6515--Powered Air Purifying Respirator Backpack System or Equal

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION. THE SUBMISSION OF PRICING, CAPABILITIES FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, AND OTHER MARKET INFORMATION IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED AND ALLOWED UNDER THIS RFI IN ACCORDANCE WITH (IAW) FAR 15.201(e). DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. IAW 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. SOURCES SOUGHT DESCRIPTION This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a Sources Sought/RFI only. The purpose of this Sources Sought/RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 339113 (size standard 800). Responses to this Sources Sought will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this Sources Sought, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this Sources Sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VISN 08 Network Contracting Office, is seeking sources that can provide a Powered Air Purifying Respirator that meets the following salient characteristics and specifications for the VA Orlando Healthcare System. **Manufacture is ILC Dover** Item # Description/Part Number* Qty 1 Sentinel XL Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) Backpack System 20 2 Sentinel XL CBRN Hood 20 3 Sentinel XL Air Flow Meter 20 4 Sentinel XL Chemical Cartridge 60 5 Sentinel XL Rechargeable Battery Pack 20 6 Sentinel XL Rechargeable Battery Charger 20 Salient Characteristics Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) Backpack System Should include: Air flowmeters specifically designed for testing air flow for the Sentinel XL PAPR Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) filters for each PAPR Rechargeable battery for each PAPR and AC adapter for each PAPR to support the facility s First Receivers Decontamination Program (FRDP). PAPR Blower and Backpack Blower made with rugged, sealed nylon protective shell with floating polycarbonate internal blower assembly with a dual chamber for enhanced durability. Weight 1.0 lb (without battery) Nominal Flow Rate 195 liters per minute (lpm) Noise Level <75 dB Low Voltage Alarm with flashing Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and buzzer Cartridge interface- 40 mm (military/NATO style) integration with integral blower gaskets Black backpack with adjustable shoulder straps; designed to hold blowers, battery pack, and 3 cartridges (40mm (military/NATO style). CBRN Hood Lay flat design with replaceable head strap Butyl coated fabric Optical grade polycarbonate impact resistant visor Sewn and taped seams Cushioned head strap - antimicrobial with five adjustment positions to support a wide range of wearers Single silicone valve exhaust system - M40 style with plastic valve cover Single size - No fit testing required Flexible hose, reinforced with butyl sheath and integrated with the butyl hood. Adjustable draw cord for securing Air Flow Meter Clear plastic, reusable air flowmeter compatible with the Sentinel XL PAPR used to visually verify adequate PAPR air flow Chemical Cartridge National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) CBRN Cap 2 for 30 minutes of use Hermetically sealed foil pouch with an expiration date of no less than 2 years from purchase Rechargeable Battery Pack Standard nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable battery with a nominal life of 8 hours, 500 charge/discharge cycles, and 5 hour recharge time Sealed external cover with blower connector Battery mounts directly to blower (snap-on) Weight 1.65 lbs Rechargeable Battery Charger AC/DC charging cord that connects to the sealed NiMH Battery with plug for standard wall connection 2 amps current The information identified above is intended to be descriptive, not restrictive and to indicate the quality of the supplies/services that will be satisfactory. It is the responsibility of the interested source to demonstrate to the government that the interested parties can provide the supplies/services that fulfill the required specifications. If you are interested and are capable of providing the Sought Out supplies/services, please provide the requested information as well as the information indicated below. Response to this notice should include company name, address, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions: Please indicate the size status and representations of your business, such as but not limited to: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Hubzone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc.)? Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified under this RFI? Are you the manufacturer, distributor, or an equivalent solution to the items being referenced above? If you are a large business, do you have any designated distributors? If so, please provide their company name, telephone, point of Contact and size status (if available). If you re a small business and you are an authorized distributor/reseller for the items identified above or an equivalent solution, do you alter; assemble; modify; the items requested in any way? If you do, state how and what is altered; assembled; modified? If you intend to subcontract any work on this contract, what portion of the total cost will be self-performed/will be performed by your organization? Please provide estimated detailed percentage breakdowns related to sub-contracted work and completion of job. Does your company have an FSS contract with GSA or the NAC or are you a contract holder with NASA SEWP or any other federal contract? If so, please provide the contract number. If you are an FSS GSA/NAC or NASA SEWP contract holder or other federal contract holder, are the items/solution you are providing information for available on your schedule/contract? Are the items you are identifying/providing considered Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) items as defined in FAR Part 2.101 under commercial items? Please indicate whether your product conforms to the requirements of the Buy American Act? General pricing of your products/solution is encouraged. Pricing will be used for the purpose of market research only. It will not be used to evaluate for any type of award. Please submit your capabilities in regards to the salient characteristics being provided and any information pertaining to equal to items to establish capabilities for planning purposes? Show clear, compelling, and convincing evidence that all equal to items" meet all the salient characteristics. Please review salient characteristics/statement of work (if applicable) and provide feedback or suggestions. If none, please reply as N/A. Please provide your SAM Identification Number. If this action is set-aside for SDVOSB/VOSB, are you able to comply with VAAR 852.219-76 by completing the Certificate of Compliance for supplies and products? Please provide a list of detail requirements and drawings. Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to carl.myers3@va.gov. Telephone responses shall not be accepted. When responding via email ensure the subject line is titled with RFI# 36C24825Q0518 - Sentinel XL Powered Air Purifying Respirator or equal. No other information is available at this time. Responses must be received no later than Friday, March 21, 2025, at 1:00 PM PST. If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this request for information. Responses to this notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation. (End of RFI)