PODS RFI 2025.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. IT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations Part 10 responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Please Respond by 3:00 PM Friday June 27, 2025

Parachutist Oxygen Delivery System (PODS)

Background:

Improved Ram Air Canopy systems, particularly when used in High-Altitude insertion operations, extend the Parachutist’s time under canopy at low oxygen altitudes. Future Ram Air parachute systems are expected to have descent rates of approximately 9 feet/sec from an objective altitude of 35,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL), exceeding 60 minutes descents from the Parachutist’s exit from the aircraft to the ground. These extended high-altitude missions require a significant increase in the need for supplemental oxygen to parachutists.

The Army is currently looking for an oxygen delivery system to meet the needs of next-generation high-altitude operations. Oxygen consumption studies have confirmed that the current O2 Bailout Bottles cannot provide the Parachutist with sufficient oxygen to support these extended operations, thus limiting mission capability and the Parachutists’ ability to maximize the performance of the next generation parachute system. This is a critical factor in meeting future operational requirements.

Description:

The Product Manager Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PdM SCIE), Personnel Airdrop Systems Team, Natick, MA, is conducting a market survey and requesting technical information from manufacturers/suppliers regarding:

a. Complete Parachutist Oxygen Delivery System (PODS) that provides the Parachutist with O2 during all phases of high-altitude operations including pre-breath, freefall, and descent under canopy and/or

b. Any of the individual PODS components, including the Individual Oxygen Source (IOS), Transfer Pump, Pre-Breather, Parachutist Oxygen Mask (POM), System Test Device or any equivalent system that can provide O2 to the Parachutist during any phase of high-altitude missions while maintaining compatibility with the current O2 system and utilizing a quick connect/disconnect interface.

c. Provide the ability to test system readiness and performance on a GO/NO GO basis and minimize the need for oxygen safe rooms for the maintenance of PODS components.

Proposals for minimizing the need for on-board equipment during operations would also be considered.

d. Supplemental and pre-breathe oxygen requirements are given in AFI 11-409, which outlines these requirements followed by US Army parachutists.

PdM SCIE is seeking information both on currently available systems/components and developmental systems/components that utilize new and emerging technologies, along with supporting information (calculations, test reports, photos, etc.) indicating a level of technical maturity at TRL 6 and above. Please refer to https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/404585.pdf for TRL definitions.

Proposed systems/components should address the following:

a. A means to provide the individual Parachutist with sufficient supply of O2 during an exit at altitudes up to 35,000 feet, with descent exceeding 60 minutes to landing.

b. Size and weight of any O2 equipment carried or worn by the individual Parachutist should not impede upon the Parachutist’s ability to conduct safe and stable exit, required canopy flight, emergency procedures, and landing.

c. Should be capable of withstanding opening shocks of up to 15g without reduced performance.

d. Should provide a method to verify functionality during pre-jump inspections.

e. Pressurized oxygen vessels should be shatterproof per testing to MIL-DTL-7905H standards.

f. Should operate at temperatures ranging from –65 degrees Fahrenheit (F) to 160 degrees F and humidity ranging from zero to 100%, non-condensing. Dust, sand, frost, or ice accumulation tested per MIL-STD-810 METHOD 510.7 should not preclude proper operation of the system.

g. Requirement to provide sufficient oxygen saturation levels to prevent hypoxia at all altitudes and phases of high-altitude operations.

h. A means to provide the Parachutist with sufficient aviation-grade O2 to meet pre-breathe requirements per AFI 11-409 when scheduled to exit the aircraft at or above 18,000 feet MSL to 35,000 feet MSL.

i. Hose connection and routing should not impede the Parachutist’s ability to locate and activate parachutes.

j. Parachutist’s oxygen supply must be rugged enough to prevent loss of oxygen during the rigors of high-altitude parachute operations including prevention of twisting, crushing, or kinking the O2 supply hose during all phases of the operations.

k. Any test equipment required to verify system performance.

l. Any charging equipment required to transfer oxygen under required pressures to include hoses and connectors.

https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/404585.pdf

Additional attributes:

a. Individual components should be physically and functionally compatible with legacy Parachutist equipment to include military free fall parachute systems, tandem systems (tandem master and passenger) and tethered bundle systems.

b. Should not interfere with equipment mountings, combat loads, or paratrooper worn equipment such as navigation systems, night vision devices, or heads up displays.

c. The POM should incorporate a communication capability consistent with current communications systems and provide environmental protection interfacing with US Army Parachutist helmets and goggles to protect the entire face.

d. Any oxygen system equipment worn by the Parachutist should fit the 5th-95th percentile soldier using no more than 3 sizes, or ideally one size fits all.

e. Capability to allow for “clean” aircraft upon Parachutist exit is desirable to avoid leaving O2 equipment on-board to be recovered after the operation is complete.

f. The system should support both pre-breathe and descent phases with a total duration exceeding 3 hours.

g. Equipment should be capable of modification to incorporate future technologies, such as using biometric data to assess jumper condition and manage O2 delivery as needed.

h. Equipment should be durable and capable of withstanding packing/shipping and general use without adverse effects to system performance.

In addition, responses need to provide technical analysis and/or test data substantiating the following information:

a. Predicted oxygen remaining in IOS, or oxygen depletion altitude from 18,000, 25,000, and 35,000ft MSL using a 12 ft per second rate of descent, and a 9 ft per second rate of descent.

b. System testing and maintenance requirements and lifecycle per component, IOS, POM, pre breathe system, test stand, and transfer pump.

c. Projected unit cost per component and for the whole system.

d. Anticipated life system cost per unit over the system’s life cycle (i.e. maintenance required cost, repair costs, disposal costs, etc. based on proven reliability and confidence).

e. Is the System Test Device deployable?

f. Recommendations on the level of maintenance that can be conducted at the unit and associated cost as well as recommended Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) level maintenance and required timeframe.

g. Methods of pre-breathing mechanism available other than a stand-alone console.

Administrative:

THIS IS A SPECIAL NOTICE ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY

This Sources Sought Announcement is issued solely for information and planning purposes and to identify interested sources. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. This Sources Sought does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. It is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. Further, unsolicited proposals will not be accepted. Funding is not available at this time. The United States Army has not made a commitment to procure any of the items/services discussed, and release of this Sources Sought Announcement should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. Response to this Sources Sought Announcement is voluntary and no reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this and any follow-on information requests. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Not responding to this Special Notice Announcement does not preclude participation in any future RFP if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the SAM.gov website. It is the responsibility of the potential responders to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this subject.

Responses:

Interested parties may identify their interest and capability by sending responses regarding this requirement to DEVCOM-SC via e-mail ONLY to Michael Harris michael.l.harris88.civ@army.mil and Jeff Campbell (jeffrey.m.campbell18.civ@army.mil) within forty-five (45) days following the publication of this RFI. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this Notice. All costs associated with responding to this Notice will be solely at the expense of the interested party.

Please provide business size (indicate your socioeconomic status), applicable NAICS code, and CAGE code. If you hold a GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract, please identify your contract number.

Questions:

Any questions for clarification may be emailed to michael.l.harris88.civ@army.mil and jeffrey.m.campbell18.civ@army.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. An unattributed list of questions and answers will be published at the same web location of this Special Notice Announcement.

mailto:michael.l.harris88.civ@army.mil mailto:michael.l.harris88.civ@army.mil mailto:jeffrey.m.campbell18.civ@army.mil

Contracting Office Address:

BLDG 1 General Greene Ave.

Natick, Massachusetts 01760-5011

Primary Point of Contact:

Jeff Campbell jeffrey.m.campbell18.civ@army.mil.

mailto:jeffrey.m.campbell18.civ@army.mil