BN_Justification.pdf

MRSB-PTC 6 March 2018

MEMORANDUM FOR MICC S2P2 Office

SUBJECT: Brand Name Letter for US Army Parachute Team (USAPT) FedBid Buy #

1. The US Army Parachute Team has a requirement for main and reserve parachute canopies manufactured by Performance Designs (PD), Inc. These main canopies will be used to support our Competition, Demonstration and Tandem Teams. The main parachutes are the Velocity, Sabre2, Katana, Spectre and Valkyrie. The Optimum canopy is the reserve parachute.

2. These canopies are manufactured by PD who employs only the best materials and most modern processes in engineering canopies. Their quality control measures ensure that no defective components or systems leave their factory. For more than a dozen years, PD canopies have exceeded the rigid performance, durability, and uniformity requirements of the US Army Parachute Team. The above canopies have been approved and certified for each team member based on number of jumps and performance standards. One of the cornerstones of the team’s reputation is its uniformity of appearance. Therefore, team members must jump the same type of equipment when they are appearing before the public as representatives of the US Army. Team members are intimately familiar with the packing requirements, opening characteristics, flight characteristics, and landing characteristics of these canopies. It would not be time and cost effective to retrain team members on different canopies and it would result in an extended period of unnecessary risk. Component and repair parts valued at over $35K are on hand for these canopies, and replacing them with a generic brand would require spending in excess of $80K to replenish our stock and component repair parts.

2. These items have met the rigid performance, durability and uniformity of parachute mains and reserves for the team. These items are patented and have been tested and evaluated to meet our specifications. Test and evaluation of generic items would require a minimum of 60 to 90 days. The only possible time frame for this testing would be during our annual winter training program (Jan thru Mar) in Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. The USAPT normally makes 10,000 parachute jumps during that program. The other nine months are consumed with the show season for demonstrators and competitions for the competitors. The mission of the USAPT would be drastically impaired if tested generic items did not meet our strict specification.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES ARMY PARACHUTE TEAM

3-3327 BUTNER ROAD

FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA 28310

MRSB-PTC 6 March 2018 SUBJECT: Brand Name Letter for US Army Parachute Team (USAPT) FedBid Buy #

3. For the reasons listed above, the USAPT requests that a brand name purchase of the Velocity, Sabre2, Katana, Valkyrie, Spectre and Optimum reserve canopies with Army artwork. The above brands name parachutes are unique to specific disciplines on the Golden Knights.

4. If there any questions, please contact Ms Sandra Gaskins at (910) 396-6127/6735 or Sandra.J.Gaskins.civ@mail.mil

SANDRA J. GASKINS

GS11, DAC

S4/Property Book Officer

GASKINS.SANDRA.J.1039672

Digitally signed by

GASKINS.SANDRA.J.1039672150

Date: 2018.03.08 14:24:27 -05'00'

Kristen Church-Mulvaney Competition Specialist