RELEVANT NAICS CODES: 314129, 313210, and 313230SOURCES SOUGHT, The Navy is seeking qualified manufacturing sources willing to provide a new concept for blankets for use on board ships and vessels of the U.S. Navy. Existing Navy shipboard blankets conform to commercial item description (CID) A-A-55188, Blankets, Bed, Wool, Shrink Resistant and Mothproofed, and are constructed of 100 percent new wool. User reports indicate that the current blankets are "scratchy" or "prickly" resulting in many users utilizing nonstandard and possibly flammable or other hazardous commercial replacements. The new blanket concept would address providing a blanket meeting the same basic size and dimensional stability requirements of the existing CID, but using materials that can significantly improve the comfort factor. Other factors that should be considered include flame resistance (MIL STD-1623), warmth, texture, comfort, suppleness, weight, thickness, and launderability, including shrinkage resistance and colorfastness and linting that could cause dryer lint buildup. Submissions should include all salient design features of the concept including proposed materials of construction. This announcement is not a formal solicitation and is not a request for proposal. No contract will be awarded from this announcement. No reimbursement will be made of any costs to provide information in response to this announcement or any follow-up information requests. Availability of any formal solicitation will be announced under a separate NECO announcement. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. Each response must reference the "Sources Sought" subject. Response should be sent to Naval Sea Systems Command, Attn: James Thurber, Code SEA 05H, 1333 Isaac Hull Ave SE, Washington, DC 20376-5100. Mr. Thurber is the point of contact for this "Sources Sought" notice and may be reached at telephone (202) 781-3604 and e-mail address
[email protected]. Responses must be received in writing no later than 21 August 2009, by 4 p.m. e.s.t.