25_001 MOLDERS SHOE, NAVY

Request for Information– Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility

End Item, Molders Shoe                                           

Product Service Code: 8430 – Clothing, Individual Equipment, and Insignia

NAICS Code: 316210 – Footwear Manufacturing

Objective: The Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility (NCTRF) is conducting market research on domestic molders shoe manufacturers to identify Berry amendment compliant molders shoe production capabilities to validate current U.S. Navy molders shoe requirements.

Description: NCTRF seeks to identify domestic manufacturers to produce molders shoes. See Figure 1.

The molders shoes must be capable of meeting the following design and critical technical requirements and shall be confirmed/reported when submitting:

Design Requirements

1. Slip on design with elastic gusset(s) on side(s)
2. Low-calf height: 6 inches
3. Pull tab loop (for ease in donning/doffing): quantity – 2; location – front and back
4. Upper material: full grain cattlehide leather in color black in accordance with Type I, Treatment A and Treatment B of MIL-PRF-3122  
5. Boot lining: fully lined with a knit material
6. Construction: Welted, modified welted, cemented or direct attached by injection or open pouring method
7. Midsole material (if applicable): polyether polyurethane
8. Outsole and heel material: non-marking, oil resistant rubber 
9. Removable comfort insole
10. Safety toe material: steel.

Critical Technical Requirements

1. Weight of shoe (single, size Unisex/Men’s 10R shall be reported.
2. Low-calf height shall be reported.
3. Outsole: Vendor shall report dry and wet slip resistance, quarry tile in accordance with ASTM F2913
4. Bond strength between each layer shall be reported
5. Flame resistance (whole boot).  Shall not have an after flame of more than 5.0 seconds, shall not melt or drip, and shall not exhibit any burn through
6. Sole conductive heat resistance. The temperature of the insole surface in contact with the foot shall not exceed 44° and shall be tested as specified in NFPA 1971, 7.10.1 and 8.8 Conductive Heat Resistance Test 2
7. Impact and compression and electric hazard resistance shall meet the requirements of ASTM F2413, Class I 75/C75 and EH for safety footwear live wire electric hazard 

See Figure 1. EXAMPLE OF MOLDERS SHOE in PDF attachment.

Interested Parties:  To respond to this Request for Information (RFI), interested parties are REQUIRED to submit the following (as applicable). Only responses with physical samples will be reviewed.

1. A cover sheet that identifies the interested party, their cage code, their business size under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), contact information for the technical point of contact, to include name, email address and phone number.
2. Sample Submission.
   1. Production quality samples are required to enable the Government to efficiently define new molders shoe requirements for U.S. Navy.
   2. If multiple styles are available that meet the requirements specified in this RFI, up to two (2) different styles can be submitted per submission per company.
   3. All submitted samples shall be Unisex/Men’s size 10, D width
   4. Each submission shall include between one to two whole pairs of each style submitted under this RFI, and one pair cut lengthwise for each style submitted under this RFI.
3. An estimated unit cost, which may be broken down by quantity reflecting economies of scale.
4. Product Description.   
5. Specification sheets, performance characteristics, and test data for the submitted production quality samples.
6. Country of Origin of Material
7. Complete disclosure of chemical treatment for any topical finishes used, including applicable Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and documentation for Berry Amendment (10 USC 2533a) compliance is required.
8. List of other military organizations that currently use submitted item.
9. List of available sizes (length and widths).
   1. Last information. Note: Submissions shall specify if lasts are available in Men’s and Women’s sizes and if the women’s sizes are made using a female specific or male/unisex last.

Required samples submission samples/documentation shall be submitted to NCTRF no later than COB 03 NOV 2025. Information will be handled as proprietary, and samples will not be returned.

Information will be handled as proprietary, and samples will not be returned. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information or samples in response to this notice. 

Contact Information:

Please submit electronic responses, samples or any questions to this notice to K. Fratelli/D. Turner, Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility, 10 General Greene Ave, Bldg 86, Natick, MA 01760-5019. 

This notice is a market survey and for information only. The information received under this announcement may be used to purchase items for Government testing. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS and will not directly lead to any contract awards. No solicitation document exists.

POC for this request is Kelly Fratelli, 508-206-2762, kelly.a.fratelli.civ@us.navy.mil and Daniel Turner, 508-206-2752, daniel.m.turner4.civ@us.navy.mil

Important Note on Foreign Content: The Defense appropriations and authorization acts and other statutes (including what is commonly referred to as "The Berry Amendment" impose restrictions on the DoD's acquisition of foreign products and services. Generally, Clothing and Textile items (as defined in DFARS clause 252.225-7012) and "specialty metals" (as defined in DFARS clause 252.225-7014) must be grown, reprocessed, reused, melted or produced in the United States, its possessions or Puerto Rico, unless one of the DFARS 225.7002-2 exceptions applies.