Market Research – Domestic Manufacturing & Supply of Burial Casket Liners and Interior Fabrics

Market Research – Domestic Manufacturing & Supply of Burial Casket Liners and Interior Fabrics ("Crepe, Satin, or Similar Material" per DA PAM 638–2) – Berry Amendment Compliance
Primary NAICS Code: 339995 – Burial Casket Manufacturing
Cross-Referenced Textile NAICS Codes: 313210 (Broadwoven Fabric Mills), 313310 (Textile and Fabric Finishing Mills), 314999 (All Other Miscellaneous Textile Product Mills)
Product Service Codes (PSC): 9930 (Memorials, Cemeteries and Mortuary Equipment) & 8305 (Textile Fabrics)

1. DISCLAIMER: This Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought Notice is issued solely for information, market research, and planning purposes in accordance with FAR Part 10. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Invitation for Bid (IFB), nor is it a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with preparing or submitting information in response to this notice.

2. BACKGROUND & PURPOSE: The Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) – Fort Knox, on behalf of the Department of the Army, Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division (CMAOD), is conducting market research to identify domestic manufacturers and suppliers capable of providing burial caskets and 100% domestically produced casket liners and interior upholstery fabrics compliant with the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. § 4862, formerly 10 U.S.C. § 2533a) and DFARS 252.225-7012.

Under the Berry Amendment, textile components used in Department of Defense (DoD) caskets must be wholly grown, reprocessed, reused, extruded, spun, woven, finished, and sewn in the United States. Currently, the Army operates under a 10-year Class Domestic Non-Availability Determination (DNAD) (MICC DNAD DF 19-01) for casket liners that expires in November 2029. In coordination with interagency domestic-sourcing working groups and the U.S. AbilityOne Commission, the Army is evaluating the domestic industrial base to establish Berry Amendment-compliant casket liner sources prior to the waiver's expiration.

3. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS PER DA PAM 638–2 (APPENDIX C, PARA C–16) and MARKET RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE: The attachment "Casket Liner RFI" provides this information. 

4. COMPANY PROFILE INFORMATION: Please provide the following administrative details with your response:

• Company Name & Address:
• Point of Contact (Name, Title, Email, Phone Number):
• Unique Entity ID (UEI) & CAGE Code:
• Primary & Secondary NAICS Code(s):
• Business Size & Socioeconomic Status: (e.g., Large Business, Small Business, SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), or AbilityOne Participating Nonprofit Agency)
• Supply Chain Role: (Casket Manufacturer, Casket Supplier/Dealer, Domestic Textile Mill/Weaver, Fabric Converter, or Cut-and-Sew Liner Fabricator)

6. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

• Submission Email: Submit responses electronically to James D. Gnagie, james.d.gnagie.civ@army.mil, with the subject line: "RFI Response – Domestic Casket Liners & Fabrics [Company Name]".
• Proprietary Information: Clearly mark any confidential supply chain information as "PROPRIETARY – MARKET RESEARCH INFORMATION" for protection under FAR 3.104 and FOIA Exemption 4.