SOLICITATION NOTICE
84 -- Liquid Pass-Through for Barrier Fabrics Request for Information
- Notice Date
- 2/28/2012
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 315999
— Other Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- ACC-APG - Natick (SPS), ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011
- ZIP Code
- 01760-5011
- Solicitation Number
- W911QY-LIQUIDPASSTHROUGH
- Response Due
- 3/23/2012
- Archive Date
- 5/22/2012
- Point of Contact
- Brad Laprise, 508 233-5440
- E-Mail Address
-
ACC-APG - Natick (SPS)
(brad.laprise@us.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Description The Unites States Army's Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), on behalf of the Product Manager (PM) Air Warrior, is pursuing a novel solution to provide pass-through capability to garment barrier fabrics. This Liquid Pass Through (LPT) device concept allows liquid coolant to be pumped from a liquid-circulating microclimate cooling system, through protective clothing layers worn by the Soldier, and into a tube-lined cooling vest worn against the body. The LPT must integrate with the protective clothing layers being developed under PM-Air Warrior's Air Soldier program; which are similar to bi-laminate, tri-laminate, and/or coated suits commonly found in commercial dry suits and barrier fabrics. Air Soldier is the next generation aircrew mission ensemble that will replace the legacy Air Warrior system used by Army rotary and select fixed wing aircrew members. Air Soldier encompasses all clothing and individual equipment worn or carried by the pilot, including ancillary aircraft mounted hardware and components, that serve the primary objectives of physiological sustainment, personal protection and enhanced mission performance while operating in all environmental and threat conditions, including crash and post-crash escape and evasion scenarios. As previously stated, the purpose of the LPT is to allow chilled coolant to flow in a closed loop from a microclimate cooling system (located outside the barrier layer), to a cooling vest worn against the skin (inside the barrier layer), without compromising the protection capabilities of the barrier fabric layer. To accommodate this closed loop coolant fluid passage, the LPT must allow for two separately sealed flow paths while integrated with the barrier fabric layer; yielding no leaks inward or outward. The primary LPT interface will be dry suit type ensembles; but will also be considered as an interface with chemical/biological protective garments, such as the Joint Protective Aircrew Chemical Ensemble (JPACE). This requirement challenges the LPT to accommodate varying fabric thicknesses, as well as sealing against water immersion for dry suit applications and chemical/biological threats for CB applications. Through this Market Survey, companies are encouraged to submit information on such items that can integrate with the protective clothing layers being developed under PM-Air Warrior's Air Soldier program. Information is being sought on commercial off the shelf (COTS) items, as well as items currently under development. Candidate solutions should ideally be capable of meeting most, if not all of the requirements listed below. Information on items that do not necessarily meet all the requirements, but could potentially achieve the desired capability with slight modifications, is also of interest. In other words, the requirements below should illustrate the capability and form factor that is desired, but if a concept exists that would require some modifications, respondents are encouraged to submit that information as well. Liquid Pass Through (LPT) Requirements -The internal LPT coolant fluid passages should not leak when pressurized to 25 psi -Pressure drop through the coolant fluid passage should not exceed 0.25 pound per square -inch gauge (psig) at a fluid flow rate of 12 gallons per hour (gph) -Interface with 3/16" ID x 5/16" OD plasticized PVC tubing for inlet and outlet coolant fluid passages -Integrate with protective bi-layer and tri-layer barrier fabrics with thicknesses ranging from 0.010" to 0.050" (uncompressed) -Seal against external environmental threats consisting of: water immersion at 4 psi (approximate 9 foot depth) -Must meet performance requirements after environmental exposures of: high/low temperature transportation/storage, solar radiation, salt fog, blowing sand and dust, fluid contaminants, and humidity as described in MIL-STD-810G. -Weight should be minimized, not to exceed 120 grams -Volume should be minimized, not to exceed 5.5 in3; thickness not to exceed 0.75 inch -Shall neither be vulnerable to corrosion nor itself be a source of corrosion -Must use common tools for repair, and maintenance; no custom tools -No sharp edges Responders are invited and encouraged to submit the following in response to this Special Notice: 1. Material technical description (i.e. fabrication, materials, construction, item dimensions, specification sheet). 2. Technology maturity (i.e., Technology Readiness Level) and availability (e.g. in production now; under development or concept - if technology is not currently available, please provide estimated timeframe). 3. Available material performance test data (Physical Property, CBRN and TIC/TIM test data, etc.). 4. Safety information (MSDS, DOT, NFPA, NIOSH CBRN, etc.). 5. Unique manufacturing requirements and production capabilities. 6. Durability estimate to include service life, etc. 7. Operational performance test data. 8. Test methods required to evaluate material performance. 9. An estimate of unit cost; please provide step pricing, if applicable. 10. Explanation of any trade-offs for the following system characteristics: item weight, size, performance (if applicable). 11. Company Size Standard and NAICS code. 12. If products are currently in use - please provide customers and references (unclassified information only). This Market Survey is intended to identify the capabilities and technologies that are available in the market place for the development of Liquid Pass Through (or similar) devices, through improvements in new design concepts/technologies, physical configuration (construction, fabrication), component/system integration and new materials for military application. Only information related to the specific requirements above is being sought. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this announcement or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. This Market Survey shall not be construed as a request for proposal. The Government shall not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for any technical information identified (e.g., limited and/or restricted rights). This Special Notice is issued by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Natick Contracting Division, Natick, MA in support of the Air Warrior Program Office. All submissions are due by 5:00 PM EST, March 23, 2012. Submit written responses via e-mail in Microsoft Office or PDF format to Rick Gallimore (rick.gallimore@us.army.mil). Supplemental hardcopy materials such as brochures, etc. (2 copies each) may be sent to Rick Gallimore at US Army NSRDEC, ATTN: RDNS-TSE, BLDG N12-2, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760. All submissions must clearly identify the manufacturer, point of contact information, solicitation number and number of different submissions included if multiple submissions are provided. Oversight of this Market Survey will consist of a panel of Government representatives. Questions regarding this Market Survey should be directed in writing via e-mail to Rick Gallimore. Point of Contact Email your questions to rick.gallimore@us.army.mil
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/a303d6175bcde55b3f2506fa6f7c36e8)
- Place of Performance
- Address: ACC-APG - Natick (SPS) ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street Natick MA
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Zip Code: 01760-5011
- Record
- SN02684928-W 20120301/120228235241-a303d6175bcde55b3f2506fa6f7c36e8 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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