National Cancer Institute, Research Contracts Branch, PSAS, 6120 Executive Blvd, EPS/Room 638, Bethesda, MD 20892-7227

63 -- ALARM, SIGNAL & SECURITY DETECTION EQUIPMENT SOL RFQ-NCI-90021 DUE 010899 POC Cynthia Brown, Purchasing Agent, 301-402-4509, Todd Cole, Contracting Officer RFQ-NCI-90021-NQ for "Alarm, Signal & Security Detection Equipment," which was issued as a combined synopsis/solicitation in the Commerce Business Daily (CBDNet) on November 30, 1998 and subsequently amended on December 15, 1998, is hereby amended to provide clarification and answers to questions raised by prospective offerors. Per the previous amendment, a deadline for additional questions was set for December 30, 1998 and remains unchanged. After the foregoing deadline for additional questions has passed, there is no guarantee that a timely response will be forthcoming prior to the due date of proposals which is now 3:00 PM EST on January 8, 1999. Clarifications: The following sentence: "The National Cancer Institute (NCI) requires the ability to monitor, in a quantitative fashion, specimen freezer temperatures." is revised to read as follows: "The National Cancer Institute (NCI) requires the ability to monitor, in a quantitative fashion, equipment temperatures." Also, within FAR Clause 52.213-4, Year 2000 Compliance is applicable to this acquisition and required for each item of hardware, software, and firmware that may be purchased. Questions From Offerors: Question 1.: The specifications require the system to control up to 64 outputs. Please explain the interrelation between the 128 inputs and the 64 outputs of the system. For example, does the user have to be able to program the function determining the state of the digital outputs based on information from the inputs? Please elaborate on the functions of the 64 digital outputs that will be controlling? Answer 1.: The outputs referenced are not necessarily "digital" and are not described as such. NCI wants to provide offerors flexibility in meeting the requirement. There is no direct relation between the 128 inputs and the 64 outputs. The number of inputs and outputs are based on the current need and the ability to expand the system in the future. Question 2.: Please define at which temperature ranges 0.1C resolution will be required? Answer 2: The requirement is that the system includes the standard 8 bit A/D converter. The ability to upgrade to a 12 bit A/D converter to provide .1 degree centigrade resolution is desireable, but it is not a requirement and this ability to upgrade will not be evaluated. Therefore, further definition cannot be provided at this time. Question 3.: Please explain the requirement of comingling the security monitoring and temperature monitoring into the same PC? Are there specific functions that require these two systems to integrate? Answer 3.: The requirement for co-mingling the security and equipment monitoring systems is functional. The guard station where the monitoring equipment will be located is relatively small and lacks space for additional hardware. Therefore, both systems shall reside on the same Personal Computer (PC). Question 4.: Please define the requirement for inputs to be field programmable to address various monitoring issues. What are NCI's future monitoring needs? Answer 4.: The requirement for field programming of inputs is based on environmental elements that are commonly monitored within a research environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.). The NCI researchers/technicians may wish to be able to attach additional devices to measure environmental elements such as humidity and adjust the settings for the environmental element being measured. Question 5.: Please provide a floorplan indicating the location of each piece of equipment to be monitored, along with its operating temperature range. Answer 5.: The Advanced Technology Center containing the monitored equipment is undergoing renovations. A floor plan is available which shows the general locations of the monitored equipment and the approximate square footage of the facility. To receive a copy of the floor plan, contact Cynthia Brown at (301)402-4509. A copy will be faxed and Federal Expressed to you. Question 6.: Please describe how NCI envisions an alarm being responded to in this application. Please include your expected response procedure during both business and non-business hours. Answer 6.: The security guard will monitor the terminal screen and follow established written procedures during alarms. Question 7.: Please elaborate on NCI's requirement for off-site notification for alarms. Under which situations does NCI need this capability? Answer 7.: Currently, there is no requirement for offsite notification. However, the system shall provide the capability for off-site notification of alarms through the telephone to use this feature if it becomes necessary. Question 8.: Please elaborate on the need for prioritizing alarms? What does NCI hope to accomplish with this capability? Answer 8: There are commonly pieces of equipment (points) that require attention prior to others in a research environment. Therefore, certain points will be more important than others. NCI requires the ability to sequence (prioritize) all monitored equipment points in case multiple alarms occur simultaneously. Question 9.: Is it considered acceptable for the intended application, for a single point failure in the monitoring system's hardware or software to cause a complete system shutdown or a complete loss of data collection capability? Answer 9.: This issue is not addressed in the specifications, and backup measures to prevent such occurrences are therefore not required. However, each system shall provide a warranty and shall be installed properly to minimize the likelihood of such shutdowns and loss of data. Question 10.: Is it considered acceptable for a single point failure in the monitoring system's hardware or software to go undetected by the system resulting in no indication of the failure to a human being? Answer 10.: While routine and repetitive point failures are not acceptable, additional measures such as backups to prevent such occurrences are not required. However, each system shall provide a warranty and shall be installed properly so as to minimize the likelihood of such failures. Question 11.: Is the possibility of data loss due to a system failure acceptable? Answer 11.: Routine system failures are not acceptable; therefore, data loss in such a context is not acceptable. However, special back-up features to prevent data loss are not required. Each system shall provide a warranty and shall be installed properly to minimize the likelihood of system failures and subsequent loss of data. Question 12.: Is it acceptable for on premisis alarm indication to occur at only one location so that, in the event of an undetected failure of that recording apparatus, no information will be recorded? Answer 12.: Undetected failures resulting from incorrect installation of the system are not acceptable. However,the alarm only needs to be received at the system site (i.e. the security guard's PC). Each system shall provide a warranty and shall be installed properly so as to minimize the likelihood of system failures and subsequent loss of data. Question 13.: Is the possibility of radio or magnetic interference, induced onto wires carrying analog signals, causing incorrect data readings or false alarms acceptable? Answer 13.: The scientific equipment will be located in areas without significant interference. Therefore, the systems offered do not have to include special features to safeguard against such interference. However, disturbances from incorrect installation of the system are not acceptable. Question 14.: How important is the adherence of a monitoring system to Clinical Laboratory Standards in meeting the goals of the Advanced Technology Center? Answer 14.: The NCI equipment being monitored is not located in a clinical or patient care area. Clinical Laboratory Standards are not relevant or required. Question 15.: Are factors such as mean time between failure important in the decision to purchase off the shelf items? Answer 15.: This issue is not addressed in the specifications and is not important to this purchase. Each system shall provide a one-year warranty and shall be installed properly so as to minimize the concern for mean time between failures Posted 12/22/98 (W-SN282599). 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