SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Evaluate Performance of Air Purifying Respirators (APR) Cartridges for Firefighting Operations
- Notice Date
- 12/22/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Acquisition and Assistance Field Branch (Pittsburgh), Post Office Box 18070 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15236-0070, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- 0000HCCL-2007-39592
- Response Due
- 1/6/2007
- Archive Date
- 1/21/2007
- Description
- DESCRIPTION: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory intend to negotiate on a sole source basis with the University of Arizona to develop and validate appropriate, laboratory test methods for evaluating the performance Air Purifying Respirator (APR) cartridges for firefighting operations. The University of Arizona will conduct additional research and will use this unique test chamber and method to test additional APR cartridges for different combinations of burning materials. The purpose of this work is to generate information and data that will be used to establish performance criteria that will be used in the future development of a respirator standard by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Respiratory Technical Committee. The University of Arizona, under the program and technical management of Dr. Renee Anthony, will employ the testing chamber and test method developed under the previous methods to evaluate the performance of additional APR cartridges for both structural and wildland firefighting operations. Background and Need The NPPTL provides world, national and Institute leadership for prevention and reduction of occupational disease, injury and death for workers who rely on personal protective technologies (PPT) through partnership, research, service, and communication. The NPPTL mission includes the development of performance criteria, certification standards and guidelines relating to the emergency responder protective ensembles. Representatives from the University of Arizona, 3M, Phoenix Fire Department, NPPTL and MSHA have been involved in discussions regarding use of the Air Purifying Respirators (APR) for use in fire operations. APRs would provide an additional respiratory protection option for structural firefighters involved in overhaul operations, as well as wildland firefighters. Overhaul (non-human) testing could take place in a firefighting training facility, and the Phoenix Fire Department is willing to make their training facility available. Scope of Work: NPPTL does not have performance criteria or standards specific to evaluate APRs for use in these types of fire service operations. A testing chamber and test method was developed to generate smoke at concentrations representative of structural fire overhaul wildland firefighting activities to generate this smoke in a test chamber, and to measure challenge and breakthrough concentrations using two commercially available APR cartridges. Data from the chamber testing indicated the breakthrough of inhalation hazards such as aldehydes, PAHs, and other contaminants occurred at smoke concentrations less than levels identified in available technical literature. This work proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of two additional cartridges for the investigation of structural firefighting. A third ?tandem? test is proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating additional media to reduce breakthrough of identified contaminants, namely aldehydes and PAHs. In addition, a total of three respirator cartridges will be evaluated for breakthrough tests using representative wildland fire materials. Wildland material smoke breakthrough testing will be conducted on the best-performing APRs in for the structural material burn tests. The technical objectives of the research under this contract are: 1) Determine if any existing APR ?smoke canister? is suitable to prevent the inhalation of contaminants during structural overhaul and wildland firefighting operations. 2) If no commercial canister is found adequate, determine if the addition of a aldehyde filter will prevent contaminate breakthrough. Detailed Technical Requirements: The study matrix is given as Table 1. The results from these additional tests will complete the assessment of whether APR cartridges are effective in structural overhaul firefighting activities. The cartridges were selected because these manufacturers have SCBA systems widely used by US firefighters. Table 1: Study matrix. A total of 8 tests will be performed during this phase of the study. Items in bold are new additions to the overall project evaluation. Data for future phases is incorporated into the table to illustrate future data Combustion Source(s) Scott 642 with P-100 3M FR-15 MSA Millennium Scott CBRN CAP1 North Survivair 40 CBRN Structural Wood completed in Phase I - - - - Wood/Foam/Carpet 2 completed in phase 1 1 (2 completed in phase 1) 2 2 2 Woodland Materials Phase III: 2 of best performers in phases I and II, 3 tests each ?Blank? Phase III: Examine one cartridge for same matrix of chemicals without challenge gas to confirm no contaminants are due to the respirator cartridge itself (randomly select). The test chamber, smoke generation system, and sampling system from the previous research are in place and ready for additional testing under this contract. Figure 1 provides a schematic of sampling train used to determine contaminant breakthrough of the test respirator cartridge. During method development work, 78.15 Lpm passed through the test cartridges in attempts to meet the 85 +/- 4 Lpm specified in 42 CFR 84 for particulate breakthrough studies. However, particulate breakthrough was insignificant even with high particulate concentrations in the challenge smoke; therefore, this work will reduce the total airflow to 64 Lpm, required for chemical breakthrough studies in the same standard. This announcement is being issued for informational purposes only; requests for quotations are not available. The agency shall consider any response(s) to this announcement describing vendor qualifications and ability to perform this work in determining whether or not to compete this requirement. Responses shall be submitted to Margaret Mooney at CDC, NIOSH, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, PO Box 18070, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15236-0070 or zia3@cdc.gov. Responses must be received within 15 days of the posting of this notice. If any responses are submitted in response to this presolicitation notice and the agency determines to compete this requirement, a RFQ will be issued solely to the responders of this notice. A subsequent presolicitation notice will not be issued. This acquisition is being processed under FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures.
- Place of Performance
- Address: 626 Cochrans Mill Road, PO Box 18070, Pittsburgh, Pa
- Zip Code: 15236
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 15236
- Record
- SN01201813-W 20061224/061222220241 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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