SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- System Reliability and Environmental Survivability
- Notice Date
- 5/12/2008
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Acquisition and Assistance Field Branch (Pittsburgh), Post Office Box 18070, Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15236-0070
- ZIP Code
- 15236-0070
- Solicitation Number
- 2008-N-10405
- Point of Contact
- Mary Pat Shanahan,, Phone: 412-386-4453
- E-Mail Address
-
mshanahan@cdc.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The recent tragic events at the Crandall Canyon, Darby, Alma, Sago, and Jim Walter Resources #5 (Brookwood) coal mines have all highlighted the need for reliable communications between miners inside and outside of mine (both before and after a disaster). Present hardwired communications systems may fail due to exposure to explosions, roof falls, inundations, and fires. During subsequent escape and rescue efforts, it is vital that communications, tracking, and atmospheric monitoring systems (AMS) remain operational. Survivability of these systems can be enhanced by component hardening and system redundancy. The contractor is encouraged to be creative and provide arguments for the development of any new or novel techniques that can help to enhance equipment reliability and survivability. On June 15, 2006, the “Miner Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006” (MINER Act), was signed by the President to amend the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. As part of the MINER act, underground coal mine operators must provide for post-accident communication between underground and surface personnel via a wireless two-way medium within three years (i.e., June 2009). The Act also requires an electronic tracking system for surface personnel to determine the location of any person trapped underground. Robust and reliable mine communications are critical to this standard for both routine mining operations and in any mine emergency. Reliability is defined as a set of attributes that bear on the capability of a system to maintain its level of performance under stated operating conditions for a given period of time without failure. An example of communications reliability is the probability that a message will arrive at its intended destination within a reasonable time and without undesired alteration of the text or loss of meaning. Reliability assessment is the determination of whether existing hardware, firmware, and/or software have achieved a specified level of operational reliability. For example, wireless networks are more prone to failures than hardwired networks and can have loss of access due to weak transmission power, underground terrain environment, interference, etc. Therefore the reliability requirements of wireless networks need to be rigorously assessed. Survivability is defined as the property of a piece of equipment or a system that provides a defined degree of assurance that the device or system will continue to work during and after a natural or man-made disturbance (explosion, fire, roof fall, pillar burst, power outage, inundation, etc.). For the purpose of this RFP, the survivability consists of two principal aspects: hardening and redundancy. Redundancy, is defined to exist where, after a mine incident occurs and communications are lost, a miner can travel a short distance from the affected area and still communicate with surface personnel. Redundancy is desired in all areas of the mine where hardwired and/or wireless coverage is provided, and the level of redundancy achieved will be a significant consideration. Various likely mine disaster scenarios need to be considered and evaluated on the effectiveness (reliability, survivability, maintainability, and ease of use) of the redundant solutions in all areas of the mine with particular focus on the active mining section. Hardening is defined as the measures taken to improve the ability of the system components to continue to perform during and after mine incidents including, but not limited to, explosions, roof falls, water inundations, fires, and power outages. Various approaches to hardening the system need to be listed and discussed. The successful quoter will focus on the active mining section(s) as it is the most likely location for a catastrophic event to occur. Hardening and redundancy may be more difficult to achieve in this area. Communication with, and tracking of, miners in face areas is essential. All major exposed external components associated with the communication, tracking and AMS systems for the purpose of hardening such systems should be examined. NIOSH recommends that both hardwired and wireless systems should support legacy UHF/VHF mine communication devices that are commonly used in mines today in order to minimize the impact on existing mine communication systems. NIOSH also suggests that in the near term, equipment survivability will be best achieved through additions and improvements to the existing leaky feeder systems and/or systems that supplement the existing leaky feeder system, rather than replacement of the existing leaky feeder system. Moreover, the contractor is encouraged to propose alternative approaches where it can be demonstrated that substantial benefits in cost, performance, reliability and/or survivability can be achieved by deviating from any solution(s) currently envisioned. Mine phones can be an integral part of an integrated communication system. While mine phones do not meet the definition of wireless, they can provide a redundancy to those systems that are wireless. However, the routing of cables, placement of phones, and the means used to harden the system must be carefully planned. Some companies are currently working on developing wireless devices that are capable of communicating over the existing phone system. At a minimum, the communication, tracking and AMS systems will likely be extended through the track entry, if present. This is where most leaky feeder systems are installed in mines today and where the highest reliability and best quality of service (QoS) is desired to be maintained. However, it is desired to provide system coverage in all entries of the mine; i.e., to provide reliable, high quality and survivable coverage in the belt entry and primary escape way as well as the track entry. Some of the options that the contractor may choose to include are: (1) propose to run leaky feeder in each entry, (2) install wireless mesh nodes in these areas, or (3) propose an alternative solution, perhaps employing antennas split off from entries containing leaky feeder or any other variation that will achieve the survivability objective. A particularly important aspect of system reliability is the availability of power via the emergency backup systems. This is a particularly difficult issue to address for systems that are used in underground coal mines. In a disaster situation, often times primary power has to be disconnected from the mine thus requiring that any post disaster system has to rely on battery back-up. The rescue operations can last for long periods of time. An added complication is that ventilation controls are often disrupted and therefore the atmosphere has to be treated as being potentially explosive due to methane. Therefore, systems survivability and reliability solutions must consider the trade off between battery life, survivability/reliability, and the potential of batteries of becoming potential ignition sources. The minimum survivability requirement is to identify areas within an underground mine where an accident could cut off communications to those in by and to provide an adequate level of hardening or redundancy to minimize such damage. Consider relevant mine-specific situations that might result in the loss of elements of the integrated communication and tracking infrastructure. For each unique situation consider what steps are needed to ensure survivability and/or provide for a redundant or alternative means of maintaining the communication and tracking capability. Situations of concern would include, but should not be limited to: Potential fire source areas Electrical equipment, motors, power centers, etc. Conveyor belts Underground shops Potential areas of explosive force pathways Intersections of sealed areas Intersections of completed sections Potential ground control failure areas Areas with potential roof problems Areas with potential rib problems Potential areas for impacts by mining equipment Travel ways Charging stations The contractor is encouraged to be creative and provide arguments for the development of any new or novel materials or techniques that can enhance equipment reliability and survivability. This requirement is being solicited as full and open competition. The CDC expects to award a single cost reimbursement plus fixed fee type contract, and the period of performance is expected to be approximately one year from date of award. The complete solicitation document, and reference material, if applicable, will be available for downloading at https://www.fbo.gov on or about May 1, 2008 and proposals will be due on or about May 31, 2008. All interested contractors are asked to identify themselves to the Contracting Office’s Point of Contact listed in this announcement. It is the responsibility of perspective proposers to stay abreast of additional postings regarding this solicitation at the FedBizOpps internet site. No government-wide notes apply.
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=b6c9b675e42dbf43303c3ece6f028eb8&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Place of Performance
- Address: To be Determined, United States
- Record
- SN01571015-W 20080514/080512215554-b6c9b675e42dbf43303c3ece6f028eb8 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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