U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268

70 -- 2-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM SOL RFQ OH-98-00131 DUE 040198 POC Angela Thompson -- 513/487-2005 WEB: Office of Acquisition Management -- Cincinnati Contracts Management Division, http://www.epa.gov/oam/cinn_cmd. E-MAIL: U.S. EPA -- Cincinnati Contracts Management Division, thompson.angie@epamail.epa.gov. The U.S. EPA'S National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL), 2565 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan is seeking a communication system capable of providing 2-way communications among people in a minimum of five different groups and in an emergency, to link all groups on a single channel. The facility consists of two large single story buildings with each having a small penthouse for mechanical equipment. Located approximately 100 feet apart, one building is approximately 150,000 sq. ft.; the other a new open seating building of 66,000 sq. ft. The current 2-way radio system consists of 15 Motorola Radius p50 UHF radios and a base station with rooftop antenna. Currently there are "dead spots" within the facility. Additionally one group of users are utilizing simple 2-way radios operating on a separate, non controlled frequency. The purpose of this procurement action is to acquire a complete communications system which will allow independent communications among each of the groups, as well as allowing all groups to be reached during an emergency. A total of one base and 23 two-way radio units are required for the following purposes: (1) Security: The guard service uses 2-way radios when making their rounds and to communicate from check points to the central station. The guard service uses the radios routinely. (1 base, 4 two-way radios for this group); (2) Emergency Response Team(ERT): This team functions only within the facility or on the grounds and responds to facility and medical emergencies. The team has a requirement of being able to communicate among its members, as well as with the rest of the facility. The ERT personnel carry radios on call to be able to respond to a facility emergency. Their use of a 2-way radio is infrequent. The ERT can share a common frequency with the security function if a system is used which prevents routine guard service communications from being heard by the ERT, e.g. using a coded squelch system. The Emergency Response Coordinator also carries a radio and uses itunder similar conditions as the ERT. (13 two-way radios for this group); (3)Building Operations and Maintenance: This group has occasional need to communicate with its members by radio, but during building emergencies must be able to participate in the emergency communication system. (3 two-way radios for this group); (4) Facility Operations: This group has occasional need to communicate with its members by radio. They also have the need to be contacted by security and by the O&M group. (3 two-way radios for this group); Emergency Operation: During an emergency all groups must be quickly linked, either by a remote command automatically switching all radios to the same channel, or by a voice message to switch to a certain frequency or channel. NVFEL anticipates the use of a 2-way radio system utilizing a repeater channel. Due to the long lead time required to obtain frequencies, NVFEL has obtained two frequencies for its use: 170.375 and 164.450. A third VHF frequency, 173.9125, currently reserved for alarm monitoring may be made available if required. Currently NVFEL is utilizing 408.000 wide band UHF and this channel remains available. It would be acceptable for a system to use methods other than these frequencies and a repeater. System features, initial cost and operating cost will be determining factors. If a two-way radio system incorporating multiple channels within two or more frequencies is selected, the agency will provide a channelization plan. The warranty period for parts and labor shall be at least one year. The repair process and expected time for repair of the units shall be stated. The following summarizes the criteria needed to be satisfied to provide NVFEL with an adequate communication system for day-to-day activities and emergency situations. The system would facilitate communication between the security staff, the emergency response team (ERT), and the operation and maintenance contractor (O&M), the Facility Operations Group, and one other "special" group. The quote for the "required system" should include all equipment, components, installation and training necessary to make the system functional. The following are requirements of the system: (1) The system must be mobile and allow communication anywhere within the facility including both of the buildings and all parking areas; (2) The system should include and be able to communicate with a base station located in the lobby of the laboratory building and the system shall allow for an alternate base station in the new building, should that be desired at a later date; (3) The system must be adequately powerful so that any portable communication device can indeed communicate with any other device, regardless of its location in either building, with a high degree of reliability. This may require that a repeater, or other transmission amplification device, be included in the system. There shall be no restriction which would preclude communication devices in close proximity from communicating with each other; (4)In cases of emergency, all groups must be capable of communicating with each other by either switching to a separate frequency, or to a frequency used by any one of the groups. A simple method of contacting all radios on the frequency, regardless of which channel they may be on is required; (5)If the system uses several channels on a shared frequency it must have a feature to alert the user when a channel is busy and should not allow transmission when the frequency is in use; (6) The system must be capable of being used 24 hours per day and during a power outage. The base station and repeater may be connected to facility back-up power which normally activates within 2 minutes of a power outage; (7)The system must allow communication within each entire subgroup (Security, ERT, O&M, Facilities and Special) at the facility;(8) Each unit must have sufficient battery capacity to operate for at least 9 hours during the day on a single battery, based on the criteria of 5-5-90 (5% transmit @ 1 watt, 5% receive, and 90% standby). The cost and specifications of smaller emergency batteries, with shorter operational time, should also be included in the bid; (9) The radios should be switchable to a transmit power of at least 4 watts; (10) The radios must have a "low battery" alert feature; (11) The portable communication devices must be small and relatively light weight to facilitate carrying these devices by professional staff throughout the workday. The total weight of the radio and a battery sufficient to provide 9 hours of service(5% transmit @ 1 watt, 5% receive, 90% standby) shall not exceed 16 ounces; (12) Thirteen of the radios must be Factory Mutual -- intrinsically safe so that they can be operated in an explosive atmosphere, should that situation ever exist; (13) The charging system shall include 23 desktop chargers- one for each radio; (14) The capability is needed for the radios to be connected to a remote speaker/microphone and for at least three of the radios to be connected to a microphone which is part of a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) used in emergency operations;(15) Six remote speaker/microphones, one headset with push to talk (ptt) boom microphone, and one ptt ear microphone are required. (16) If the system is a mobile radio system, it must be narrow band and be able to operate within the range of frequency bands used by the Federal government; (17) If the system uses a repeater, the radios must have a "talk-around" feature which enables the radios to communicate with each other in the absence of the repeater; (18) In the talk-around mode the radios must have sufficient power to communicate with each other between any two locations on the premises of either building; (19) An alert tone option which could be used to alert the ERT of an emergency or of an impending transmission is required; (20) The system must not interfere with any exhaust emission analysis equipment which could be sensitive to RFI. There are no interferences with current equipment; (21) A small holster type holder or removable belt clip for carrying the radio on a belt shall be included for each radio; (22) If the system operates in the VHF range the ability to monitor the National Weather Service (NWS)Weather Radio on 162.55 mhz is required. In addition, NWS on 162.40 is required if the radio has sufficient channels available; (23) A system to monitor the status of the portable radios, either automatically (preferred) or by central keying by an attendant, to determine which communication device is turned on is required. The purpose is to display, at a central location, which ERT members are on site at any given time; (24) Batteries which can be recharged without "memory" effect are required; (25) The two-way radios shall be weather and shock resistant; (26) Year 2000 compliance is required in terms of date and frequency bandwidth; (27) Software and hardware to enable on-site programming of the radios using an existing PC shall be provided; and (28) Operational training for all users and programming training of three persons shall be provided. Optional Features for the two-way radios should be bid separately as an option, if available and if not provided as a part of the standard system. These options are as follows: (1)Automatic squelch; (2) Automatic triggering of the receiver by the NWS storm alert signal;(3) A range of at least one mile; (4)It is desirable to allow at least one other subgroup or channel to be used on any of the radios; (5)The cost of the SCBA microphone shall be included as an option on a per unit basis; (6)Three soft leather holsters and seven swivel type holsters. Should a contractor propose a system that requires external features such as use of an off site repeater and which incur lease, air time or any other charges, those charges for a three year period should be provided as part of the contractor's quote. NVFEL anticipates that it will use a total of 1500 minutes of transmit time per month for all 23 two-way radios. This is a small business set-aside. The Sic Code is 3663. All interested parties may submit a quotation to Angie Thompson (513-487-2005) referencing RFQ number RFQ-OH-98-00131 using the following methods: 1) In writing to the above address; 2)by fax (513-487-2107 or 2004) or by E-mail* (thompson.angie@epamail.epa.gov). *If you are submitting your quote by E-mail using an attachment, it MUST BE IN WORDPERFECT 6.1 OR A LESSER VERSION OF WORDPERFECT. Quotations must be received no later than April 1, 1998 by 4:30 p.m. local time to be considered for award. (0084)

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