Shade Council of Colonels and Captains

1. Shade Standard Development
For every item where shade evaluation is applicable, a permanent or temporary shade standard shall be listed on all solicitations and available prior to the start of a contract. Government and Industry parties will work together to establish a permanent standard in the correct substrate within six months of contract award. Timeframes may vary depending upon availability of production lots.

1.1. Permanent Standards
If there is not a permanent physical shade standard in place at the time of contract award, government and industry parties will work together to establish a permanent standard in the correct substrate within six months of contract award.

Within six months of contract award, if a permanent shade standard has not been established, the temporary standard may become the official standard. In this case, DLA will set tolerances against this new official standard based on production lots submitted during the first six months.

1.1.1. Instrumental Readings for Permanent Standards
Instrumental values for solid colored shade standards will be listed and approved by service and published on the website. The instrumental values are for reference only. Shade evaluation shall be performed in accordance with contract requirements.
 
1.2. Temporary Standards
If a contract has a temporary shade standard, DLA and the Services will work with Industry to identify potential permanent shade standards within six months from the contract award.

1.2.1. Instrumental Readings for Temporary Standards
Instrumental values for solid colored temporary shade standards will be listed and approved by service and published on the website. The instrumental values are for reference only. Shade evaluation shall be performed in accordance with contract requirements.

1.3. Tolerances
Instrumental values for tolerance ranges will be listed and approved by Service and published on the website. The instrumental values are for reference only. Shade evaluation shall be performed in accordance with contract requirements.

1.3.1. Use of Physical Shade Tolerances in Evaluation
When a physical shade tolerance is available, DLA will use that tolerance in lieu of instrumental reading, unless otherwise stated in the contract.

1.3.2. Use of Instrumental Readings in Evaluation
When physical shade tolerances are not available, the following instrumental tolerance range (DeltaE) may be used:
For solid color shade critical items the tolerance value for Delta Ecmc will be less than 0.6
For solid color non shade critical items the tolerance value for Delta Ecmc will be less than 1.1

1.3.3. Submission of Proposed Standard or Tolerance Material
Suppliers will utilize Shade Standard and Tolerance Evaluation Form to submit potential standard or tolerance samples to DLA Product Testing Center (DLA PTC) for consideration. Form for standard or tolerance submittal will be posted on the website.

2. Shade Classification

2.1. Determination of Critical and Non Critical Shade Classification
Clothing and Textile end items will be categorized as Shade Critical or Non-Shade Critical prior to DLA Troop Support sustainment. During the Supply Request Package (SRP) process, the Service will indicate the Shade Criticality determination (Critical/Non-Critical) for the end item and for any applicable component materials. If end item shade criticality is not provided by the Services, DLA will determine shade criticality. SCC&C-JAS 4

2.2. Listing of Shade Critical Clothing and Textile Items
Updates to the shade criticality list will be made quarterly by DLA-Troop Support. The shade criticality list will be published and available at the DLA Troop Support Product Test Center (PTC) Analytical Shade Evaluation page. 

2.3. Procedures to Add a New Item to Shade Criticality List
New items will be categorized by the Services upon item introduction as Shade Critical or Non-Shade Critical. The shade criticality determination will be included in Supply Request Package (SRP).

2.4. Procedures to Change an Item’s Shade Classification
The Service will provide shade classification changes to DLA-Troop Support. DLA-Troop Support will update and maintain the shade criticality list and publish it quarterly.

3. Shade Failures
3.1. Industry Waiver Request Procedure
Waiver requests, when desired by the Prime Contractor, shall be presented by the Prime Contractor to
the Contracting Officer in accordance with procedures determined by the contracting activity.

3.2. Waiver Authority
3.2.1. The Services grant waiver authority to DLA based on the severity of the failure and the item’s
established shade criticality.

3.2.1.1. Government Shade Evaluator (at DLA Product Testing Center or wherever shade evaluation is
required per the contract) will rate shade failures as Negligible, Significant, or Poor. Rating will be
communicated internally to contracting activity.

3.2.1.2. See Section 2, for shade criticality classification.

3.2.2. The Services have granted waiver decision authority to DLA as described below. When waiver
authority is granted to DLA, DLA may still elect to pursue advice from the Services. At any time, DLA
may choose not to waive failing material with or without consulting the service. Services may also grant
DLA a greater waiver authority in addition to authority specified below.

3.2.2.1. Air Force grants authority to DLA to make waiver decisions on Negligible rated shade failures
for Non-Shade Critical items.

3.2.2.2. Army grants authority to DLA to make waiver decisions on all Negligible rated failures for
Shade Critical and Non-Shade Critical items and on Significant rated failures for Non-Shade Critical
items.

3.2.2.3. Coast Guard grants authority to DLA to make waiver decisions on all Negligible rated failures
for Shade Critical and Non-Shade Critical items and on Significant rated failures for Non-Shade Critical
items.

3.2.2.4. Marine Corps grants authority to DLA to make waiver decisions on Negligible rated shade
failures for Non-Shade Critical items.

3.2.2.5. Navy grants authority to DLA to make waiver decisions on Negligible rated shade failures for
Non-Shade Critical items.

3.3. Waiver Evaluation Processing Time

3.3.1. Waiver requests from DLA to the Services (on behalf of the prime contractor) will include failing
sample swatch(es), all applicable DD form 1222s, and a submitted Engineering Support Request (339) if
required by the Service. Processing time begins when samples and DD1222s have been received by the
lead Service. DLA will determine whether the request is non-emergency or emergency.

3.3.1.1. Non-Emergency - Services will respond to shade waiver requests within 15 calendar days of
receiving samples swatches and DD 1222.

3.3.1.2. Emergency - Services will respond to shade waiver requests within 7 calendar days of receiving
samples swatches and DD 1222.

3.3.2. If DLA does not receive the Service’s response to the waiver request within the timeframes
specified in section 3.3.1.1 and 3.3.1.2 above, DLA will make the waiver decision locally, regardless of
shade criticality or failure rating.

3.4. Waiver Approval Fees

3.4.1. When requesting a waiver for failed fabric, Prime Contractors shall report the fabric cost per yard
to the Contracting Office for the purpose of cost calculation. If the cost of the fabric is not provided to
the contracting officer, fees will be determined by the contracting officer.

3.4.2. Based on the cost of the fabric, the following fees will apply for material waived for shade
failures:
Negligible Failure Approval- UP TO 0.5%
Significant Failure Approval- UP TO 1%
Poor Failure Approval- UP TO 3%

3.4.3. The contracting officer reserves the right to waive all waiver fees on a case-by-case basis.