HT942524R130 Amendment 002.docx

HT942524R0130

SECTION SF 30 BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

SECTION SF 30 - BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

The following have been added by full text:

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS

Question1. Before deploying the RFID system at full scale, preliminary testing must be executed to validate the system’s functionality, accuracy and reliability. Please describe USAMRIID’s expectations of what requirements must be validated. Also, will this activity be performed as part of Milestone 1 or Milestone 2 and specifically, before or after the completion of software requirements, including integration.

Response 1.

Before full-scale deployment of the RFID system, USAMRIID expects the following key requirements to be validated:

1. Functionality:

· Ability to scan individual labeled vials across a temperature range of 25°C to -80°C.

· Capability to scan labeled boxes containing these vials within the same temperature range.

2. Accuracy: Ensure precise identification and tracking of vials and boxes.

3. Reliability: Consistent performance under various environmental conditions.

4. Integration: Seamless interaction with existing laboratory systems.

Testing Timeline:

1. Testing should be completed prior to software integration.

2. The specific milestone (1 or 2) for this activity is flexible and can be determined by the contractor.

3. Milestone completion order may be adapted to meet project timelines.

Question 2. As technical selections and quantities will not be determined until site assessments and selection of technology components are determined (Milestone 1), please describe how hardware alternatives and related services should be included in the Pricing Volume.

Response 2.

To effectively address the inclusion of hardware alternatives and related services in the Pricing Volume, please consider the following guidance:

1. System Recommendations and Integration: We expect the contractor to provide recommendations for the systems to be implemented, ensuring that they work seamlessly with the integration process. This will ensure full flexibility and compatibility with our existing infrastructure and project requirements.

2.

3. General Equipment Requirements: Based on our initial assessments, the following equipment is anticipated to be necessary:

· RFID Handheld Readers: One per lab to facilitate efficient tracking and management of assets within each laboratory environment.

· RFID Portal Reader: To be placed at the entry control point to monitor and control access effectively.

4. Pricing Strategy for Alternatives:

· Hardware Alternatives: Please include a range of potential hardware options in the Pricing Volume. This will allow for flexibility in the final selection based on site assessments and technological compatibility.

· Related Services: Detail the services such as installation, configuration, and ongoing support, with scalable options to accommodate different equipment choices.

Question 3. Are any project meetings or any other meeting required to be held on-site or can they be held electronically.

Response 3.

Project meetings will primarily be conducted via MS Teams. However, one or two on-site meetings may be necessary for the contractor to assess the entry control area and determine the optimal installation location for the RFID portal reader.

Question 4. How many mobile RFID readers/scanners does USAMRIID require for the performance of inventory and other uses.

Response 4.

We will require 20 RFID handheld readers, one for each lab, and one RFID portal reader/scanner for the entry control point.

Question 5. Does USAMRIID have a preference for handhelds to be a mobile computing device or a sled that can be used with USAMRIID Android and/or iOS smartphone/tablet.

Response 5.

USAMRIID prefers handheld devices to be standalone mobile computing devices, as we do not have smartphones or tablets available for use with sled attachments.

Question 6. Please describe the boxes that hold the vials (plastic, metal, size, open/closed, etc) and an image of the box.

Response 6.

The boxes used to hold the vials are constructed from either cardboard or vinyl. They are standard laboratory boxes designed to accommodate up to 81 vials, arranged in a 9 x 9 configuration.

Question 7. Does USAMRIID seek to track any other assets beyond the 250,000 vials and 3,100 boxes. If so, please provide a description and quantity by asset type.

Response 7.

USAMRIID does not seek to track any other assets.

Question 8. Are there any other parent child relationships required beyond vial to box (e.g. box to shelf, shelf to room, etc.)

Response 8.

The complete hierarchy of storage, from the smallest unit to the largest, is as follows:

1. Vials are stored inside boxes.

2. Boxes are placed in racks.

3. Racks are housed within refrigerators.

4. Refrigerators are kept in laboratories, which are located within buildings.

For the purposes of our tracking system, we will focus on the primary parent-child relationship of vial to box. This relationship is crucial for maintaining accurate inventory and location data for individual vials.

While the box-to-rack, rack-to-refrigerator, and refrigerator-to-lab relationships exist, they are not currently required for our immediate tracking needs.

Question 9. Is USAMRIID seeking any Check-in/Check-out feature.

Response 9.

No, USAMRIID is not seeking a Check-in/Check-out feature at this time. The focus is solely on inventory management.

Question 10. Is USAMRIID seeking any capability to associate personnel to an asset (e.g. CaC integration)

Response 10.

No, USAMRIID is not seeking this feature at this time.

Question 11. Is USAMRIID seeking any alarm or alerting capability.

Response 11.

USAMRIID does not require any alerting capability for the inventory management system itself, such as notifications for vial storage areas. However, an alerting capability at the entry control point is required. Specifically, USAMRIID requires an alert to be triggered when a vial is carried through the checkpoint. This feature is essential for maintaining security and tracking the movement of vials in and out of controlled areas.

Question 12. Will USAMRIID provide all cabling (POE) required for the fixed readers. If not, please provide floor plans with cabling requirements identified.

Response 12.

To clarify, there are no fixed readers required other than the RFID portal reader/scanner at the entry control point (ECP). The contractor is responsible for providing all necessary cabling for this portal reader/scanner located at the ECP.

No cabling is required within the storage or laboratory areas.

Floor plans cannot be provided. However, for planning purposes, note that the RFID portal reader will be placed at the entrance/exit double door of the ECP.

Question 13. Please describe the 20/21 read points for fixed readers (single door, double door, dock door, corridor.) Can images be provided for each read point.

Response 13.

We would like to clarify that there is only one fixed reader in our current plan, not 20 or 21 as the question suggests. The specifics are as follows:

1. Location: There will be one fixed RFID portal reader/scanner.

2. Placement: This fixed reader will be installed at the entry control point (ECP).

3. Type of entrance: The reader will be positioned at a double door.

Images of the read point cannot be provided. It's important to note that this single fixed reader at the ECP is the only one required for the project. There are no additional fixed readers planned for other locations such as single doors, dock doors, or corridors.

Question 14. Please clarify the significance on the statement “vials are not to be individually tracked, but rather scanned for inventory management.” Is the expectation that inventories will be performed at the box level or for each vial.

Response 14.

To clarify our inventory management approach:

1. Purpose: We will use RFID scanners/readers for inventory management only, not for real-time location tracking of individual vials.

2. Inventory Level: We want the capability to perform inventory at both the box and vial levels. This means:

· We should be able to scan entire boxes to quickly inventory their contents.

· We should also have the ability to scan individual vials when necessary for more detailed inventory checks.

3. Tracking Limitations: We are not seeking ways to continuously track individual vials within our facility. The system should not provide real-time location data for vials once they are in storage.

4. Exit Control: The only other point where we track/detect these vials is at the Entry Control Point (ECP). This is to prevent unauthorized removal of vials from the storage location. We want to be able to detect if vials are leaving our controlled perimeter, particularly if an individual inadvertently attempts to remove them.

5. Inventory Process: The RFID system should allow us to efficiently conduct inventory checks at both the box and vial level, providing flexibility in our inventory management practices.

This approach provides a comprehensive inventory management solution that allows for both quick box-level checks and detailed vial-level inventories when needed, while maintaining security measures at the facility's exit point.

Question 15. Please describe the contents of the vials (liquid, solid, gas, metallic/non-metallic) and fill level of the vial (full/half full/etc).

Response 15.

The contents and fill levels of the vials are as follows:

1. Contents: Each vial contains biological specimens in liquid or frozen state.

2. Material type: The specimens are non-metallic.

3. Vial capacity: The maximum capacity of each vial is ~2 mL.

4. Fill levels: The amount of specimen in each vial varies widely, ranging from:

· Nearly empty vials

· Partially filled vials

· Completely full vials (~2 mL)

5. Consistency: Due to the nature of biological specimens and research requirements, the fill levels are not standardized and can differ from vial to vial.

This variation in fill levels and the liquid/frozen state of the specimens should be taken into account when considering RFID tagging and scanning solutions to ensure reliable inventory management across all vials, regardless of their fill status.

Question 16. Please confirm that the requirement that the RFID system can function in a temperature range from room temperature to -80 C applies to tags, readers and antennas or merely tags or a combination thereof.

Response 16.

To clarify the temperature requirements for the RFID system:

1. RFID Tags:

· Must be able to persist and remain functional in a temperature range from 25°C (room temperature) to -80°C.

· Tags will be directly exposed to these varying temperatures as they will be attached to vials stored in different environments.

2. Readers:

· Will operate at room temperature (and/or at 4°C).

· Must be able to read tags that have been exposed to temperatures as low as -80°C when these tagged vials are removed from cold storage.

3. Antennas:

· There will be no additional antennas in the system other than those integrated into the tags themselves and the reader at the entry control point.

4. Storage Conditions:

· Vials will be stored at varying temperatures ranging from -80°C to 25°C.

· The RFID system must be capable of reading vials accurately regardless of their storage temperature when they are scanned for inventory purposes.

5. Scanning Environment:

· Actual scanning of vials for inventory purposes will typically occur at room temperature when vials are temporarily removed from their storage conditions.

The critical component that must withstand the full temperature range (-80°C to 25°C) is the RFID tag. The reader itself will operate at room temperature (and/or at 4°C) but must be capable of reading tags that have been exposed to the full temperature range.

Question 17. Please indicate if the system will be installed DoD network or island network or on cloud. If on Cloud please indicate any cloud provider preference.

Response 17.

Our RFID system architecture and network requirements are as follows:

1. DoD Network Integration:

· The only component that will interact with the DoD network is the database integration.

· This integration will allow for updating the DoD BSAT (Biological Select Agents and Toxins) Database with inventory data.

2. System Architecture:

· RFID Readers: Will be used for inventory management.

· Middleware: Data from RFID readers will be stored in a middleware solution.

· Data Transfer: The middleware will transfer data to update the DoD BSAT Database.

3. Entry Control Point (ECP) System:

· An RFID Portal reader will be installed at the ECP.

· This reader will operate independently of the DoD network.

· When unauthorized vials are detected, it will trigger a physical sound alarm to alert the on-site security office.

4. Networking:

· Apart from the database integration and the ECP alert system, no additional networking is required or involved.

5. Cloud Services:

· There is no requirement for cloud-based services in this system.

6. Island Network:

· The system will not be part of an island network.

The RFID system will operate largely independently, with minimal integration into existing networks. The key points of integration are the database update process and the ECP alert system. No cloud services or extensive networking infrastructure are required for this implementation.

Question 18. Please indicate if USAMRIID will provide the opportunity to perform an on-site walk-through prior to the RFP submission deadline.

Response 18.

USAMRIID's position on site visits and access is as follows:

1. Pre-RFP Submission:

· No on-site walk-through will be provided prior to the RFP submission deadline.

· Contractors are expected to prepare their proposals based on the information provided in the RFP and any subsequent clarifications.

2. Post-Award Site Access:

· The selected contractor will only need to be on-site for two specific purposes:

a. Installation of the RFID portal reader at the entry control point.

b. Implementation of the database integration.

3. Laboratory Access:

· No laboratory access will be required or granted for this project.

· All work will be confined to non-laboratory areas.

· USAMRIID personnel will conduct testing of the RFID system (readers/scanners) within laboratory areas to valid functionalities.

4. Installation Areas:

· Work will primarily occur at the entry control point and in designated IT areas for database integration.

5. Future Site Visits:

· If deemed necessary, any additional site visits or assessments will be arranged after the contract award and will be limited to the specific areas relevant to the project.

6. Security and Access Protocols:

· The contractor will need to adhere to USAMRIID's security protocols and access procedures during on-site work.

· Specific details about these procedures will be provided to the selected contractor.

Contractors should prepare their RFP submissions without the expectation of a pre-proposal site visit. All necessary on-site work will be coordinated post-award and will be limited to specific, non-laboratory areas of the facility.

Question 19. Are they currently using a barcode system?

Response 19.

No, a barcode system is not currently being used.

Question 20. Would they like to keep their existing barcode system and add RFID (Recommended) or utilize RFID solely?

Response 20.

USAMRIID will utilize RFID solely.

Question 21. Do they want the capability to be alerted about returning vials to the refrigerators within a specified time?

Response 21.

No, this capability is not required.

The following have been deleted:

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS

(End of Summary of Changes) image1.wmf