Army and Air Force Apparel Contract Awarded

August 22, 2023, M&M Manufacturing LLC, ** Lajas, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $12,276,574 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for coats and trousers. This was a competitive acquisition with eight responses received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. The ordering period end date is Aug. 21, 2024. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-23-D-0070).

**Woman-owned small business in historically underutilized business zones

2023 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy: Comment Request

On August 24, 2023, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative published in the Federal Register (88 FR 58055) 2023 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy: Comment Request

Cold Weather Jacket Contract Awarded

August 18, 2023, M&M Manufacturing LLC,** Lajas, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $17,193,219 modification (P00008) exercising the second one‐year option period of a one‐year base contract (SPE1C1‐21‐D-1490) with three one‐year option periods for cold weather military uniform jackets. This is a firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract. The ordering period end date is Aug. 26, 2024. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

**Woman-owned small business in historically underutilized business zones

Market Research: Mill Wash Factories for Denim Shirts

The Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility (NCTRF) is conducting a market research investigation into potential sources of supply for the United States Postal Service (USPS). The goal of this effort is to identify domestic wash factories with the capabilities to mechanically or chemically garment wash denim shirts used in USPS Work Clothes either by stone, acid, bleach or enzyme washing.

NCTRF seeks to identify Berry Compliant domestic operations capable of garment washing denim shirts to a medium stone wash colorway. The basic material for the shirts is a 6.7 oz./yd² twill cotton cloth.

More information HERE.

House and Senate Both Express Concerns about Textile Defense Industrial Base

Both the House and Senate National Defense Authorization Act iterations are accompanied by a report from the respective Committee on Armed Services. Both reports provide direction to the Department of Defense regarding the doemstic textile Defense Industrial Base (DIB).

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE REPORT

1. The committee directs the Director of DLA and the Sec. of Defense to provide a report to the House Committee on Armed Services no later than January 1, 2024, on the feasibility of requiring that home textile goods used on military installations be procured from domestic sources.

2. The committee is concerned about current economic factors impacting the capacity of the textile industry to meet DOD needs.

The committee directs the Sec. of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees by March 1, 2024. The report shall address the following:

• impact on inflation;
• recommendations for additional economic price adjustment clauses;
• the department’s efforts to adequately forecast needs to industry;
• review defense-related domestic manufacturing workforce levels;
• ability of the textile industrial base to increase production during a national emergency; and
• other matters the Secretary deems appropriate.

SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE REPORT

The committee is concerned about capacity for domestic Berry compliant articles, specially:

• Combat boots,
• Worsted wool, and
• Woven cotton.

The committee directs Assistant Sec. of Defense for Industrial Base Policy to brief the SASC by March 1, 2024, on impediments to manufacturing capacity for Berry compliant clothing.

This language was inserted at the request of Sen Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

Republicans and Democrats Clash over Social Issues in Defense Bill

The U.S. House and Senate have each passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2024, an annual undertaking. The NDAA is a massive piece of legislation (the House bill is over 1700 pages long and the Senate bill over 2,000 pages). When Congress comes back from summer break the two bodies must reconcile the differences. Once a compromise bill is agreed to in a conference committee, the House must pass that compromise bill, followed by the Senate. It will then be presented to the President to sign into law.

Working out compromises will not be easy. The Republican majority in the House has put in some provisions to satisfy their base that will be difficult for the Democrats who control the Senate to accept without offending their base.

LGBTQ

The Republican bill prohibits drag shows and drag queen story hour. It prohibits displaying any flag other than the U.S. flag, a State or District of Columbia flag, or certain other flags with some connection to the military (but not any flag relating to sexuality or gender). It prohibits TRICARE -- the Department of Defense health care program for service members, retirees, and their families -- from paying for "Sex reassignment surgeries furnished for the purpose of the gender alteration of a transgender individual" and "Hormone treatments furnished for the purpose of the gender alteration of a transgender in individual".

ABORTION

Under current law (10 USC 1093) Department of Defense funds may be used to pay for abortions only to save the life of the mother, or, in the case of rape or incest. Following the 2022 Supreme Court Dobbs decision, some states restricted access to abortion to some extent, leaving some service members in jurisdictions where state law was more restrictive than the Dept. of Defense funding rule. On October 20, 2022, the Department of Defense issued a Memorandum entitled "Ensuring Access to Reproductive Health" providing for the Department to pay travel expenses for travel to another state for an abortion. The House-passed bill expresses the sense of Congress that the Memorandum was illegal, citing 10 USC 1093, and the bill would repeal the Memorandum.

The Democrats are strongly opposed to the House-passed provisions relating to LBGTQ and abortion. Minority Whip Katherine Clark, of Massachusetts, said on CNN: "We know that this bill is going nowhere in the Senate because it is disgusting and outrageous."

It is hard to see how compromise can be worked on issues so vital to each side's interest in pleasing its core constituency.

COVID-19

The House bill contains several provisions prohibiting action against an individual due to refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and provides a path for reinstatement of anyone separated from the military due to past refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

President Biden in a Statement of Administration Policy strongly opposed all the House provisions relating to COVID-19 vaccination. While the President has no direct role in drafting legislation, it is common for the Administration to provide such comments, and members of the President's party are likely to consider voting accordingly.

Drawback: Instructional Video for New Drawback Filers Describing the Methods for Filing a Claim in ACE

The Office of Trade, Trade Policy and Programs, has developed a brief instructional video for first-time drawback filers on how to file a claim in ACE. The video can be found on CBP.gov at: First Time Drawback Filer Reminders | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov)