End-of- Service Life Indicators Using Porous Si Photonic Crystals

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition 1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Procurement and Grants Office Branch V, Pittsburgh P.O. Box 18070 626 Cochrans Mill Road Pittsburgh, PA 15236 a. Federal agency and contracting activity. HHS/CDC/NISOH Sponsoring organization. NIOSH, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory P.O. Box 18070 Cochrans Mill Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15236 b. Project Officer information. - Project Officer name. Jay L. Snyder Mailing address. P.O. Box 18070, Cochrans Mill Road Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0070 - E-mail address. Zpx5@cdc.gov - Telephone number. 412-386-6772 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. a. Acquisition purpose and objectives. This contract will result in the development of chemical sensors used for the end-of-service life application in personal protective equipment. These devices will be produced by applying nano technology that has been studied and matured over the past ten years. The system will utilize photonic crystals made from silicon which are etched with precise nanometer diameter channels. These crystals are capable of collecting organic vapors which can be related to breakthrough and thus reduction of protection to wearers of personal protective equipment. b. Project background. The University of California at San Diego (UCSD) has developed a chemical sensing technology over the past ten years which has proved to have potential as an end-of-service life detector for personal protective equipment. This has been proven by the work done jointly between NIOSH and UCSD since 2006. A number of colorimetric, thermal, and electrical sensors for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been deployed for carbon filtration bed end-of-service-life applications, each with limited success. Dye-based, passive colorimetric indicators are functionally limited by chemical group selectivity, restricting their utility as broad-class sensors for hazardous compounds like VOCs. Thermal sensors measure the local temperature of activated carbon which can rise by several degrees from heat released during adsorption of VOCS. However, thermal sensors for adsorption events are difficult to implement outside of a controlled laboratory setting and are ineffective at detecting the adsorption of small quantities of analyte over longer time periods. Electrical transduction schemes have proven to be good sensors in the past. Metal oxide sensors require large currents to operate at elevated temperatures, and many chemiresistor and semiconductor sensors contain supporting electronics susceptible to environmental stress and current designs retain a large form factor difficult to use inside a respiratory mask carbon bed. Fiber-optic-based sensors have been applied to a variety of remote sensing problems: measurement of pressure, humidity, vapor-phase chemicals, and aqueous biomolecules are leading examples. With a width of only a few tens to hundreds of microns, these sensors are impervious to electrical interference, require little power to operate, and can be multiplexed together into distributed sensor configurations. Many fiber optic sensors for organic and water vapors operate by detecting changes in transmitted light intensity. For example, published works include employing the fluorescence enhancement of an immobilized polymer to detect for organic vapors, immobilizing cobalt chloride on a plastic fiber to sense for water vapor in a colorimetric reaction, and sensing changes in organic solvent refractive indices with surface plasmon resonance at a fiber terminus. Fabry-Perot and interferometric sensors have been developed that utilize optical interference effects for optical transduction. These sensors monitor transmitted light intensity induced, for instance, by mechanical changes in a fiber by temperature or pressure. Fibers that were made porous have also been published in the literature. One study focused on a sensor that coupled a porous fiber with bromothymol blue to monitor transmitted light for ammonia detection. Another study coupled a ruthenium complex to a porous fiber to sense for oxygen by fluorescence quenching. The porous silicon tipped optical fiber sensor produced by UCSD is unique from the previously mentioned sensor systems in that the design senses by monitoring the wavelength of transmitted light as opposed to the intensity of transmitted light. Transmitted light intensity is susceptible to interference from optical loss, changes in the radius of curvature of the fiber, and mechanical vibrations. These conditions do not affect the wavelength of transmitted light. In addition to producing a reflectivity spectrum, the porous silicon layer provides a microstructure for concentrating analytes. The porous silicon surface can easily be chemically modified, allowing the opportunity for tailed surface chemistry and VOC preference. 3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value). Project title. End-of- Service Life Indicators Using Porous Si Photonic Crystals a. Project description. The proposed work would require collaboration between NIOSH/NPPTL and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) involving the development and demonstration of porous Si-based chemical sensors as end-of-service life indicators in respirator cartridges. This would be a continuation of the collaboration initiated in FY 2006. The University of California San Diego shall provide chemistry, materials design, and prototype device fabrication support to NIOSH. This Statement of Work (SOW) includes, porous silicon material synthesis, sample preparation, laboratory testing and characterization of materials alone and in prototype devices, as well as guidance for testing and use at the NIOSH facility and publications. i. Requirement type. x Research & development (R&D) ? R & D support services ? Support services (non-R&D) ? Supplies/equipment ? Information technology (IT) ? Construction ? Architect-engineer (A & E) services ? Design-build ? Other (specify): ____________________ ii. Type of action. x New requirement ? Follow-on ? Other (specify): ______________________ iii. Proposed contract/order type. x Firm-fixed-price ? Other fixed-price (specify, e.g., fixed-price award-fee, fixed-price incentive-fee): __________ ? Cost-plus-fixed-fee ? Other cost reimbursement (specify, e.g., cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee): ___________ ? Time and materials ? Indefinite delivery (specify whether indefinite quantity, definite quantity, or requirements): ___________ ? Other (specify): ___________ ? Completion Form ? Term form iv. Acquisition identification number. 2009-N-11209 c. Total estimated dollar value and performance/delivery period. $155,000 - Period of performance- one year from date of award. b. Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. x This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 253(c)(1) as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302- 1. ? This acquisition is conducted under the authority of section 4202 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996. ? This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Services Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 (41 U.S.C. 428a). 5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor(s) unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited.: a. Name and address of the proposed contractor(s). Office of Contract & Grant Administration University of California - San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive Mail Code 0934 La Jolla CA 92093-0934 Attention: Carlos D. Molina J.D. Contract & Grant Officer Telephone: (858) 534-0247 Facsimile: (858) 534-0280 E-mail: cmolina@ucsd.edu b. Nature of the acquisition and proposed unique qualifications of the contractor(s). The University of California at San Diego (UCSD) has developed a chemical sensing technology over the past ten years which has proved to have potential as an end-of-service life detector for personal protective equipment. This has been proven by the work done jointly between NIOSH and UCSD since 2006. A number of colorimetric, thermal, and electrical sensors for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been deployed for carbon filtration bed end-of-service-life applications, each with limited success. Dye-based, passive colorimetric indicators are functionally limited by chemical group selectivity, restricting their utility as broad-class sensors for hazardous compounds like VOCs. Thermal sensors measure the local temperature of activated carbon which can rise by several degrees from heat released during adsorption of VOCS. However, thermal sensors for adsorption events are difficult to implement outside of a controlled laboratory setting and are ineffective at detecting the adsorption of small quantities of analyte over longer time periods. Electrical transduction schemes have proven to be good sensors in the past. Metal oxide sensors require large currents to operate at elevated temperatures, and many chemiresistor and semiconductor sensors contain supporting electronics susceptible to environmental stress and current designs retain a large form factor difficult to use inside a respiratory mask carbon bed. Fiber-optic-based sensors have been applied to a variety of remote sensing problems: measurement of pressure, humidity, vapor-phase chemicals, and aqueous biomolecules are leading examples. With a width of only a few tens to hundreds of microns, these sensors are impervious to electrical interference, require little power to operate, and can be multiplexed together into distributed sensor configurations. Many fiber optic sensors for organic and water vapors operate by detecting changes in transmitted light intensity. For example, published works include employing the fluorescence enhancement of an immobilized polymer to detect for organic vapors, immobilizing cobalt chloride on a plastic fiber to sense for water vapor in a colorimetric reaction, and sensing changes in organic solvent refractive indices with surface plasmon resonance at a fiber terminus. Fabry-Perot and interferometric sensors have been developed that utilize optical interference effects for optical transduction. These sensors monitor transmitted light intensity induced, for instance, by mechanical changes in a fiber by temperature or pressure. Fibers that were made porous have also been published in the literature. One study focused on a sensor that coupled a porous fiber with bromothymol blue to monitor transmitted light for ammonia detection. Another study coupled a ruthenium complex to a porous fiber to sense for oxygen by fluorescence quenching. The porous silicon tipped optical fiber sensor produced by UCSD is unique from the previously mentioned sensor systems in that the design senses by monitoring the wavelength of transmitted light as opposed to the intensity of transmitted light. Transmitted light intensity is susceptible to interference from optical loss, changes in the radius of curvature of the fiber, and mechanical vibrations. These conditions do not affect the wavelength of transmitted light. In addition to producing a reflectivity spectrum, the porous silicon layer provides a microstructure for concentrating analytes. The porous silicon surface can easily be chemically modified, allowing the opportunity for tailorable surface chemistry and VOC preference. 6. Description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable. Indicate whether a FedBizOpps notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies. An advanced search was conducted in the CCR database in effort to determine if potential sources were available. This search identified no potential sources. Discussions were conducted with the Program Office to determine if potential sources exist. None were identified. A FedbizOpps announcement was placed on March 13, 2009 announcing the intent to enter into a sole source contract with the University of California San Diego. There were no inquiries or interest generated from this announcement. 7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost/price to the Government will be fair and reasonable. In accordance with FAR Part 15, other than cost or pricing data will be received. This information will be evaluated for reasonableness prior to award. Due to the dollar amount of the proposed action, an audit will not be performed. 8. Description of the market research conducted (see FAR Part 10) and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted. The University of California at San Diego was selected to collaborate on ESLI work in 2006 due to their advanced knowledge and research in the area of optical based chemical sensing. Further, they were chosen because they were receiving U. S. Air Force research funding under the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative. By utilizing UCSD at that time, collaboration with NIOSH could be conducted without funding. This has continued until 2009. NIOSH/NPPLT has determined that it is in the best interest of the government to continue the advanced program development for ESLI devices by supplying first time funding. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition. CDC/NIOSH has been collaborating with the University of California since 2006. The University has developed a chemical sensing technology over the past ten years which has proved to have potential as an end-of-service life detector for personal protective equipment. 10. Listing of sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. None 11. Statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the required supplies or services. This contracting office will continue to post all applicable actions to FEDBIZOPPS, search the CCR Database and conduct market research to determine if adequate sources exist. 12. Program office certification. This is to certify that the portions of this justification that have been developed by the undersigned program office personnel, including supporting information and/or data verifying the Government's minimum needs, schedule requirements and other rationale for other than full and open competition, are accurate and complete. Official Name & Title Signature Date Project Officer Project Officer's Immediate Supervisor Head of the Sponsoring Program Office 13. Contracting Officer Certification. This is to certify that the justification for the proposed acquisition has been reviewed and that to the best of my knowledge and belief the information and/or data provided to support the rationale and recommendation for approval is accurate and complete. Official Name & Title Signature Date Contracting Officer