Request for Information.CT2393-26.Twill-Poplin Cloth.pdf

U. S. Department of Justice

UNICOR

Federal Prison Industries, Inc.

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE and

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

FPI-RFI-CT2393-26 August 17, 2026

Title: Sources Sought Notice and Request for Information for Twill and Poplin Fabric Supply for Inmate Clothing Production

BACKGROUND:

Federal Prison Industries, Inc., (“UNICOR”), is a wholly owned, self-sustaining Government corporation established by Executive Order 6917 in 1934 to provide meaningful work experience and vocational training for federal inmates. Operating within the Department of Justice, UNICOR offers a diverse portfolio of high-quality products and services—ranging from office furniture and apparel to electronics manufacturing and administrative services—primarily to federal agencies. As a mandatory source of supply for federal procurement under the Federal

Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 8.3, UNICOR utilizes this market research to identify qualified commercial partners and evaluate industry capabilities to support its manufacturing and service operations.

UNICOR, manufactures and supplies a variety of inmate clothing items for distribution to federal correctional institutions nationwide.

The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice (Notice) and Request for Information (RFI) is to obtain market research from qualified sources capable of supplying twill and poplin fabric to support UNICOR’s inmate clothing production line. The information received will assist

UNICOR staff in developing an acquisition plan and exploring opportunities to expand product offerings within U.S. federal agencies.

This Notice and RFI are issued solely for market research and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or a commitment to award a contract. The purpose of this Notice and RFI is to gather information from qualified sources capable of supplying these materials, enabling UNICOR to maintain production efficiency.

SCOPE:

UNICOR seeks to establish a contract with a qualified awardee that would consist of a 1-year base period and four additional option years, if exercised. The selected contractor will be responsible for providing rolled fabrics for all existing products manufactured at our Oakdale, Louisiana facility, as well as any new production introduced during the life of the contract.

UNICOR will also require consignment inventory to be held at the Oakdale location as well as

Vendor-Managed Inventory at the supplier’s location.

UNICOR, Federal Prison Industries, seeks to ensure a continuous and reliable flow of materials required to support the inmate clothing production line.

REQUIREMENT:

Twill specifications:

DESCRIPTION: Twill (Fabric)

SIZE:

64" Cutable Width (-0" AND + 3") from inside selvage to inside good cutable material the length should measure 200 yards (180 yards minimum 200 yards max.)

WEIGHT: 7.5 oz. Per Sq. Yard (+/- 5%)

COLOR:

Red, Khaki, Olive Drab, Sage Green, White, Orange, Brown, Yellow and Teal Green

UNIT/MEASURE: Yard (Yd.)

WEIGHT:

Twill fabric to weigh 7.5 oz. per square yard +/-5%, 65% polyester/35% cotton.

REQUIREMENTS:

Put up on 2 1/2" diameter total corrugated tube with +/- 1/8" tolerance, the inner diameter of the cone should be 2” +/- 1/8” tolerance.

ANNUAL

ESTIMATED

QUANTITY:

500,000 yards

NOTES AND

ADDITIONAL

REQUIREMENTS

Rolls must be palletized, banded, and strapped.

There should be no more than 1 splice per roll.

There should be no more than 1 shade per 10,000 yards.

Each shall contain a roll ticket with the roll number, yardage, weight, and shade lot identification.

A Certificate of Conformance and test results must accompany or precede each shipment of material.

Failure to supply these documents may cause the shipment to be rejected.

PROPOSED

PRODUCTION LEAD

TIME

120 days from award.

Poplin specifications:

DESCRIPTION: Poplin (Fabric)

SIZE:

64" Cutable Width (-0" AND + 3") from inside selvage to inside good cutable material the length should measure 200 yards (180 yards minimum 200 yards max.)

WEIGHT: 4.5 oz. per sq yard +/- 5%

COLOR: Wine, Khaki, Olive Drab, Sage Green, White, Chocolate Brown

UNIT/MEASURE: Yard (Yd.)

WEIGHT:

Poplin fabric to weigh 4.5 oz. per square yard +/- 5%, 65% polyester/ 35% cotton.

REQUIREMENTS:

Put up on 2 1/2" diameter total corrugated tube with +/- 1/8" tolerance, the inner diameter of the cone should be 2” +/- 1/8” tolerance.

ANNUAL

ESTIMATED

QUANTITY:

250,000 yards

NOTES AND

ADDITIONAL

REQUIREMENTS

Rolls must be palletized, banded, and strapped.

There should be no more than 1 splice per roll.

There should be no more than 1 shade per 10,000 yards.

Each shall contain a roll ticket with the roll number, yardage, weight, and shade lot identification.

A Certificate of Conformance and test results must accompany or precede each shipment of material.

Failure to supply these documents may cause the shipment to be rejected.

PROPOSED

PRODUCTION LEAD

TIME

120 days from award.

INTERESTED FIRMS SHOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ADDRESSING THE

FOLLOWING TO ASSIST UNICOR IN EVALUATING MARKET CAPABILITY AND

PLANNING FUTURE PROCUREMENT ACTIONS:

CONTRACTOR NAME:____________________________________

CONTACT INFORMATION:________________________________

A. COMPANY INFORMATION

QUESTIONS ANSWERS

How long has your company been in business?

What is your company’s socioeconomic classification (e.g., Large Business, Small Business, HUBZone, etc.)?

Does your company currently hold any

GSA Schedule contracts?

Does your company participate in other federal contract vehicles? If yes, please list them.

B. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND CAPABILITIES

What experience does your company have in producing or supplying twill and poplin fabrics?

Which federal agencies, institutional customers, or large businesses does your company currently support with these materials?

What specific capabilities differentiate your company from competitors in the twill and poplin fabric market?

Does your company participate in other federal contract vehicles? If yes, please list them.

C. PRODUCTION CAPACITY AND DELIVERY

What is your company’s monthly production capacity for twill and poplin fabrics?

What are your standard lead times for various order quantities?

Can your company scale production to meet UNICOR’s fluctuating volume requirements?

After contract award, what production lead time do you propose?

D. CONSIGNMENT/VENDOR MANAGEMENT INVENTORY (VMI) APPROACH

Has your company previously participated in consignment or Vendor

Managed Inventory (VMI) programs?

If yes, how would you describe your structured VMI management approach?

What methods or tools does your company use to monitor and replenish inventory under a VMI model?

E. PRICING AND CONTRACT CONSIDERATIONS

Does your company offer volume-based discounts for fabric purchases?

Can your company support long-term or fixed-price contract arrangements? If yes, please describe any conditions or considerations.

If you are not the manufacturer of the fabric, who do you plan to use for greige fabric and dyeing and finishing?

For each proposed fabric, provide a complete country-of-origin flow-down showing the origin: fiber → yarn → greige fabric → dyeing → finishing → cutting/other processing → finished fabric.

Identify the country and facility at each stage and the percentage of the finished product attributable to each foreign-origin input or operation.

What is the highest percentage of U.S.

domestic content your company can guarantee for the proposed twill and poplin fabrics? Provide separate percentages for:

(a) fiber,

(b) yarn,

(c) greige fabric,

(d) dyeing and finishing

(e) the finished fabric.

If your company can provide 100%

U.S.-origin content, identify each U.S.

supplier and manufacturing facility supporting that claim and describe the documentation available to substantiate it.

PROPOSALS OFFERING COST SAVINGS WITHOUT AFFECTING THE QUALITY

AND PERFORMANCE ARE WELCOMED.

RESPONSE DEADLINE: FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AND TO ENSURE BEING

INCLUDED IN OUR MARKET RESEARCH FOR THIS SERVICE, RESPONSES MUST

BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 2:00 PM (EST) ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2026.

RESPONSES SHALL BE SENT VIA EMAIL ONLY TO RENEE STANCIL AT

Renee.Stancil@usdoj.gov mailto:Renee.Stancil@usdoj.gov