Sources_Sought_RFI__Breeches_Fabric.docx

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE / REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Breeches Fabric for the Old Guard Military Mounted Battalion

THIS IS A Sources Sought Notice ONLY. The U.S. Government desires to procure Breeches Fabric for the Old Guard Military Mounted Battalion on a small business set-aside basis, provided two (2) or more qualified small businesses respond to this sources sought notice with information sufficient to support a set-aside. Be advised that the U.S. Government will not be able to set aside this requirement if two or more small businesses do not respond with information to support the set-aside. We encourage all small businesses, in all socioeconomic categories (including the 8(a) Business Development Program, Small Disadvantaged Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and Women-Owned Small Business concerns), to identify their capabilities in meeting the requirement at a fair market price.

This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes—it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or Request for Proposal (RFP), nor does it constitute a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB, or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids, or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this sources sought notice. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice; all costs associated with responding to this notice will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, IFB, or RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Governmentwide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The anticipated NAICS code(s) is/are: 313210 (Broadwoven Fabric Mills) or 313310 (Textile and Fabric Finishing Mills), each with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees.

Attached is the draft specification outlining the Salient Characteristics of the Breeches Fabric.

In response to this sources sought, please provide:

Company Profile: Name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), CAGE code, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.), and the corresponding NAICS code.

Interest Level: Identify whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor or not. Identify if your firm requires teaming or subcontracting arrangements to fulfill the entirety of this requirement.

Capabilities & Salient Requirements: Information in sufficient detail regarding previous experience (indicate whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include size, scope, complexity, timeframe, government or commercial), pertinent certifications, etc., that will facilitate making a capability determination. Specifics include, but are not limited to, demonstrating capability to meet the following:

Background & Requirement: The U.S. Government intends to contract for fabric that can be manufactured into riding breeches for the Old Guard Military Mounted Battalion. The required fabric must meet strict performance and aesthetic requirements to support the demanding duties of the Mounted Battalion.

Salient Characteristics: The interested vendor must be capable of providing fabric meeting the following specifications:

· Color: Light Navy / Customs Blue, 840 Shade (in accordance with Army Regulation 670-1).

· Fabric Composition: 4-Way Stretch Fabric, 92% Nylon / 8% Spandex, 16oz Twill.

· Durability & Performance: Fabric for breeches shall have a minimum expected lifespan of three (3) years under rigorous circumstances (3–5 hours of daily riding on weekdays).

· Stretch & Recovery: Fabric shall have sufficient stretch and recovery to allow a rider to repeatedly mount and dismount a horse without tearing, sagging, or degrading.

Requested Planning Information (Market RFI Questions):

What is the minimum amount of fabric (minimum order quantity) that can be produced?

At what quantity of fabric does the unit price decrease (volume discount tiers)?

What is the estimated lead time to produce and deliver the fabric after receipt of an order?

Can the fabric be 100% made in America and fully Berry Amendment compliant (10 U.S.C. § 2533a)?

Can the specified Light Navy / Customs Blue, Shade 840 color be matched precisely?

For a future Request for Quote (RFQ), please advise on the following regarding samples:

What would be an appropriate amount of time to have the solicitation open to allow for the production of a sample?

Should the sample be submitted in the exact correct color, or is it standard industry practice to match the color after award?

If the sample is requested in the exact proper color prior to award, does that change the recommended solicitation open period, and if so, by how much?

Commercial Availability: Information to help determine if the requirement is commercially available, including pricing information, basis for the pricing information (e.g., market pricing, catalog pricing), delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, etc.

Acquisition Approach: Identify how the Army can best structure these contract requirements to facilitate competition by and among small business concerns.

Restricting Competition Assessment: Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition. Please contact the MICC Advocate for Competition, Scott Kukes, at scott.d.kukes.civ@mail.mil or 520-944-7373, if you believe that this action is unreasonably restricting competition. Include the subject of the acquisition, this announcement, and the MICC POC information from the notice. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion.

Improvement Recommendations: Provide any recommendations to improve the approach, specifications, or draft specs to acquiring the identified fabric.

Submission Instructions Responses to this RFI should be submitted via email to MAJ Tavon Cooper (tavon.m.cooper.mil@army.mil) and LTC Paul M. Kilgore (paul.m.kilgore.mil@army.mil) no later than 0900 EST 08/17/2026.

Please include the RFI Title and your Company Name in the subject line of the email. Submissions must include company details, Point of Contact (POC), CAGE Code, and SAM Unique Entity ID (UEI).

Points of Contact MAJ Tavon Cooper Contracting Specialist Email: tavon.m.cooper.mil@army.mil

LTC Paul M. Kilgore Contracting Officer Email: paul.m.kilgore.mil@army.mil