Army_Footwear_Certification_Program__21JUN2017_Final.pdf

U.S. ARMY FOOTWEAR

CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

21 JUNE 2017

U.S. ARMY FOOTWEAR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Mission and Function of the Footwear Certification Program

1.1. Mission

1.2. Function

2. Certification Program

2.1. Policy

2.2. Eligibility for Certification Evaluation

2.3. Certification Procedure

2.4. Submission Package for Certification

2.5. Recertification Procedure

2.6. Maintaining Certification with Changes in Component Supplier or Material

3. Certification Numbers

3.1. Assignment of Certification Numbers ………………………………………………………………………………..….10

4. Inspections

4.1. Mid-cycle Sample Inspections

4.2. Plant and warehouse Inspections

4.3. Reporting of Inspection Results

5. Revocation of Certification

5.1. Revocation Policy

5.2. Revocation Procedure

1. MISSION AND FUNCTION OF THE FOOTWEAR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.

1.1. Mission. The mission of the Army Footwear Certification Program is to review footwear and accompanying test reports against the appropriate Army footwear Specification (Spec) and/or Purchase Descriptions (PD). Through this Program, manufacturers of certified items warranty that items offered for sale to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) will meet or exceed requirements prescribed by the Spec or PD for material, shade, design, fit, construction, appearance, quality, workmanship, and durability. This certification is limited to Berry Amendment compliant footwear only.

1.2. Function. The Army Footwear Certification Program is responsible for the following functions:

1.2.1. Establish requirements for footwear which include quality, standards, and specifications.

1.2.2. Furnish requirements (i.e. specifications and/or PDs), shade standards, and other pertinent information to industry.

1.2.3. Evaluate samples of footwear submitted by manufacturers to determine conformity with requirements.

1.2.4. Determine whether items "meet or exceed" the standards for material, shade, design, fit, construction, appearance, quality, workmanship, and durability.

1.2.5. Issue certificates to approve footwear that authorize them to label their articles as being made in accordance with applicable Specs or PDs, for Government contracts only.

1.2.6. Support contracting agency (e.g. DLA) in monitoring certified items at manufacturing sites and warehousing facilities. Review production methods and finished items. Inspect warehouse and store stock, as needed.

1.2.7. Report deficiencies of items submitted for certification that do not pass stated requirements.

1.2.8. Evaluate samples taken randomly from stock or submitted for verification.

1.2.9. Withdraw or withhold certification from participants whose products are below the acceptable standards for material, shade, design, fit, construction, appearance, quality, workmanship, durability, or other characteristics prescribed by requirements, as well as withdraw or withhold certification from participants for non-conformance to the certified sample.

1.2.10. Inform industry of the following through bulletins sent out to the Department of Defense (DoD)/Industry Footwear Technical Committee for the following: new items or types added to the certification; changes to requirements; and/or procedural changes to the Footwear Certification Program. Interested footwear manufacturers may join the DoD/Industry Footwear Technical Committee by contacting the current Footwear Certification Program Project Officer.

1.2.11. Distribute Certified Manufacturers Directory listing of all certified manufacturers to all branches of the Armed Services and the DLA.

1.2.12. Encourage footwear manufacturers to participate in the Footwear Certification Program.

Act as consultant to those seeking participation.

2. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.

2.1. Policy. The Army Footwear Certification Program will grant certification for each item which meets or exceeds the minimum specified requirements. Certification shall be based upon the results of the evaluation and at the discretion of the Footwear Certification Program. The manufacturer may resubmit a new or reworked product with all required data. Certification will expire two years from the date of certification, or upon any substantial change by the manufacturer to the design, construction, component materials, or manufacturing location of the certified item if such a change occurs prior to the regularly scheduled two year expiration.

The Footwear Certification Program shall determine if a change to the item is substantial and requires recertification prior to implementation of such a planned change in the product.

2.1.1. The certification shall apply to the design of the finished product, as a whole, and all of the footwear components submitted for certification to include: fabrics in the color and fiber content; polymer materials; insoles; laces; finishes; treatments; as well as hard and soft parts such as eyelets and cushion materials. The certification cannot be projected to any other style, model, make, or part number.

2.1.2. Samples of components such as leather, linings, laces, tapes, outsoles, etc., may be requested for verification purposes during certification and recertification.

2.1.3. Certifications shall be rendered in the form of a “Certification Memorandum” addressed to the submitting footwear manufacturer. Certifications shall not be granted verbally.

Any submitting company acting on verbal information, regardless of source, does so at its own risk.

2.1.4. Notification of non-conformance to the minimum requirements will be provided in writing to the footwear manufacturer who has submitted the item for certification.

2.1.5. Evaluations will be conducted according to the current procurement document.

Certification shall be based on the results of the evaluation and at the discretion of the Footwear Certification Program.

2.1.6. An information copy of the Certification Memorandum shall be furnished to Defense Logistics Agency-Troop Support (DLA-TS), U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, and other Government agencies, as required or requested.

2.1.7. Notification shall be furnished from manufacturer to the Footwear Certification Program and prior approval obtained for any changes to a certified product. The manufacturer shall notify Footwear Certification Program no less than 45 days before making any change to the certified product and shall submit samples and test reports required to maintain certification or for recertification. This notification is in addition to any material change requests or notification that may be required by a Government contract.

2.1.8. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to submit samples and test reports for the recertification of the item and when the manufacturer plans on changing the product.

2.1.9. The manufacturer is responsible for maintaining the quality of these items. A quality control (QC) system must be maintained. The Government reserves the right to conduct in-process inspections and end item finished production inspections at the manufacturer’s facility. This is to ensure Berry compliance is met and to assess the manufacturer’s quality control processes.

2.1.10. The certified products shall be covered by standard commercial footwear warranty for latent defects and workmanship.

2.1.11. No payments will be made by the Government for samples or test reports.

2.1.12. The Government reserves the right to alter, add, and remove testing requirements for the certification process at any time.

2.2. Eligibility for Certification Evaluation. Submission of a product for evaluation by the Footwear Certification Program may only be completed by footwear manufacturers engaged in the fabrication or assembly of a Berry Amendment compliant footwear end item. The certificate number is assigned to the manufacturer requesting approval for a footwear end item manufactured at a specific location. If a subcontractor is used, the certification applies to the footwear manufacturer producing items at that specific subcontractor's location. That certification number is not applicable to the subcontractor itself, nor is it transferable from one location to another.

2.3. Certification Procedure. Footwear manufacturers seeking certification are responsible for submitting physical samples, test reports, and product information to the Footwear Certification Program. All samples, test reports, and product information will be reviewed by the Footwear Certification Program within 90 days of receipt of the submission. If additional testing, information, or physical samples are requested by the Footwear Certification Program, the review will conclude within 90 days of the receipt of this additional material. Upon completion of the review, a written notification of either approval or failure will be provided to the footwear manufacturer. The written notification will be accompanied by an affidavit which the manufacturer will be requested to sign and return to the Footwear Certification Program. Upon receipt of the signed affidavit, a “Certification Memorandum” shall be awarded, with an assigned certification number for the specific footwear style/model approved, as identified by the manufacturer’s part number. One half pair of the sample pairs of footwear provided will be returned to the manufacturer alongside the Certification Memorandum. If an item fails to be certified for any reason, samples submitted may not be returned to the manufacturer.

2.3.1. Physical Samples. The footwear manufacturer shall submit physical samples of all items for which certification is being requested. Samples submitted must be produced at the location(s) in which the manufacture intends to produce the item for Government contracts. All samples must meet the requirements of the Berry Amendment. Samples submitted will be inspected for compliance with the PD/Spec against which the manufacturer has requested certification. The inspection of samples will include a verification that all required materials are present as well as an end item visual examination for defects. Footwear manufacturers shall submit five (5) whole sample pairs, plus one (1) cross-sectioned pair (cut longitudinally) of each type, style/model, and gender (i.e. Men’s or Women’s) of item seeking certification in accordance with Table I.

2.3.1.1. Men’s Footwear. The samples provided for Men’s styles/models, whole and cross-sectioned, shall be size 10, width D (regular/medium).

2.3.1.2. Women’s Footwear. Whole samples provided for Women’s styles/models shall be split between two (2) sizes. Two of the sample pair shall be size 8, width B (regular/medium). The remaining three (3) pair shall be of size 12, width D (Wide), or the nearest Women’s size to a Men’s 10D, as determined by the manufacturer. The cross-sectioned sample pair shall also be of size 8, width B.

TABLE I. Physical Sample Requirements for Submission.

Number of Samples

End Item Samples Men’s Certifications Women’s Certifications

Whole Pairs of Men’s 10(D) or Equivalent 5 3

Whole Pairs of Women’s 8(B) 0 2

Cross-sectioned samples in size 10(D) 1 0

Cross-sectioned samples in size 8(B) 0 1

2.3.2. Test Reports. Submissions shall be supported by data in the form of test reports which clearly state the submitted product meets all testing requirements and quality standards required in the Spec or PD. Component testing must be completed on components which were produced completely in the United States, in accordance with the requirements of the Berry Amendment.

2.3.2.1. Test reports shall be provided for each component testing requirement and end item testing requirement defined in the Spec or PD. Each test report should clearly define the following: the location where the test was conducted; the manufacturer’s part number for the item tested; the test method completed; the minimum/maximum result required by the Spec or PD; and the recorded result.

Additionally, the test report should include any deviations in the testing completed from the standard test method, when relevant. Testing must have been completed no more than 12 months prior to the data of submission to the Footwear Certification Program.

2.3.2.2. Initial test reports are not required to be conducted by an independent test laboratory. First party test reports produced by the footwear manufacturer or a component manufacturer may be submitted to satisfy test report requirements.

Submission of independent validation testing may be requested if Footwear Certification Program feels that there is any reason to question the validity of a first party test report. If independent validation testing is requested, certification will be withheld until such reports are provided to ensure conformance with the requirements in question.

2.3.2.3. The Footwear Certification Program retains the right to reject test reports if any of the above defined information is not clearly articulated in the report.

2.3.2.4. Footwear Certification Program retains the right to conduct its own validation testing of any end item or component either at a Government laboratory or an independent laboratory. If Footwear Certification Program choses to conduct Government funded validation testing, sharing of that data with the manufacturer shall only be done at the discretion of the Footwear Certification Program.

2.3.2.5. All submitted test reports and samples will become the property of the US Government. The Government reserves the right to publically publish data resulting from Government funded validation data. If published publically (i.e.

outside of the Government), data will be generalized and not linked to the specific brand or style/model number.

2.3.3. Product Information. Each item submitted for certification shall be accompanied by an information package identifying pertinent information about the item, the manufacturer, and the component materials. This package shall contain the brand, style/model name, part number, and location of manufacture for the submitted item, as well as a statement defining the Spec or PD which the item is intended to be certified against. When relevant, the Type, Class, and/or Fit (i.e. Men’s or Women’s) which the item should be evaluated against in the Spec or PD should also be clearly stated. The information package shall state the size range and widths in which this product will be available upon award of a Government contract as well as the name/number and manufacturer of the lasts to be used in production of the end item. The information package shall also include a list of the components present in the end item as well as the manufacturer of each component. If desired, the manufacture may also include a summary, not to exceed one (1) page, of past performance producing the submitted item or similar for either the commercial market or Government contracts.

2.4. Submission Package for Certification. Physical samples, test reports, and product information should all arrive to the Footwear Certification Program simultaneously. Test reports and product information packages may be submitted electronically by email, pending prior approval by the Footwear Certification Program personnel. Physical samples and paper copies of the test reports and product information shall be shipped to the following address and attention:

Attn: Footwear Certification Program

US Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, Bldg. 4, Room D323, 15 General Greene Avenue, Natick, MA 01760

2.5. Recertification Procedure.

2.5.1. Recertification is required two years after the date of certification defined in the initial

Certification Memorandum, and every two years thereafter. Recertification submittal from each manufacturer must occur not less than 45 calendar days prior to the date of expiration of each item. Manufacturers shall submit two (2) whole pair samples (unless quantity is otherwise specified) of their certified items from their most current production for recertification every two years. One additional half pair sample cut longitudinally is also required. All Men’s samples for recertification shall be submitted in size 10, width D.

all Women’s samples for recertification shall be size 8, width B. Within 45 calendar days of receipt of the items for recertification, Footwear Certification Program will notify the manufacturer in writing of acceptance or rejection.

2.5.2. If the samples are approved, both samples will be tagged. One of the samples will be retained by the Footwear Certification Program, and the other returned to the manufacturer with the recertification approval letter.

2.5.3. If the samples are rejected, the manufacturer will be informed of the deficiencies and must resubmit corrected samples within 30 calendar days. The Footwear Certification Program may retain rejected samples.

2.5.4. Reprocessing time frames will follow the same schedule as initial recertification submittals.

2.5.5. At the Footwear Certification Program’s option, recertification may be granted as a result of a Footwear Certification Program inspection visit at the manufacturing site. The Footwear Certification Program will notify the manufacturer by letter following the visit if recertification occurs. Approved samples will be taken from the visit by the Footwear Certification Program.

2.5.6. The Footwear Certification Program must be notified in writing of any manufacturing location change. Two samples (unless quantity is otherwise specified) produced at the new location are required to be submitted for recertification.

2.6. Maintaining Certification with Changes in Component Supplier or Material. For changes deemed as minor by the Government in either materials (e.g. a new supplier of a previously approved material) or manufacturing practice (e.g. new equipment or manufacturing locations to produce the certified item), manufactures of a certified item may submit a request to maintain certification. Once the manufacturer of a certified footwear item has notified the Footwear Certification Program of its intent to change a component material, a supplier, manufacturing location or manufacturing practice, the Footwear Certification Program will respond with a determination as to either the change to the item is minor and justifies maintaining the existing certification or if it warrants a new certification submission. If deemed minor, the Footwear Certification Program will provide direction as to what information, test reports, and/or samples must be submitted to maintain the existing certification.

3. CERTIFICATION NUMBERS.

3.1. Assignment of Certification Numbers. Certification numbers will be indicated on the Certification Memorandum. The original Certification Memorandum shall not be altered in any way by the submitter. The Certification Memorandum shall be signed by the project officer in charge of the Footwear Certification Program. Certification numbers are awarded to an individual firm for its exclusive use. The certification number awarded to a manufacturer is not for use by other companies which may sell the item supplied by the certificate holder. Recertification approval will use the same number as the original certification.

4. INSPECTIONS.

4.1. Mid-cycle Sample Inspections. The Footwear Certification Program will periodically review the procurement history and performance of certified products. The Government reserves the right to retest a product at any time to ensure conformance to requirements, and reserves the right to witness quality assurance testing conducted on large production lots of certified items.

Certification will be revoked if that item or its component materials do not pass retesting or witnessed quality assurance testing. Review of samples select for inspection will match the inspection of physical samples for initial certification, as defined in this document. When necessary, random sampling shall be in accordance with ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection of Attributes, General Inspection Level II with the AQLs specified for Conformance Lot Inspections.

4.2. Plant and warehouse Inspections. Inspection visits will be made by Footwear Certification

Program personnel to certified manufacturers’ and subcontractors’ plants and warehouses to verify that items continue to meet the specified requirements and the quality standard established by the tagged certified sample. Inspections visits will consist of reviews of material and components, item/component in-processing, production techniques, quality assurance protocols, and inventory of end items. Inspections will be both announced and unannounced.

4.3. Reporting of Inspection Results. After completing a field inspection of a manufacturer’s plant, warehouse, or a retail location, a report summarizing the findings will be prepared by the Footwear Certification Program. This report will be provided to DLA, the manufacturer, and other Government offices as deemed necessary by the Project Officer. If an end item, component materials, or manufacturing is deemed by the Footwear Certification Program to have changed since the certification was presented, written notice will be provided to the manufacture identifying the change and/or failure to meet certification requirements. This notice will follow the Revocation Procedure, as defined in this document.

5. REVOCATION OF CERTIFICATION.

5.1. Revocation Policy. Certification may be revoked at any time if it is determined by the Footwear Certification Program that the certificate holder has violated any of the expressed conditions under which the certification was issued. These include, but are not limited to:

5.1.1. Workmanship is not at an acceptable quality level when compared to the certified sample.

5.1.2. Component materials or parts are not equivalent to the certified sample.

5.1.3. Labeling requirements are not as prescribed by the Footwear Certification Program.

5.1.4. Failure to submit item(s) for recertification.

5.1.5. Failure of prime contractor to advise the Footwear Certification Program of changes to subcontractor and/or manufacturing facilities.

5.1.6. Failure to allow the Footwear Certification Program personnel access to manufacturing or warehousing facilities of prime contractors and/or subcontractors.

5.2. Revocation Procedure.

5.2.1. Notice of the first violation will be given to the contractor in writing by the Footwear Certification Program and will constitute a warning. The contractor will be required to respond in writing within 14 calendar days indicating (a) the action being taken to rectify the noted shortcomings and (b) when and where the corrected products can be inspected.

5.2.2. The next violation of the same infraction(s) will be grounds for revocation by the Footwear Certification Program, who will notify the contractor of the revocation in writing. The length of the certificate revocation period will be based on the severity of the infraction and Footwear Certification Program’s acceptance of the manufacturer’s corrective action plan.

5.2.3. Publication of revoked certificates will be made to DLA.

5.2.4. Reinstatement of a vendor's certification may be made after vendor resubmittal of the item and completion of the revocation period defined by the Footwear Certification Program. If the product is acceptable, a new certification number will be issued. Old certificate numbers will not be reissued.