WHS-RFI-RFTMII.docx

RFI

MANUFACTURING INNOVATION INSTITUTE

Request for Information: Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles Manufacturing Innovation Institute

UNCLASSIFIED

WHS-RFI-RFTMII– Manufacturing Innovation Institute

UNCLASSIFIED 1

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

Issuing Acquisition Agency: Washington Headquarters Service (WHS) RFI No.: WHS-RFI-RFTMII Program Office: Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program Responses Due: 3:00 PM ET February 28, 2025 Type of Notice: Sources Sought / Request for Information as a part of market intelligence Statute/Regulation: 10 U.S.C. § 4022; 10 U.S.C. § 4021 NAICS: 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology); 541715 – Research and Development in Nanotechnology Industry Day: Expected in/around March 2025; more information forthcoming

General Information

This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes ONLY and is not to be construed as a solicitation or a commitment to issue a solicitation.

The Washington Headquarters Services Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) Rapid Prototype Acquisition Branch (RPAB) seeks to gather market intelligence as described in the Department of Defense (DoD) Other Transactions Guide (July 2023). This RFI is on behalf of the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program and Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). This RFI is not a request for competitive proposals; therefore, responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. A future acquisition resulting from the information obtained by this RFI may be conducted under the Other Transaction Authorities in 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section (§) 4022 and/or 10 U.S.C. § 4021.

The Government seeks input and interest from industry, academia, non-profits, and other stakeholders to refine its requirements and strategy for reinvestment in a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) dedicated to Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles (RFT). This RFI seeks information about sources, pricing, delivery, capabilities, and other market information for acquisition planning. The RFT MII is a public-private partnership between government, academia, and industry to address the spectrum of manufacturing challenges associated with the domestic textile industry, from fiber/yarn formation through textile end products. The RFT MII will enable advanced manufacturing technologies and workforce revitalization across the textile goods supply chain to enable domestic production across a wide range of commercial and defense-relevant products and applications. Focus areas may include but are not limited to products derived from and production of high-volume fabrics, specialty fabrics, industrial fabrics, smart fabrics, other advanced textiles, repurposed/recycled textiles, and/or supporting manufacturing technologies.

Responses to this RFI will be used to inform a public-private partnership business model, industry engagement plan, and scope the MII manufacturing technology focus areas. Additionally, responses will assist in refining the focus areas currently under consideration (paragraph 5), based upon evidence of support for national security requirements, economic benefit, technical opportunity, relevance to industry, sustainability, and workforce development opportunities.

As part of the solicitation process, the government will host an industry day to solicit feedback and foster in-depth discussions on this topic. Additional information on the industry day will be provided as an addendum to this RFI. It is anticipated that the industry day will be held in/around March of 2025.

BACKGROUND

a. OSD ManTech The Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program supports the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) modernization priorities. OSD ManTech furthers national security objectives through the development and application of advanced manufacturing technologies and processes. 10 U.S.C. § 4841, provides that the DoD ManTech Program will further national security objectives through the development and application of advanced manufacturing technologies and processes that:

· reduce the acquisition and supportability costs of defense weapon systems; and

· reduce manufacturing and repair cycle times across the life cycles of such systems.

The DoD ManTech Program serves as an important mechanism for technology transition by:

· identifying, developing, and maturing new or improved manufacturing and repair processes;

· providing affordable technologies to acquisition program managers; and

· bridging the gap between discovery and implementation of new capabilities for the warfighter.

DoD ManTech is composed of the Military Service and DoD Agency (or "Component") investment programs operated out of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). The OSD ManTech Office is responsible for administering the DoD ManTech Program by providing central guidance and direction to the Component ManTech Programs. Along with providing oversight to DoD ManTech, the OSD ManTech Office also manages two investment portfolios: the Manufacturing Science & Technology Program (OSD MSTP) and DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (DoD MIIs). The vision of the program is a responsive world-class manufacturing capability to meet Warfighter needs affordably and rapidly throughout the defense system life cycle.

a. MIIs Manufacturing USA is the national network comprised of 17 MIIs that each have a specific technology or market focus, headquartered in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the Department of Commerce. Manufacturing USA is led by a not-for profit organization that includes domestic-based members from industry and academia. The DoD, Department of Energy, and Department of Commerce are members of the Manufacturing USA along with their sponsored MIIs. A national MII network overview, including annual reports and a current strategic plan, is available at https://www.manufacturing.gov/.

b. DoD ManTech MIIs OSD ManTech sponsors DoD MIIs with headquarters and hubs across the country. Each institute is designed operates in its own unique ecosystem. information related to the DoD MII network managed by ManTech can be found via https://www.dodmantech.com/. This website offers details about how MII design characteristics are being successfully applied, as well as how they will be applied going forward. The private-public partnership in the MIIs is established via a non-FAR based agreement between the public Department of Defense and an executing private Non-Profit Organization (NPO). Each NPO establishes a system of governance that lays the foundation for collaborative oversight and execution of industry-driven, dual-use member projects.

c. RFT MII The goal of the RFT MII is to create an impactful public-private partnership enabling the advanced development and scale-up of emergent textile technologies and manufacturing processes with the goal of successful transition of existing science and technology and manufacturing advancements into defense and commercial applications. The RFT MII will be formed to support sustained economic growth in the textile industry through advanced textile manufacturing innovation with a focus on fostering and sustaining a globally competitive U.S. manufacturing base. It is anticipated that the RFT MII will deliver:

1) Advanced manufacturing methods/technologies

2) Advanced textile technologies

3) Industry accepted standards

4) Education and workforce development

5) Advanced design and digital tools

RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS:

All responsible sources are encouraged to submit information that shall be considered by the Government.

Separate responses should be submitted for each technology area. Multiple responses from a firm are acceptable.

Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. The Government will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this RFI.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI.

b. SUBMITTALS:

Responses are due to the Contracting Office identified below by 3:00 PM Local Time, Friday the 28th of February 2025. Late responses will NOT be considered.

Responders shall provide one (1) electronic copy (in Microsoft Word) of their response via email to all three of the following emails:

whs.mc-alex.ad.mbx.rpab@mail.mil jeffrey.s.pacuska.civ@army.mil Suzanne.horner2.civ@army.mil

Hard copies or telephone calls will not be accepted.

c. FORMAT:

Responses to this RFI are limited to 5 double-spaced pages with one-inch margins using standard letter-size 8½” x 11” paper. The page count includes any title page. The font for text should be Times New Roman 12-point or larger.

d. CONTENT:

Responses should include the entity name, unique entity identifier (UEI), and point of contact. Responders should identify whether the responder is a nontraditional defense contractor or nonprofit research institution as defined in 10 U.S.C. § 4022. In addition, responders should identify whether the responder is a small or large business as it relates to the NAICS codes 541713 and/or 541715 (defined as having 500 or fewer employees).

All information received shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure. Responses must be unclassified. Do not submit any proprietary or classified information. Ensure your response does not have any markings stating the information is proprietary or it will not be considered. It is the responder’s responsibility to ensure that the information owner has approved the submitted materials for public release.

Marketing information is NOT desired in the response. Submission of existing commercial documentation and product literature is NOT an acceptable response. Endorsements from elected officials are NOT desired in the response.

The ManTech program invites responders to provide information in support of a potential future solicitation for an RFT MII. While current MIIs are led by non-profit organizations (NPO), MIIs must ultimately be industry-driven to be sustainable over time and to promptly address both commercial and defense needs. Textile industry and DOD supply chain buy-in will be critical for RFT MII success.

The Government envisions the RFT-MII to be the innovation engine for domestic-based textile manufacturing and design, as well as a facilitator across the domestic textile industry and Federal agencies for product design, manufacturing, and support. The RFT-MII will support the domestic industrial base through efforts to modernize manufacturing equipment and practices and foster agile fiber and textile manufacturing advances that support both government and commercial needs, developing market-focused manufacturing advances supporting product and system performance, affordability, and increased market demand.

Respondents to this RFI should refer to the information in https://www.manufacturing.gov/ and https://www.dodmantech.com/ as reference material for additional information during formulation of inputs.

Respondents should align their inputs with the following technology focus areas of interest:

· Automated textile manufacturing methods to include processes from fiber manufacture through substrate production and finishing, to end-item fabrication.

· Textile engineering design tools from fiber to factory floor. These include tools for design, development, and digital process flow.

· Textile materials and manufacturing process databases usable by third through first tier manufacturers.

· Processes and materials that increase circularity in DOD supply chains.

· ASTM, AATCC, or other industry bodies for standard development.

· Education and training of scientists, engineers, technologists, and technicians in the application and manufacture of textiles and related products.

· Research and Development (MRL 4-7) support to manufacturers serving DoD end markets.

Respondents should endeavor to address the following questions in its response:

· What is the current state of U.S. and global manufacturing capability associated with fibers and textiles, what are the limits of current practice, and what impacts can be made to improve the state of domestic manufacturing?

· Given that sharing of IP across parties are a significant challenge, how might intellectual property be addressed in a consortium model?

· What cost-sharing models could be employed to generate investment from non-federal sources?

· What metrics could be used to measure industry impacts or success?

· What current industrial infrastructure, including capital equipment, is does the respondent have available and/or access to in order to address the technology focus area(s)? What infrastructure is lacking?

· What are barriers that must be addressed to better enable domestic supply chains for fibers and textiles?

· Are there other focus areas or key areas of interest that may be of greater potential than those identified in this RFI?

· How can new manufacturing technologies best be demonstrated and proliferated across the textile industry?

· How important is industrial manufacturing experience in the management/execution of a textiles institute?

Separate responses should be submitted for each technology area. Multiple responses from a firm are acceptable.

The information submitted in response to this RFI may be used to help the Government further define its requirements and business approach. Input on technical aspects of the responses may be solicited by the Government from non-Government consultants/experts who are bound by appropriate non-disclosure requirements. If the Government develops a program that addresses any submitted or similar topic, the resulting solicitation/announcement will address technology and business specific requirements as defined by the Government. Responders to this RFI will have no competitive advantage in receiving any awards related to the submitted topic area.

e. REQUEST FOR CLARIFICATION

A responder may request clarification, in writing, from the Contracting Office for any aspect of this RFI that is unclear by sending an e-mail to: whs.mc-alex.ad.mbx.rpab@mail.mil. of this announcement. Any requests for clarification must be received no later than seven (7) business days prior to the close of this RFI to receive a timely response. Technical questions regarding this RFI should be directed to Jeffrey Pacuska, jeffrey.s.pacuska.civ@army.mil and Suzanne Horner, Suzanne.horner2.civ@army.mil.

f. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

While it is the intent of OSD for the RFT MII to be led by an NPO, all responsible sources may submit information. All routine communications regarding this announcement should be directed to the contractual or technical points of contact listed above. The Government may or may not use any responses to this RFI as a basis for a subsequent project. If projects developed in part from the RFI responses become the subject of a subsequent FAR based or Grant based acquisition; any such acquisition will be posted in SAM.gov or grants.gov. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. The Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or give feedback to respondents with respect to information submitted under this RFI.