SF IDIQ RFI Letter 12.15.2022.pdf

December 15, 2022

Request For Information (RFI):

On behalf of:

United States (U.S.) Army Program Management Office for Special Operations Forces, Survival, Support and Equipment Services (PM-SOF SSES)

The General Services Administration (GSA) is considering the creation of a Multi-Award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract under the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes*:

314999 - All Other Miscellaneous Textile Product Mills 315120 - Apparel Knitting Mills 315990 - Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing 316990 – Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing 334290 - Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing 334310 - Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing 334519 – Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing 339999 - All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing 336992 - Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, And Tank Component Manufacturing 339112 - Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing 339113 – Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing 339115 - Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing 423430 – Computer and Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software Merchant Wholesalers

*See manual at following link for full description of each NAICS code:

https://www.census.gov/naics/reference_files_tools/2022_NAICS_Manual.pdf

The purpose of this IDIQ contract is to provide PM-SOF SSES and their clients with a vehicle for rapid acquisition. PM-SOF SSES exists to fulfill a variety of brand name only equipment requirements to procure equipment that may enhance the survivability, readiness, and mobility of the individual operator. The U.S. Special Forces require highly specialized equipment to perform their missions and require specific brand name equipment for SOF missions, that SOF testing and operational use has demonstrated are the only brand names capable of meeting the associated requirements of the Special Operator. This IDIQ contract is not intended to circumvent any established acquisition procedures, acquisition vehicles or methods.

Supplies will be procured via individual orders. Each order will be preceded by a Request for Quote (RFQ) from GSA to the contractors participating in the IDIQ pool.

The Government will select the quote representing the best value to the Government.

1. REQUIRED ITEMS

The PM-SOF SSES is tasked to provide type and non-type classified commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) items known to perform under the stresses caused by the full spectrum of special operations and under a wide range of climatic conditions. Such operations routinely include activities such as reconnaissance, patrol, airdrop, search and rescue, and combat actions. As such, special operators require “tried and true” equipment, known to function and endure under the toughest circumstances.

Substitution of untested or unproven items is not acceptable and the required operational testing of the equipment to meet the stringent requirements of Special Operations Forces. Accordingly, this requirement warrants a brand-name specification, no substitutions allowed. Attachment 1 to this RFI provides a draft list of required items (subject to change). Respondents to this RFI shall fill out Columns D and E of Tab Special Forces Catalog indicating whether they can or cannot provide the listed items and whether the items are available via a GSA Schedule or on the open market. Respondents may suggest items they believe to be missing from this draft catalog in tab “Suggested Similar Items”. Filled out catalog shall be submitted via Google Form link listed in Section 6 and via email (laura.demanche@gsa.gov and victoria.howland@gsa.gov).

The following categories are representative of those items to be delivered under this contract:

1. Personal Equipment

a. Clothing/Apparel Accessories (Uniforms, Gloves, Packs, Load Carriage, Body Armor Vests)

b. Communications

2. Ballistic Protection

a. Armor

b. Helmets

c. Eyewear

d. Visual Augmentation System (VAS) Mounts

3. Medical

a. Vital Signs Monitoring

b. Ultrasound

c. Ventilation/Airway Management

d. Blood/Blood Product Storage

e. Hemorrhage Control

f. Wound Care

g. Hypothermia Management

The Government may, at any time during the term of this contract or any extension thereof, modify the contract to acquire products, which are similar to those under the basic contract, and commercially available. This action will be considered to be within the scope of the contract.

2. SCOPE

The Special Operations Forces SSES Program Office is responsible for providing management, direction and guidance for the planning, development, acquisition, testing, fielding and product improvement efforts for United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Survival, Support, and Equipment Systems programs and products. These systems include but are not limited to backpacks, extremity protection, clothing, load carriage, body armor vests, land and maritime communications, eye protection, Visual Augmentation System (VAS) mounts, ballistic plates, soft armor, helmets, and life-saving medical technologies and products. The SSES Program Manager (PM) is further charged with cradle-to-grave life-cycle management of these systems.

3. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The anticipated Period of Performance is five (5) years.

4. TASK DELIVERABLES

The contractor shall provide items from the attached draft catalog (subject to change).

Individual order RFQs under the IDIQ will specify the required items for each order.

A. MONTHLY STATUS REPORTS (MSR)

Awardees shall provide MSRs to the GSA Contracting Officer (CO) or designee each month at a specified date. The Government requires submission of reports electronically in a Microsoft Office compatible format. The MSRs shall address all activity under the Contract from the first day of the previous month through the last day of the previous month and shall contain the following information:

Active orders/items tasked to deliver List outstanding orders/items Anticipated delivery date(s) Root cause of the delay, if applicable Status on Frustrated Items (returned/rejected items) Open/pending invoices

B. QUARTERLY UPDATE OF MAS SCHEDULE

Awardees shall provide any updates to their MAS schedule to include added/removed items from available catalog, updates to part numbers/NSNs, updates to unit pricing, etc. on a quarterly basis. A modification will be required quarterly through ASSIST.

5. PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Success shall be measured by the following:

Delivery of items ordered in accordance with the terms of the contract and proposed delivery date with no delay.

The Monthly Status Reports and Quarterly Update of MAS Schedule Reports shall be accurate, professional and meet the requirements of the task.

Shipping and labeling based off Attachment 2: Package and Labeling Requirements.

6. QUESTIONS FOR INDUSTRY RESPONSE

Responses shall be recorded using a Google Form found at:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp9UV3Z2w-71PtDwbylps_6o- QTsW4dSpYEU-XEauNhaVKqQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

DISCLAIMER

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. Any information submitted by respondents to the request is strictly voluntary. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quote (RFQ), nor does its issuance obligate or restrict the Government to an eventual acquisition approach.

The Government does not intend to award contracts on the basis of responses to this RFI or pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the use of such information. All information received from this RFI will be used for planning and market research purposes only. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in the future solicitation, if any is issued.

The Government may supplement any written responses received through other informal and digital methods in accordance with FAR 10.002, both during open period of the RFI and after its close, including but not limited to emails, phone calls, online or email surveys and/or industry day.

Attachments:

1. Special Forces IDIQ Draft Catalog

2. Special Forces Package and Labeling Requirements