Government Sewing Gets $8.6M Contract for MARPAT Uniforms
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Government Sewing & Apparel (dba Columbia Sewing Co.) received a maximum $8.6 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract to supply the Marine Corps combat utility uniform, including battle dress, desert and woodland camouflage blouse and trouser sets. The company, which won the original contract in 2006, will make the uniforms at its Arkansas and Puerto Rico facilities. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia received 10 responses to its original solicitation. This contract (SP0100-06-D-0362) is exercising option year 3. The date of performance completion is June 25/10.
DID has more on the Marine Corps MARPAT camouflage uniforms…
The new Marine Corps combat utility uniform grew out of a Marine Corps Systems Command-led effort to revise the services camouflage utility uniforms, which hadn’t been updated in a quarter century. The result was a new camouflage pattern unique to the Marines Corps, the so-called MARPAT (Marine Pattern), which features a “pixel” camouflage pattern. Viewed up close, the pattern appears to have small digital blocks that look like large pixels from a video monitor, as opposed to the smooth-lined abstract shapes on current uniforms.
While the “pixel” look of the new uniform may be the most noticeable feature, there are other features that came out of the design and testing work. The new uniforms have shoulder pockets and Velcro fasteners on the chest pockets. The sleeve cuffs fasten with inboard buttons instead of outboard buttons to prevent snagging. The new uniforms are made with a half-and-half blend of nylon and cotton and have angled chest pockets and angled name/service tapes.
