SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Investigate Effects of wear and use on protective clothing materials
- Notice Date
- 4/9/2007
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541380
— Testing Laboratories
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Acquisition and Assistance Field Branch (Pittsburgh), Post Office Box 18070 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236-0070, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-0000HCCL-2007-42147
- Response Due
- 4/24/2007
- Archive Date
- 5/9/2007
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Helath, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory has a requirement for Development and Validation of PPE Lab Preconditioning Methods. A. Purpose of Contract The purpose of this contract is to investigate the effects of wear and use on protective clothing materials in order to recommend specific methods that can be used to evaluate the barrier qualities of clothing materials over their expected service life. The specific objective of this contract is to recommend approaches and methods that can become ASTM standards or be incorporated into NFPA standards that address CBRN protection of first responders in reusable clothing and equipment. B. Statement of Work The work effort covers a 2-year research program. The first year involves the identification and development of specific preconditioning techniques for selected PPE ensembles and mission areas. This process will entail observing the conditions of wear for clothing based on repeated, documented use, the evaluation of potential techniques for simulating the types of observed wear, the consequent creation of a detailed test plan, conduct of an external peer review and formation of a project team with establishment of supporting capabilities at different laboratories. The second year effort will address validation and implementation of recommended preconditioning techniques into NFPA and ASTM protective clothing standards through the development of new procedures, practices, and tests methods, as needed, with the final deliverable being a final peer reviewed technical report discussing all activities and findings of the project. C. Detailed Technical Requirements: During the first year of the project, the contractor shall use the following specific steps as part of their investigations: 1. Propose the key ensemble material and use parameters to be investigated for determining the durability of barrier protection in protective clothing materials against CBRN agents and other hazardous substances. Proposals should address all elements that incorporate CBRN barrier materials. Determine the types of ensembles and respective standards to be targeted as part of the work effort. 2. Research specific conditions of clothing that result from its use and care by examining a large number of clothing sets exhibiting different levels of wear where the service life of the clothing is well understood. Devise potential approaches for linking the condition of clothing to its documented use and care. Interview key end user stakeholders and manufacturers for determining how field observations relate to clothing barrier performance. Document the findings of this research to be included as part of the detailed, comprehensive test plan described in Task 5. 3. Conduct a review of current procedures that are applied in different specifications, including NFPA and other standards, for protective ensembles and elements, which document how clothing items and materials are preconditioned prior to barrier or other forms of testing. The review shall include a literature search and investigation of prior studies performed on first responder and related clothing and equipment. Document the findings of this review to be included as part of the detailed, comprehensive test plan described in Task 5. 4. Perform limited testing to determine the appropriateness of test methods and to allow for the narrowing of selected preconditioning techniques to be considered as part of a detailed, comprehensive test plan. Document the findings of this testing to be included as part of the detailed, comprehensive test plan described in Task 5. 5. Prepare a detailed, comprehensive plan to investigate the application of selected preconditioning methods to specific materials for simulated use and care. The test plan shall include the results of the research and reviews conducted in Tasks 1 through 4. The test plan should identify specific materials to be tested, the types of testing to be conducted, how the materials are to be tested, how results will be reported, and how criteria will be established to determine if proposed preconditioning methods are appropriate for modeling ensemble wear. The detailed, comprehensive plan should be submitted for external peer review. 6. Respond to comments from the external peer review with specific changes in the detailed, comprehensive test plan. Conduct additional reviews, research, and testing as needed to address and identified deficiencies in the detailed, comprehensive test plan. The contractor shall prepare a revised detailed, comprehensive test plan that incorporates all changes. 7. Make arrangements for carrying out the execution of the comprehensive, detailed test plan. These arrangements shall include establishment of a project team to carrying out the plan and identifying specific facilities where evaluations will be carried out. During the second year of the project, the contractor shall: 8. Provide an interim report on initial testing to determine the appropriateness of preconditioning techniques for specific protective ensembles. 9. Prepare a report on validation of preconditioning techniques and how each investigated technique simulated wear and care of different protective ensembles. 10. Investigate potential techniques that may be used in the field to monitor or assess the condition of barrier materials and their efficacy in providing continued CBRN protection. Findings of this investigation shall be provided in the project final report. 11. Create recommendations for specific preconditioning techniques in revision of specific protective ensemble standards. The proposed techniques shall be prepared in the appropriate style and form for the respective ASTM and NFPA standards as consistent with the standards to be affected. The project team shall prepare all recommendations for direct submission to the appropriate standards organization and make the submission. 12. Prepare a manuscript as a co-author with the Government Technical Project Officer for submission to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. 13. Complete a final report with all project data and findings. Note: Stakeholders for this project include certification organizations, standards development organizations, manufacturers, first responders and the DHS Office for Grants and Training federal equipment grant programs for local/state agencies. The end result of this project is a series of conditioning techniques that can be applied to protective ensemble materials to mimic wear and use for demonstrating how barrier protection is sustained with multiple-uses. By determining realistic preconditioning procedures that simulate real world use on these ensembles, the industry will be able to provide a wider range of NFPA certified products to the estimated 1.5 million first responders for use during CBRN incidents. This means that first responders have the opportunity to be outfitted in durable, less stressful ensembles with the latest technology when they find themselves in a CBRN incident. D. Period of Performance The Contractor shall complete the technical effort specified under Section C, within twenty one (21) months after the effective date of the contract. The anticipated term of the contract, including time allowed for draft approval and submission of the approved final report, is twenty four (24) months after the effective date of the contract. Responsible sources that believe they possess the expertise and capabilities identified above are encouraged to submit to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the posting date of this notice their capabilities statement and supporting information in the format they choose, not to exceed 10 pages. Please forward capabilities and supporting information to: Margaret L. Mooney, Reference 0000HCCL-2007-42147, CDC, NIOSH, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, MMooney@cdc.gov. All vendors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) prior to award of a federal contract. Vendors may register at www.ccr.gov. The government will review any/all capabilities statements and supporting information submitted and determine if other qualified sources do exist that could provide the requirement. Information received in response to this notice will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. If no affirmative responses are received within 15 days, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), negotiations will be conducted with International Personnel Protection (IPP) as the only source and a purchase order will be issued without any additional notices being posted. The primary reason for selecting this entity is the research described under this contract is required to be performed by a current member of the following four NFPA Technical Committees (TC): Structural and Proximity Firefighting Protective Clothing, Special Operations Protective Clothing and Equipment, Hazardous Materials Emergencies Protective Clothing and Equipment and Emergency Medical Protective Clothing and Equipment. The interactions required with the TCs to conduct and complete the research within the NFPA revision cycle can only be completed by a member. Mr. Jeffery O. Stull, President of International Personnel Protection, has over 23 years of experience in the study of personal protective equipment with the United States Coast Guard, TRI/Environemental and as President of International Personnel Protection, Inc. Mr. Stull has been an active member of and a significant contributor to the TCs since their creation. Mr. Stull was also involved with the US Fire Administration efforts to create the TCs. His expertise and background with these Technical Committees is an irreplaceable asset to the project, as the project will require guidance and support from the committee to affect change during the appropriate times of the revision cycle of the standard. The contractor shall also be a current member of the ASTM F23 Committee on Protective Clothing. The work under this contract will require the review of several ASTM methods and may require additional new ASTM test methods which can only be completed by a current ASTM F23 member. Mr. Stull is not only a member but is currently the Chairman for the ASTM F23 Committee and the Head of the United States Delegation for two ISO Subcommittees. The research described in this contract requires testing at multiple test laboratories due to the differing capabilities of the labs. Many of these labs require contracts or agreements to be completed before testing can begin. IPP has already secured testing agreements with all of the required test labs.
- Place of Performance
- Address: CDC/NIOSH, Pittsburgh, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA
- Zip Code: 15236-0070
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 15236-0070
- Record
- SN01269175-W 20070411/070409220204 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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