Sources Sought Notice_26RPINS_12NOV25.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION FOR U.S. ARMY RETIRING

SOLDIER LAPEL PINS

The Mission and Installation Contracting Command – Fort Sam Houston (MICC-FSH) is issuing this sources sought synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify potential sources having an interest and industry technologies available to support the procurement and distribution of U.S. Army Retiring Soldier Lapel Pins for the Army Retiring Soldier Commendation Program (ARSCP).

The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement (e.g., an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract), if a requirement materializes. Based on the responses to this notice, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open competition. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions.

DISCLAIMER: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TO BE SUBMITTED. IT

DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS

A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT

OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A

CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE

AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS

ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The Installation Management Command (IMCOM) G1 requires the procurement and distribution of the U.S. Army Retiring Soldier Lapel Pin, a key component of the ARSCP, in compliance with Army Regulation (AR) 600-8-22. These items are presented to Soldiers upon retirement. IMCOM seeks a centralized contract to fulfill this need for all three Army Components (Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard).

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

The Government requires vendors capable of meeting the following requirements for the U.S. Army Retired Lapel Button:

1. Product Requirement: The product must strictly adhere to the specification in AR 600-8-22, Paragraph 6-19e: "The U.S. Army Retired Lapel Button is gold metal consisting of a black background displaying a black star surmounted by a white star.

Attached around the device is a gold edged black circle with a scroll inscribed “Retired” above and “Soldier for Life” below in gold. Overall dimension is 7/8 inch in diameter."

W9124J-26-R-PINS, Sources Sought Technical Description for U.S. Army Retiring Soldier Lapel Pins

2. Service & Distribution Requirements:

a. Ship a specified quantity of pins quarterly to each of the Army’s 59 installations and additional addresses provided by the Reserve and National Guard.

b. Develop and maintain a tracking system to confirm delivery and receipt of the lapel pins.

c. Provide quarterly delivery reports to all three Army Components.

d. Accept and process annual orders placed through IMCOM, with shipping addresses provided by the government.

3. Qualification:

a. Non-Developmental Item: The pin must be an NDI.

b. MANDATORY: The pins must be obtained from certified sources licensed by The

Army Institute of Heraldry (TIOH), as outlined in AR 600-8-22 and AR 840-10. Only manufacturers certified by TIOH (or their authorized distributors) are authorized to produce these items. Respondents MUST provide proof of their TIOH certification or their status as an authorized distributor of a TIOH-certified manufacturer.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Any resulting contract is anticipated to have a security classification level of Unclassified. Any resulting contract shall be compliant with the specialty metals restriction of the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. 2533a and 2533b) in accordance with DFARS clauses 252.225-7008 and 252.225-7009. The U.S. Flag component (Requirement 2) is particularly subject to this restriction.

ELIGIBILITY

The anticipated NAICS code for this requirement is 339910 (Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing) with a Small Business Size Standard of 500 Employees. The anticipated Product Service Code (PSC) is 8455 (Badges and Insignia).

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Interested businesses should submit a brief capabilities statement package (no more than ten 8.5 X 11 inch pages, font no smaller than 10 point) demonstrating ability to provide the products/systems listed in this Technical Description. Documentation should be in bullet format. No phone or email solicitations with regards to the status of the RFP will be accepted prior to its release.

Your response to this Sources Sought, including any capabilities statement, shall be electronically submitted to the Contract Specialists, Annalyssa Navarro-Schwener (annalyssa.o.navarro-schwener.civ@army.mil) and Jacquelyn Morgan (jacquelyn.k.morgan.civ@army.mil), in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email no later than 10:00 a.m. Central Standard Time (CST) on 15 December 2025 and reference this synopsis number W9124J-26-R-PINS in the subject

W9124J-26-R-PINS, Sources Sought Technical Description for U.S. Army Retiring Soldier Lapel Pins line of e-mail and on all enclosed documents. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED

MATERIAL.

If your organization has the potential capacity to provide the required products/systems, please provide the following information:

1. Organization Information:

a. Organization name, address, primary points of contact (POCs) and their email address, telephone number, and Web site address.

b. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and CAGE Code.

c. Type of ownership and socioeconomic status (e.g., Small Business, 8(a), Woman-

Owned Small Business (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), HUBZone) under the NAICS code(s) listed above.

2. Tailored Capability Statement:

a. A statement addressing your firm's capability to provide the U.S. Army Retired Lapel Pin and the required distribution services.

b. MANDATORY: You must include proof of your TIOH certification or authorized distributor status.

c. Provide no more than three (3) examples of relevant past performance from the last five (5) years for similar heraldic items.

d. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated, please address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

Note: All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.