The 628th Force Support Squadron is on the hunt for a costume of its mascot, the legendary tentacled Kraken.

Most government contract solicitations posted on FedBizOpps are dry as dust, but every once in a while, someone decides to have some fun.

The 628th Force Support Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, an Air Mobility Command unit, is on the hunt for a costume of its mascot — a Kraken. A request for quotation from the 628th Contracting Squadron — which does not suggest the price AMC would be willing to pay, but instead invites potential contractors to suggest their price — was released Aug. 24, with a deadline of Friday afternoon.

The request includes artwork of a patch for the 628th Force Support Squadron that displays the mythical, tentacled sea beast — legendary scourge of sailors, dating back to Norse sagas of the 13th century — and the slogan “Let’s get Kraken!”

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And AMC’s requirements in the solicitation, which was first noticed and tweeted about Thursday by Inside Defense reporter Rachel Cohen, are quite specific. The costume must have “a minimum of 8 and maximum of 10 tentacles” — because a seven-tentacled Kraken just won’t do, apparently — and it must be water repellent. Because South Carolina can get very hot and humid, it must have a cooling system such as a fan or ice pack vest, but it also will be used both outdoors and indoors.

AMC would prefer the costume to be machine-washable instead of requiring dry cleaning. It must be able to be produced within 12 weeks, because no squadron should be Kraken-less for too long.

A patch for the 628th Force Support Squadron at Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina. (John Bretschneider/Air Force Times)

Oh, one more thing: “No clothing on the Kraken.”

In a statement Friday evening, the 628th Air Base Wing said the Kraken was chosen based on squadron members' feedback “to create [a] unifying symbol which captures the essence of their very large and diverse mission.” The mascot selection is one of several morale-building initiatives the squadron has adopted for its 650 members, 628th spokesman Marvin Krause said.

“A unifying symbol which represents their mission is not easily done,” Krause said. “After reviewing several symbols and mascot options presented to the committee the Kraken was selected as the symbolic representation of their squadron. We have reviewed this solicitation and potential expenditure with our local finance, legal and contracting experts who have confirmed the expenditure for these purposes is legal and justified."

But it also makes Air Force Times wonder if adopting a creature so associated with seafaring might have the bonus — if unintended — effect of trolling the Navy a little bit.

Bravo zulu, 628th.

Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.

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