PEO Soldier’s Product Manager Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PdM-SCIE) has an ongoing program for an Army Jungle Combat Boot. However, a near-term operational requirement has been identified which needs to filled. Consequently, they’ve issued a Request for Information (RFI) to determine Industry’s capability to manufacture, and deliver, Berry Compliant Jungle Combat Boots (JCB) for this Directed Requirement (DR).
According the the RFI, “the goal of this DR effort is to meet an urgent fielding need for two (2) Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs), beginning with one BCT in March 2017 and the second BCT completed by September 2017. This RFI is intended to identify the capability of Industry to provide JCB in a shortened time frame for use by the combat Soldier operating in hot, wet tropical jungle conditions.”
We highly encourage imdustry to participate in this process because PdM-SCIE is using the data you provide to develop an acquisition strategy. Due to the short fuse on this requirement, they may have to fast track the procurement. The RFI states, “a formal solicitation may not be issued prior to entering into contracts. The information gathered will be used as market research and will be used to determine the Army’s contracting strategy, including the potential use of competitive, limited competition, and/or non-competitive actions, to meet this immediate need to field two BCTs based upon Industry’s capability to meet technical, quality, price, and delivery schedule requirements. Therefore, the information provided should be accurate and thorough enough to clearly demonstrate a company’s capability to execute to the schedules provided. The Government will independently review the information received as part of this RFI to determine a company’s capability to meet this DR JCB effort.”
In total, the US Army plans to field a total of 36,000 pairs. They aim to partially field one BCT by March 2017 with a strategy to issue the maximum amount or pairs of JCB in sizes of 8 ½ -11 (whole and half sizes) in Regular (D) and Wide (EE) width which are the most common sizes In Phase II, they’ll complete fielding of the First BCT as well as the Second BCT no later than September, 2017. The full size run is 3 through 15 (whole and half sizes) and 16 (whole size only) in widths Narrow (B), Regular (D), Wide (EE), and X-Wide (EEEE).
Industry has until 03 NOV 2016 at 12:00 PM EST to respond to this RFI, so sharpen those pencils.
For those of you who might be wearing this Jungle Combat Boot, the Army did give us an idea of what it will look like. It will be Coyote 498 in color with the Vibram Panama II sole along with leather lowers and nylon uppers. They’ve also specified a puncture resistant insole and drain perforations.
This is the Vibram Panama II Sole.
Once again, this effort is is separate from the Jungle Combat Boot Program of Record, which is the Army’s long-term solution and is still currently proceeding through the normal Defense Acquisition Framework. However, there may be additional RFIs issued in pursuit of that program.
Visit www.fbo.gov for full details.
