Synopsis: Title: Novel Cooling and Insulation Technologies for Small Containers (30 Cubic Feet) Agency: Department of the Army Office: Army Contracting Command Location: ACC-APG Notice Type: Sources Sought (Market Research) Posted Date: February 28, 2014 Response Date: April 11, 2014 Response Time: 5:00 P.M. EST FSC: 4110 - Refrigeration Equipment SIC: 5078 - Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies NAICS Code: 333415 - Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing SCOPE: The US Army Contracting Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Natick Contracting Division (NCD) on behalf of The Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) is conducting research for Novel Cooling and Insulation Technologies for Small Containers (30 Cubic Feet). This is a Request for Information (RFI) for planning purposes only, as defined in FAR 15.201(e). This is not a solicitation or request for competitive proposals. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. No solicitation document exists or is guaranteed to be issued as a result of this RFI. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted, and the Government will not reimburse respondents for preparation of the response. Response to this RFI is strictly voluntary and will not affect future ability to submit an offer if a solicitation is released. There is no bid package or solicitation document associated with this announcement. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. The Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) has the dedicated mission to maximize the Warrior's survivability, sustainability, mobility, combat effectiveness and quality of life by treating the Soldier as a System. The NSRDEC is interested in collecting information from U.S. domestic companies who currently have rugged, field survivable technologies that can be used to cool and/or maintain temperature inside sealed containers. The technology can be powered or non-powered but should be able to cool and maintain temperature for at least 10 hours. The NSRDEC will be evaluating potential technologies with the goal of incorporating one or more promising technologies into demonstration prototypes for concept exploration and possible future engineering development. Specifically, information gathered will be reviewed as part of a market survey in support of technology evaluation and further concept exploration of technologies that could be applied to a temperature controlled transit case for transporting human remains. The government is interested in technology that is internally or externally powered by electricity or other means or non-powered. Technologies may include, but are not limited to: - Insulation materials and coatings - Chemical reaction - Phase change - Vapor compression - Expendable refrigerants Request information on products/technology/capabilities and the extent to which they address the following areas: - Reach and/or maintain an optimum interior temperature between 34oF and 37oF inside of the sealed container in climatic design types hot and basic according to AR70-38. Note: the interior volume would contain a mass of approximately 200lbs that would be at ambient temperature (per the climate type) prior to introduction of cooling. - Lightweight and durable. - The volume of the current sealed container is approximately 30 Ft3 (87 quote mark x 27 quote mark x 17 quote mark , and current R-value of walls is approximately R6. - Survive Transit drop (Ref: MIL-STD-810G Method 516.6 Procedure IV) - Operate and/or maintain temperature during transportation by military ground vehicles and aircraft. - Maintain temperature for 10 hours without external power. - Be compatible with MIL-STD-464 E3 requirements. - Ability to be sanitized and reused. - Ability to survive aircraft rapid decompression. - If externally powered be compatible with 120 VAC and/or 24 VDC external power source Responders are invited to provide materials related to their capabilities to fulfill ANY OR ALL of the requirements specified in this RFI. Respondents are requested to provide responses whether their level of interest and current capability is to fulfill the entire scope of the effort, or to fulfill a limited aspect of the effort, such as insulation or non-powered cooling. The Government will retain comments and information received in response to this RFI. Proprietary information should be identified as Company Proprietary. Do not use Government Security classification markings. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: All written responses to this RFI must be received by 5:00 P.M. EST on 11 April, 2014. Submissions should: (1) use Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF); (2) be sent to Sean Auld via email at the address listed below; (3) be minimum 11 point font on 8.5 quote mark X 11 quote mark paper; (4) be complete, sufficiently detailed, and organized in a manner that tracks to the information requested in this RFI; (5) include a single company point of contact with name, title, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address(es); and, (6) not exceed 10 single-sided pages in total (not including cover page and cover letter). Other media types (i.e., CD, printed technical information) that meet the submission criteria above will be accepted and should be sent to the Contracting Office Address and Point of Contact identified below. Material that is advertisement only in nature is not desired. ADDITIONAL INFO: Contracting Office Address: Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground CCAP-SCN, ATTN: Natick Contracting Division, Building 1, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011 Point of Contact(s): Sean Auld Email:
contact@example.gov
