Contract Dispute Delays Body Armor Tests

[Eugene]

Contract Dispute Delays Body Armor Tests

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
The Associated Press
Sunday, April 16, 2006; 12:36 PM

WASHINGTON -- A dispute over testing is stalling the Army's plans to move ahead
with buying a new high-tech body armor now off-limits to soldiers.

The stalemate is the latest development in a complex disagreement over the quality
of the protective gear, known as Dragon Skin, that is made by Pinnacle Armor
of Fresno, Calif. The fight over body armor has spread beyond the Pentagon and
reverberated throughout the country as families try to buy the best protection possible
for loved ones serving overseas.

Murray Neal, Pinnacle's chief executive officer, said Friday he will not send the Army
30 vests to test next month, as planned, unless the Army agrees to his testing
requirements.

<snip>

The Army says it has a contract for 30 vests and expects delivery.

"The expectations for the test are spelled out in the specification that was part
of the contract that (Pinnacle Armor) signed," Army spokeswoman Maj. Desiree Wineland
said. "The Army does not intend to make any changes to the contract that was signed."

<snip>

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041600316.html

[MercutioATC]

1. Pinnacle is going to have to play the game if they want the contract.

If there's any concern that the military might alter the armor or the test results, arrange for a private testing organization to perform an identical evaluation and ballistic tests on the armor.

Frankly, I'm suspicious of a manufacturer that's soliciting the government for a contract who threatens not to provide the gear for testing. Dragon Skin is supposedly great stuff, but (as far as I know) that's all based on Pinnacle's tests. I 'd like to see an independant testing lab (not Pinnacle and not the government) evaluate it.