Caisson Wagon - Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Request for Prototype Proposal (RPP) W51EW7-26-R-A010

The Department of the Army, through the Mission & Installation Contracting Command on behalf of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), seeks proposals to design, develop, and deliver a prototype Caisson Wagon for memorial affairs operations at Arlington National Cemetery, with proposals due July 13, 2026, and questions due May 26. This is an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Request for Prototype Proposal under 10 U.S.C. 4022, with a single Firm-Fixed-Price agreement intended. Award eligibility is restricted: all significant participants must be small businesses or nontraditional defense contractors. Successful prototype completion may result in a non-competitive, sole-source follow-on production agreement for 6–8 additional wagons.

Place of performance is Arlington, Virginia. The prototype must meet detailed salient characteristics including overall dimensions of 320 inches, weight not to exceed 2,000 pounds while carrying an 800-pound casket, capacity to sustain minimum 10 miles per day at 10 mph on 10% grade hills, spoked wheels with 55-inch diameter and minimum 3-inch width, adjustable limber accommodating horse pairs 15.3hh to 17.3hh, weather-resistant storage of minimum 20 cubic feet, braking system to reduce strain when stationary and moving downhill, and a 40-year minimum lifespan. The contractor must provide a comprehensive maintenance program, detailed CAD drawings and renderings, one spare wheel per wagon, and a service manual enabling operator and field-level maintenance by Government personnel. Prototype delivery is anticipated within nine months; follow-on production within 12 months of production award.

Evaluation uses best-value trade-off with non-price factors significantly more important than price. The five evaluation factors in descending importance order are: Technical Approach (design, materials, horse welfare, and historic aesthetics); Integrated Logistics and Sustainability Plan (supply chain, maintainability, service manuals, warranty); Management and Lifecycle Approach (schedules, risk mitigation); Price (prototype, follow-on production, and modifications); and Administrative Factor (cover letter with company information and acknowledgment of Terms and Conditions). Offerors must submit firm fixed-price bids for the prototype, estimated firm fixed-price per unit for production wagons, pricing for Unlimited Use Rights, and fully burdened hourly labor rates for Engineering Change Proposals. Questions and answers posted as of June 3, 2026, are available; industry days were held February 18 (virtual) and March 24–25, 2026 (in-person), with no additional site visits during the proposal period. The NAICS code is 336999 (All Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing); PSC is 2590 (Miscellaneous Vehicular Components).