Leave in Place Chemical Sensors for Condensed Phase/Persistent Chemical Contamination Detection

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) Combat Capabilities Development Command, Chemical Biological Center (CCDC CBC) - Leave in Place Chemical Sensors for Condensed Phase/Persistent Chemical Contamination Detection Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited General Information: Type: Request for Information (RFI) Response Date: 24 November 2020 Classification Code: North American Industry Classification Code (NAI a. 334511 Contracting Office Address: The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Edgewood Contracting Division (ACC APG ECD), 8456 Brigade Street, BLDG E4215, Aberdeen Proving Ground MD 21010-5401 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Solicitations are not available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response and documents submitted in response to this RFI will not be returned. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the United States Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the United States Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the United States Government. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on https://beta.sam.gov/. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement. ELIGIBILITY: The Combat Capabilities Development Command, Chemical Biological Center (CCDC CBC) invites participation from all those engaged in related research activities and appreciates responses from all capable and qualified sources including, but not limited to, universities, university-affiliated research centers (UARCs), Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), private or public companies, and Government research laboratories. The ACC ECD, on behalf of CCDC CBC is requesting information on commercial off the shelf (COTS) or near-COTS microsensor technology for condensed phase (liquid, solid) persistent threat agent detection and presumptive identification. Responses should be for devices and not Research and Development efforts. Such systems are desired to support ubiquitous distributed sensing concept demonstration in which a plurality of miniature, self-contained devices is broadly distributed across a wide operational area upwards of 20 km in spatial extent or along a route of advance 8-12 hours before an operation. The devices would sit on the terrain or near the surface, e.g. on a small spike or stake and be capable of indicating the presence of hazardous condensed phase contamination if they are sprayed or splattered due to use of persistent chemical agents. An automated readout transduction mechanism should report the state of the sensing element(s) as - clear or - contaminated (threshold) and presumptively identify the class of contaminant such as nerve or blister (objective). It is anticipated that the sensors will be one-time use only, and hence an irreversible transduction mechanism (e.g., chemical reaction or indicator dye) would be appropriate. ACC ECD is seeking the following information from respondents: 1. REQUIRED CAPABILITIES Instantaneous or near-instantaneous response to nerve or blister agent contamination deposited at an area concentration of up to 0.5 g/m2 Assume droplets of 500 microns or smaller Agents of concern include but are not limited to nerve, blister, and non-traditional threat agents Automated readout transduction mechanism Microsensor should be ~1 lb. (threshold) or less than 1/3 lb. (objective) to include integrated transduction/readout electronics, communications module, and batteries Should be easily deployed and operated by either chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) specialists or general-purpose forces Battery life should be ~12 h (threshold) and up to <24 h (objective) Anomaly hazard detection (threshold); threat classification such as nerve/blister (objective) Operating temperature: -30 to +65 - C Operating humidity: 0-100% non-condensing Environmental rating: IP 66 or better 2. Demonstrable performance against chemical warfare agent threats is preferred, but toxic industrial chemical or surrogate/simulant performance along with a chemical/engineering plan to provision the microsensor for agent detection is acceptable for the purposes of initial demonstration. 3. Additional information supporting high probability of detection and low probability of false alarm rates for detectable analytes should be included, if available. 4. Unit costs of << $1K per sensor in pre-prototype instantiation (threshold), and <$100 per sensor system in production (assume quantities of 10,000-50,000 per production run). Responses should detail the sensing chemistry and/or signal transduction principle by which the sensor functions and provide any relevant details of operation to include calibration requirements, operational and technical assumptions bearing on the performance of the sensing modality, and any operational considerations including shelf life, consumables, and activation of any sensing elements that are necessary for adequate/optimum performance. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: The response date for this market research is 24 November 2020 at 3:00PM Eastern Standard Time (EST). No telephone calls will be accepted. All responses to the RFI may be submitted via email to the Contract Specialist at Sheila.l.ramos2.civ@mail.mil or the Contracting Officer at brian.e.mazen.civ@mail.mil. Respondents to this RFI are encouraged to be as succinct as possible, while also providing actionable insight. FORMAT: Page limits for each section are indicated below. Format specifications for responses include 12-point font, single-spaced, single-sided, 8.5 by 11-inch paper, with 1-inch margins. Responses must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format (and, as applicable, PowerPoint). Respondents are responsible for clearly identifying proprietary information. Responses containing proprietary information must clearly mark each page containing such information with a label such as - Proprietary or - Company Proprietary. DO NOT INCLUDE ANY CLASSIFIED INFORMATION IN THE RFI RESPONSE. 1. Cover Sheet (1 page): Please provide the following information: a. Response Title b. Technical point of contact name, organization, telephone number, and email address Indicate the Topic Area(s) addressed by the response 2. Technical Description (6 pages) 3. Bibliography/References (2 pages) 4. Graphic Overview Slide (Optional): If desired, include a single PowerPoint slide that graphically depicts the main ideas of the response. QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION: Only electronically submitted questions and requests for clarifications regarding this RFI will be accepted. No telephone calls regarding this RFI will be accepted. Written questions and requests for clarification shall be submitted to the following email address: Contract Specialist at Sheila.l.ramos2.civ@mail.mil or the Contracting Officer at brian.e.mazen.civ@mail.mil no later than 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) 16 November 2020.