SOURCES SOUGHT
65 -- NBC Shelter Airlock
- Notice Date
- 7/11/2002
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, HSW - 311 Human Systems Wing, 311th HSW/PK 8107 Aeromedical Road, Brooks AFB, TX, 78235-5219
- ZIP Code
- 78235-5219
- Solicitation Number
- F41624-02-YA-RFI
- Response Due
- 8/9/2002
- Archive Date
- 8/24/2002
- Point of Contact
- Benjamin Sherrill, Contracts Manager, Phone 210-536-5774, Fax 210-536-2097,
- E-Mail Address
-
benjamin.sherrill@brooks.af.mil
- Description
- Task: Entry/Exit Airlock for NBC Transportable Protective Shelters Objective: The 311 HSW, Human Systems Program Office is seeking information on the commercial capabilities and costs of developing an airlock to be used with Collective Protection (CP) shelters currently in inventory. There is a possibility of limited procurement of production units in FY04. Background: The Joint Services currently use four airlocks for CP shelters: the Protective Entrance (PE), the Tunnel Airlock for Litter Patients (TALP), the Supply Airlock (SA), and the Bump-Through Door (BTD) Airlock. If personnel are contaminated with CB agents, they must be processed through a decontamination station prior to entering through airlocks. Once inside the airlock, filtered air is used to remove any remaining airborne contaminants before gaining access into the CP shelter. All of these airlock systems have their limitations, more specifically, the number of persons that can be accommodated, purge time needed to clear airlock from any contaminants, and durability. The PE holds one ambulatory person and has a purge time of three minutes; the TALP holds a patient on a litter and has a purge time of one minute. The major limitation is that these two systems can only accommodate one person, and the TALP does not allow the patient to be administered medical assistance. The SA was developed for the Tent Extendable Modular Personnel (TEMPER) system to bring in medical supplies on an aircraft pallet. It has a purge time of 55 to 90 minutes, if the recirculation filter is used the minimum the purge time is 55 minutes. The PE, TALP and SA are modular components of the M28 Collective Protection Equipment (CPE). The BTD Airlock is a multipurpose continuously purged airlock that allows the entry and exit of personnel and supplies. It was the result of an effort to develop an airlock system that would expeditiously meet the Air Fore medical community requirements. It uses two sets of modified hard bump-through-doors already in inventory, an extended vestibule CP liner modified to accommodate the hard doors. Also, a modified FFA 580 blower/filter unit is used to decrease the purge time of the larger airlock to three minutes by providing a high flow rate of clean air through the airlock. The current BTD Airlock is a component of the Collectively Protected Expeditionary Medical Support (CP EMEDS) and the AF Transportable Collective Protection System (AF TCPS); it allows the user to bring in two patients on standard NATO litters with litter bearers and attendants or 12 ambulatory personnel. Dimensions of the standard NATO collapsible litters are as follows: Overall length is 90 inches Overall width is 22 7/8 inches Bed length is 72 inches Bed width is 22 7/8 inches Limitations of the BTD Airlock include its weight (950 lbs), packing volume, lack of durability, and set-up complexity (includes blower, filters, ducting, etc). Requirement: The intent of this RFI is to collect information on technology that could meet the needs of the Joint Services (limited development may be possible) for a state-of-the-art, lightweight, durable, thermal efficient, and low purge time airlock?s that can accommodate a multiple number of personnel and/or litter patients with litter bearers and medical attendants and to subsequently procure airlocks for Joint Service applications. The government is interested in capabilities, technologies, reliability, maintainability and technical data for development of a multi-purpose airlock that can operate in an active Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) environment and must be capable of interfacing with current transportable CP liners and shelters used by the Joint Services. Currently, a Chemical and Biological (CB) liner made from a 5-layer Saranex laminate is being used in shelters and airlocks to provide CB protection. Information on new material for the development of a new Chemical, Biological, and Radiological (CBR) resistant and thermal efficient liner is also sought. In addition, information on new technologies for blowers and filtration that are applicable to airlocks is also sought. Airlock should be rugged with a rigid frame and be easily and rapidly erected without creating a safety hazard. It must be an improvement over current airlocks in the areas of weight, packing value, and cost. The airlock will interface with the standard M28 CPE vestibule membrane opening and be compatible with existing CP liner closures adopted in the TEMPER and Air Force Medical Shelter System (AF Small Shelter) shelters. NOTE: THE SUBMISSION OF THIS INFORMATION IS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR ANY ITEMS/SERVICES, OR FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR THE INFORMATION RECEIVED. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENT EXISTS OR ARE GUARENTEED TO BE ISSUED AS A RESULT OF THIS RFI. The government will retain comments and information received in response to this RFI. Proprietary information should be identified as Company Proprietary. Do not use Government security classification markings. Sources submitting a response and interested also in making a technical presentation may arrange to do so by contacting Mr. Michael Forbis, Contracting Officer, at 210-536-6390 or through e-mail at Michael.Forbis@brooks.af.mil. All written responses/comments must be received by 4 p.m. CDT, 09 Aug 02. Firms responding should indicate their business size and status (i.e., small business (S), large business (L), small disadvantaged business (SBD), 8(a), HUBZone, etc.) Responses should be addressed to: 311th Human Systems Wing/YACN 7909 Lindbergh Landing Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5306 ATTN: Mr. Michael Forbis
- Web Link
-
Link to FedBizOpps document.
(http://www.eps.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/HSW/F41624-02-YA-RFI/listing.html)
- Record
- SN00115027-F 20020713/020711215956 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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