AIR-4.6.7 Oxygen Nitrogen Gas Delivery System

To promote early exchanges of information with Industry in accordance with FAR 15.2 the Naval Air Systems Command, Aircrew Systems (NAVAIR-4.6.7.2) of Patuxent River, Maryland is issuing this Request for Information (RFI). NAVAIR is requesting information and hardware samples to identify qualified sources to provide a commercially available Oxygen Nitrogen Gas Delivery System that will deliver a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen at a prescribed flow and pressure using a non-refillable, non-reusable cylinder with a pressure-regulating device. The identified Gas Delivery System will be used by Navy and Marine Corps maintainers in the calibration of oxygen test equipment. The Gas Delivery System shall meet the Navy's performance requirements listed herein. The Gas Delivery System shall consist of a single use non-refillable gas cylinder that attaches to a pressure regulating device. The gas regulator and gas cylinder shall be compatible for use with high-pressure oxygen in accordance with common oxygen system design practices and industry standards as indicated in next paragraph. Material selection shall be compatible for use with high-pressure oxygen. Components (regulators and gas cylinders) shall be compatible with storage at temperatures from -65'F to +160'F, and shall be operable as a system at temperatures from 0'F to +130'F. Design guidance and material compatibility information for high-pressure oxygen equipment is provided by technical literature including, but not limited to ASTM International G63, G88, G93, G94, and MNL36. Requirements for high pressure single use cylinders are stipulated by Specification 39 (Non-Reusable, Non-Refillable Cylinders) in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 49, Subtitle B, Chapter 1, Part 178, Section 178.65. Filled cylinders shall contain at least 22 grams of gas, with a desired minimum of at least 30 grams of gas. The gas shall consist of 50% (+/- 2%) non-medicinal oxygen with the balance gas being nitrogen. The gas mixture shall contain less than 1000 Parts per Million by Volume (PPMV) carbon dioxide, less than 0.2 milligram per liter (at 70'F and 14.7 pounds per square inch absolute pressure) moisture, less than 50 PPMV alkane hydrocarbons, less than 1 PPMV aromatic hydrocarbons, and no objectionable odor. The cylinder shall be marked with the actual oxygen percentage to 0.1% concentration accuracy. The means by which the oxygen concentration was determined must be traceable to a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard. The gas cylinder shall connect to the pressure regulator using a thread type that is not compatible with CO2 cartridges commonly used as raft inflators, inflators for personal floatation devices, recreational paint ball guns, or any other device that uses a gas cartridge not specifically designed for use with high pressure oxygen. The cylinder shall incorporate a pressure relief device such that the cylinder's internal pressure is relieved in a controlled fashion in no less than 10 seconds when the cylinder is heated. The pressure relief must not propel the unrestrained cylinder during the release event. The volumetric displacement for a filled cylinder shall not exceed 16 cubic inches, with a desired maximum of no more than 9 cubic inches. The cylinder shall be compliant with Specification 39 of CFR Title 49 referenced above. The gas regulator shall output the cylinder contents at 12 +/- 2 Pounds per Square Inch Gage (PSIG) at a flow rate of up to 1.5 liters per minute. The Gas Delivery System shall be capable of turning off the gas flow without disconnecting the gas cylinder and shall have a pressure gage to identify the pressure contents of the bottle, and a pressure gage to indicate the outlet pressure of the regulator. The gas regulator shall have an outlet port of 1/8-inch-27 National Pipe Thread Taper (NPT) female pipe thread. The gas regulator shall be no more than 3 by 3 by 5 inches in size. The Navy is considering using a Gas Delivery System for test equipment calibration. Cost, performance, size, robustness, quality, material compatibility, and transportability will be considered in determining the potential utilization of any Gas Delivery System. Potential offerors are invited to describe their capabilities as well as provide a hardware sample of the product as described herein. Attachment (1) is provided for informational purposes to aid the Offeror when preparing the capability package. In response to this RFI, please provide specification sheets showing the compliance with the above listed requirements, which will be at no cost to the Government. Additionally, Offerors are invited to describe any additional safety features built into their system that would reduce risk of equipment damage and personnel injury for unintended events such as drops from height (up to 15 feet) or inadvertent disconnection of a full or partially charged cylinder from the pressure regulator. Requirements that are currently not achievable with an Offeror's present design shall be identified and an estimate of the cost and time required to bring the equipment into compliance shall be provided. RFI responses are limited to 25 pages. The product sample as well as product information shall be submitted at no expense to the Government. A product sample cylinder containing 100% oxygen may be submitted in lieu of the oxygen nitrogen mix required for the final product. If so, the submission shall include a plan on how the final configuration (50% oxygen) will be achieved. The sample product and corresponding information will not be returned. It is also requested that pricing be included with the submitted product and information. Proprietary data MUST be marked on a page-by-page basis, and will be kept confidential and protected in accordance with the Uniform Trades Secret Act. Interested sources shall state whether their product is available commercially. The samples will be evaluated based on its demonstrated ability to meet the performance requirements as noted above. The samples will be verified for conformance to their applicable specifications. The samples will be tested for operational suitability. Testing will include evaluation of the oxygen nitrogen gas mixture, thread type, output pressure and flow rate, and evaluation for ability to stop the flow of oxygen nitrogen along with measuring remaining bottle content. The samples will also be evaluated for equipment compatibility. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for this acquisition are 325120 (Industrial Gas Manufacturing) and 332911 (Industrial Valve Manufacturing). Interested companies shall send all contracting related questions to the Contract Specialist at the following email address: victoria.cordial@navy.mil. Please address all technical questions to Dennis Gordge at (301) 342-8419, and submit all RFI responses and sample submissions to Naval Air Warfare Center, Attn: Dennis Gordge, Code 4.6.7.3, 48110 Shaw Road, Building 2187, Suite 1240-E10, Patuxent River, MD 20670. All correspondence shall reference the synopsis number N00421-15-RFI-1000 on the mailing container and all enclosed documents. The deadline for responses is June 15, 2015, which 17 days after RFI release. All Companies should indicate whether they are a Small, Small Disadvantaged, 8(a), or large business. Respondents must clarify if their firm can provide commercial or non-developmental items that could be modified, or the technology and expertise for development to meet the Government's needs. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NOR DOES THE GOVERNMENT INTEND TO PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS SYNOPSIS. THIS SYNOPSIS DOES NOT COMMIT THE GOVERNMENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT. THIS SYNOPSIS IS FOR MARKET RESEARCH ONLY AND ANY PROCUREMENT RESULTING FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED SEPARATELY.