Sources Sought Notice VPS CARC-L Topcoat.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

Sources Sought Notice

Chemical Agent Resistant Coating – Low Solar Absorption

(U) DESCRIPTION: Product Manager Vehicle Protection Systems (PdM VPS) is performing market research to identify potential sources of supply capable of providing Chemical Agent Resistant Coating – Low Solar Absorption (CARC-L) topcoat systems that increase infrared reflectivity on various U.S. Army combat vehicle platforms.

(U) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: This Request for Information (RFI) is for informational purposes only; it is not a Request for Proposal, or announcement of a forthcoming solicitation and no award will be made as a result of this RFI. No solicitation document exists and a formal solicitation may or may not be issued by the Government as a result of the responses to this RFI. The Government will not be liable for payment of any preparation expenses in response to this RFI and is in no way obligated by the information received. Any costs incurred by interested companies in response to this announcement will NOT be reimbursed. The information provided may be used by the Army in developing a future acquisition strategy, Performance Work Statement, Statement of Objectives and/or Performance Based Specification(s).

(U) RESPONSE TO RFI: Responses to the RFI are due on 06 June 2024 at 16:00 E.S.T. Electronic responses are required in Microsoft Word 2016 or earlier or Adobe Acrobat. RFI responses shall not exceed 10 pages. Submittal will be in text format only. Do not send pictures, graphics, etc. NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. Responses shall be submitted electronically via email to the contract specialist, Mr. Terrell Cheathem at terrell.m.cheathem.civ@army.mil with the title: “Signature Management Chemical Agent Resistant Coating RFI” along with the company name in the subject line. Respondents wishing to submit proprietary information may request a link to submit the proprietary data through the DoD SAFE (Secure Access File Exchange). Contact Mr. Cheathem at terrell.m.cheathem.civ@army.mil for a link to transmit files through DoD SAFE.

(U) PROPRIETARY INFORMATION: It is the responsibility of Industry, when providing any comments/responses, to properly mark such information that is considered proprietary or is otherwise restricted. The United States Government (USG) is not obligated to protect unmarked data, nor is the USG obligated for like data in possession of third parties or for data, which is afterwards placed in the public domain by the contractor or by third parties through no fault of the USG. Should the USG need to reproduce the protected data for distribution purposes between USG offices, all such data will be reproduced with restrictive legends in place.

mailto:terrell.m.cheathem.civ@army.mil mailto:terrell.m.cheathem.civ@army.mil

The USG acknowledges its obligations under the Federal Acquisition Regulation 3.104- 4 to protect confidential information provided to the Government (18 U.S.C. §1905).

Pursuant to this statute, the USG is willing to accept any trade secrets or proprietary restrictions placed upon qualifying data forwarded in response to this RFI and to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure, subject to the following:

• Qualifying data must be clearly marked PROPRIETARY and be accompanied by an explanatory text so that the Government is clearly notified as to exactly what data so qualifies.

• Mark only data that is truly PROPRIETARY

• Do not mark data that is already in the public domain or is already in possession of the USG or third parties on an unclassified basis.

• Proprietary data transmitted electronically must have the PROPRIETARY legend on both the cover of the transmittal e-mail as well as at the beginning of the file. Proprietary information contained within the correspondence shall use the legends: “PROPRIETARY PORTION BEGINS” and

“PROPRIETARY PORTION ENDS.”

(U) INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS RFI:

1. Please respond to every question.

2. Number each response with the appropriate question number.

3. Questions do not have to be repeated in the response.

4. A “No Response” indication can be provided for those questions with a “no” answer.

5. If a response will satisfy another question, state: “See response to question

XX.”

6. Include relevant sales media and product manuals. If providing an

ACROBAT formatted manual, annotate the manual to indicate which material is applicable to the questions.

7. If providing sales media and/or manuals containing a restricted distribution statement, issue a release statement indicating that the restricted material may be distributed to Army personnel involved with this RFI.

8. Spell out any acronyms in their first instance.

9. Clearly mark any proprietary information. If applicable, the front page of the response package should state, “Proprietary Information Contained.”

(U) QUESTIONAIRE: Please provide answers to all of the following questions with a “not applicable” being acceptable.

1. (U) Administrative Responses must include:

o Cage Code o Company Name o Mailing Address o Company Website o Location of Facilities o Point of Contact o Phone Number o Fax Number o Email o Company business size and active System for Acquisition Management

(SAM) information

2. (U) Previous Contracts:

a. Has your company received a prime contract from the USG to produce a

CARC topcoat with low solar absorption features?

i. Provide Contract Numbers.

ii. Provide a description of the work performed.

3. (U) Security:

a. Does your company have the ability to send and receive CUI information?

b. Regarding a scenario where your company was to produce a CARC topcoat with low solar absorption features, are there any potential issues your company might have regarding arms controls and security requirements?

4. (U) Manufacturing and Production Capability:

a. Explain your company’s experience producing coatings with specialized pigments of any kind.

b. Explain your company’s experience producing qualified CARC topcoats

IAW MIL-DTL-64159B or MIL-DTL-53039E WITHOUT low solar absorption features.

c. Explain your company’s experience producing qualified CARC topcoats

IAW MIL-DTL-64159B or MIL-DTL-53039E that ALSO INCLUDE low solar absorption features.

d. Regarding a scenario where your company was to produce a CARC topcoat with low solar absorption features, which must be qualified IAW MIL-DTL-64159B or MIL-DTL 53039E, how long would it take to:

i. Produce and deliver sample coupons that are required for qualification/requalification?

ii. Complete qualification/requalification?

iii. If you company has already submitted samples for qualification/requalification:

1. What date did your company provide samples?

2. Has your company received a Qualified Product List

Approval Letter? If so, please provide qualification number(s) and date(s).

e. Regarding a scenario where your company was to produce a CARC topcoat with low solar absorption features would your paint require the following;

i. Special tooling

ii. Additional training for the end user

iii. Require specific thickness measurements

5. (U) Quality:

a. Is your company/facility ISO certified as it relates to quality management systems? If yes, what ISO certifications does your production facility hold? If not, what quality plan do you operate under? Please explain how it would be utilized in in the production of CARC with low solar absorption properties.

b. Describe your company’s experience with procuring source controlled materials, obtaining and providing quality data and/or vendor certifications of conformance for those materials.