RFI - Personal Parachute Components_Systems II.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

MARKET RESEARCH REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON

PERSONAL PARACHUTE COMPONENTS/SYSTEMS

(MAIN PARACHUTES, RESERVE PARACHUTES AND/OR HARNESS CONTAINERS)

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): 314999

1. DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. IT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

(RFI). In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10, Market Research, responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This notice is for market research only.

1.1 This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP) and NOT a government contract. The information received under this announcement may be used for future solicitation package for Government test items.

1.2 This RFI is issued solely for market research and does not constitute a solicitation.

Information received in response to this RFI that is marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

2. NO CLASSIFIED information shall be included in the RFI response.

3. INFORMATION REQUESTED: The Combat Capability Development Center – Soldier Systems, Natick, MA is conducting market research to identify domestic products, suppliers, designers and manufacturers of Personal Parachutes and/or Harness Containers with the potential to meet emerging requirements for an improved personal parachute system. The primary interest of this Survey is to seek out and identify products/technologies, and firms with the requisite technical, design, manufacturing, and production capabilities, that have the potential to provide an improved military personal parachute system or components thereof (main canopies, reserve canopies and/or harness containers) which can be readily qualified for use.

3.1 Current requirements necessitate more than one model of personal parachute system.

One tool cannot meet expanded capability requirements for low altitude/water operations, high altitude/glide operations, as well as heavy weight and light weight operations. The harness container and main and reserves parachutes should be scalable to create a singular family of systems up and down the container and wing size continuum. Candidate components or systems should utilize a common form and shape solution that can be employed in all above conditions with identical function handles.

3.2 Information requested on system attributes are listed below:

• Maximum service ceiling (Threshold/Objective –35,000ft MSL)

• Minimum Main deployment altitude (Threshold=Objective – 3,000ft AGL).

• Maximum All Up System Weight Capability (Threshold-450lbs Objective-550lbs).

• Minimum System Weight Capability (Threshold-120lbs Objective-100lbs).

• Harness container, main and reserve parachutes scalable in size to accommodate 330 sq ft to 150 sq ft (T=O).

• Harness Container, Main Parachute, and Reserve Parachute, deployment system and AAD total weight (Threshold-45lbs Objective-35lbs).

• Compatible with approved AADs, CYPRES & Vigil (T=O).

• Flat and PRO pack configurable for all altitudes (T=O).

• Main Ram Air Parachute altitude loss with max weight O/T above in mind (Threshold-1200 vertical feet Objective-1000 vertical feet).

• Reserve Ram Air Parachute altitude loss with max weight O/T in mind (Threshold-950 vertical feet Objective-825 vertical feet).

• Main and Reserve Parachute deployment forces at maximum exit weight (Threshold-7g Objective-5g).

• Main and Reserve Ram Air Parachute Glide Ratio (Threshold-3ft:1ft Objective-4ft:1ft).

• Main Ram Air Parachute forward speed (Threshold/Objective-30 KIAS @ 5,000ft MSL International Standard Atmosphere).

• Main and Reserve canopies cable of shutting down vertical and horizontal landing speeds on Drop Zones at 10,000 MSL by incorporating cross brace and tail rib technology (T=O).

• Main Parachute configurable for Vectran, HMA, and Dacron Line Sets (T=O).

• Single Toggle Configuration for Main and Reserve Parachutes (T=O).

• Popped toggle reattachments to main riser assembly, possibly magnets (T=O).

• True Lock for main toggle stowing (T=O).

• Collapsible main pilot chute (T=O).

• Dual speed pilot chute on reserve free bag bridle (T=O).

• Main Risers configured with front and rear riser dive loops and trim tabs with no mechanical or moving parts to reduce jumper fatigue under canopy (T=O).

• Toggle pressure and front/rear riser pressure to be equal to or less than current systems (T=O).

• Harness Container serviceability, Container closing flaps, protective flaps, pin, main pilot chute protection and webbing retention wind tunnel tested (Threshold-250 KIAS Objective

290 KIAS)

• Transparent Chemlite storage or webbing attachment point on front and back of the Harness Container (T=O).

• Ambidextrously configurable Container-O2, weapon, utility pouch, radio pouch to include dual O2 bottles and weapon configuration (T=O).

• No container internal O2 hose pouches (T=O).

• Telescopic with leading edge reverse stich leg pads with ballistic material on the bottom of the leg strap cover (T=O).

• Stainless Steel hardware throughout (T=O).

• Fully enclosed reserve spring loaded pilot chute (T=O).

• Retractable spectra reserve rip cord with pillow handle only (T=O).

• Inboard and outboard configurable emergency procedure handles-pillow only (T=O).

• Skyhook MARD with split V Collin’s Lanyard RSL (T=O).

• Upper and lower equipment attachment rings (T=O).

• Cold Rolled Steel (CHW) hardware for main lift web sizing adjustment-pull down to shorten (T=O).

• Field serviceable magnetic riser covers with ballistic material internal to the riser cover stowage pocket (T=O).

• Cut in lateral appropriately sized with improved excess webbing retention/stowage for increased exit speeds above 150 KIAS (T=O).

• Articulated hip ring junction (T=O).

• Main pilot chute bridle stowed out the bottom of main closing flaps (T=O).

• Upward closing main parachute protective flap (T=O).

• Downward closing reserve parachute protective flap with see through Lexan window (T=O).

• Contrasting stitching to webbing on all load bearing/crucial components (T=O).

• Main parachute activation only achieved by Bottom of Container (BOC) hand deployed pilot chute (T=O).

• NO provisions for Over the Shoulder/ripcord/main spring-loaded pilot chute deployment system (T=O).

4. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: There are no page limitations. Interested sources must respond with:

• Company Name and Parent Company (If Applicable)

• Business Address: Street, City, State, and Zip Code

• Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code

• Unique Entity Identifier (ID)

• Information on current commercial products(s)/technologies and how they might address this emerging Military requirement.

• Information regarding the firm's experience, personnel, and facilities.

• Technical information/specifications/qualifications (i.e., technical literature, data, test reports, illustrations, photographs, patents, etc.), level of product maturity (i.e., is the product in the research, development or production phase?), product history (i.e., who is the product used by and in what applications?), relevant company background/experience.

• Price list, and/or potential costs, as well as delivery capabilities.

• Indicate whether they are a Small Business, Other than Small Business, Woman Owned Business, Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, SBA Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, SBA Certified 8(a) Firm and/or SBA Certified HUBZone Firm.

5. RESPONSES AND SUBMISSIONS: All responses must be received no later than 5:00 PM EDT, June 30, 2025.

5.1 Responses must be submitted via email. Only .pdf, .doc(x), or .xls(x) documents attached to the submission email will be reviewed.

5.2 Please direct all questions and submissions concerning this RFI to all the following:

Program Manager: Peter Capuzzi peter.j.capuzzi.civ@army.mil

Contracting Officer: Danny Soto danny.soto3.civ@army.mil

Contract Specialist: Michelle Lin michelle.lin4.civ@army.mil mailto:peter.j.capuzzi.civ@army.mil mailto:danny.soto3.civ@army.mil mailto:michelle.lin4.civ@army.mil

5.3 Do NOT contact any of the points of contacts on this RFI for information regarding acquisition strategy, information regarding a potential solicitation, or RFP posting date. This notice is for information only.

6. NOTICE: Vendors are advised that the Government may utilize support contractor/non-Government personnel to assist in collecting and reviewing market information. Proprietary information submitted in response to this RFI will be protected from unauthorized disclosure as required by Subsection 27 of the Office of Procurement Police Act as amended (41 U.S.C. 423) (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) as implemented in the FAR. These personnel are bound contractually by Organizational Conflict of Interest and disclosure clauses with respect to proprietary information.

Support contractor personnel are procurement officials within the meaning of the Act and will take all necessary action to preclude unauthorized use or disclosure of contractor’s proprietary data.

6.1 System for Award Management (SAM): The following information is being provided in the event this market research results in a future solicitation. Per FAR Subpart 4.11, System for Award Management. Offerors/quoters are required to be registered in SAM (www.SAM.gov) at the time an offer or quotation is submitted and at time of award to comply with the annual representations and certifications requirements.

http://www.sam.gov/