I. INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE

The Mine Safety & Health Administration is issuing this Sources Sought Notice - Request for Information for information to improve its understanding of the market and identify qualified vendors capable of providing low speed and high speed anemometers.

II.  BACKGROUND

The Mine Safety and Health Administration is responsible for reducing accidents and improving health conditions in the mining industry through education, training, and testing of the mine environment. There are a number of pieces of equipment utilized by MSHA inspectors in testing the active mine environment.

Most specifically, the MSHA inspector is responsible for determining if sufficient quantities of air are being provided in active working areas of the mine environment. The assurance of sufficient air quantities is related to the prevention of the build-up of explosive gases and necessary to assure a sufficient air quantity to dilute and render harmless, the gases and dust present in the underground coal environment. The requirements for specific air quantities are stated in 30 CRFR part 75 subpart D.

The instruments used in underground coal mines must be MSHA approved as permissible and/or MSHA certified as intrinsically safe for use in underground coal mines (UL approved instruments are not permitted by 30 CFR). These units must also provide readings that are traceable to national standards and be free of interference from electromagnetic and radio sources.  

These instruments are subjected to the harsh mining environment which affects the instruments reliability. The inspectors must carry many instruments into the underground mine where at times space is very limited, so A compact size is very important.

III. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this notice is to conduct a market survey to determine if there are vendodrs interested in providing the required products.  Vendors responding to this notice will be given additional information about what is involved in the process to become an approved supplier and point of contact information to begin the process.

IV.  PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS:

Specifications:

Low Speed
 4" low speed ball bearing vane anemometer
  The unit and readout must not be affected by electromagnetic sources or radio frequency interference
 The unit should provide for display of the air velocity in feet
 The unit must be proven to provide reliable results in the harsh underground coal mine environment
 The unit must have a metal housing to withstand the underground coal mine environment
 The unit must be able, with proper calibration, to provide results that are traceable to NIST
 The unit must be MSHA approved as permissible for use in underground coal mines and/or MSHA certified as intrinsically safe
 Measurement range of 30 to 5,000 FPM
 Be delivered with NIST traceable calibration

High Speed
 4" high speed vane anemometer
  The unit and readout must not be affected by electromagnetic sources or radio frequency interference
 The unit should provide for display of the air velocity in feet
 The unit must be proven to provide reliable results in the harsh underground coal mine environment
 The unit must have a metal housing to withstand the underground coal mine environment
 The unit must be able, with proper calibration, to provide results that are traceable to NIST
 The unit must be MSHA approved as permissible for use in underground coal mines and/or MSHA certified as intrinsically safe
 Measurement range of 200 to 10,000 FPM
 Be delivered with NIST traceable calibration

V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. The following information is to be provided in response to this Request for Information:

a. Vendor's name
b. Vendor's address
c. Point of contact name, telephone number, and e-mail address
d. DUNS number
e. Identification of business size (small business, small disadvantaged, Small Woman-Owned Business, Small Veteran-Owned Business, Small Disabiled Veteran-Owned Business, Small/Disadvantaged Business SBA 8(a) Program, HUB-Zone small business);
f. Capability to provide the product to the specifications

2. Responses must be submitted in writing according to the requirements outlined in this document and received via e-mail by Rhonda Sizemore at [email protected] no later than 4:00 p.m. EST on May 19, 2014. Late responses may not be considered or evaluated.

VI. AGENCY POINT OF CONTACT

Rhonda Sizemore
Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer
1301 Airport Road
Beaver, West Virginia 25813
[email protected]
Office Phone: (304)256-3538

VII. OTHER INFORMATION

All interested and qualified businesses are encouraged to respond to this notice in accordance with the instructions found herein. Responding to this RFI does not guarantee an award of a contract nor does the Government guarantee that a solicitation will be issued as a result of the RFI. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this request or to otherwise pay for the information submitted in response to this request. This request is issued only to locate vendors interesting in becoming an approved supplier of the subject product. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted, or competition-sensitive information contained in their response.

 

Bid Protests Not Available