design type (direction of material, changes in material processing, coating processing, design type, protection level, etc.).

4.4.3 PPP Requirements. The PPP shall include detailed product information, to include the information provided below at a minimum.

Section 1:

(1) Company name

(2) Contract Number

(3) Contractor’s Approval Authority

(4) Contractor’s Approval Date

(5) Design designation

(6) Product description (per design)

(7) Revision

(8) A revision history page

Section 2: (per design and size)

(1) Drawing and Pattern file names with revision by size

(2) DP name and revision number (see SOR 4.2)

(3) Build Sheet/Cut Patterns per the DP

(4) Complete Bill of Materials further including:

a) All materials that have a shelf life

b) All long lead-time materials

c) Product and Material Safety Data Sheets

d) Raw material suppliers

e) Health Assessment – Contractor assertion and verification that the design does not contain any hazardous material or uses any during production.

Section 3:

(1) FAT component material test data and certifications (to include Berry Amendment and

Buy American compliance certification for all applicable materials); all test reports shall identify the Investigators, Title, and approval authority for the test. All test reports submitted as part of the PPP shall, at a minimum, contain the following information: test report number, test date, the material tested, lot number, Customer name, Customer P.O. Number, Bill of

Materials number, Government Contract Number, test standard, quantity, requirement for acceptance, test performance value, pass or fail results, date report was approved, the investigator (name and signature) and test report approval authority (name, title and signature). The Contractor shall identify the laboratory name, laboratory certification information, and location on all reports. The Contractor shall submit test reports for the specific product and design configuration submitted to and approved by the Government

IAW the PD. For the initial submission of the PPP at FAT, test reports shall not be older than one hundred eighty (180) calendar days. The Contractor shall verify and validate all sizes of the design.

Section 4:

(1) The PPP shall contain all work instructions and inspection procedures per design and size.

Section 5:

The PPP shall also include detailed process information for all sizes if the configuration changes materials, dimensions, material finish, etc. The Contractor shall clearly identify, communicate, and supply information below for all products by design and size, to include at a minimum:

(1) Process Flow Chart (to include all steps, critical inspection points and sequence in the manufacturing process) with references to the associated work instructions.

(2) Process Control Plan (Attachment 4, PM SPE Form 15), to follow steps in process flow chart, including:

a) Process/operation number and description

b) Machinery/equipment/tools

c) Product/process characteristic to be controlled

d) Specification/tolerances

e) Reference drawing/criteria

f) Evaluation/measurement method

g) Sample size and frequency

h) Control method

i) Reaction plan

j) A statement as to whether or not the Contractor considers the process or portions thereof proprietary and the status of Government rights in technical data.

Section 6:

(1) Documentation for the Design Package per the latest end item PD in Section J of the contract.

4.4.4 Certificates of Conformance (CoC) Package Format. The CoC file shall begin with a table of contents organized according to the Bill of Materials, including the page numbers for each CoC, and a column that indicates if any of the CoCs presented represent a new lot of material introduced during production of the current lot. The Contractor shall remove all extraneous documents (e.g. receiving reports, invoices, etc.) from the CoC file prior to delivery.

The Contractor shall submit CoCs and test reports as original, text searchable, documents not as scans or reproductions.

4.4.5 Safety Documents. The Contractor shall make all safety documents available to the

Government for review and audit.

4.5 Product Design Requirements.

4.5.1 Product Design. The Contractor shall provide 100% verification that the end item design, materials used, and construction satisfy the requirements in the PD.

4.5.2 Systems Safety. The Contractor shall apply engineering and management principles, criteria, and techniques to optimize safety within the constraints of operational effectiveness, time, and cost throughout all phases of the system life cycle.

4.5.3 Systems Engineering. The Contractor shall ensure operational needs and requirements are transformed into an integrated system design solution using value engineering. The evaluation shall cover systems architecture, design, manufacturing, integration, support, configuration control, documentation, testing and evaluation. The Contractor shall ensure that test and evaluation covers success, problems, and failure. The Contractor shall develop test and evaluation objectives. The Contractor shall develop planning tests, simulations and demonstrations that ensure that those test and evaluation objectives are met and that test results are incorporated into the design and manufacturing process in a timely and actionable fashion.

4.5.4 Configuration Management. The Contractor shall establish a configuration management program for the end item program and all related CLINs that addresses all new or modified hardware, firmware, software, and documentation resulting from this contract. The Contractor, at no additional cost to the Government, shall correct all non-conformances. The Contractor shall use configuration control to manage proposed changes beginning with the submission of the

FAT samples. The Contractor shall use configuration control to document the impact of proposed changes and to update configuration documentation. Following acceptance of the FAT samples, the Contractor shall not alter the design in form, fit, or function without prior approval from the Contracting Officer.

4.5.4.1 Engineering Change Requests (ECRs). The Contractor shall prepare ECRs for any process or product changes proposed after FAT/PPP approval and shall submit them to the PM

SPE QAR and Product Engineer for concurrence. An ECR can be an Engineering Change

Proposal (ECP), Request for Deviation (RFD), or Request for Waiver (RFW). An ECP is a permanent change to a configuration item. An RFD is a temporary change to a configuration before production. An RFW is a temporary change to a configuration after production. The

Contractor shall submit ECRs on PM SPE Form 1 found at Attachment 1 to this SOR. The

Government will approve or disapprove a submitted ECR NLT thirty (30) calendar days after receipt; the Contractor shall not implement any changes nor make modifications prior to

Government approval of the ECR and modification of the contract. The Contracting Officer will review the Contractor’s proposed changes, and will notify the Contractor if a new FAT is required. The Contractor will bear all costs associated with a new FAT if such is required.

4.5.4.2 Configuration Status Accounting. The Contractor shall document all baseline documentation, ECPs, RFDs, and RFWs in the Contractor’s configuration status accounting database.

4.5.5 Identification and Traceability. Reference ISO 9001:2015 clause 8.5.23, Identification and Traceability, is a requirement under this contract. Lot numbering is applicable. The

Contractor shall maintain traceability records for all component parts used to manufacture the end item. All component part lot identifications shall be traceable through to end item lot number and contract number. Subcontractor component or part lot information shall enable traceability to the raw materials used in the component part. Each lot shall consist of only one product variant

(size and color, etc.). Mixed Lots are only acceptable upon PM SPE instruction. The Contractor may manufacture a lot from multiple lots of ballistic material, where a lot of ballistic material is defined as an individual roll of ballistic material. However, in the case where any additional ballistic material is left over from the production run, the Contractor may use that leftover material only in the next consecutive end item lot. The Contractor shall maintain lot records and shall make these records readily available for Government review and audit verification. For end items identified with individual serial numbers, the traceability requirements listed above shall be traceable via the individual serial number. Every end item shall be durably marked in such a fashion as to be traceable from production through to the ballistic test records for that lot. The

Contractor shall ensure that the serial number is indelible after exposure to mechanically stripping or by the use of a solvent and as specified in this SOR and the PD.