THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/SOURCES SOUGHT/RFI IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. THE SUBMISSION OF PRICING, CAPABILITIES FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, AND OTHER MARKET INFORMATION IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED AND ALLOWED UNDER THIS RFI IN ACCORDANCE WITH (IAW) FAR 15.201(e). DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. IAW FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. SOURCES SOUGHT/RFI DESCRIPTION This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a Sources Sought/RFI only. The purpose of this Sources Sought/RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 339112 (size standard of 1,000 Employees). Responses to this Sources Sought/RFI will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this Sources Sought/RFI, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this Sources Sought/RFI synopsis are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VISN 22 Long Beach Network Contracting Office, is seeking sources who can possibly provide Powered Air Purifying Respirator that at a minimum meet the brandname and/or can possibly provide an equal product for the VA Medical Center Albuquerque, NM. Brandname Information: Manufacturer & Part Number(s): Maxair Systems, CA-DLC-CAPR-3 36 Type: CAPR System, Medium Battery Equal to product name: Powered Air Purifying Respirator Manufacturer & Part Number(s): Maxair Systems, 2000-209 Type: Back Headband Comfort Strip Equal to product name: Headband Strip Manufacturer & Part Number(s): Maxair Systems, 2000-SB Type: System Bag Equal to product name: Bag Manufacturer & Part Number(s): Maxair Systems, 2365-02ML Type: DLC Lens-Cuff, Med/Lg Equal to product name: Lens Cuff Manufacturer & Part Number(s): Maxair Systems, 2000-201 Type: Comfort Strips Equal to product name: Strips Manufacturer & Part Number(s): Maxair Systems, 2167-10 Type: XP Filter Cartridge Equal to product name: Filter Cartridge Salient Characteristics: The base system helmet must have a complete system to function as one powered air purifying system and must include: Helmet Battery Battery Belt Battery Charger Additional Factors required: As assembled, the helmet assembly entity shall have a helmet, a head liner, a power cord, a battery, a belt and allowance for provision of charging a battery with an approved A/C charging adapter. The hood will allow for several versions of adaptable filters to be chosen. The powered air purify system shall not use a hose system to attach a hood to a portable blower. A method of using a light-emitting diode safety system, located within a person s view, while wearing the hood, to indicate battery charge status. It shall have a blower integrated within the helmet. It must use a relatively small and thin electrical connection power cord to connect between the hood helmet and a battery as the battery is held on a person by a belt. The assemble respirator must provide a method of viewing of a light-emitting diode (LED) alarm/ safety system that is inherent to the hood helmet for ease of viewing a battery charge life during use. It must have an airflow indicator to allow a user to switch different air flow speeds within a helmet depending on the activity and the user s breathing requirement. It must have replaceable internal helmet pads to support for helmet cushion and comfort. It must have a method of head adjustment around the head circumference to adjust for different personal physical features. For ease of cleaning and the same helmet hood to be reused by additional staff, a helmet assembly shall provide a method of using numerous Snap-On and snap-off mechanisms allowing ease of different configurations and an easily removable disposable front face shield. The helmet assembly shall allow several hood configurations approved by the manufacturer with attachment type snaps for other configurations. The helmet assembly shall have a method of installing a filter within the hood system under a protective hard cap. The helmet assembly shall be allowed full disassembly for cleaning and shall have a hard external cap helmet made of hard plastic for durability in case of fall. The removable and disposable face shields shall allow face protection while view almost shall have side attachment holes to attach to each hood. The selection of different battery systems shall be available for different length of respirator hours of battery life use. The base system supplies are required to have additional consumable items with each helmet shall include: For ease of cleaning and reuse of the Powered air purifying system, a disposable front face shield shall be required. Different Velcro type removable strips for inside helmet comfort of both front and backside of helmet for different personal comfort headwear will be required. The system will need to be allowed to use several types of filters for affecting filter efficiency for different particle configurations. When assembled, the front face shield and helmet assembly shall allow full head protection and lowers the risk to patient fluid cross contamination and fluid contact of the user. The assembly will need to be maintained in a system bag to hold the PAPR assembly and consumables that is configured by the manufacturer. Note: Each location may select their variation of possible capabilities and may not require each possible capability addressed above. The information identified above is intended to be descriptive, not restrictive and to indicate the quality of the supplies/services that will be satisfactory. It is the responsibility of the interested source to demonstrate to the government that the interested parties can provide the supplies/services that fulfill the required specifications. If you are interested and are capable of providing the sought out supplies/services, please provide the requested information as well as the information indicated below. Response to this notice should include company name, address, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions: (1) Please indicate the size status and representations of your business, such as but not limited to: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Hubzone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc.)? (2) Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified in this RFI? (3) Are you the manufacturer, authorized distributor, and/or can you provide equivalent solution to the items being referenced above? (4) If you are a large business, do you have any designated/authorized distributors? If so, please provide their company name, telephone, point of Contact and size status (if available). (5) If you re a small business and you are an authorized distributor/reseller for the items identified above or an equivalent solution, do you alter; assemble; modify; the items requested in any way? If you do, state how and what is altered; assembled; modified? (6) If you intend to sub contract any work on this contract, what portion of the total cost will be self-performed/will be performed by your organization? Please provide estimated detailed percentage breakdowns related to sub contracted work and completion of job. (7) Does your company have a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) GSA/NAC/SAC/BPA/NASA SEWP or any other Federal Government contract? If so, please provide the contract number. (8) If you are an FSS GSA/NAC/SAC/BPA/NASA SEWP or any other Federal Government contract holder, are all the items/solution you are providing information for available on your schedule/contract? Please state if all or some items are available on the contract. (9) Are the items you are identifying/providing considered Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) items as defined in FAR Part 2.101 under commercial items (10) Please indicate whether your product conforms to the requirements of the Buy American Act? (11) General pricing of your products/solution is encouraged. Pricing will be used for the purpose of market research only. It will not be used to evaluate for any type of award. (12) Please submit your capabilities statement illustrating your organization s ability to meet the described salient characteristics or equal to items for planning purposes; show clear, compelling and convincing evidence that all equal to items" meet all the salient characteristics. (13) Please review salient characteristics/statement of work (if applicable) and provide feedback or suggestions. If none, please reply as N/A. (14) Please provide your SAM.gov Unique Entity ID/Cage Code number. Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Emiljan.Golemi@va.gov. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than Friday, December 20, 2024, by 4:00 PM PST. All responses to this Sources Sought/RFI will be used for planning purposes only. If a solicitation is issued as a result of the information provided from this RFI, all interested parties must respond to that solicitation separately IAW the specifications of that solicitation announcement. Responses to this Sources Sought/RFI notice is not considered a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation.
