42 -- AIR PURIFYING ESCAPE RESPIRATORS

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). This is not a request for proposals and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. The Office for Grants and Training (G&T) is conducting an end-user functionality and efficacy assessment of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) approved air-purifying escape respirators. The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) is inviting manufacturers to provide information. This information will be used in the market research conducted regarding air-purifying escape respirators and will provide support information for CDP assessment participants. The intent of the user assessment program will be to provide the emergency response community feedback and evaluation of equipment based on utilization of each piece of equipment selected in scenarios that replicate, to the maximum extent possible, conditions that will be experienced in incident response. The results of the assessment will not yield a determination of what product is best, nor shall the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) endorse any product or manufacturer. The types of air-purifying escape respirator equipment being researched are ones that would be used by emergency responders and the general public to quickly remove themselves from a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) contaminated area. The assessment will be performed at the CDP by evaluators from the emergency response population, representative of all disciplines of agencies and jurisdictions across the US. These evaluators will be actual users of the equipment in the field. The evaluators will be presented with specific scenarios and tasks to be carried out using the equipment both as a responder wearing Class 3 personal protective equipment (PPE) and as a civilian. The scenarios will be tailored so that evaluated criteria can be objectively and subjectively assessed by each evaluator. Some of the criteria could include capability, usability, affordability, deployability, and maintainability. If you wish to provide information about your particular brand/product for this user evaluation program, please provide in electronic (MS Word) format, your company name, address, point of contact, telephone, fax and email address. Additionally, please provide any information available such as the testing status of equipment against the NIOSH Standard for CBRN air-purifying escape respirators, adaptability of equipment to be used in hazardous environments while wearing Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recommended PPE, reliability, maintainability, durability, environmental limits, safety reports, latest research and new developments. Do not send your piece of equipment. Selected equipment will be purchased from distributors/suppliers as the equipment is selected for the assessment. Respond by 4:00 PM CST on April 14, 2006, by e-mail to Phillis Reid at phillis.reid@dhs.gov or Ella Chapman at ella.chapman@dhs.gov; or fax to (256) 847-2323 or by mail to Phillis Reid, Contract Specialist, Center for Domestic Preparedness, P. O. Box 5100, Anniston, AL 36205