Testing and Product Research Services for Material and Physical Properties

The Department of National Defence has a requirement to provide testing of material, components and whole boot for physical, chemical, and performance properties in accordance with Shoe and Allied Trades Research Association (SATRA) Test Methods and product research services in support of new footwear design/development projects, in support of the development of technical verification plans used for solicitations, and in solving existing footwear quality issues/technical failures.These services will be used to support the procurement of operational, occupational, and non-operational footwear confirming individual component and whole boot performance requirements and enabling verification for quality control.The work will involve the following:a. Providing product research and consultancy to support the development and revision of footwear performance requirements and technical verification plans and to solve existing footwear quality issues or technical failures. This information may be defined as, but not limited to, developing and/or advising test methods, testing plans, and test machinery to analyse performance attributes of materials, design, or construction;b. Providing comprehensive testing of physical, chemical, environmental, and flammability properties of materials and whole footwear products using SATRA Test Methods. This includes, but is not limited to, the testing of materials (textiles, leathers (natural and synthetic), adhesives, laces, soling materials (polyurethanes (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), etc.)) and metals) and the analysis of performance attributes of a finished product’s materials, design, or construction when new and after cycles of biomechanical wear (longitudinal stiffness, ground insulation, durability, breathability, water resistance, friction/slip resistance, thermal rating, shock absorption, biomechanical abrasion, etc.); andc. Providing technical information, or practical guidance for general footwear manufacturing or material selection issues, product evaluation, development support, and information on international compliance.