Bullet-proof vests

Tender description

The Irish Department of Defence is preparing a tender for the purchase of the torso protective component of the proposed soldier’s individual modular body armour system (IMBAS). The body armour shall be a vest type system with a padded waist belt. The system shall also carry the soldier’s primary operational order equipment. It shall also be capable of carrying prescribed mission essential equipment for military deployments ranging from static guard duties to conventional military operations. The Irish Department of Defence is preparing a tender for the purchase of the torso protective component of the proposed soldier’s individual modular body armour system (IMBAS). The body armour shall be a vest type system with a padded waist belt. The system shall also carry the soldier’s primary operational order equipment. It shall also be capable of carrying prescribed mission essential equipment for military deployments ranging from static guard duties to conventional military operations. The IMBAS is intended primarily for Land Component Forces deployed on: (a) Regimental Duties in Barracks; (b) Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) operations; (c) Peace Support Operations (PSO), both peace keeping and peace enforcement; (d) Crowd Riot Control (CRC) in ATCP and PSO; (e) Conventional military operations. Such operations may at any time incorporate mounted (APC/IFV), airborne/airmobile and/or littoral phases. It is intended that the IMBAS will be designed so as to provide the soldier with the level of ballistic/fragmentation protection (BFP) that optimises mobility, agility and survivability appropriate to a given operational situation and assessed threat. BFP shall be afforded to the soldier by an interdependent conjunction of soft and hard armours, i.e. Soft armour insert (SAI) and small arms protective insert (SAPI) respectively. The information gathered in this market consultation will primarily be used to determine whether the functional and/or other requirements of the IMBAS can be met. Secondly, if the program can be realised within the available budget and therefore if this program can be carried out in the way it was intended. As the list of requirements may evolve, the information of the respondents could lead to adjustments in the functional and/or other requirements. The information obtained may be used to identify potential technologies or product capabilities. The information obtained will not be used to draw up a shortlist. You are requested to provide some global information concerning the possible participation of your company in any possible future tender, complete ‘Annex A’ and provide any additional information which may be relevant to this procurement which is not covered the questions posed. Should approval be given to proceed, it is intended that a negotiated procedure will be initiated for this procurement in Q2 2021, intending to go to contract in Q2 2022.