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# Shade Council of Colonels and Captains

## Joint Agreement for Shade in Clothing and Textiles

The Shade Council of Colonels and Captains was formed in 2013 to address issues with shade management within the Defense Logistics Agency's Clothing and Textiles supply chain. The Council consists of colonels and captains from each branch of service and C&T serving as program managers and directors for uniform and textile procurement programs for DoD. In addition, the Council includes advisory, non-voting participation by leaders from the American Apparel and Footwear Association - Government Contract Committee, mandatory source vendors and various industry members. The Council is convened as an authoritative decision-making body for shade-related matters.

Shade issues have seriously impacted the DOD military uniform program supply chains for many years. In 2013, a survey of industry and government players within the C&T supply chain identified major concerns regarding shade management. Government analysis showed that a significant portion of C&T procurements experienced regular shade failures, resulting in added expense and procurement delays, often on items where shade was not considered a critical feature. Industry parties reported financial strain due to frequent fabric lot rejections and processing delays, as well as difficulty in working with government requirements.

The Council met with key stakeholders from government and industry, gathered their recommendations, and selected seven major shade topics to pursue for analysis and improvement. Seeking to reduce costs, increase effectiveness and find common-sense approaches to historic problems, the Council assigned seven Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), consisting of experienced government and industry members with interest, to propose solutions to achieve the following goals:
                            -  Establish Shade Critical and Non-critical Items 
                            -  Establish Shade Criteria in Correct Substrate Prior to Solicitation 
                            -  Empower DLA to make rational decisions on Shade Failures 
                            -  Establish Shade Waiver time and Consistent Shade Waiver Fees 
                            -  Establish Shade Tolerance Ranges for Solid Colors 
                            -  Incorporate the Use of Spectrophotometric Color Measurement 
                            -  Adopt a tiered Shade Approval Process based on Past Performance 

The full Shade Council of Colonels and Captains Charter can be viewed here. To view pertinent sections and links, see the tabs below. 

                              - Shade Standard Development
                              - Shade Classification
                              - Shade Failures

**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.

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