Cdr, AMC Acquisition Center, CBD COM Branch, Attn: STEAA-CD-C, 5183 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5423

42 -- FIRE FIGHTING, RESCUE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT SOL DAAD13-98-R-0045 POC Ms. Ruby Mixon, Contract Specialist, (410)436-6797, Fax (410)436-4549, Mrs. Cynthia H. Phillips, Contracting Officer, (410)436-3130 E-MAIL: Chemical and Biological Defense Command, rlmixon@apgea.army.mil. The Department of Defense (DoD) has a requirement to develop and manufacture a Joint Service General Purpose Mask for issue as a replacement for the M40/42 series and MCU-2/P series masks currently in use by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine ground and combat vehicle operations; and the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy ground applications. There will be one contract for this acquisition. The basic contract will include a two (2)-year Program Definition Risk Reduction (PDRR) phase with options for a three (3)-year Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase and ten (10) years of Full-scale Production with concurrent Contractor Logistic Support (CLS). The Government may award at least two contracts in the PDRR phase with a down select prior to the EMD phase. The Full-scale Production phase will consist of a ten (10) requirements contract with minimum order quantities established for production years one (1) through five (5) (the first five (5) year will take on the characteristics and be treated as a multi-year contract) and include CLS. The government anticipates using the following pricing arrangement: PDRR cost plus fixed fee; EMD cost plus incentive fee; and Production fixed price incentive (firm target). DoD solicits industry comments on the contracting approach by September 10, 1998. A draft Request for Proposal (RFP) may be available for industry comments on or about October 15, 1998, at the following inter-net address http://www.cbdcom.apgea.army.mil/Staff/parc/AMCAC/index.html, by clicking on the "Draft RFP Button" and selecting the draft RFP titled "Joint Service General Purpose Mask". No additional information will be available on this acquisition prior to the draft RFP issue date. DoD is soliciting industry comments to requirements set forth in the draft RFP, with special emphasis to be placed on threshold and objective requirements identified in the performance specification. Comments and supporting rationale as to what industry envisions as the primary cost drivers are also requested. The evaluation criteria will be available in draft form, subject to revision prior to release of the final RFP. Comments received from industry prior to February 12, 1999 will be considered for incorporation into the final RFP. The final RFP will be released on or about March 31, 1999. All proposals will be due within 45 days from the issue date of the final RFP. All responsible sources may submit a proposal. A Pre-Solicitation Conference is scheduled for November 17-18, 1998 at the Berger Auditorium, Building E3549, Aberdeen Proving Ground (Edgewood Area), Maryland. DoD will present a brief overview of the Joint Service General Purpose Mask (JSGPM) program that will include program objectives, milestones/schedules, procurement approach, and users' concerns. A question and answer session will follow the DoD presentation. To facilitate teaming and generate dialog, subsequent to DoD's presentation and questions and answers, up to 15 minutes may be allotted for each firm desiring to present an overview of their technical approach. These briefings will be in open forum and offerors are cautioned against presenting proprietary or confidential information. If desired, the government may also permit the presentation of briefings in a closed forum. These briefings will not be open to other contractors unless agreed to by the briefer. Firms desiring to use this forum may be allotted 15 minutes. All presentations will be recorded and a digest of questions and answers generated during the Pre-solicitation Conference will be consolidated on a non-attributable basis and posted to the inter-net address http://www.cbdcom.apgea.army.mil/Staff/parc/AMCAC/index.html under the RFP DAAD13-98-R-0045 for all potential offerors. Pre-registration for this conference is mandatory and shall include the following information: contractor's name; complete mailing address; point of contact to include voice/data telephone number and e-mail address; preliminary questions relating to the acquisition; and confirmation as to whether a presentation (close or open forum) will be made. Please e-mail registration information prior to November 4, 1998 to wmfritch@apgea.army.mil or mail to U.S. Army Edgewood Research, Development and Engineering Center, Technical Directorate, 5183 Blackhawk Road, ATTN: SCBRD-RTC/William M. Fritch, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010-5423. Furnish a copy to rlmixon@apgea.army.mil or mail to Director, AMC Acquisition Center, CBDCOM Contracting Branch, ATTN: STEAA-CD-CR/R. MIXON, 5183 Blackhawk Road Bldg. E4455, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010-5423. To access additional information on the JSGPM program, view the program's inter-net address http://www.cbdcom.apgea.army.mil/RDA/pmnbc. See Note 26. Posted 08/27/98 (W-SN242625). (0239)

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