42 -- Law Enforcement Tactical Protective Helmets

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 Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) is conducting an end-user functionality and efficacy assessment of Law Enforcement Tactical Protective Helmets (LE Helmets) to validate their effectiveness when used by emergency responders in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or other hazardous environments. The CDP is inviting manufacturers to provide information o LE Helmets equipment. The DHS Authorized Equipment List (AEL) item number for this equipment is 01LE-01-HLMT. The requested information will be included in the LE Helmets market research, will provide available product information, and will provide support information for the CDP LE Helmets assessment. By providing information in response to this RFI, you agree that the System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responder (SAVER) Program may use both the equipment information and any provided images in SAVER outreach. The intent of the user assessment will be to provide the emergency response community with feedback on equipment based on utilization in scenarios that replicate, to the maximum extent possible, conditions that will be experienced in incident response. The assessment will not yield a determination of what product is best, nor shall the CDP endorse any product or manufacturer. The assessment will be performed at the CDP by evaluators from emergency response agencies and jurisdictions across the United States. The selected evaluators will be actual users of this type of equipment in the field. The evaluators will be presented with specific scenarios and tasks to be carried out using the equipment as a responder wearing riot control gear with protective helmets. The scenarios will be tailored so that evaluation criteria can be objectively and subjectively assessed by each evaluator. The evaluation criteria will be compiled into five categories ? capability, usability, affordability, deployability, and maintainability. If you wish to provide information about your particular brand/product, please provide in electronic format (MS Word) your company name, whether you are a manufacturer or a distributor, address, point of contact, telephone, fax, web address, and e-mail address. Additionally, please provide any available information such as the adaptability of the equipment in hazardous environments while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), reliability, maintainability, durability, environmental limits, safety reports, latest research, and new developments. Finally, please include cost information such as initial cost, replacement part costs, accessory options, and available warranties. 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 p.m. CST, January 16, 2008 by e-mail to charlotte.laughlin@dhs.gov, by fax to (256) 847-2323, Attention: Charlotte Laughlin or by mail to Charlotte Laughlin, Contract Specialist, Center for Domestic Preparedness, P. O. Box 5100, Anniston, AL 36205.