1) Nothing was contracted for without "prototypes" and "small production" being done by the Quartermaster. Philadelphia QM Depot had a clothing factory. Jeffersonville QM Depot had shops which could, and did, make the items.
a) A new item was developed. This was done at the depots.
b) "Prototypes" were made. Again, at the depot.
c) Small production was undertaken. Again, at the depot. Tested in the field.
d) A small, but larger, contract was awarded to the depot. This was used to develop "metrics." As an example, a contract for 20,000 coats would be awarded to PQD. With that contract, they would determine how much fabric, how many buttons, what zippers, etc., were needed for 20,000 coats. How much of that fabric was wasted in cutting.
e) Contracts were then awarded to the commercial makers. Using the metrics developed at the depot, they would provide the proper amount of material. Contractors were cut and sew operations. The contractors making coats didn't sub-contract for buttons, zippers, etc., as those were "government furnished material."
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The Quartermaster contracted for the zippers. Those were then provided to the uniform makers.
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The government contracted for the buttons. Those were then provided to the uniform makers.
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The government contracted for the rucksack frames. Those were then provided to the rucksack makers.
2) With the clothing factory at Philadelphia, and the field gear shops at Jeffersonville, items will appear with markings from those two. These are generally from the small "metrics" contracts. Which means they are in fact the earliest edition of any given item.
3) Some items were never contracted out. Much of the Army Nurses uniform stuff was simply done at PQD as the quantity was low. Other items as well. Thus there are items which will never been seen with contractor labels.
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That is an example. At this time, almost nobody even knows what those are. I do of course. Why doesn't anyone actually know what those are? Because they were never contracted out. All examples, what few there are, were made at the depot.
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Wouldn't want to leave you hanging. The Kersey lined trousers were heavily used in the early Alaskan campaigns. Those all have "plain type" stamped into them. Do the math. That those without the knit cuffs had "plain type" stamped into them should have been a clue.