6515--Copy of RFI for VISN 1 Face Covering Market Research

This is Market Research Only in accordance with FAR Part 10. This is NOT a solicitation. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) NOTICE ONLY. This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only and it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government for any actual procurement of products, materials, machinery, or services. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely at the responding parties' expense. Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response. The Government will not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly marked and clearly identified. Proprietary information received in response to this sources sought will be safeguarded and handled in accordance with the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 1905). No determination as to the viability of this potential requirement has been made at this point and there is currently no solicitation for this effort. By responding to this market research you provide the Government permission to share your submitted capabilities and contract information with other Government organizations in relationship to similar requirements for market research purposes. The Department of Veteran Affairs, Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1), White River Junction, VT anticipates OSHA publication of new COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards defining a new Personal Protective Equipment Mask Category. OSHA has referenced the following industry standards in developing these new Federal Guidelines; -The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists M14-2020 Guidance and Considerations for General Purpose Textile Face Coverings: Adult (https://members.aatcc.org/store/m014/3085/) -The American Society for Testing and Materials ASTM F3502-21 Standard Specification for Barrier Face Coverings (https://www.astm.org/Standards/F3502.htm) The purpose of this RFI is to gain industry feedback regarding current manufacturing and/or marketing of products meeting the identified standards above, or active planning for manufacturing and/or marketing of products meeting the identified standards above, within the next three months. All interested parties responding to this RFI should submit the following information: Company name and address, point of contact with phone number, and DUNS number. Company socio-economic status to identify business as being an SDVOSB, VOSB, Small Business, Hubzone, 8a, Woman Owned, EDWOSB, etc. If an SDVOSB or VOSB, provide proof of registration in the VA Vet Biz website and verification by VA Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) or intention of registration prior to submission of offers to a solicitation. All interested firms must be registered in SAM (www.sam.gov). All interested SDVOSB or VOSB firms must be registered in VETBIZ.GOV and Verified by VA CVE and registered in SAM to be eligible for award of Government contracts. The Government appreciates and welcomes all industry feedback, but has specific interest in these areas: Quality control. Is your company currently certified to any particular quality control standard? Sizing. Ability to conform to a wide range of facial shapes and sizes to minimize inward leakage at the periphery (this probably entails a minimum of two and preferably three sizes) Variance. Does your company intend to develop variants within the standard that offer features not covered by the standards? Testing standards. Are there any testing standards and methods in place, or needing development, in order to comply with the identified standards? Fulfilment. Please provide production capacity and fulfillment capabilities for face masks which can meet the identified standards. Must be direct-shipped by OEM or immediately available. Buy American Act compliance is necessary. Optional Samples. If you are willing, the VA requests fifteen (15) samples of each product currently produced that can meet the identified standards. Payment Terms. Must be willing to accept net 30 terms upon deliver following acceptance by the government (no escrow or advance payments.) Is there anything confusing in the identified standards, or that you would modify? Anything that needs to be added/deleted or changed, and why? Given the identified standards, do you feel you have enough information to effectively establish price/rates on this contract? What other information would you like the Government to know while planning this procurement? The response date to this RFI is March 15th , 2021 at 4:30 p.m. EST, but the Government appreciates responses as soon as possible. Please submit to John D. Harris (Contracting Officer) at contact@example.gov and Dan Erwin (VISN 1 Industrial Hygienist and Program Manager) contact@example.gov. This market research is for informational and planning purposes only. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with 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.