--Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment (MOLLE)

Under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, the U.S. Army Research, Engineering & Development Command (RDECOM), Natick Contracting Division, Kansas Street, Natick, MA on behalf of the United States Army  Soldier System Center, Natick, MA intends to negotiat e and award a purchase order on a sole source basis with Specialty Defense Systems, 530 Sherwood Avenue, Dunmore, PA 18512-2022. This effort is to provide the Government with approximately 35,000 each Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment (MOLLE) Ri fleman sets (NSN #8465-01-525-0578) and 48,000 each MOLLE Large Rucksacks (NSN #8465-01-523-62676). The unrestricted portion of solicitation # W911QY-06-R-0001 (which closed January 17, 2006) is currently under protest and is being reviewed by General Acco untability Office (GAO), as such this is the minimum quantity required to ensure that deploying troops are equipped with MOLLE in universal camouflage pattern as Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) will exhaust their inventory in August 2006. It is n ot expected that quantities under the unrestricted portion of solicitation #W911QY-06-R-0001 will be delivered until December 2006, at the earliest. Specialty Defense is the only source with a qualified MOLLE that can meet the Armys required delivery sche dule of 16,634 total sets in September 2006; 22,000 total sets in October 2006; 22,000 total sets in November 2006 and 22,000 total sets in December 2006. Questions concerning this acquisition may be addressed to the above address, Attention: Mr. Sean P. M urphy (AMSRD-ACC-NS) or by E-mail. This synopsis expires Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at 10:00 AM EST.