MECHANIC FALLS – Kathie Leonard knew it was risky to challenge the federal government’s specifications on a bid, but she’s glad she did.

The president and CEO of Auburn Manufacturing Inc., Leonard was concerned that standards had been lowered in a bid solicitation for the high-performance fabrics her company manufactures.

Leonard bid successfully on similar Department of Defense contracts in the past, but when she saw the new specs, she worried they would open the door to foreign-made products in defiance of federal laws that mandate purchasing from American companies.

She filed a formal protest with the Department of Defense to reinstate the higher standards. She won – both the protest and the bid.

“It was a little scary,” said Leonard. “We didn’t want the DoD to get angry with us.”

Auburn Manufacturing was awarded the three-year, $4 million contract to make 400,000 yards of its specialty silica-based fiber. The material has a melting point above 3000 degrees Fahrenheit and will be used as heat protection on U.S. Navy ships.

“We stood our ground, and I think they respect us for that,” said Leonard who had been contacted by the director of procurement for the DoD who assured her that the standards would be maintained.

The award means the company will likely add three to five new employees to its 50-member work force. It already made a $20,000 investment to increase its manufacturing capacity by 30 percent to handle the extra work.

Auburn Manufacturing previously provided about 700,000 yards of the fabric to the DoD over the past 10 years.

Leonard was quick to give credit to Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who sits on the Armed Services Committee. She and her staff helped ensure that the contract was awarded in accordance with the Buy American provisions of the federal government purchasing policies.

“The response to our request for advice during the bidding process was swift, and the information and support provided by Sen. Collins’ staff played a key role in our negotiations with DoD,” said Leonard.

The material, called SIL fabric, is manufactured in 3-foot-wide, 25-yard-long strips, that are wound around rolls.

“It’s sort of high-temp paper towels,” said Leonard. “You cut off what you need for whatever you need to cover.”

The material is particularly useful in welding operations to protect against sparks and slag. Leonard said the company has already geared up production to accommodate the Navy order as well as its commercial customers.

“Manufacturing has taken a real beating overall,” said Leonard. “We’re thrilled to have a success story to share.”

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