Disclaimer

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT AND REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. IN ACCORDANCE WITH (IAW) FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) 15.201(e), THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

ALL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS RFI IS CONFIDENTIAL AND ONLY FOR THE RECIPIENT’S KNOWLEDGE AND MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES. NO INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT OR IN DISCUSSIONS CONNECTED TO IT MAY BE DISCLOSED TO ANY OTHER PARTY.

Introduction and Purpose of the RFI

The purpose of this RFI is to request information to determine your company’s products/services and capabilities to meet our government requirement for a biocontainment unit (BCU) patient isolation system. The information gathered from all companies which answer the RFI will be analyzed against the requirements in order to effectively identify capabilities that are available in the marketplace/industry.  Both large business concerns and all categories of small business are encouraged to respond to this request. The following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) may possibly be used for this requirement: 423450.  Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

Background Description of Information Requested

The Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) provides medical care throughout a wide range of environments including the various roles of care in the military theater. The emerging/reemerging of epidemic threats and highly infectious diseases such as Ebola, coupled with the threat of biological warfare, has driven the need for a biocontainment unit (BCU) patient isolation system. This solution will enhance the United States Air Force’s (USAF) ability to treat in-place and strengthen holding capabilities of highly infectious patients (HIP) at Military Treatment Facilities (MTF), Expeditionary Medical Support (EMEDS) hospital, or an En-Route Patient Staging System (ERPSS). The implementation of a BCU will provide an expeditionary capability to use within and outside the continental United States, or in deployed locations. 

Scope                                                                                                    Specific information is requested according to attached forms (RFI response Form #1 and #2 [attached Excel requirements spreadsheet]).. Please complete as much information as possible.

Context in which the Product or Service will be Used

Statement of Need

The AFMS lacks an expeditionary biocontainment capability to support a contingency event, particularly an event with a large number of patients and/or in austere environments. The Joint “Operating in an Infectious Disease Environment (IDE)” Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA) identified a number of capability gaps related to the limited ability of medical services to operate in an infectious disease environment. Current guidance directs medical forces to treat infectious disease patients in-place. At this time, the Expeditionary Medical Support (EMEDS) Health Response Team (HRT) does not have adequate patient isolation capability or the ability to allow patient care staff access to patients without wearing high level personnel protective equipment (PPE). In austere high-temperature environments, donning high level PPE severely decreases work/rest cycles and limits the time medical staff can spend with patients. This limitation means medical staff are incapable of responding to rapid changes in patient acuity or making necessary adjustments to the plan of care. The BCU will also enable global USAF engagement and execution of missions across the full range of military operations while protecting personnel from the spread or threat of infectious diseases.

Requirements

The response should describe the company’s capability to provide, field, and sustain the BCU patient isolation system as characterized by the requirements addressed in this RFI. If unable to provide a system capable of meeting all requirements, the respondent should provide trade-off considerations to meet the requirements addressed in this RFI. Please provide a brief comment on how the system meets or doesn’t meet the requirements.

Manufacturers are encouraged to submit a response to this RFI, even if the system does not meet all the requirements at this time. For requirements that are not met, please provide commentary as trade-off considerations will still be reviewed.

Acronym List

AFMRA: Air Force Medical Readiness Agency

AFMS: Air Force Medical Service

BCU: Biocontainment Unit

BSL: Biosafety Level

CBA: Capabilities Based Assessment

EC: Essential Characteristic

EMEDS: Expeditionary Medical Support

ERPSS: En-Route Patient Staging System

FAR: Federal Acquisition Regulation

HIP: Highly Infectious Patient

HRT: Health Response Team

IAW: In Accordance With

IDE: Infectious Disease Environment

MTF: Military Treatment Facility

PPE: Personal Protective Equipment

RFI: Request for Information

USAF: United States Air Force

Instructions to Respondents

To answer this RFI, please fill in the attached forms (RFI response Form #1 and #2 [attached Excel requirements spreadsheet]).

The contact person listed below is available for assistance, if needed.

The answers to this RFI will be evaluated by staff from different functions in AFMRA.

Response to this RFI must be submitted via email to Maj Clifford Souder, Test Director, [email protected]. Email responses should be no larger than 10 MB in size. If larger attachments are required, please notify AFMRA at the above listed e-mail address. Please include a point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, website information, and indicate whether the company is a foreign or domestic entity in the contents of the e-mail. Each RFI response will receive a confirmation e-mail; if a confirmation is not received, please call 301-619-8600.

The Government will not pay for any information submitted, or for any costs associated with providing the information.

How to Deliver the Answer

Send the attached Word (RFI Response Form #1) and Excel (RFI Response Form #2) forms (format unchanged) by email to: [email protected]

Timeframe

This is the timeframe for Q&A’s and responses

14 January 2020 – The RFI is sent out

10 February 2020 No later than 5:00PM CST – Last date for questions & answers

14 February 2020 No later than 5:00PM CST – Last date for response

Point of Contact

For questions regarding this RFI you are welcome to contact:

Maj Clifford Souder

Test Director

Operational Medicine Test and Evaluation

Air Force Medical Readiness Agency

1270 Montevue Lane (Area B)

Fort Detrick, MD 21702

301-619-8600

[email protected]