62--Approved Family of Flashlights List (AFFL)
Solicitation Number: W911SR-08-X-XXXX
Agency: Department of the Army
Office: U. S. Army Materiel Command
Location: RDECOM Acquisition Center - Edgewood
Synopsis: Added: Jun 06, 2008 12:49 pm Modified: Jul 15, 2008 9:39 am
Description
This is a Request for Information and does not constitute a solicitation or request for proposal. This market survey will be used to provide information on a flashlight evaluation effort under the Family of Flashlights (FoF) Program and introduce a revised Approved Family of Flashlight List (AFFL).
The U.S. Army Product Manager, Clothing and Individual Equipment (PM-CIE) is currently seeking qualified sources to provide commercially available flashlights that satisfy the Buy American Act, Sec. 25.101, (a) (1), and (2), and to Sec. 25.103, and Berry Amendment. All submissions shall be provided by the vendor at no cost or obligation to the Government. Any information collected shall not be disclosed outside the Government. Test data for all submitted items will only be provided to the designated Vendor.
Interested parties should provide the following to the points of contact by 30 June 2008: product literature, product specification, and cost information (both GSA and MSRP prices). All products will be tested as submitted. All factors, to include cost, will be considered for inclusion on the AFFL using a systematic approach.
The AFFL will consist of three categories of flashlights:
1) Hands Free Helmet Light (HFHL),
2) Tactical Handheld Light (THL), and
3) Basic White Light (BWL) (non aftermarket filters (red, blue, IR) are acceptable and encouraged).
Limit 3 items for each category per company.
Selection Process
The selection process for the AFFL will use a down-select process. This process will consist of 3 Phases: Phase I Physical Characteristics/Lumen Testing, Phase II Technical Testing, and Phase III User Evaluation. A scoring system will be used for Phase II and III. No external lab testing conducted outside of the Army for any phases of testing will be acceptable. All flashlights will be tested to the same procedures through Aberdeen Testing Center (ATC). A scoring conference will be held to determine which lights will be selected for the AFFL. Metrics will be weighted where Technical Testing is most important of all the areas and is significantly more important than the Physical Characteristics Testing. Physical Characteristics Testing is more important than the User Evaluation, which is more important than Cost.
Lights will be categorized according to capabilities. An integrated light that offers a basic white light, secondary color(s) and IR, does not constitute an addition to multiple categories. If it does not possess integrated color and IR, it will be tested under the BWL category. Should an item offer secondary color but no IR, it will be listed under BWL with an added capability. Only lights that offer integrated color and IR will be tested under the THL category.
Physical Characteristics/Lumen Testing --Phase I
All candidates must meet all of the threshold performance criteria (Phase I) listed per category in its entirety in order to proceed to Phase II.
The threshold performance criteria for the HFHL are:
1) Must be compatible with the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) and side mountable with no helmet modification,
2) Must provide a minimum of 5 lumens for 24 hours,
3) Dimensions of entire system with all attachments must not exceed 3in.x3in.x2in.,
4) Power source must be AA or Lithium 123 batteries,
5a) Must provide white light color and integrated secondary color of red or blue, 5b) and IR capability,
6) Must weigh no more than 4 oz. with power source and mounting accessories,
7) Must be subdued in color (Foliage Green, Desert Sand, Black, and Urban Gray).
The threshold performance criteria for the THL are:
1) Must provide a clip for secure fastening,
2) Must provide a minimum of 40 lumens continuous for 60 minutes,
3) Dimensions of entire system with all attachments must not exceed 6in. in length,
4) Power source must be AA or Lithium 123 batteries,
5a) Must provide white light color and integrated secondary color of red or blue, 5b) and IR capability,
6) Weigh no more than 6 oz. (with power source),
7) Be subdued in color (Foliage Green, Desert Sand, Black, and Urban Gray).
The threshold performance criteria for the BWL are:
1) Must provide a clip for secure fastening,
2) Must provide a minimum of 40 lumens continuous for 60 minutes,
3) Dimensions of entire system with all attachments must not exceed 6in. in length,
4) Power source must be AA or Lithium 123 batteries,
5) Weigh no more than 6 oz. (with power source),
6) Be subdued in color (Foliage Green, Desert Sand, Black, and Urban Gray).
Note: Non-aftermarket filters (red, blue, IR) are acceptable and encouraged
Lumen Testing Procedure
Flashlights will be tested in a Labsphere FS2 Flashlight Spectral Flux Measurement System. Flashlights will be tested in a field operational configuration by holding the flashlight in the four inch input port of the 20 inch sphere. The area between the flashlight and the edge of the input port will be filled with a reducer to prevent ambient light from leaking in and flashlight light from leaking out. A calibration will be performed for each flashlight type by turning the integrating sphere calibration light on while the flashlight is held in position and off. This calibration will be used for all flashlights of this type that are measured in the FS2 Flashlight Spectral Measurement System.
A total of three flashlights per candidate model will be tested for lumens; all three flashlights must pass to advance to Phase II of the selection process. If any of the three flashlights fail the lumen test, the failing light(s) shall be allowed one retest with new batteries. Failing a second time will be deemed a failure for that flashlight candidate model.
Phase II
Only candidates which have successfully satisfied Phase I requirements, will then advance to Phase II, Technical Testing. Phase II will consist of 5 environmental tests listed below. 5 new flashlights shall be subjected to each of the tests (25 flashlights total). A minimum of 4 of the 5 flashlights must achieve the testing requirements for each environmental test for the flashlight system to receive a qualifying score.
1. Hot/Cold Operational Testing MIL-STD-810F Test Method 501.4, Procedure II (Hot Env. 90 to120 deg F cyclic) and 502.4, Procedure II (Basic Cold -6 to -24 deg F)
2. Salt Fog MIL-STD-810F Test Method 509.4
3. Humidity MIL-STD-810F Test Method 507.4
4. Drop Testing MIL-STD-810F Test Method 516.5, Procedure IV
5. Immersion MIL-STD-810F Test Method 512.4
Phase III
Only candidates which have received a qualifying score for Technical Testing, will then advance to Phase III, User Evaluation. New flashlights will be supplied for the User Evaluation.
1. Durability and Performance TOP 1-2-502 Durability, TOP 10-2-021, General Performance Tests of CIE and TOP 1-2-610, Human Factors Engineering Procedure 5.11, Individual Performance Assessment.
2. MOLLE (FLC) and mission compatibility
3. Warfighter Subjective Assessment TOP 1-2-610 Human Factors Engineering Procedure 5.18, Questionnaires and interviews and final questionnaire (6 point Likert scale) for each candidate
Placement on the AFFL at the conclusion of technical and User testing will be determined by the members of the PM-CIE IPT board based on best value, performance, and overall user acceptance.
Please submit a total of 48 flashlights to be retained by PM-CIE along with instructions to the following address by 30 July 2008:
US Army Aberdeen Testing Center (ATC) ...
A re-evaluation is scheduled in the summer/fall 2008. All vendors must submit flashlights for AFFL certification and re-certification. Once the new list of AFFL is released, all candidates on the pre-existing AFFL will no longer be valid. ...
Questions and Answers
If a light providing different color (red, blue, yellow, green, etc.) options is selected for the updated AFFL list, would all options be acceptable for addition to the list?
We would like to remind you that we will not be going out for procurement on any of the items selected for the AFFL. It is the Soldiers/Units choice of color options if they choose to purchase your item. Should a light qualify for the updated list, only red, blue, and/or IR will be annotated in the fact sheets. No more than 48 samples need to be submitted for one model if the item offers different color options.
How does the PMO determine what category the lights fall under for testing? Does the BWL category allow for integrated colors?
Lights will be categorized according to capabilities. An integrated light that offers a basic white light, secondary color(s) and IR, does not constitute an addition to multiple categories. If it does not possess integrated color and IR, it will be tested under the BWL category. Should an item offer secondary color but no IR, it will be listed under BWL with an added capability. Only lights that offer integrated color and IR will be tested under the THL category.
Would it be acceptable to submit accessories, not including the clip, that fall outside of the weight requirement?
Yes, other items can be packaged along with your product. If the light, along with the standard clip and battery, weighs less than 6oz for BWL/THL and less than 4 oz for HFHL, then any other accessories are added capabilities.
Are you planning on creating an approved accessories list?
No plans have been made to establish an approved accessories list.
...
Will items manufactured outside of the US territories be acceptable for testing?
Yes. These lights will be used for testing purposes only. If the samples pass all phases, the items should adhere to the Buy American Act and Barry Amendment 30 days prior to the release of the updated AFFL. Should these items continue to be manufactured outside of the US prior to AFFL release, those models will not be included in the AFFL.
Where is the lumens to be measured from? Is it directly at the physical end of the flashlight or 5 lumens at a specific distance away from the device? Conversely, in your Lumen Testing Procedure, while the test criteria is described quite well there is no distance established for measurement of lumens other than at the light source itself.
We will use FS2 Flashlight Spectral Flux Measurement System from Lapsphere to measure the lumens. The reason for using an integrating sphere is to spatially integrate the light flux , which bounces the light around in an attempt to create uniform illumination on the interior surface of the sphere. Then the illumination in lux (lumens/meter^2) of a representative area inside the sphere can be measured, which should approximate the illumination throughout the interior of the sphere. A calibration from a source with known luminous flux (lumens) can then be used to convert the illumination levels into output in lumens.
When it comes to measurement distance, if the integrating sphere is used all of the geometry is dictated by the size of the integrating sphere, any baffling, and the location of the measurement area relative to the input port so we don't think that discussion of measurement distance is meaningful since it is all set. Items are tested in its operational configuration and will not be altered in any way to measure lumens. Please refer to Lumen Testing Procedure.
