DHHS, PHS, CDC, NIOSH, ALOSH, 1095 Willowdale Rd., Morgantown, WV 26505-2888

66 -- INSTRUMENTED GLOVE SYSTEM SOL RQ2000-026 DUE 081400 POC Brenda Goodwin, 304/285-5882; Contracting Officer, Rex S. Wolfe, Jr., 304/285-5883 THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; BIDS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. This solicitation is issued as Request for Proposal No. RQ2000-026 This procurement is being issued unrestricted. The Standard Industrial Classification is 3826 with a size standard of 500 employees. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-18. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Morgantown, WV, has a multi-year, phased project that will investigate hand-powered tools used within various industries to (a) determine their dynamic, worker-related characteristics (vibration, impulse, and noise signatures), (b) the extent to which they are transmitted to the work, (c) the transient effects they have on the worker, and (d) the engineering-control-related means of mitigating same. The concurrent and subsequent transient impact of physical signatures, which are transmitted to the hand, arm, shoulder, and head of a carefully selected sample of workers, will be investigated via the use of physiological measures (EMG, cardiopulmonary), postal measures (upper-extremity joint angles), subjective measures of discomfort, and sensori-perceptual measures (hearing-, vision-, and tactile-related). Engineering controls will be proposed and evaluated to mitigate such effects. NIOSH requires ONE EACH of an INSTRUMENTED GLOVE SYSTEM which is essential equipment for field and laboratory studies for on-hand handle interface dynamics with vibrating tools. The system will measure the handgrip force and pressure distribution while a person is operating a power hand tool with a grid of flexible sensors, which could be applied on handles covered with ribbed plastic or soft rubber grips. In order to make the measurement reliable, repeatable and accurate, the system should meet the following SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS: (1) The system should be based on the capacitive-measurement technology. It must be able to measure the absolute values of the static and dynamic pressures; (2) The shear force that would exit between the tool handle and a human hand while a person operates a hand tool should not significantly change the pressure readings; (3) The sampling rate for each sensor must be greater than or equal to 200Hz; (4) A sensor grid integrated in a sensor mat is desired. The thickness of the mat must be less than or equal to 2.5mm. The area of each sensor (width X length) must be less than or equal to 7.8 X 7.8 square millimeters (mm2). The sensor grid must have a rectangle shape with a width in the order of 100 mm and a length in the order of 140 mm. However, the total width of the mat (sensor grid plus conducting wire) must be less than 125mm. The extension portion of the conducting wire (not including the portionon the mat) that connects the external adapter should be about 180 to 200mm; (5) The sensor mat must be flexible and be able to be wrapped on a handle of a hand tool easily. The sensor surface must not wrinkle or crack when applied to handles with ribbed plastic grips. The curvature of the handle with a diameter of 30 to 40mm must not significantly affect the measurement of the pressure; (6) The sensor conducting bus aside the sensor grip may overlap on the sensor grid area when the sensor mat is wrapped on a cylinder handle and gripped by a hand. Such a situation should not affect the pressure readings of the measurement; (7) The pressure measurement range will be 0.3-30 N/square centimeters (N/cm2). The pressure sensor must have a low hysterisis and good linear characteristics in the above pressure range; (8) The sensor mat must be durable, and can be used repeatedly. Its performance must not deteriorate rapidly; (9) The glove sensor should be easily adaptable within the conventional safety gloves, while it must be sufficiently durable for field applications; (10) The system must have a calibration device for convenient calibration of the entire grid. The location of each sensor in the grid must be easily identifiable; (11) The system must be able to be synchronized externally with other measurement systems and are also able to supply synchronized pulses; (12) The measured data must be able to be displayed as a conform color picture on a monitor and as a printout on a color printer. The data must also be available in ASCII format; and (13) The software must enable the user to mask certain sensors, in order to enhance the bandwidth of the measurement system or to focus on certain localized zones. Offers should include a calibration device, and system installation and training. EVALUATION FACTORS: Offers will be evaluated for technical compliance with the specifications. The Government requires delivery within 90 days after receipt of order. Offers shall propose based on a delivered price, F.O.B. Destination (Morgantown, West Virginia) and the requirements at FAR 52.214.21 "Descriptive Literature" apply. Information provided must demonstrate the unit's ability to meet the stated Technical Criteria (specification) or your offer may be rejected. The Government anticipates one award to the responsive, responsible offeror whose proposal is considered most advantageous to the Government. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items; 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items and 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items. Additionally, the following FAR clauses cited in Clause 52.212-5 are also applicable to this acquisition as follows: FAR 52.222-3 "Convict Labor (E.O. 11755)", 52.233-3 "Protest After Award (31 U.,S.C. 3553 and 40 U.S.C. 759)", 52.203-6 "Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, With Alternate I"; 52.203-10 "Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity", 52.219-8 "Utilization of Small Business Concerns and Small Disadvantaged Concerns; 52.222.26 "Equal Opportunity"; 52.222-35 "Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era"; 52.222-36 "Affirmative Action for Workers With Disabilities"; 52.222-37 "Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era"; 52.225-3 "Buy American Act -- Supplies"; 52.225-13, Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (E.O. 12722, 12724, 13059, 13067, 13121, and 13129); 52.225-18 "European Community Sanctions for End Products." OFFERS ARE DUE AUGUST 14, 2000, 2:00 p.m. local prevailing time. The offer acceptance period shall be at least 30 days. SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO: DHHS, PHS, CDC, NIOSH, ALOSH, Attn: Brenda Goodwin (MS1019), REF: Solicitation RQ2000-026, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505: (1) Original and two copies of a completed SF 1449, signed by an individual authorized to bind the organization; (2) Schedule of Supplies/Services (vendor proposal) containing an item description with Part Numbers and Pricing for the system, a delivery schedule, and published price lists (if available); (3) completed Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-3; (4) descriptive literature, tables, etc. which demonstrate compliance with specifications for evaluation purposes; and (5) acknowledgment of solicitation amendments, if any. Facsimile Offers are not authorized. Offers that fail to furnish the required information, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be excluded from consideration. Award of a firm fixed-price contract is anticipated. Information regarding this notice can be obtained from Brenda Goodwin at (304) 285-5882 or by fax at (304) 285-6083. All responsible sources may submit a response, which shall be considered by the Agency. Posted 07/19/00 (W-SN476480). (0201)

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