SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- ELECTRICAL INJURY PROTECTION SYSTEM (EIPS)
- Notice Date
- 1/27/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Acquisition and Assistance Field Branch (Morgantown), 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV, 26505
- ZIP Code
- 26505
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-RFI-2004-SR-00001
- Response Due
- 2/24/2004
- Archive Date
- 3/10/2004
- Point of Contact
- Brenda Goodwin, Contract Specialist, Phone (304)285-5882, Fax (304)285-6083, - Rex Wolfe, Jr., Contract Specialist, Phone (304)285-5883, Fax (304)285-6083,
- E-Mail Address
-
bcg1@cdc.gov, rsw1@cdc.gov
- Description
- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is seeking to sign a Memo of Understanding (MOU) to work with an electrical safety equipment manufacturer to design, test, and evaluate the marketability of the Electrical Injury Protection System (EIPS), a personal protective equipment for electrical workers and electricians, which is being developed by NIOSH. The goal of this project is to improve the safety of electrical workers/electricians by bringing the EIPS into the marketplace. This announcement is a business opportunity in that the partner selected will share expertise with NIOSH researchers toward making the EIPS a viable and profitable piece of safety equipment. An investigation of occupational electrocution fatalities showed that a large percentage of electrocution victims were working around an electrical circuit that was not de-energized and/or were working without the presence of a GFCI. In order to address these risk factors to reduce the occupational fatality and injury rates related to contact with electrical energy, NIOSH is developing the EIPS which uses a radio-frequency (RF) sensor to detect the proximity of, or electrical contact from, an electrical worker to an energized power line or electrical circuit (<600 volts). The system protects the worker by first providing an audible and visible proximity warning and in the event of contact, tripping the GFCIs if in place, and the circuit breaker by generating artificial excessive line-to-ground and line-to-neutral currents, respectively. The project is currently in the system development phase. NIOSH has conducted human subject tests for characteristics of RF signal transmission between a human and an electrical circuit, and for human RF exposure assessment. The test results showed that it is feasible to use an RF sensor for human proximity and electrical contact detections. The test results also showed that the human exposure to RF energy during proximity/electrical contact detection is well below the RF exposure limits specified by ANSI standards. Electronic circuit and tripping mechanism development is also underway. System development is scheduled to be completed in early 2005. Candidate companies, which appear to provide the most promise of meeting the requirements listed below, will be evaluated based on their capability to complete the research and development needed to bring the EIPS into commercial production. This announcement does not obligate NIOSH to sign an MOU with any presented company. NIOSH reserves the right to establish a partnership based on engineering analysis/evaluation capabilities found under this announcement or other searches, if determined to be in the best interest of the government. EIPS Commercialization Capabilities Parameters: (Companies should try to meet as many of these requirements as possible, but highly innovative solutions without testing are not discouraged from presentation or response.) (A) Providing significant intellectual, engineering, and technical expertise in manufacturing personal electrical-injury protection equipment. This would include defining the cost and usability needs of electrical personal protective equipment market. Also, assistance will be given in setting realistic product cost objectives and providing suggestions on how the EIPS can achieve product cost goals - Required; (B) Fabricating prototypes for test and evaluation - Required; (C) Providing expertise to NIOSH in designing and conducting field evaluations - Required; (D) Reviewing test results and recommending design modifications; (E) Reviewing testing methods and recommending appropriate, new testing criteria; NIOSH is seeking an innovative partner to address these major areas. A company that is qualified and currently producing electrical personal protective equipment is highly desired. However, past testing and design of equipment similar to EIPS is not required. If prior testing has been performed the test information and results should be provided. Interested parties responding to this request should provide detailed information regarding capabilities, test results, and cost data. Presentation material may consist of literature, electronic presentation, or video. (Samples and data provided to the government as part of this solicitation will not be returned to vendors following the completion of this project.) Vendors may be offered the opportunity to meet with representatives of the project team following a review of all submitted data. Data and/or product samples must be delivered to NIOSH within two weeks (10 business days) of the closing of this announcement. Although every effort will be made to consider all information received, the government will not be obligated to evaluate information received after the two week period. Vendors should note any proprietary data as such. If any data is to be excluded from exchange with any of the project participants, a statement of that fact shall be included with the statement of propriety. Presentations from interested vendors are optional but encouraged. The government has identified March 10th and 11th, 2004 for these presentations to be conducted. The Government reserves the right to identify an alternate meeting date if those identified are not viable for one or more interested vendors. Please send literature to: Shengke Zeng, Project Officer, CDC/NIOSH, MS/G800 1095 Willowdale Road Morgantown, WV 26505 Phone: 304-285-6103 Fax : 304-285-6047 szeng@cdc.gov (Please include 3 copies)
- Record
- SN00510600-W 20040129/040127211759 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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