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 noise dosimeters.

II. BACKGROUND

Noise is one of the most pervasive health hazards in mining.  Exposure to excessive occupational noise levels results in development of noise-induced hearing loss, which is distringuishable from hearing loss associated with aging or with medical conditions.  Considerable safety risks arise because miners with noise-induced hearing loss may not hear audible warnings and safety signals.  MSHA's regulations establish exposure level standards that are designed to reduce the incidence of hearing loss by maintaining miners' exposures below the established permissible exposure limit.  Reducing overexposures will ultimately lead to a reduction in the incidence of disease among miners.  MSHA must be prepared to monitor the working environment of the mines in order to determine if noise levels are being effectively mitigated and implemented by operators.  The means to accomplish this task of monitoring in the harsh mining environment is through the use of dosimeters.  The dosimeters are used in mandated inspections, impact inspections, health surveys, and noise evaluations.

 III. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this notice is to conduct a market survey to determine if there are vendors 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

 Must be MSHA approved as intrinsic safety and meets ANSI S1.25-1991 and EN 6152 standards

Accuracy Class/Type 2

Industrial grade cast aluminum case

Data-logging feature that provides average and maximum at fixed, 1-minute intervals

Capable of simultaneously integrating sound levels to CFR 30 Part 62 specifications for both simultaneously calculating dose based on the:
90 dBA PEL (90 dBA to at least 140 dBA) A-weighted network, slow response,90 dBA threshold, 90 dBA criterion level , and 5 dBA exchange rate.
85 dBA action level (80 dBA to at least 130 dBA) A-weighted network, slow response, 80 dBA threshold, 90 dBA criterion level, and 5 dBA exchange rate.

Capable of evaluating amount of time noise levels > 117 dBA

Dosimeter parameters are capable of being locked and with limited access

Compact size less than 14 ounces

Simple menu driven setup

Battery life capable of sampling for at least 16 hours

Provided in 5 dosimeter pack kit the following items:
- windscreens
- acoustic calibrator - Rugged construction, meet IEC 942: 1988 Class1 and ANSI S1.40-1984 (or later) clothing clips
- computer interface cable
- heavy duty storage case Pelican or equivalent

- At least one year manufacturer warranty on both acoustic calibrator and noise dosimeters

- Data evaluation software

- Environmental: Operates within tolerance at the following environmental
factors:
Temperature-10° to +50°C Operating
-20° to +60°C Storage
Relative Humidity: Up to 95% RH

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 3:00 p.m. EST on May 14, 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.