SUBJECT: Shipment Tracking Services

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS (RFQ); IT IS STRICTLY A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). NEITHER UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS NOR ANY OTHER KINDS OF OFFERS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED PURSUANT TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

1. DISCLAIMER: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Neither unsolicited proposals nor any other kind of offers will be considered in response to this RFI. Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. At this time, questions concerning the composition and requirements for a future RFP will not be entertained.

2. SUBJECT: The United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) is conducting market research on behalf of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) to determine the availability of sources that can provide the shipment tracking services described below.

3. BACKGROUND:

AFMES operations provide comprehensive services in forensic pathology, special investigations, forensic toxicology, DNA technology and identification, and mortality surveillance for the Department of Defense (DoD). The Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner (OAFME) will be the primary user of this service. OAFME is comprised of primarily military physicians and technical professionals who perform various medical examinations to determine causes and manner of death of an individual.

Tracking devices will be used by AFMES investigative personnel as they gather items that are recovered from investigation sites and shipped via FedEx to the AFMES laboratories at Dover Air Force Base, DE. These trackers will be an essential component for 24-hour tracking of specimens that are inbound to the
AFMES facility. Tracking devices must meet the criteria for use in tracking highly controlled, temperature sensitive items that the Mortuary Affairs Specialist will track and notify the OAFME Director of any temperature changes, humidity, light exposure, and delays.

4. REQUIREMENTS:

The tracking devices must provide real time tracking capability for shipments of forensic toxicology, anthropology, organ, and histology specimens. The systems must have worldwide tracking capability due to the AFMES mission. These deliveries are time sensitive, and the specimens are susceptible to degradation. Prevention of loss and degradation is critical to mission success.

The system must alert AFMES when the specimen has left the shipping company facility point of origin and when it has arrived in AFMES' general area in the State of Delaware. This allows AFMES to ensure that specimens can be received at its facility during non-duty hours and on weekends.

The system must alert AFMES if a shipment stalls and does not leave the point of origin or an intermediate facility. This allows AFMES to contact the shipper to facilitate locating the shipment and take any necessary measures to prevent degradation and enable timely delivery.

The device must have the capability of monitoring temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and shock. The temperature monitoring must be able to monitor shipments that are preserved on dry ice supporting a probe that can monitor temperatures between -80 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius. This capability is needed for toxicology specimens that are shipped on dry ice. Humidity, barometric pressure, and shock monitoring are all parameters that assist in prevention of degradation of specimens. The device must have a temperature dry ice monitoring probe to be used with the specimens.

The tracker must monitor light exposure. The specimens tracked are all being shipped under legal chain of custody, and light exposure monitoring assists in preventing tampering and theft by indicating that the integrity of the shipping container has been compromised.

The tracker must be compatible with tracking a hearse or similar vehicle when remains are recovered and transported to the AFMES facility at Dover Air Force Base. The tracking system must be able to alert if a preset route is not followed when transporting human remains.

5. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS:

Respondents shall submit a capabilities statement detailing how available products/services are able to meet all of the requirements above.

6. CONTACT INFORMATION: Any and all questions related to this RFI shall be directed to Samantha L. Connors at [email protected]. All information regarding Capabilities Statements or any other proprietary information relative to this RFI shall be submitted via email to [email protected] no later than 3:00 PM Eastern on October 31, 2016.