Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, 2531 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22242-5160

42 -- LIFE PRESERVERS, INHERENTLY BUOYANT POC Contact, Evelyn Lamendola, 703/602-0204/Contracting Officer, Thomas Bikowski, 703/602-0204 The Naval Sea Systems Command is conducting a market survey to determine the existence of interested sources that have developed an inherently buoyant, vest type, life preserver with a collar. The life preserver must be Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) or a Non-Developmental Item (NDI) which is ready for operational evaluation. The life preserver should be performance Type I, certified to have a minimum buoyancy of 22 pounds (98 Newtons) with at least 62% of the total buoyancy to the front of the life preserver, conform to 46 CFR 160.055 as well as UL 1191, and have reflective tape conforming to USCG subpart 164.018. All interested sources should provide pertinent information and sufficient documentation to establish that the above requirements can be met. Please also provide a listing of commercial and military customers for whom similar life preservers have been demonstrated. The listing should include contract numbers, points of contact and a work description. Only written responses will be accepted.This announcement is a request for information only and is not a Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP) or announcement of solicitation. Companies responding to this notice will be placed on a bidders list should the Navy issue a subsequent solicitation requesting proposals for inherently buoyant life preservers. A future competitive procurement for this type of life preserver is being contemplated which would replace the inherently buoyant life preserver currently used aboard U.S. Navy vessels. The Government will not provide payment for any material provided in response to this synopsis, nor will the Government return the data provided. All data will be for official Government use only. Responses are requested within 30 days after publication of this notice. Responses are to be addressed to the Navy Clothing Textiles Research Facility (NCTRF), Attn: Richard Wojtaszek, Kansas Street. Warehouse 20-86, Natick MA 01760-0001.***** THOMAS BIKOWSKI Posted 03/12/99 (W-SN307862). (0071)

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