Performance Work Statement.docx

CLOTHING TECHNICAL AREA TASK

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT FOR THE

NAVY CLOTHING AND TEXTILE RESEARCH FACILITY

TITLE: Clothing & Textile Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation, Engineering and Analysis for the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility

1.0 BACKGROUND. The Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility (NCTRF), a tenant organization located on the United States Army Natick Soldier Systems Center (NSSC) in Natick, MA, has identified a need for integrated basic and applied research, developmental coordination, acquisition, engineering support, test & evaluation, preparation to/of fielding a diverse family of clothing and textiles used in various military applications to include chemical/biological (CB), ballistic defense, flame resistant and other protective clothing and equipment products. Users of CB and ballistic defense technologies and products are joint services, including Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, Special Operations and Coast Guard. The mission of NCTRF is to maximize the quality of life for Sailors through uniform and protective clothing and sustainment. Support services and expertise align in the areas of personnel survivability through analysis, acquisition, design, development, testing, evaluation and fielding of protective clothing, uniforms and equipment. NCTRF provides reimbursable support to various organizations such as the Joint Project Manager chemical/Biological/Radiological/Nuclear Protection (JPM CBRN P), Marine Corps (PM-ICE), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in the development of protective clothing and equipment for United States military personnel. These programs require the full spectrum of technical and programmatic tasks to maximize protection and mission performance.

2.0 OBJECTIVE. The primary purpose of this Technical Area Task (TAT) is to study, analyze, research, and develop deliverables to advance scientific and technical information through the application of knowledge and resources in achieving NCTRF’s mission requirements defined herein. The objective of this TAT is to provide research and development support for clothing and textiles used in various military applications. Support shall include research and development of clothing and textiles in the areas of CB, ballistic, flame resistance, and other protection technologies and systems, design and fit, and analysis of resulting test data. Additional program support shall include digital engineering; market surveys; identification of emerging requirements; materials and design concept development; fabrication of design concept prototypes for new uniform items to include protective clothing and equipment systems; conducting laboratory tests and field demonstrations; analysis, reporting and documentation.

3.0

3.0 TASKS. The contractor shall have 100% capability to perform tasks independently of government supervision or direction at the beginning of the Period of Performance (PoP) to ensure program continuity. With skill sets in textile technology, biomedical engineering, human factors, physical sciences, quality control and functional clothing design, statistical analysis of NCTRF-managed programs may be required.

3.1 Task 1. Support to Materials Research and Development. Provide technical expertise to advance material science, support development and maturation of emerging and innovative technologies, and demonstrate performance for a wide variety of multifunctional protection applications. Provide R&D support on-site at NCTRF in the areas of protective textile science and technology, engineering, manufacture scale-up, testing & analysis. The support provided shall include expertise in areas of Science and Technology (S&T) related to fibers, coatings, films, and textiles as applied to the military mission, ballistics, and other protective clothing. Material development shall focus on the following capabilities to include protection against full spectrum of battlefield threats to include reduced thermal burden; improved flame and insect resistance; and other properties important for military clothing. The contractor shall provide technical support to all tasks within this PWS, as needed, for materials development, scale-up and integration; garment design, novel fabrication technique development; and scale-up of technologies from bench level to low level production. The task shall necessitate interface and coordination with sister services, industry and universities. Provide technical support through the following objectives:

3.1.1 Coordinate and oversee NCTRF in-house fiber and textile testing, evaluation and data analysis.

3.1.2 Support coordination and oversight of textile material scale-up that may include working with multiple vendors concurrently to ensure schedule, performance, and quality requirements are met.

3.1.3 Provide testing support to garment design development and integration of materials into novel garment design prototypes, final garment concept prototype fabrication, and delivery.

3.1.4 Support data analysis and preparation of technical reports.

3.2 Task 2. Novel Concept and System Design, Integration and Assessment. Provide garment systems and component design and analysis support with a goal to enhance components and or ensembles performance to meet customer, user, and stakeholder requirements. Provide technical expertise to advance material science, support development and maturation of emerging and innovative technologies, and demonstrate performance for CB, ballistic, flame resistant, multifunctional protection applications and uniforms. Provide technical support through the following objectives:

3.2.1 Concept Development. Provide recommendations for uniform and protective clothing (e.g. CB, ballistic, flame resistant) and equipment/systems to include novel designs, material integration and fabrication into concept prototypes to demonstrate new technologies. Assess the latest in novel designs, materials, and components from Government, industry, and academia as well as legacy and developmental ensembles, systems and/or components. Utilize existing modeling tools, that may support garment understanding of material and garment performance and inform the requirements of the design. Provide the requisite data collection necessary toward the development and/or advancement of computer simulation demonstrations, digital engineering, and modeling assessments of clothing and integrated systems. Attend Integrated Product Team (IPT) meetings to include design development, test planning, results briefs, and other related meetings. Support user evaluations/demonstrations; coordinate testing; user fit assessments; focus groups; and support major project/program reviews. For major project reviews, prepare a report describing and summarizing the tasks performed, results, and recommendations.

3.2.2 Design of Clothing Systems and Concept Prototypes. a) Conduct uniform and/or protective clothing design development in stages to allow for iterative user and test data feedback that ensures final designs meet Government requirements. Novel garment designs shall include integration of Government and/or industry developed materials/technologies and may require the utilization of new and existing modeling capabilities to aid in design for functional/operational performance. Garments may integrate novel developmental materials including those developed through this TAT and industry-developed materials. Designs shall include development and assessment of novel closures and seam sealing techniques suitable for novel material technologies that can be scaled during the manufacturing process. Coordinate with prospective manufacturers for garment prototyping that may include development of novel fabrication processes. Garments for demonstration purposes shall be fabricated and delivered to the Government in sufficient quantities for technical and user demonstration purposes. All designs and processes shall be documented and maintained, and final patterns/drawings shall be delivered to the Government when suitable for garment manufacture.

b) Conduct uniform and protective clothing design improvement in stages to allow for iterative user and test data feedback that ensures final designs meet Government requirements. Coordinate with prospective manufacturers for garment prototyping. Garments for demonstration purposes shall be fabricated and delivered to the Government in sufficient quantities for technical and user demonstration purposes. All designs and processes shall be documented and maintained, and final patterns/drawings shall be delivered to the Government when suitable for garment manufacture.

3.3 Task 3. Clothing Textile Physical Property and System Level Test Support. Provide laboratory testing coordination for physical property testing. Supports planning, oversight of test execution, and conducts testing within NCTRF and by other test agencies (to include test services herein); maintain test item control. Characterization may include materials including those that are antimicrobial, ballistic, flame resistant, multi-functional fibers, nano-fibers and composites, non-wovens, and smart textiles. Provide technical support through the following objectives:

3.3.1 Physical Property Testing. Testing may include characterization and assessment of materials performance with utilizing relevant battlefield operations and threats, and using a wide variety of laboratory equipment. Support to laboratory managers in the operation and sustainment of laboratory. Assess laboratory safety and regulatory compliance for new laboratory methods being employed. Safety protocols shall be developed for unique laboratory procedures and testing.

3.3.2 System Level Testing. Provide research analysis to the Government for testing and assessment of protective garments/components/systems to include conduct of surveys, focus groups, operational demonstrations and other similar user and technical test events to support protective ensemble/system concept development and assessment of Government requirements. Test and evaluate the thermal and evaporative properties of protective clothing/equipment using thermal sweating manikins, thermal sweating foot, thermal sweating hand and thermal conductive instruments and operate/maintain thermal test equipment.

3.4 Task 4. Technical Data Package Preparation, Data Assessment, Analysis and Reporting Support.

3.4.1 a) Prepare technical data packages in conjunction with clothing and textile material and garment system development for transition to procurement agencies.

b) Prepare technical data packages in conjunction with Marine Corps uniforms and protective clothing material and garment system development for transition to procurement agencies.

c) Prepare technical data packages in conjunction with US Navy uniforms and protective clothing material and garment system development for transition to procurement agencies.

d) Provide the Government with data analysis and assessment report preparation in alignment with a-c.

3.4.2 Perform statistical analysis of data collected and make recommendations based on findings.

3.4.3 a) Write, update and validate product specifications, technical packages, and purchase descriptions for uniform, protective clothing and equipment items. Validate current construction based on supplied documented standards. Document the table of operations. Develop tables of finished measurements. Develop and/or validate drawings/illustrations.

b) Write, update and validate product specifications, technical packages, and purchase descriptions for Marine Corps uniforms and protective clothing and equipment items. Validate current construction based on specification. Document the table of operations. Develop tables of finished measurements. Develop and/or validate drawings/illustrations.

c) Write, update and validate product specifications, technical packages, and purchase descriptions for uniform, protective clothing and equipment items. Validate current construction based on supplied documented standards. Document the table of operations. Develop tables of finished measurements. Develop and/or validate drawings/illustrations.

3.4.4 Initiate, coordinate, design and carry out research studies and analyze the data collected for uniform and protective clothing efforts; prepare reports and briefings on physical property testing fit and wear studies and analyze data collected. Integrate data into a comprehensive report.

3.5 Task 5. Workshop and Technical Meeting Support.

3.5.1 Workshop Support. Provide technical support to the Government in the planning of and preparation for workshops and technical meetings related to uniforms and protective clothing. Provide a summary report to include the list of attendees, dates, locations, tasks accomplished, findings and recommendations presented.

3.5.2 Technical Meeting Support. Participate in conferences, training, multi-service and industry uniform and protective clothing technical meetings to maintain/grow knowledge of uniform and protective clothing items, acquisition, the supply chains and the performance requirements associated with multi-service protective clothing items. Prepare and/or present technical briefs/reports for leadership and users.

4.0 DELIVERABLES/REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

5.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT. Government shall provide contractor access to site or installation and items incidental to the Place of Performance such as phone, computer, desk, chair, fax machine, etc. Such items provided to the contractor remain accountable to the Government.

6.0 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS. Work on this task may require the contractor to access information that is Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). All contractor personnel must ensure CUI is safeguarded during normal working hours and, at the close of business, stored to preclude unauthorized access. Security specifications applicable to performance of the PWS/TAT are expressed on the associated DD Form 254.

7.0 SERVICE SUMMARY.

TAT

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

TAT

PWS REFERENCE

TAT

PERFORMANCE STANDARD/THRESHOLD

Threshold: 98% Acceptance. The Government shall receive no more than three Corrective Action Reports (CARs) or similar deficiency reports during the contractor’s performance of the entire task order.

Threshold: 98% Acceptance. The contractor shall submit all Deliverables/CDRLs as instructed per the established schedule (due date) with no need for substantive changes.

8.0 TRAVEL. Travel shall comply with Section # Paragraph # of the basic contract. Travel shall be approved by the TPOC in writing prior to actual travel. The following locations are examples of where travel may occur, but not limited to: Natick, MA; Norfolk, VA; Washington, DC; San Diego, CA; Raleigh, NC; Columbus, OH.

9.0 PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS.

Personnel performing tasks under this effort will possess qualifications and experience appropriate to the tasks assigned. Personnel shall possess a minimum of a BS/BA from an accredited institution in the area of textile engineering, textile technology, engineering or clothing design as applicable to the tasks assigned. Other qualifications include:

a) At least five (5) years of experience working with protective clothing designs as well as knowledge of manufacturing processes associated with clothing and equipment.

b) At least five (5) years of experience in testing protective clothing and equipment

c) Expertise in technical writing, documentation preparation, review and revision, specifically utilizing standard government formatting styles.

d) Experience in planning, moderating and reporting results of focus groups

e) Experience in human factors engineering and capable of collecting, analyzing and making recommendations using anthropometric body measurements

f) Experience in biomedical engineering and thermal manikin testing

g) Experience in program management and proficiency in assessing program development/execution and improving organizational effectiveness/efficiency

Clothing Designer (1.5 FTE, can be on or off-site) Minimum undergraduate degree in clothing design required with 3-5 years’ experience in the concept development and design of novel CB protective garments that will offer protection against full spectrum of CB threats. Must demonstrate an understanding and ability to design to maximize thermal performance through design considerations; must be able to work with garment/system fabricators, researchers and industry to apply and integrate new technologies into military clothing garments; familiarity with novel seaming and closure concepts; development and understanding of patterns; possesses understanding of designing to achieve maximize Warfighter performance through utilization of Human Systems Integration and Systems Engineering practices; and integration with carried and worn gear and interoperability with other supporting equipment; and familiarity textile and garment testing for CB protective ensembles and other equipment. Clothing Designer must possess knowledge in CB protective system donning and doffing procedures; mission profiles/garment applications by the different services; illustration software such as Adobe Pro; and new techniques for incorporating new material capabilities into the production of garments. The clothing designer must also understand the protective function and limitations of the materials being worked into garments and ability to understand, interpret system level test data and draw conclusions based on garment design. Must demonstrate the ability to work in a team and meet cost, schedule and performance expectations. Organization, high-level verbal and communication skills when interacting with customers, and writing skills are necessary.

Material Scientist Level II (.5 FTE, can be on or off-site) Minimum Bachelor of Science degree required with 10 or more years’ experience Test and Evaluation Management of CB and non-CB items including CB protective clothing/ensembles, gloves, boots and respirators. Must understand Test Item Control management from acquisition of test items through testing and disposal. Experience planning and coordination of testing from the early stages (i.e., material/component level testing) through development of the design, fielding and surveillance is essential: this includes the development of test plans, test reports and final assessment reports. Must have experience in project management and Project Management Professional Certification. Must demonstrate the ability to work in a team and meet cost, schedule and performance expectations. Organization, high-level verbal and communication skills when interacting with customers, and writing skills are necessary. Writing comprehensive proposals and communicating on a high technical and non-scientific level are also required. Must also possess a comprehensive understanding of key standard and technical material tests, methodologies, applications and ability to analyze data and draw conclusions.

Textile Technologist (1 FTE, can be on-site or off-site) Minimum 3 years’ experience working with the design, development, production and testing of fibers, yarns and textiles. Carries out quality control work to ensure the end product performs to specifications. Familiar with various standard textile tests, coordination of tests, and organizing test data. Has work experience with organizations responsible for functions of clothing, garments and textiles; identifying the latest fabric trends, developments and innovations; overseeing fabric production processes; ensuring quality in areas such as strength, durability, colorfastness and water and chemical resistance; advising colleagues on technical aspects of the business; sourcing fabrics and accessories; undertaking quality evaluations of materials and checking the quality of the final product; and responding to product queries from customers. Must be organized and familiar with military fabric applications.

Technical Writer (1.5 FTE, can be on or off-site) Minimum 3 years’ experience documenting the design, development, production and testing of protective fabrics and garments. Experience preparing standardized Government documents for Technical Data Packages (TDPs) required for transitioning items to procurement agencies. Ability to provide the Government with data analysis and assessment report preparation to include performing statistical analysis of data collected and making recommendations based on findings. Has working experience writing, updating and validating product specifications and purchase descriptions for protective clothing and equipment items. Capable of validating current construction based on specifications, documenting the table of operations, developing tables of finished measurements and developing/validating drawings/illustrations.

Material Scientist Level III (.5 FTE, can be on or off-site) Minimum 10 years’ experience and/or a master’s degree in the field of mathematics or statistics. Capable of understanding and communicating with regards to the topic area of science and technology (S&T) resources and the maturation of technologies in development for S&T capability gaps/needs and future requirements. Demonstrates knowledge and capability in collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data pertaining to the development of novel CB protective material technologies and the assessment of such technologies through various stages of the acquisition cycle. Must be able to collect information by various methods (e.g., in the form of surveys, questionnaires, focus groups, workshops, IPTs etc.), design experiments for collecting data, executing a high profile event for gathering data, analyzing results in line with customer expectations and a defined schedule, and communicate results effectively to a broad audience with various levels of experience and technical knowledge so that those results may be translated into actionable efforts that support the Warfighter overall. Must be organized, works well with a team, and able to meet cost, schedule and performance expectations.

Subject Matter Expert Level III, Human Performance/Biomedical Engineer (.5 FTE, can be on or off-site) Minimum 10 years’ experience in the field of human performance/modeling/clothing biophysics thrust areas as required for clothing & textile protection technology-based efforts. Advanced degree in science or engineering. Must be able to assist scientists and investigators with oversight and review of human performance projects, providing physiologic modeling advice and assistance in planning, and outreach into the scientific community in support to programs. Must be able to coordinate with various government agencies, industry and academia. Must possess experience and knowledge in the analysis on cause-and-effect relationships; modeling tools; conducting trade-space analysis pertaining to thermal and chemical performance; accounting for how Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) protective gear equates to actual Soldier performance; analysis of human performance studies; identify missing elements and areas of opportunity related to physiologic modeling efforts that are not currently under consideration; and closely evaluate whether new clothing systems and products as now envisioned and being developed are meeting customer needs.

Research Chemical Engineer or Chemist (.5 FTE, can be on or off-site) Minimum 2 years’ experience and a master’s degree in chemical engineering. Knowledge of polymer films, chemical agent simulants and the mass transport and/or sorption mechanism of the simulants into polymer films. Experience in building models to describe sorption and/or mass transport and the design and performance of experiments to validate the model. Knowledge of programming platforms for calculating mass transfer such as MATLAB. Experience in predicting molecular properties based on molecular structure. Must be organized, works well with a team, and able to meet cost, schedule and performance expectations. Experience in documenting work and presenting before peers.

10.0 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Enterprise-wide Contractor Manpower Reporting Application (ECMRA) In accordance with NMCARS 5237.102-90 “Enterprise-wide Contractor Manpower Reporting Application (ECMRA)”, the contractor shall report contractor labor hours (including subcontractor labor hours) required for performance of services provided under this contract for the provision of telephone communications technical support services to NCTAMS LANT via a secure data collection site. Contracted services excluded from reporting are based on Product Service Codes (PSCs). The excluded PSCs are:

(1) W, Lease/Rental of Equipment;

(2) X, Lease/Rental of Facilities;

(3) Y, Construction of Structures and Facilities;

(4) S, Utilities ONLY;

(5) V, Freight and Shipping ONLY.

The contractor is required to completely fill in all required data fields using the following web address https://doncmra.nmci.navy.mil.

Reporting inputs will be for the labor executed during the period of performance during each Government fiscal year (FY), which runs October 1 through September 30. While inputs may be reported any time during the FY, all data shall be reported no later than October 31 of each calendar year. Contractors may direct questions to the help desk, linked at https://doncmra.nmci.navy.mil.

11.0 PERIOD AND PLACE OF PERFORMANCE.

11.1 Period of Performance. The period of performance for this effort is twelve months from the date of award. Additionally, the effort will include four (4), one-year option terms.

11.2 Place of Performance. Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility, 15 General Greene Ave, Natick, MA, 01760

12.0 ACRONYMS