Attachment 0006 Industry Questions with Responses.pdf

W9124D26QA279 Future Soldiers T-shirts Questions and Answers

Q1. Can you please confirm that this requirement must be 100% sourced and manufactured in the United States in order to meet Berry Amendment compliance?

A1. Yes. In accordance with 52.212-1, para 8 and DFARS 225.7002-1, this acquisition is subject to the Berry Amendment. All processing, manufacturing, and materials for this product, including all components, must be of U.S. origin. By submitting a proposal, the offeror legally certifies full compliance with these domestic sourcing requirements.

Q2. We noticed the solicitation references NAICS 315210 – Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors. Is this procurement restricted only to businesses classified under that NAICS code, or are apparel brands and other businesses eligible to submit a quote if they are capable of sourcing, manufacturing, and fulfilling the requirement domestically through compliant U.S. manufacturing partners?

A2. While the primary NAICS code for this solicitation is 315210, any business that can meet the requirements as stated in the Statement of Work and comply with all terms of the solicitation, including the Berry Amendment, is eligible to submit a quote. The entity is responsible for ensuring its entire supply chain is compliant.

Q3. Is an 8(a) sole source award feasible for this requirement given its current full-and-open posting, and if so, what is the process and timeline to pursue that?

A3. No.

Q4. Is our production sample on file under Contract # W9124D25RA059 still acceptable given the Statement of Work dated 14 July 2026, or would an updated sample be required?

A4. No. Each requirement is separate and apart from another. All offerors must adhere to the sample and submission requirements outlined in the current Statement of Work.

Q5. What additional documentation, capability statement, updated 8(a) approval letter, HUBZone certification, past performance references, or otherwise would you need us to support this request?

A5. Refer to Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

Q6. Is there still time to pursue this before the response due date, or would this need to be moved forward as an amendment to the current solicitation?

A6. The question is not clear. All quotes must be submitted in accordance with the due date and instructions specified in the solicitation and any formal amendments.

Q7. Solicitation W9124D26QA279. Does not require PDM‘s before due date of offers. Only digital and physical samples are required but only after the contract has already been awarded and first bulk order is received.

A7. The solicitation requires digital and physical samples only after the contract has been awarded and the first bulk order is placed. Pre-award PDMs are not required. See SOW, Sample Requirements.

Q8. Attachment 1, the Statement of Work (IB08 Attachment 1 – Statement of Work (SOW), 14 July 2026), as posted on SAM.gov appears to be protected with Microsoft rights management and cannot be opened outside government systems. The file displays only a "This PDF file is protected" message. Could an accessible copy be reposted or provided so offerors can review the requirement?

A8. See Amendment 0001, as the SOW has been updated and is now accessible.

Q9. Block 8 of the SF1449 lists the offer due date as 24 July 2026, 10:00 AM, while the SAM.gov posting and the Addendum to 52.212-1 indicate quotes are due 29 July 2026, 10:00 AM ET. Could you please confirm the correct offer due date?

A9. See Amendment 0001, which corrected offer due date on solicitation to 29 July 2026, at 10:00 AM ET.

Q10. PAYMENT TERMS — Would the Government consider milestone-based payments upon verified incremental shipments, such as upon confirmed delivery of the first 10,000 shirts?

A10. No. After contract award, payment will be issued based on the items delivered and accepted by the Government at the specified delivery destinations. With the submission of a proper invoice within Wide Area Workflow. See Solicitation, DFARS Clause 252.232-7006.

Q11. INCUMBENT CONTRACTOR — Is there a current incumbent performing this or a similar requirement, and is that information available for release?

A11. Essential Products of America, Inc, Unique Entity Identifier # DLNNSZQE86V4.

Q12. BERRY AMENDMENT COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION — At what point will the Government require Berry Amendment compliance documentation — at proposal, award, or delivery?

A12. Refer to Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Commercial Services, subparagraph 8…..“Accordingly, offer MUST: (1) Submit a list of proposed subcontractors or suppliers, including addresses, and (2) Provide an affirmative statement that the prime contractor has verified and confirms that all processing/manufacturing of the end item, including components, is done in the U.S and all materials are wholly of U.S. origin for this requirement.” And

…. “THE GOVERNMENT IS AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE BERRY

AMENDMENT. AS A RESULT, PRODUCTS ARE BEING MORE CLOSELY SCRUTINIZED PRIOR

TO AWARD AND UPON DELIVERY TO ENSURE THAT WHEN A DOMESTIC PRODUCT IS

REQUIRED BY REGULATION, A DOMESTIC PRODUCT IS BEING DELIVERED…..”

Q13. What is the required submission method for the quote package: email, SAM.gov, PIEE, or another portal?

A13. Refer to Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Commercial Services, subparagraph 3….”Quotes shall be submitted via email to Contract Specialist, Mr. Kelly M. Tipple, kelly.m.tipple.civ@army.mil with a copy to the Contracting Officer, Adrian J. Atkinson adrian.j.atkinson2.civ@army.mil using the subject line "W9124D26QA279 - Future Solider T-shirts”.

Q14. Should offerors complete and return the SF 1449 with Blocks 12, 17, 23, 24, and 30 completed?

A14. Yes, offerors are to complete the specified blocks on the SF 1449 and return as part of their quote package.

Q15. Will acknowledgement of Amendment 0001 be sufficient by referencing it in the quote package, or should the signed SF 30 amendment also be returned?

A15. Offerors are to follow the instructions provided in Box 11 of the SF30, Amendment 0001.

Q16. Besides pricing, supplier list/addresses, Berry Amendment confirmation, and completed solicitation forms, are any additional documents required with the quote?

A16. Refer to the Refer to Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

Q17. Can the Government confirm whether the FY26 requirement is materially the same as the prior Future Soldier T-shirt requirement in regard to garment specifications, print locations, packaging, shipping, and distribution requirements?

A17. No. Each requirement is separate and apart from another. All offerors must adhere to the instructions and information provided in the solicitation.

Q18. Can the Government provide the prior contract number, awarded contractor, total award amount, awarded unit price, and number of offers received for the previous Future Soldier T-shirt procurement A18. See Q.11 and the prior contract number is W9124D25PA242.

mailto:kelly.m.tipple.civ@army.mil mailto:adrian.j.atkinson2.civ@army.mil

Q19. Is there an Independent Government Cost Estimate, target budget range, or historical unit-price range available for this requirement that can be shared with offerors?

A19. No. Offerors are responsible for submitting their best value quotation based on the requirements of the solicitation.

Q20. Will the Government provide the final vector artwork and print-ready files immediately upon award, including approved color references, print dimensions, and placement specifications?

A20. See attachment 0001, SOW.

Q21. Can the Government confirm whether the artwork shown in the SOW is the final approved artwork, or whether there may be revisions after award?

A21. Offerors shall base their quotations on the artwork included in the SOW.

Q22. Can the Government confirm whether the 75,000-unit total and listed size breakdown are final:

o Small: 7,500 o Medium: 30,000 o Large: 30,000 o XL: 7,500

A22. Refer to attachment 0001 Statement of Work.

Q23. Will the final distribution spreadsheet provided after award include complete destination addresses, receiving POCs, phone numbers, size breakdowns, and carton-level shipping instructions for all MEPS, battalions, headquarters, and overseas locations?

A23. Refer to attachment 0002 Shirt Quantity and Distribution List.

Q24. Can deliveries be completed in multiple phased shipments, provided that all shirts are delivered no later than November 19, 2026?

A24. Deliveries shall be made in accordance with the Statement of Work (SOW) and Refer to attachment 0002 Shirt Quantity and Distribution List included in the solicitation.

Q25. Is there a required production start date after sample approval, or can the contractor begin procuring compliant blank garments and production materials immediately after award while awaiting final physical sample approval A25. Refer to attachment 0001 Statement of Work of the solicitation, Sample Requirement.

Q26. For the physical sample requirement, please confirm whether one sample of each size is required, or whether one approved representative sample shirt is sufficient prior to full production.

A26. One physical sample of each T-shirt style is required. See attachment 0001, SOW, Sample Requirement.

Q27. Can the Government confirm whether freight, packaging, polybags, carton labeling, tracking, delivery coordination, and signed proof of delivery are all to be included in the firm-fixed-price quote A27. Yes. The Contractor must provide production, printing, packing and distribution of the 75,000 US Army Future Soldier T-shirts (as a one-time production order) to 69 Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS), 38 Battalions and US Army Recruiting Division (USARD) Headquarters. The contractor is responsible for all freight and shipping costs associated with the delivery of the T-shirts to all specified locations, including overseas destinations, which must be included in the quote submission.

Q28. Is partial invoicing allowed as shipments are completed, or will invoicing only be accepted after all 75,000 shirts have been delivered and accepted A28. After contract award, payment will be issued based on the items delivered and accepted by the Government at the specified delivery destinations (See attachment 0002 Shirt Quantity and Distribution List). With the submission of a proper invoice within Wide Area Workflow, DFARS Clause 252.232-7006 as found in the Solicitation.

Q29. For overseas and special-destination shipments, including Germany, Guam, Japan, Korea, Alaska, and Hawaii, are there any additional shipping requirements, customs documents, military routing instructions, carrier restrictions, or delivery appointment procedures that the contractor should include in its quote A29. See SOW, Packaging and Delivery Scheduling/Coordination.

Q30. Are you guys looking to evaluate samples before selecting the contractor?

A30. The solicitation requires digital and physical samples only after the contract has been awarded and the first bulk order is placed. Pre-award PDMs are not required. See SOW, Sample Requirements.

Q31. Is the design provided in the SOW - is that the expected final design?

A31. Yes.

Q32. I see this is intended to be Berry compliant. Other solicitations have allowed for non-Berry compliance but graded those responses to the RFP lower. Is foreign material acceptable or must we be 100% US-sourced from material to final product?

A32. No. Offerors shall follow the instructions provided in Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services, subparagraph 8. In addition, any item offered shall meet the criteria outlined in DFARS 225.7002-1, this acquisition is subject to the Berry Amendment. All processing, manufacturing, and materials for this product, including all components, must be of U.S. origin. By submitting a proposal, the offeror legally certifies full compliance with these domestic sourcing requirements.

Q33. Would a tubular-body T-shirt without side seams be acceptable, as long as it meets all the other fabric, weight, fit, stitching, printing, and quality requirements in the SOW?

A33. No. Offerors shall propose products that meet all requirements of the solicitation and Statement of Work.

Q34. Since the SOW does not include a measurement chart for the adult-unisex sizes, may we use the domestic manufacturer’s standard size chart, subject to sample approval? If the Army has required measurements or tolerances, could you please provide them?

A34. See Amendment 0001, SOW.

Q35. Would the manufacturer’s standard permanent label showing the size, fiber content, care instructions, and country of origin be acceptable? Also, may the label be either sewn into the garment or applied as a permanent heat-transfer label? If the Army requires a custom label, could you please provide the required wording, size, placement, and application method?

A35. In accordance with Statement of Work.

Q36. Could you please confirm where we should submit the final quote?

A36. See Q13.

Q37. Was this requirement previously awarded? If so, would you be able to provide the previous awardee and contract number?

A37. See Q11 and Q18.

Q38. Will the Contracting Officer permit progressive invoicing through WAWF as individual deliveries are completed and accepted, rather than requiring a single invoice against completion of the full 75,000-unit order?

Allowing invoicing per completed delivery batch would let us align payment more closely with the delivery schedule already built into the SOW, without changing the delivery requirements or total contract value in any way.

A38. See Q10.

Q39. The red colors listed in the Pantone specification and the hex code differ. Can we get confirmation on the 5 colors being used? The Army black listed in Black 3 C - is the shade of black for the shirt itself required to be Black 3C?

A39. See Amendment 0001, as the SOW is now accessible.

Q40. For shipping, is the Army providing an account, or should shipping costs be built into the proposal?

A40. No. The Army is not providing an account for shipping. The Contractor is responsible for all freight and shipping cost. See SOW, Scope.

Q41. As there is one deliverable with > 100 address, what are the options for payment schedule?

A41. See Q10.

Q42. Could you please let me know who the incumbent contractor? If available, I would also appreciate the previous contract value, number of t-shirts that were awarded.

A42. See Q11 and Q18

Q43. Do you have a shirt style that you typically use that meets these requirements?

A43. See SOW for shirt style, characteristics and requirements.

Q44. Manufacturers have asked whether the shirts must be manufactured entirely in the United States, or if production may be outsourced overseas while still meeting the solicitation requirements. Specifically, they’re asking if a 50/50 cotton/polyester shirt manufactured outside the U.S. would be acceptable, or if the solicitation requires the garments to be made in America A44. See Q32. In accordance with DFARS 225.7002-1, this acquisition is subject to the Berry Amendment. All processing, manufacturing, and materials for this product, including all components, must be of U.S. origin. By submitting a proposal, the offeror legally certifies full compliance with these domestic sourcing requirements.

Q45. Can the Government confirm whether the 2025 contract awarded under Solicitation W9124D25QA316 was successfully completed and accepted by the Government?

A45. See Q11 and Q18.

Q46. The current Statement of Work specifies plastisol screen printing. Can the Government confirm whether Direct-to-Film (DTF) transfers are acceptable under this solicitation, provided the finished product meets all appearance, durability, washability, and quality requirements? Additionally, if known, were DTF transfers an acceptable printing method under the 2025 procurement?

A46. Printing must be completed in accordance with the current SOW.

Q47. Publicly available contract data indicates that Purchase Order W9124D25PA242 was awarded in the amount of approximately $241,800. Can the Government confirm that this award represented the complete scope of work, including the Berry Amendment compliant garments, all printing, packaging, labeling, and delivery to all required destinations, or were portions of the requirement procured under separate contract actions?

A47. See Q4.

Q48. Does the delivery schedule begin at award or after Government approval of the pre-production sample?

A48. Refer to Attachment 0001 Statement of Work, subsections “Sample Requirement” and “Delivery Scheduling/Coordination.” Delivery of all T-shirts must be delivered prior to or no later than 19 November 2026.

Q49. If the Government requires sample revisions, will the delivery schedule be adjusted accordingly?

A49. If changes to delivery schedule are necessary during contract performance, they will be addressed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the resulting contract.

Q50. Are the stated sample submission timeframes calendar days or business days?

A50. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, all time periods are expressed in calendar days.

Q51. Can you please confirm whether this solicitation has the same Berry Amendment requirements and substantially the same specifications as the previous Future Soldier T-shirt procurement, or if there are any material differences that offerors should be aware of?

A51. See Q4.

Q52. Can you please confirm that the required T-shirts must be fully Berry Amendment compliant, including yarn, fabric, thread, labels, cutting, sewing, dyeing, finishing, and printing sourced and performed in the United States A52. Offerors shall follow the instructions provided in Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services, subparagraph 8. In addition, any item offered shall meet the criteria outlined in DFARS 225.7002-1, this acquisition is subject to the Berry Amendment. All processing, manufacturing, and materials for this product, including all components, must be of U.S. origin. By submitting a proposal, the offeror legally certifies full compliance with these domestic sourcing requirements.

Q53. Will they be willing to take 5.7 oz fabric?

A53. No. The requirement specifies 5.4-ounce fabric. See attachment 0001, SOW, Salient Characteristics.

Q54. Do they want body size or open width (side seam) for the construction?

A54. See attachment 0001, SOW, Salient Characteristics.

Q55. The solicitation requires Berry Amendment compliant garments. We are finding that Berry Amendment compliant blanks are difficult to source. Would a Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliant garment be an acceptable substitute for this requirement, or is a waiver available for Berry Amendment compliance on this solicitation?

A55. No. Offerors shall follow the instructions provided in Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services, subparagraph 8. In addition, any item offered shall meet the criteria outlined in DFARS 225.7002-1, this acquisition is subject to the Berry Amendment. All processing, manufacturing, and materials for this product, including all components, must be of U.S. origin. By submitting a proposal, the offeror legally certifies full compliance with these domestic sourcing requirements.

Q56. When will the contractor be paid (Is each location paying separately as they receive the packages, or once the packages are prepared to ship)?

A56. See Q10.

Q57. To assist in our preparation, I am seeking clarification regarding last year's solicitation, which had an apparent winning unit price of $3.72 per shirt. Given the Berry Amendment requirements for full U.S. origin on all materials, components, manufacturing, printing, labeling, bagging and shipping, could the Government please clarify if that prior price reflected fully compliant production? Additionally, please provide any guidance on expected pricing parameters or cost drivers for the current requirement.

A57. Each requirement is separate and apart from another. All offerors must adhere to the sample and submission requirements outlined in the current Statement of Work. There is no guidance on expected pricing parameters or cot drivers.

Q58. Please confirm the authorized method and email address or addresses for submitting the final quote. The RFQ prohibits fax submissions but does not appear to identify an electronic submission address, unless I overlooked it.

A58. See Q13. Amendment 0002, Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services has been updated.

Q59. Please confirm the required format and contents of the quote package. Should offerors submit the completed and signed SF 1449 and Amendment 0001 along with a commercial quote and supporting documentation? Should these materials be combined into one consolidated PDF or submitted as separate attachments?

A59. See Q13. Amendment 0002, Addendum to 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services has been updated.

Q60. Please confirm whether FAR 52.219-33 requires the proposed T-shirt manufacturer to qualify as a small business for this acquisition and whether any nonmanufacturer-rule waiver applies.

A60. Since this is a 100% small business set aside, see FAR 19.505 for applicable limitations on subcontracting and nonmanufacturer rules. The nonmanufacturer rule would apply only if this requirement exceeded SAT.

Q61. For the Berry Amendment requirement, must the quote include a signed certification from the proposed manufacturer, or will the required supplier/subcontractor list and the offeror’s affirmative verification statement satisfy the submission requirement?

A61. See Q12.

Q62. Is November 19, 2026, the required arrival date for all destinations, or may deliveries arrive earlier when coordinated with the receiving locations?

A62. Delivery of all T-shirts to multiple locations must be delivered by 19 November 2026. Refer to Attachment 0001 Statement of Work, subsections “Delivery Scheduling/Coordination.”