Request for Information Decon.docx

Request for Information (RFI) Decontamination Services in Support of Biocontainment Aviation Operations U.S. Department of State | Bureau of Medical Services | Directorate for Operations, Readiness, and Security (MED/ORS) RFI Number: [TO BE ASSIGNED] Issue Date: June 10, 2026 Response Due Date: June 16, 2026 at 12PM EST Point of Contact: Alicia Hofhine, Contracting Officer, Hofhineak@state.gov, 771-204-8197

SECTION 1: PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for market research and planning purposes only. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation, a Request for Proposal (RFP), or a commitment by the U.S. Government to award a contract. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI.

The Department of State (DOS is conducting market research to identify qualified vendors capable of providing specialized aviation decontamination services in support of the Department's biocontainment aviation mission. These services support the Department's obligations under the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to protect Chief of Mission personnel worldwide, including response to highly pathogenic infectious diseases (HPIDs).

The MED Aviation Program executes medical contingency operations globally, including the transport of patients infected with Category A biological agents (e.g., Ebola Virus Disease, Hantavirus, Marburg, Lassa Fever, and other select agents). Effective decontamination of aircraft, personnel, and equipment following such missions is a critical mission-enabling capability.

The Department seeks information from vendors with demonstrated experience in aircraft decontamination following transport of Category A biological agents, including the ability to deploy personnel on-aircraft during active biocontainment missions and to execute full aircraft decontamination upon mission completion.

SECTION 2: SCOPE OF SERVICES SOUGHT

The Government is seeking information on vendor capability to provide the following services:

2.1 On-Aircraft Standby Decontamination Personnel

· Deployment of qualified decontamination personnel aboard the aircraft during active biocontainment missions to provide immediate decontamination response capability if required during flight or upon landing.

· Personnel must be available to deploy within N+6 to N+12 hours of mission notification (Mission Number assignment to wheels-up), consistent with the Department's biocontainment aviation response posture.

· Personnel must be trained, certified, and equipped to operate in a biocontainment environment, including use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the level required for Category A pathogen exposure.

2.2 Post-Mission Aircraft Decontamination

· Full decontamination of the aircraft, biocontainment unit components, and associated equipment following completion of a biocontainment mission.

· Decontamination must comply with all applicable federal and state regulations governing hazardous waste handling and disposal.

· Decontamination teams must be capable of deploying from a CONUS base to designated locations worldwide to meet arriving aircraft as directed by the Government.

· Teams must be positioned and ready to begin decontamination operations immediately upon patient disembarkation.

· Decontamination protocols must be submitted to and approved by the Government prior to execution.

2.3 Category A Pathogen Decontamination Capability

· Vendors must demonstrate the capability to decontaminate aircraft and equipment following transport of Category A biological agents, including but not limited to:

· Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

· Marburg Virus

· Hantavirus

· Lassa Fever

· Smallpox

· Plague (Yersinia pestis)

· Other CDC/USDA-designated Select Agents and Toxins

· Decontamination procedures must address airborne, contact, and droplet transmission risks and must be validated against applicable CDC, WHO, and federal biosafety standards.

2.4 Hazardous Waste Disposal

· Vendors must provide all personnel, facilities, and services required to safely dispose of all contaminated materials, components, and supplies in accordance with federal and state regulations.

· Disposal must address both durable and expendable components of the Aeromedical Biocontainment System (ABCS) and associated equipment.

SECTION 3: INFORMATION REQUESTED

Respondents are requested to provide detailed, written responses to the following questions. Responses should be as specific as possible and supported by relevant experience, certifications, and documentation where applicable.

CATEGORY A: ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITY & EXPERIENCE

A1. Provide a brief organizational overview, including your company's primary business focus, years in operation, and relevant experience supporting aviation decontamination or biological hazard remediation.

A2. Describe your demonstrated experience performing decontamination of aircraft or enclosed environments following exposure to Category A biological agents (e.g., Ebola, Marburg, Hantavirus). Provide specific examples, including the pathogen involved, the environment decontaminated, and the outcome.

A3. List all relevant certifications, accreditations, and regulatory approvals your organization holds related to:

· Biological hazard remediation

· Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) handling and disposal

· Aviation-environment decontamination

· Select Agent handling (if applicable, per 42 CFR Part 73 / 7 CFR Part 331 / 9 CFR Part 121) A4. Does your organization currently hold or have the ability to obtain a security clearance at the Secret level or a facility clearance consistent with Department of Defense (DoD) DD Form 254 requirements? Please describe your current clearance status.

CATEGORY B: SUBCONTRACTING

B1. Can your organization perform the full scope of decontamination services described in Section 2 using in-house personnel and resources, or would subcontracting be required?

B2. If subcontracting would be required, please describe:

· Which specific services or functions would be subcontracted

· The estimated percentage of work that would be performed by subcontractors

· Your process for vetting and managing subcontractor performance and compliance

· Whether subcontractors would be held to the same performance standards as the prime contractor B3. Identify any known teaming partners or subcontractors you would anticipate engaging, and describe their relevant qualifications.

CATEGORY C: DECONTAMINATION METHODOLOGY & PROCEDURES

C1. Describe in detail what a full aircraft decontamination would look like following a biocontainment mission involving a Category A pathogen. Your response should address:

· Pre-decontamination site assessment and setup

· PPE requirements for decontamination personnel

· Decontamination agents and methods used (e.g., vaporized hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide, sporicidal agents)

· Treatment of aircraft interior surfaces, biocontainment unit components, and associated equipment

· Validation and clearance testing procedures

· Waste segregation, packaging, and disposal

· Estimated time from patient disembarkation to aircraft clearance for return to service C2. What decontamination protocols or standard operating procedures (SOPs) does your organization use? Are these protocols validated against CDC, WHO, or other recognized biosafety standards? Are they available for Government review?

C3. Describe your organization's capability to perform decontamination in austere or non-permissive environments, including locations with limited infrastructure (e.g., remote airfields, overseas locations with limited medical or hazmat support).

C4. What is your organization's process for obtaining required permits and regulatory approvals for decontamination and hazardous waste disposal at domestic and international locations?

CATEGORY D: RESPONSE POSTURE & STANDBY REQUIREMENTS

D1. Can your organization maintain a rapid response posture consistent with an N+6 to N+12 hour notification-to-deployment timeline? Describe how you would achieve and sustain this posture.

D2. Would your organization require a dedicated standby arrangement (i.e., personnel on retainer or on-call) to guarantee the required response time, or could you meet response timelines through an on-call model without a dedicated standby fee?

D3. Describe your organization's current geographic footprint and the locations from which decontamination teams could be deployed. What is your realistic response time to:

· CONUS locations

· OCONUS locations (e.g., Africa, Middle East, Europe, Asia) D4. How many simultaneous decontamination missions could your organization support at one time? What surge capacity do you have?

D5. Describe your organization's 24/7 on-call dispatch capability and how you would coordinate with Government personnel during an active mission.

CATEGORY E: ON-AIRCRAFT PERSONNEL DEPLOYMENT

E1. Can your organization provide qualified decontamination personnel to fly aboard the aircraft during active biocontainment missions? If so, describe:

· The qualifications and certifications of personnel who would serve in this role

· The PPE and equipment they would carry aboard

· Their specific roles and responsibilities during flight and upon landing

· Any limitations or constraints on this capability E2. What medical monitoring and occupational health protocols does your organization maintain for personnel who are regularly exposed to or at risk of exposure to Category A pathogens?

E3. Describe the vaccination and prophylaxis requirements your organization maintains for personnel who may be deployed on biocontainment missions, consistent with CDC or other cognizant international health authority requirements.

CATEGORY F: COST & PRICING STRUCTURE

F1. Provide an estimated cost range for a full aircraft decontamination following a Category A biocontainment mission. Please break out costs by major cost element, including:

· Labor (by category and estimated hours)

· Decontamination agents and consumable supplies

· PPE

· Hazardous waste disposal

· Travel and mobilization

· Any other direct costs F2. What pricing structure would you propose for this type of contract (e.g., firm-fixed-price per event, time-and-materials, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, monthly retainer plus per-event fee)?

F3. If a standby or retainer arrangement is required to guarantee response time, what would be the estimated monthly cost of maintaining that posture?

F4. Are there cost differences based on pathogen type (e.g., Category A vs. Category B agents), location (CONUS vs. OCONUS), or mission complexity? Please describe.

CATEGORY G: EQUIPMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN

G1. Describe the decontamination equipment and supplies your organization maintains in inventory and their current readiness status.

G2. What is your organization's supply chain resilience for decontamination agents and consumables during a large-scale HPID outbreak, when demand for these materials may be elevated globally?

G3. Can your organization provide secure, climate-controlled storage for Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) associated with biocontainment operations, if required? If so, describe your storage capacity and facilities.

CATEGORY H: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

H1. Are there any regulatory, legal, or logistical constraints that would limit your organization's ability to perform decontamination services at overseas locations? Please describe.

H2. Describe any lessons learned or best practices from previous biocontainment decontamination missions that you believe would be relevant to the Government's requirements.

H3. Is there any additional information about your organization's capabilities, past performance, or innovative approaches to biocontainment decontamination that you believe would be beneficial for the Government to know?

H4. What contract vehicle(s) does your organization currently hold (e.g., GSA Schedule, existing IDIQ, SEWP) that could be used to procure these services?

SECTION 4: RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

4.1 Format

Responses should be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format, not to exceed 5 pages (excluding resumes, certifications, and supporting documentation submitted as attachments).

Respondents must clearly identify their business size and socioeconomic status, applicable NAICS code(s), DUNS/UEI number, and any existing Government contract vehicles on the cover page of their response.

DoS is open to other applicable NAICS codes for the technical requirements.

Responses should be organized to correspond with the categories and question numbers in Section 3.

4.2 Submission

Submit responses electronically to: Alicia Hofhine at HofhineAK@state.gov Subject line: RFI Response – MED/ORS Decontamination Services

4.3 Response Due Date

All responses must be received no later than Wednesday June 17th, 2026 at 12PM EST.

4.4 Questions

Questions regarding this RFI may be submitted in writing to Alicia Hofhine at HofhineAK@state.gov. Questions and answers will be distributed to all respondents.

SECTION 5: DISCLAIMERS

· This RFI is issued for market research purposes only and does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract.

· The Government will not pay for any information provided in response to this RFI.

· Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

· Information provided in response to this RFI may be used by the Government in developing a future solicitation. Proprietary information should be clearly marked as such.

· All information submitted in response to this RFI is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Respondents who believe their submissions contain proprietary or confidential commercial information should clearly identify such information.

SECTION 6: APPLICABLE REGULATIONS & STANDARDS (FOR REFERENCE)

Respondents should be familiar with the following regulatory framework, which will govern any resulting contract: