This should have been done a couple of years ago. Yesterday, Natick published a special notice that they intend to “negotiate and procure government purpose rights for the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OCP) from Crye Precision LLC.” OCP is Army-speak for MultiCam. Right now, the Army pays a license to use MultiCam with each yard of fabric it consumes. A license could mean a substantial savings for the Army. However, such arrangements are open to abuse as disreputable vendors could use the Army license to print MultiCam royalty-free. If I were Crye I’d negotiate vigorously.
Solicitation Number:
W91A2KAAAABBBB
Notice Type:
Special Notice
Synopsis:
Added: Sep 12, 2013 5:00 pm
The US Army Contracting Command, Natick Contracting Division, Natick, MA, has a requirement in support of US Army PM-SCIE to , of Brooklyn NY, the licensee of this pattern. This pattern is currently being used by the United States Army on uniforms and equipment for Soldiers deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom. By negotiating government purpose rights for the OCP pattern, the government will realize a considerable cost saving for future acquisitions of OCP uniforms and equipment for deploying Soldiers. This acquisition will be procured under 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), paragraph 6.302-1, entitled quote mark Only One Responsible Source quote mark . Telephone calls will not be accepted. Questions may be sent to Roberta Boswell, Contracting Officer, via e-mail at roberta.f.boswell.civ@mail.mil.
Additional Info:
http://www3.natick.army.mil
Contracting Office Address:
ACC-APG – Natick (SPS), ATTN: AMSRD-ACC-N, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS), Building 1, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011
Point of Contact(s):
Roberta Boswell, 508-233-4946
Why now? Especially if an announcement is made concerning a new camoflauge uniform next month.
You just answered your own question
This OBVIOUSLY means Multicam will be the next camouflage pattern! (Yes, that is sarcasm, I just thought I’d beat those who actually think that)
I heard a rumour it would be DPM. The US gov in in secret negotiations with the UK. No really.
Nah, it’s gonna be that Japanese flecktarn variant….
You guys are both full of it. Anyone who is anyone knows the choice will be a purple variation of the French Lizard pattern.
If Crye won Phase IV then this is redundant as the Army would automatically get their IP rights for $639,863.99 for all three of Crye’s submissions, transitional included which is expected to be virtually identical to OCP (Multicam).
So this can mean a few things; Phase IV is going to be delayed either with a delayed announcement (not October) or delayed implementation of the Phase IV winner if announced in October (which would not be Crye- see paragraph 1). Or
Phase IV will be cancelled before they announce a winner and they are staying with OCP (we have not heard this is true but it’s a possibility) some blogs have been saying this – based off “inside information” – before the field trials even began. If this was true though wouldn’t it be cheaper to announce Crye as the winner of Phase IV? Unless the Phase IV results show another winner other than Crye.
It almost sounds in a round about way that Crye’s submission did indeed include the current OCP as part of it. Or am I way off base?
Two people at ADS Inc. saw all the finalist families at a gathering of the finalists. They said they could not tell the difference between OCP Multicam and Crye’s Transitional submission for Phase IV.
How about one more… The woodland variant is actually the same woodland we have been wearing for the past decade. Add some NIR in there though.
It did not but as Guy said, they are similar.
I hate this. Trying to Google stuff and this got me. I guess the key word is “a” and not “the” contract winner.
“ADS is a proud contract winner in the U.S. Army’s Phase IV Camouflage Effort and provides a wide variety of camouflage solutions plus thousands of rapidly-deployable Ghostex™ patterns.”
http://www.adsinc.com/company/solutions/camo-solutions
I’m betting on a “delayed” or cancelled announcement also. This will be an “interim” solution until a common uniform can be agreed upon
If I was Caleb Crye, I might be inclined to tell the gubmint to commence pounding sand…
My thoughts exactly!
I am not familiar with sales. How would this work for the civilian companies producing items if the Army acquires the rights? Would a company producing items for a specific contract for the Army not pay to use OCP/Multicam? Would a company producing items for dual sales have to pay royalties to Crye? How does this all work out?
I think I remember reading that no NEW pattern would be allowed unless it was a ‘joint’ uniform. Since MC is already in use as OCP, it follows that the Army could go with Multicam as it’s de facto pattern. Looks like Multicam has won, at least until 2018, when a ‘joint’ combat uniform solution is mandated.
This is probably the most realistic outcome.
Well, it appears that after the award for the camoflage improvement effort went through the legal wickets the powers that be realized it wasn’t protest proof so, this is just another means to an end.
Now, remember, this will be akin to the use of “PALS” (specifically if its secured with “snaps”), in that if you’re making it for a government contract, no worries. If not, you’re gonna pay BAE (or in this case, Crye).
So,
The army will purchase this pattern either as a stop gap until a decision on a common combat uniform and family of patterns can be arrived at, or they’ll purchase the rights to OCP, designating it the “base” or transitional pattern, and then hold a “completion” to develope a “woodland” and “arid” variant.
And to be REAL shady, they’ll make it a “Best Value” competition citing strengths toward those patterns which have already underwent government evaluation.
So, basically Crye will get paid twice which is still cheaper than fighting protests.
At the end of the day, blame this on industries inability to be a “good looser”.
I’m not goona name names, but it’s apparent that one of the companies that were involved may feel slighted that they didn’t win and have been “FLOODING” the media with the “SCIENCE” behind they’re item and how it out performs all other patterns (which of course include the finalists).
To me, that looks like some pretty aggressive “battlefield shaping” to set up for a protest.
But at the end of the day, Joe doesn’t get his kit because someone was a sore looser.
Just sayin’….
hope for the best prepare for the worst …
Yup
You hit the nail on the head with the last bit. Been saying the same thing for months. Plus it sets them up to pull in sales post selection from the civilian market. Either way its a Win/Win for their piggy bang and ego win or lose.
Angry,
you get it!!!
Moped and GW, it’s not my first time at the rodeo and when someone has gone to such lengths as a certain group who was involved in this solicitation to laud the superiority of their offering compared to others PRIOR to an announcement, yeah they know they lost and are digging in for a fight.
To that person, I’d just like to say: “don’t go away mad, just go away”
Now, the real funny thing is that the Corps is gonna get this jammed down their throat. A jamming they could’ve avoided if they’d have just given MARPAT to the army in 2009 when they asked for it.
The Army was set to announce the winner sometime between October 2012 and December 2012, then we heard it would be January… then we heard that the Army Uniform Board was advised of the winner on February 28, 2013 and the Secretary of the Army would announce shortly after. Then we heard that the Army would announce on June 14, 2013 and that was delayed… I began posting the series U.S. Army Camouflage Improvement Explained http://www.hyperstealth.com/camo-improvement/index.html on May 22, 2013 quite sometime after the Army had concluded which of the finalists was the winner and long after the winner was expected to be announced, knowing that this information I provided would not interfere with their decision (which had already been made).
Phase IV Camouflage Improvement is the biggest camouflage research effort ever undertaken and so many people still didn’t understand why it was necessary as well as all the many other myths people were pushing. Not one of the other finalists has provided any similar information and soldier systems have offered numerous times to post any information or rebuttal from each of them.
The Congressional decision for one pattern is going to push this more to the right. As much as I want ADS to be the new Army camo, either 1) We will remain with OCP for the next three years, or 2) Multicam will be selected after the war is over. I go to RFI next week for my second issue of Multicam (or not) and I wonder about the new PT uniform and ASU changes as well.