Aramid Fibrous Rope Contract Awarded

April 25, 2024, Phillystran Inc., Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aramid fibrous ropes. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. The ordering period end date is April 24, 2025. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8EG-24-D-0006).

Defense Logistics Agency Seeks Source for Long Staple Aramid Fiber Spinners

National Spinner went out of business at the end of 2023. The company provided a long staple material to a DLA contractors to manufacture the ATAGs 22/P and 23/P suits.

They have been unsuccessful in their search for a replacement.

FPI seeks information on availability of various Berry Compliant yarns

Federal Prison Industries seeks information on availability of various Berry Compliant yarns

• Thread Poly-Covered, Poly-Core Type II 80 Tan
• Thread Meta-Aramid, Spun, Staple Type I
• Thread Poly/Poly Type II 40
• Thread Polyester-covered Tex 30
• Thread Type I Poly Core/Cotton Cover
• Thread Type I, 24-27 Aramid
• Thread Type I, Poly Core, Cotton Cover T-40
• Thread Type I, Aramid, 70-80, Ply 4

More information HERE.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has recommended that the President make certain modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has recommended that the President make certain modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to conform it with World Customs Organization (WCO) amendments to the global Harmonized System.

The recommended modifications would modify the U.S. tariff schedule to conform with amendments made to the Harmonized System nomenclature by the World Customs Organization on June 28, 2019, with expected implementation date of January 1, 2022. The WCO Recommendation contains about 350 amendments to the Harmonized System nomenclature relating to a wide range of products and product groups, including, for example:

• flat panel display modules;
• 3D printers;
• electronic textiles;
• unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones);
• smartphones;
• electric vehicles;
• novel tobacco products intended for inhalation without combustion;
• edible insect products;
• edible microbial fats and oils;
• virgin and extra virgin olive oil;
• cell therapy products;
• rapid diagnostic test kits for detecting the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases;
• placebos and double-blinded clinical trial kits;
• parts for improvised explosive devices;
• electronic waste (e-waste) and other hazardous waste;
• amusement park equipment;
• cultural articles (i.e., antiquities);
• hazardous chemicals controlled by the Rotterdam Convention;
• ozone-depleting substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol;
• products controlled by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; and
• fentanyl-opioid substances and derivatives controlled by the International Narcotics Control Board.

Of interest to followers of Agathon Associates --

• 5501.10, Synthetic filament two of nylon or other polyamides, is being broken out as
  • 5501.11, Synthetic filament two of nylon or other polyamides: of aramids and
  • 5501.19, Synthetic filament two of nylon or other polyamides: other
• Changes to floor coverings classified in Chapter 57
• Changes to terry towel fabric classified in Chapter 58
• Certain textile products and articles, for technical uses classified in Chapter 59
• Knit apparel of Chapter 61
• Non-knit apparel of Chapter 62

The changes appear not to affect tariff rates or country of origin determinations. However, imports will need to take care when the changes take effect to use the new classifications. Changed classifications will, also, make it more difficult to track import data over time.

The Commission’s report, Recommended Modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2021, Inv. No. 1205-13, USITC Publication 5171, March 2021, is available on the USITC web site at: https://www.usitc.gov/publications/other/pub5171.pdf.

SPE1C1-21-R-0040 Multi-Ply Cloth Face Cove

As part of his National Strategy to defeat COVID-19, on February 24, President Biden announced a new effort to make masks more easily available to communities hard hit by the pandemic. The Administration will deliver more than 25 million masks to over 1,300 Community Health Centers across the country as well as 60,000 food pantries and soup kitchens, reaching some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations.

On Friday, February 28, DLA issued the following solicitation for the procurement of the cloth face masks,

https://beta.sam.gov/opp/467ba1f2a5af49ae9e013bba343e6aeb/view?keywords=SPE1C1-21-R-0040

Scope: The Contractor shall provide all necessary material and equipment in order to manufacture cloth face covers for individual wear. The Face Cover shall meet the requirements of ASTM F3502-21 Standard Specification for Barrier Face Coverings. The face cover is not intended to replace surgical masks, N-95 respirators, or other medical devices.

Sizes: The Contractor shall provide face covers in two sizes: • Youth size • Adult size Appendix X1 of ASTM F3502-21 describes the Modified NIOSH Bivariate Panel. Youth size face covers shall be a good fit for individuals having facial dimensions as described in cells 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of figure X1.1 of ASTM F3502-21. Adult size face covers shall be a good fit for individuals having facial dimensions as described in cells 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of figure X1.1 of ASTM F3502-21.

Salient Characteristics: The face cover shall be made of at least two layers of cloth. Removable inserts or filters are not considered a layer of cloth. The face cover shall meet, at a minimum, the ASTM F3502-21 Level 1 performance for filtration efficiency (>20%) and Level 1 performance for air flow resistance (<15mmH20).

Materials: Materials found to be acceptable for face covers include the following:

• 100% Polyester tricot knit
• 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton plain weave
• 57% T420 High Tenacity Nylon, 43% Cotton ripstop weave
• 65% Rayon, 25% Para-aramid, 10% Nylon weave

Other materials may be acceptable, provided they conform to the requirements of this solicitation.

Tariff Classification of Core Spun Single Yarn and Eligibility for United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

In a recent ruling (H309704) Customs addressed the tariff classification, country of origin, and USMCA elgibility of a 2-ply yarn constructed of one black partially oxidized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) staple yarn (36.2% by weight) twisted to one beige/yellow core-spun aramid/glass yarn (63.8% by weight). The core-spun yarn is constructed of a beige/yellow aramid yarn (53.3% by weight) that is wrapped around a core of glass fibers (46.7% by weight).

Navy Contracts for Aramid Rope Awarded

Phillystran Inc., Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $21,258,655 modification (P00007) exercising the first option period on a one-year base contract (SPE8EE-13-D-0001) with four one-year option periods for aramid rope. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Pennsylvania with a May 16, 2015 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2013 through fiscal year 2018 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Whitehill Manufacturing Corp., Chester, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $6,741,345 modification (P00004) exercising the first option period on a one-year base contract (SPE8EE-13-D-0002) with four one-year option periods for aramid rope. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Pennsylvania with a May 16, 2015 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2013 through fiscal year 2018 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Two Pennsylvania Companies Awarded Navy Rope Contracts

Phillystran Inc., Montgomeryville, Pa., has been awarded a maximum $21,258,655 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. This contract is for aramid rope. Location of performance is Pennsylvania with a May 16, 2018 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 through fiscal 2018 Defense Working Capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM8EE-13-D-0001).

Whitehill Manufacturing Corp., Chester, Pa., has been awarded a maximum $6,741,345 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. This contract is for aramid rope. Location of performance is Pennsylvania with a May 16, 2018 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 through fiscal 2018 Defense Working Capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM8EE-13-D-0002).