SPECIAL NOTICE
66 -- Request for Information - Macrofoam Swabs
- Notice Date
- 6/1/2014
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Procurement Section, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia, 20535, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20535
- Solicitation Number
- RFI06012014
- Archive Date
- 7/15/2014
- Point of Contact
- Lynda M. Theisen, Fax: 703-632-8480
- E-Mail Address
-
Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov
(Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issues this Request for Information (RFI) to conduct market research for information and planning purposes to determine the existing market capability of businesses to supply two different macrofoam swabs that can be moistened at time of use. The Government intends to review all responses. With this notice, the FBI wants to obtain market information for planning purposes. All interested, capable, and responsible businesses are encouraged to submit a response to this notice. INTRODUCTION The Scientific Response Unit (SRU) of the FBI Laboratory is responsible for collecting hazardous evidence at crime scenes where Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) might be present. Swabs are among a variety of tools used by SRU for collection of biological agents from environmental surfaces. The description below outlines requirements of two new collection devices that will be needed in order to process biological evidence. Respondents should identify their capabilities that would help fulfill the currently envisioned collection device. The information gathered, if deemed successful, will be used to formulate final requirements, which may subsequently be posted in a solicitation for competitive bids. Background The SRU currently utilizes macrofoam swabs with a shelf life that is limited because of the evaporation of moistening buffer from the swab head over time. Within the shelf life of the swab evaporation may create inconsistencies in water content as well as variation in buffer salt and surfactant concentrations. The SRU requires extended shelf life swabs that are consistently and appropriately moist at the point of use. Requirements The Government requests that the contractor or contractors provide the following: 1: Overall configuration: The sampling device will consist of a swab of absorbent material affixed to the end of a semi-rigid shaft with a handle at the opposite end. The swab will be housed until use in an impact-resistant screw-cap tube of appropriate dimensions. The swab shaft shall be fixed to the screw cap closure of the tube and serve duel functions of sealing the tube and acting as the handle of the swab shaft. The screw cap should tightly seal the tube to permit resealing after use and facilitate safe transport. The device will also have a means to moisten the swab head at the point-of-use and to express excess fluid from the swab head (if required). 2: Head shapes: A: Paddle-type head with two distinguishable sides. Paddle may be rectangular or round. B: Standard swab type head. 3: Head material: Macrofoam or other suitable material. Must conform to surface contours during use and rebound to original shape after use. Must efficiently absorb and release analytes consisting of soluble proteins and particulate materials including microorganisms. Supplier must provide data demonstrating the adsorption and release characteristics of the material with analytes of different types. 4: Shaft: The swab shaft must be firm but flexible. The shaft must be flexible to the extent that the swab head will lie flush against the sampled surface when force is applied while the shaft handle is held at a 20 to 30 degree angle to the surface. The shaft must also be stiff enough so that pressure at the swab head during use is a function of the force applied by the user and not limited by the elasticity of the shaft (assuming the applied force is reasonable for the activity). 5: Moistening system: The device must have a means to moisten the swab head at the point-of-use with minimal risk of unintentionally contaminating the swab. The moistened swab head should not contain excess fluid. Proper liquid content in the swab head may be achieved either by controlling the wetting process or by removing excess fluid after wetting. There is no firm requirement regarding the mechanics of the moistening system so long as ease of use and aseptic technique are maintained. A variety of moistening solutions may be required, the most common of which will be composed of phosphate buffer or phosphate buffered saline containing a surfactant (e.g., Tween-20, Triton X-100, etc.). A neutralizing agent may be required in the buffer for some applications. 6: Swab housing tube: The tube that houses the swab should accommodate a tight sealing screw cap closure. The tube composition should be able to resist compromise under abuse conditions that could occur during use and transport (shock, vibration, temperature, etc.). The tube configuration should accommodate sample extraction and some processing directly in the tube. 7: Screw cap and shaft assembly: The shaft of the swab should be affixed to the screw cap such that the cap may be used as a handle during swab use. Ideally, the swab shaft should he held firmly but be removable if desired. 8: Tamper indicator: Either the swab/tube assembly itself or its packaging should posses a mechanism to indicate whether the swab has not been tampered with or otherwise compromised prior to use. 9: Labeling: The swab housing tube should contain a method for identifying and tracking the device after use. This may be attained by indelible labeling at the point-of-use or by means of serial numbers and/or bar codes. The housing tube must contain a surface that can accommodate user initials and date of use. 10. Sizes: There is a need for several sizes. At minimum two swab devices are required that either incorporate or can be accommodated in standard sized 15- and 50-ml conical centrifuge tubes. 11: Assay compatibility: The composition of the swab head, shaft, housing tube, and any adhesives that might come in contact with extraction fluids must not release any substance that will interfere with subsequent chemical or microbiological analysis. 12: Quality control/Quality assurance: The sampling devices must be manufactured with a documented ISO or GMP process. The devices should be certified sterile and within agreed-up limits of DNA/RNA content. Each shipment should contain certification documentation and clear lot number markings. Note : This RFI is only soliciting information on the availability of a swab that incorporates the use of a macrofoam or other suitable material with the ability to be moistened just prior to use. All questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted by email to the Contracting Officer at Lynda.Theisen@ic.fbi.gov. THIS NOTICE IS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY, and does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, a Request for Proposal, a Solicitation, a Request for Quotation, or an indication the Government will contract for the items contained in this announcement. This request is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this request. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this announcement. DISCLAIMER : This RFI is issues solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.202(e), responses to this notice are not an offer and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI marked proprietary will be handled accordingly. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review. HOW TO RESPOND : Firms that wish to respond to this RFI shall provide the following information: (1) Company name and business size (i.e., 8(a), HUBZONE, WOSB, Veteran Owned, Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, etc.), (2) a brief summary of the responder's ideas and suggested improvements being offered in response to this RFI, (3) a statement indicating an interest and the capability to provide the supplies/services as described, (4) a technical approach to perform the required supplies/services described above, and (5) rough order of magnitude of the cost for the proposed collection device as described in the RFI, and (6) Respondents must indicate whether their responses contain proprietary information if the respondents wish for the responses to be handled as such. The government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified. DESCRIPTION OF INFORMATION REQUESTED All vendors with an appropriate solution or product are invited to submit a Capability Statement and contact information. The Capability Statement should discuss the solution or product's capabilities as they related to the potential requirements. Vendors with a GSA schedule should provide the contract number of that schedule. In your response, please identify solutions that require custom design and those that can be met with commercial off-the-shelf products (COTS). Please include product named and identifying number of COTS products. Responses shall be limited to no more than 20 pages with 12 point font, not including cover letter, cover page, and table of contents. Responses shall also include company name, size, technical and administrative points of contacts, telephone numbers, and email addresses with your inquiry. Please submit responses via email in Microsoft Office format by 4:00PM Eastern on June 30, 2014. If mailing a response, please send the information to: FBI Laboratory, 2501 Investigation Parkway, Quantico, VA 22135. Attn: Lynda M. Theisen. NOTE : Responses to this announcement will not be returned, nor will there be any ensuing discussions or debriefings of any responses. However, information obtained as a result of this announcement may be reflected in any subsequent solicitation, and the FBI may contact one or more respondents for clarifications and to enhance the Government's understanding. This announcement is Government market research, and may result in revisions in both its requirements and its acquisition strategy based on industry responses.
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