20260304 AMSS Kit Components RFI 6 April 26.docx

Request for Information (RFI):

INTRODUCTION: This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI) notice for the Arctic Mobility Sustainment System (AMSS) 5-man Team and 10-man Squad Arctic Shelter (AS) described below.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This RFI notice is being issued for the purpose of determining market capability of sources and assessing industries’ current capabilities in the technology area.specific technological areas. This 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 ISIS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. 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 costscost 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 candidate technologies of interest will be invited to participate in an Industry Day event in June 2026 to demonstrate and show the technology based on information provided in response to this RFI. Additional field evaluations may be completed.

The due date for responses to this RFI is 16 April 2026, 5pm EDT.EST.

BACKGROUND:

The legacy winter survival mobility system (Ahkio) was developed after the Korean War in the 1950’s and was supported through the early 1980’s. In the early 1970’s the program received an update to the shelter and heater system. Since the last fielding in the 1980’s, there has not been a program or material solution update. Additionally, the legacy Ahkio (Arctic Sled) and legacy 10-man shelter are no longer being produced, causing units to purchase different styles of sleds and shelters without standardization across the force.

Because the Army has a requirement Mobility Sustainment System (AMSS) addresses the need for equipment to operate effectively in the Arctic and otherenvironment, where extreme cold weather environments, units are purchasing commercial mobility, 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 with unit funds to sustain operational effectiveness in the Zone 7 environment. The service life, weight and performance of the legacy equipment still in use fail to optimize both individual and unit mobility relative to commercially available, modernessential for 72-hour operations. Current arctic equipment.

The AMSS is the official Program of Record (PoR) initiated on December 06, 2024 to standardize and improve legacy equipment with modern, lighter weight, integrated technology solutions to significantly improve mobility, sustainability is outdated, unit-procured, and often in disrepair, failing to optimize Soldier mobility and survivability. AMSS will provide BCT formations in Climate Zone 7 who are at risk of failing to maneuver against enemy forces, deny enemy ground, and survive in the current, projected, and regional threat areas, resulting in improved readiness to achieve their mission and significantly reduce loss of lifeThe AMSS mitigates these gaps by improving mobility, reducing logistical strain, and enhancing Soldier safety in hazardous cold weather environments.

Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems (PdM FSS) is in the process evaluating new shelter solutions thatto address gaps in the legacy systems to include, but not limited to, rapid deployment and strike, system weight, equipment modernization, and system durability. Information received from this RFI may be used to help identify technical solutions suitable for incorporation in future Army AMSS 5-man Team and 10-man Squad AS solutions. Information received may ultimately result in requests for equipment manufacturers to demonstrate their capabilities at no cost or risk to the Government.

REQUIREMENTS:

Mature technologies (TRL 7+) and products that can provide the following capabilities are of interest:

Both the 5-man Team and 10-man Squad AS shall meet the following:

1. Provide sufficient protection for Soldiers from hazardous cold weather.

2. Breathable, wind/water resistant, and flame resistant.

3. Meets relevant MIL-STD 810-H requirements.

4. Soldiers shall be able to quickly assemble and disassemble AS while wearing issued arctic OCIE in 20 minutes or less, ideally in 5 minutes or less, in all weather conditions.

5. Shall have a stove jack.

6. Signature management

7. The AS shall have a low profile and have blackoutArctic Transport System with Cover

a. Shall be towable by soldiers while on skis, snowshoes, or on foot, and be compatible with existing soldier equipment.

b. Front and rear side attachment points.

c. Front and rear push points.

d. Shall fit in a UH-60 with closed doors.

e. Appropriately sized to carry shelter and other issued end items.

f. Shall have multiple lift points to enable soldiers to lift, carry or maneuver without pinching, causing injuries to hands.

g. Shall be capable of being towed by snowmobiles and other Climatic Zone 7 all-terrain motorized vehicles.

h. Additional Components

i. Harness

1. Quick release capability.

i. The AS should have integrated signature management that provides, at a minimum, visual concealment. Ideally the system mitigates detection in the Near Infrared (NIR), Short-wave Infrared, Mid-wave Infrared (MWIR), and Long-wave Infrared (LWIR).

1. Fully operational at –40 F, and Pole/Trace line anchor system.

ii. 5x 9ft Trace Lines

8. Arctic Heater

a. Shall be easily assembled and maintained by soldiers to prevent damage to equipment and bodily harm.

b. Shall be operable and able to direct/vent exhaust outside of a shelter.

c. Shall be lightweight and portable.

d. Shall be compatible with Class III Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants.

i. Diesel, kerosene, or motor gas-based fuels.

ii. Wood, coal, Naphthal/White gas.

e. Shall have a fire mat.

f. Shall heat an arctic shelter from –40 to +40 in one (1) hour.

g. Maximum time to repair shall not exceed 15 mins for 90% of field level maintenance tasks.

9. Locking Carabiners

a. Shall support tactical tasks in mountainous terrain.

i. Ascent/Descent.

ii. Negotiating steep inclines.

iii. Supporting Casualty evacuation.

b. Shall enable soldiers to lift, carry, and maneuver equipment and personnel.

i. Closed Major Axis Strength - 24 kN.

ii. Open Major Axis Strength - 8 kN.

iii. Minor Axis Strength - 8 kN.

10. Oval-type Carabiner (Locking not required)

a. Shall support towing of a sled system weighing up to 800lbs.

i. Closed Major Axis Strength – 24kN.

ii. Open Major Axis Strength - 8 kN.

iii. Minor Axis Strength - 8 kN.

b. Shall support towing by Climatic Zone 7 vehicles.

11. Bow Saw

a. Locking: locked when in operation, stowable when not in use.

b. Integrated: Minimal likelihood of losing components that render the saw inoperable.

12. Collapsable Avalanche Shovel

a. Shall serve as a shovel/hoe system.

i. Separate modes for traditional shoveling and use as a hoe.

b. Shall have a “D-handle” for use with mittens.

i. T – handles are not compatible with mittens worn in the arctic environment.

13. Lopper

a. At least 18”, ideally at –20-24".

b. One per squad or one per team.

14. Multipurpose Tool

a. Shall be able to clean an arctic heater system.

i. Plyer

ii. Picks

iii. Philips and flathead screwdriver.

b. Make sled repairs

i. Plyer/wrench to service bolts.

c. Make shelter repairs

i. Plyer

15. Emergency Blanket

a. Shall support 98th percentile height/weight measurements of a soldier.

i. Male – 73", ~200lbs

ii. Female - 68”, ~166lbs

b. Shall provide ≥ 12 hours of thermal insulation to maintain safe body temperature for a casualty in ambient temperatures of –40 F down to -65 F.

c. Shall provide ≥ 24 hours of active heating in ambient temperatures of –40 F down to -65 F.

d. Shall have access points to provide medical treatment without removing the casualty from the system.

e. Shall have multiple carrying handles for lifting, carrying, and maneuver.

f. Shall be compatible with litter systems.

g. Shall be small and lightweight while still meeting performance requirements.

16. Emergency Stove

a. Collapsible

b. Lightweight

c. Shall be compatible with both wood and solid fuel sources.

These systems shall have the following:

1. Berry Amendment compliant.

2. Buy American Act compliant.

3. Fully operational at –40 F, and ideally at -65 F with ice, snow, moisture, and thermal cycling.

4. Ergonomically suitable for soldiers wearing issued cold-weather clothing (mittens, multiple layers).

5. Lightweight while still meeting operational requirements.

6. Meet relevant MIL-STD-810H environmental requirements.

7. Capable of operating for a continuous 72-hour mission.

8. Five (5) years of useful life.

9. 10 years of storage life.

The 5-man Team AS shall meet the following:

1. Total shelter system weight not exceeding 60 lbs.

The 10-man Squad AS shall meet the following:

1. Total shelter system weight not exceeding 100 lbs.

Respondents shall address a solution for both 5-man Team and 10-man Squad AS.

10. Shall be of subdued color that blends in with arctic environments and does not produce a large signature.

11. Capable of operating for a continuous 72-hour mission.

CONTENT AND FORMAT OF PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS: The electronic copy of responses is to be in .PDF or .DOCX compatible format using a size 12 font with one-inch margins. Following a review of the responses received, PdM FSS may elect to request additional information, to gain additional information about their proposed solution(s).

SUBMISSION – should include:

The intent of the product synopsis is to identify systems/technologies that have already been shown to meet many of the performance requirements listed above and could be demonstrated. To respond to this RFI, please complete a white paper addressing the below listed information of interest, NOT TO EXCEED 10 PAGES, with additional pertinent information.

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.

INFORMATION OF INTEREST

The US Army seeks Commercial-Off–The-Shelf (COTS) or emerging technologies of Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL) 7) or higher (See definitions on attached document).) that represent the state of the art. Contractors are requested to provide all of the following information for consideration within a white paper (not to exceed 10 pages):

a. A cover page labeled with the heading Arctic Mobility Sustainment System (AMSS) 5-man Team and 10-man Squad Arctic Shelter (AS) Product Information including: product name, the manufacturer, and manufacturer address, technical point of contact, telephone number, email address and at least one photograph of the end item.

b. An executive summary describing the product.

b. Narrative and graphical depiction of the proposed system including core technologies, deployment methods, and important subsystems.

c. Product specifications with particular emphasis on quantitative metrics of fabric materials and capability. Applicable Physicalphysical attributes to include parameters such as capacities, input requirements, salient output capabilities, or other quantitative characteristics as appropriate.

d. System Technology Readiness Level (TRL).

e. Any identified areas of concern or risk in the supply chain for the product.

f. Relevant history of product (or similar product) utilization and any test results applicable to the system requirements. Test reports may be requested after review but shall not be added to the responding submission.

g. Identify all tools and equipment required for erect and strike of the shelteroperation.

h. Transportation requirements and limitations.

i. Manpower and time required to erect and strike the shelter, and to pack for transport.

j. Consumables – Discuss all system consumables, including maintenance items.

k. Catalog price or rough estimate of unit cost.

l. Provide the product’s Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.

i. U.S. Based Companies

1. Companies based in the U.S that need a CAGE Code must first create an account at SAM.gov and then begin a new entity registration. The company will be required to provide core business information, including its legal name, physical address, and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), which must match IRS records. After all required sections are completed and submitted, the registration will be validated. Upon successful activation, a CAGE Code is automatically assigned to the company’s profile.

ii. International Based Companies

1. Companies located outside of the U.S. must first obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) from their country’s National Codification Bureau (NBC) or directly from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). Once an NCAGE Code has been assigned, the company must register on SAM.gov to become eligible to conduct business with the U.S. government.

m. Detailed description of manufacturing capability to include production capacity and throughput information.

i. Capability to scale production.

ii. Production timeline to deliverable systems.

n. Locations of manufacturing.

If your technology is of interest, the Government Team will contact you with an invitation to participate in an Industry Day that will occur in June 2026.

All companies will be notified of positive invitation/non-invitation decisions before the end of May 2026.

The Government reserves the right to request additional clarifying information from each respondent.

SUBMISSION DATE AND ADDRESS: Electronic responses to this notice are requested to be emailed to the following Points of Contact no later than XX April 2026, 5pm EDTEST.

· 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 Arctic Mobility Sustainment System (AMSS) 5-man Team and 10-man Squad Arctic Shelter (AS).).

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

NOTE: This RFI is issued for the purpose of determining market capability of sources and does not constitute an indication 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.

REFERENCES

Department of Defense Technology Readiness Levels, Defined*

“high fidelity” laboratory integration of components.

DEFINITIONS:

BREADBOARD: Integrated components that provide a representation of a system/subsystem and which can be used to determine concept feasibility and to develop technical data. Typically configured for laboratory use to demonstrate the technical principles of immediate interest. May resemble final system/subsystem in function only.

“HIGH FIDELITY”: Addresses form, fit and function. High-fidelity laboratory environment would involve testing with equipment that can simulate and validate all system specifications within a laboratory setting.

“LOW FIDELITY”: A representative of the component or system that has limited ability to provide anything but first order information about the end product. Low-fidelity assessments are used to provide trend analysis.

MODEL: A functional form of a system, generally reduced in scale, near or at operational specification. Models will be sufficiently hardened to allow demonstration of the technical and operational capabilities required of the final system.

OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT: Environment that addresses all of the operational requirements and specifications required of the final system to include platform/packaging.

PROTOTYPE: A physical or virtual model used to evaluate the technical or manufacturing feasibility or military utility of a particular technology or process, concept, end item or system.

RELEVANT ENVIRONMENT: Testing environment that simulates the key aspects of the operational environment.

SIMULATED OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL: Either 1) a real environment that can simulate all of the operational requirements and specifications required of the final system, or 2) a simulated environment that allows for testing of a virtual prototype; used in either case to determine whether a developmental system meets the operational requirements and specifications of the final system.

*Source: DoD Deskbook 5000.2-R, Appendix 6, Technology Readiness Levels and Their Definitions.