TIC VD RFI FINAL- Version 3.1_5Aug2024.docx

Description

This Special Notice is being posted as a Request for Information (RFI) for market research and planning purposes only. This is not a solicitation or request for competitive proposals. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. No solicitation document exists or is guaranteed to be issued as a result of this RFI. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted, and the Government will not reimburse respondents for preparation of the response. Response to this RFI is strictly voluntary and will not affect future ability to submit an offer if a solicitation is released. There is no bid package or solicitation document associated with this announcement.

RFI OBJECTIVE

This request for information (RFI) is not a solicitation for a proposal, proposal abstracts, quotations or obligation on the part of the US Government to acquire any products or services. The objective of this RFI is to gather relevant information from interested, capable sources and to explore current industry abilities to provide capabilities in support of the Toxic Industrial Chemical- Vapor Detector (TIC- VD), which is part of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Dismounted Reconnaissance Sets, Kits, and Outfits (DR SKO). This program is referred to as the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Dismounted Reconnaissance Systems (CBRN DRS) with the Program Objective Memorandum (POM) budget formulation documentation.

The TIC- VD shall have a rapid detection and identification capability for TIC, Lower Explosive Limit (LEL), and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The TIC-VD shall target these threats and include capabilities for identification, detection, monitoring equipment, and characterization of a hazardous material event. The US Government will use information gained from this RFI in the evaluation of next generation technologies for detecting and identifying TICs in accordance with the specifications in the requirements section of this RFI. The US Government will use responses to this RFI to identify potential equipment having an improved dismounted CBRN detection and identification capability for use by Department of Defense (DoD) forces to assess and characterize potential CBRN incidents. Government testing of selected TIC- VD instruments is planned but is subject to available funding and program priorities. The DoD users of this potential equipment will be operating in enclosed or confined spaces that current systems cannot effectively operate within as part of the overall reconnaissance and surveillance effort for the detection and identification TIC vapor threats and hazardous chemical contaminants.

All respondents are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. Respondents to this RFI should not anticipate feedback regarding their submission; other than acknowledgment of receipt, provided the submitter requests such an acknowledgment. The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the US Government. All submissions become the property of the US Government, who will not return them. The Government will not pay for costs associated with developing a response to this RFI nor promise to award a contract based on information gained from this request.

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION (DR SKO)

The DR SKO missions require modular packaging of the equipment and an understanding of the need to configure components with all items necessary to complete the mission (i.e. batteries, confidence checkers, consumables, etc.). The ability to transport the mission gear effectively is a primary configuration requirement. The DR SKO provides full detection and identification capabilities and has unit mission durations of up to 14.5 hours to characterize a site in Level A, Class II, and Class III ensembles. The DR SKO provides a dismounted reconnaissance capability with sensors. Equipment includes Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN), Toxic Industrial Chemical (TIC), and Toxic Industrial Material (TIM) identification, detection, monitoring equipment, equipment for sample collection and preservation, and support equipment to conduct reconnaissance operations, characterize a hazardous material event, confirm or deny the presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction, and conduct dismounted chemical warfare agent (CWA) reconnaissance.

RFI TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The TIC - Vapor detection and identification technology shall provide the following functional, operational and performance capabilities. Unless specifically identified as an objective [O], all requirements of this specification are thresholds.

Background:

The Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Dismounted Reconnaissance Sets, Kits, and Outfits (DR SKO) provides the Joint forces with a capability to conduct dismounted CBRN reconnaissance to support Sensitive Site Assessments, Hazardous Site Characterizations, and CBRN Reconnaissance (Survey and Monitoring), with emphasis on enclosed or confined spaces as part of the overall reconnaissance and surveillance effort to detect, identify, collect samples, and mark CBRN and Toxic Industrial Material contaminants. Users include:

· US Army Light Infantry Brigade Combat Teams, Special Forces, National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Civil Support Teams (CST), Combat Support and Heavy Chemical Companies, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Companies

· US Naval Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) Maritime Interception Operations teams

· US Marine Corps Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units

· US Air Force Emergency Management units

In order to modernize the DR SKO equipment package, the Joint Project Manager for DR SKO requests information about Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) TIC vapor detection and identification systems that meet some or all of the requirements listed in this document. Technical solutions with TRL levels 7 or 8 will be considered if a strong justification and contractor plan is documented for rapidly proving system in the described operational environment of the DRSKO.

Requirements:

The TIC - Vapor Detector (TIC-VD) shall provide a handheld and man-portable (man-wearable [O]) instrument or set of instruments to detect and identify TIC contamination during dismounted reconnaissance, hazardous response, and WMD confirmation survey and monitoring tasks.

Performance.

TIC Detection and Identification. The TIC-VD shall detect and identify the TIC vapor hazards at concentrations specified in Table I (additional TIC vapor hazards detected and identified [O] as listed in Table II).

TIC Detection Response Time. The TIC-VD shall detect and identify the TIC vapor hazards at the exposure concentrations within the specified response time provided in Table I.

TIC Probability of Detection. The TIC-VD shall have a 70% probability of detection for the TIC hazards, exposure concentrations, and response times indicated in Table I (quantification and 70% probability of identification [O]).

TIC Clear-Down Time. The TIC-VD shall clear the vapors from the detector within 2 minutes or less and return to a ready state for further unimpeded detection measurements.

Table I. TIC Vapors

Oxygen, Combustible Gas, and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Measurement. The TIC-VD shall detect the Lower Explosive Limits (LEL) of the combustible gases and VOCs specified in Table II (additional combustible gases and VOCs measured [O]). The TIC-VD shall detect when the concentration of oxygen in a working environment is below 19.5% (oxygen deficient) or above 23.5% (oxygen enriched).

Oxygen and Combustible Gas Detection Response Time. The TIC-VD shall automatically warn when the concentration of the combustible gases (or other user-defined preset concentration level [O]) specified in Table II is at least 10% of the lower explosive limit (LEL). The TIC-VD shall automatically warn when the concentration of oxygen is not within the range of 19.5% and 23.5%.

Table II. Combustible Gases and VOCs

*Point concentration at 25°C and 760 mm Hg †Liquid at room temperature with a vapor pressure of 48.2 kPa at 25 °C

Vapor Interferents. The TIC-VD shall have a 70% probability of detection of items in Tables I and II while in the presence of vapor interferents specified in Table III (concentration of 1% in purified air).

Table III. Vapor Interferents High-Test Hypochlorite (HTH) off-gas from 5% aqueous solution High-Test Hypochlorite (HTH) off-gas from powder Diesel exhaust Burning polymer JP-8 fuel exhaust Wax stripper (Fumes) Salt fog

False Positive Detection and Identification Rates [O]. The TIC-VD shall provide false positive detection rate of less than 10% in the presence of each interferent at a concentration of 1% in purified air. The TIC-VD shall provide a false positive identification rate of less than 10% in the presence of each interferent at a concentration of 1% in purified air.

List of Probable Substances [O]. In the case where a chemical identification is not made, the TIC-VD shall have the capability to provide a list of probable substances or groups of substances.

Physical Characteristics.

To allow integration of the TIC-VD systems into existing DRSKO system configurations the technical solution should be packaged into a system kit and a calibration equipment kit(s) as described below:

System Kit Size. The TIC-VD shall use a ruggedized case with exterior dimensions 20.6" (L) x 16.9" (W) x 8.1" (H). All systems (instrumentation) and system equipment (ancillary equipment required for instrumentation operations) shall fit inside the system kit ruggedized case.

Calibration Equipment Kit Size. The TIC-VD support equipment shall use a ruggedized case with exterior dimensions 20.6" (L) x 16.9" (W) x 8.1" (H). The entire contents of the support equipment shall fit inside no more than two of these ruggedized cases (one case [O]).

System Weight. Each system in the kit shall weigh less than 3 lbs. (less than 1 lb. [O]).

Total System Kit Weight. The weight of the ruggedized case filled with all components shall be no more than 20 lbs. (15 lbs. [O]).

Total Calibration Equipment Kit Weight. The weight of each support equipment kit shall be no more than 25 lbs. (15 lbs. [O]).

Display. The TIC-VD shall provide a display (if applicable) that is physically adjustable, displays messages in English, and is readable from one meter under all light conditions while assuming clear visibility.

Handheld Operation. While wearing protective equipment up to and including a Level A ensemble, the TIC-VD shall be operable with one free hand while the instrument is held in the other hand (on the person's ensemble [O]).

Controls. The TIC-VD shall be provided with operator controls and buttons that are readily accessible and designed to prevent inadvertent activation by personnel wearing Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) up to and including the Level A ensemble.

Visual Indicator. When detecting a hazard that exceeds the required threshold, the TIC-VD shall provide a visual indication that is discernible by personnel wearing PPE up to and including the Level A ensemble.

Audible Alarm. For components that employ audible alarms when detecting a hazard that exceeds the required threshold, the TIC-VD shall provide an audible alarm that is perceptible while in PPE up to and including the Level A ensemble. The timing of the audible alarm shall correspond to that of the visual indication, and a means to silence the audible alarm shall be provided.

Batteries. The TIC-VD shall utilize standard commercial-off-the-shelf batteries in accordance with the USA Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Battery Safety Reference Guide. The TIC-VD shall utilize batteries with enough power to operate the TIC-VD for four hours of continuous operation in all temperature conditions (8 hours [O]). The TIC-VD instrumentation shall have the capability to exchange system batteries (hot swapping) without impacting and disrupting TIC-VD safe and continuous operations [O].

Workmanship. The system components shall be free of burrs, sharp edges, rust, discoloration, tool marks, or any other damage or defect that could make equipment or use unsatisfactory for the purpose intended. All welds and brazes shall be free of harmful defects such as cracks, porosity, undercuts, voids, and gaps. Cables and wires subject to flexing shall be protected to prevent abrasion. Screws, nuts, and bolts shall show no evidence of cross threading, mutilation, or detrimental or hazardous burrs.

Suitability.

Warm-up Time. The TIC-VD shall be fully functional within five minutes of being switched on from a dead stop (i.e., batteries installed, fully powered off, and not in standby mode). Time required for calibration by an experienced operator shall be included within the five minute time period.

Operable in PPE. The TIC-VD shall be capable of being operated and re- supplied by the user population while wearing protective equipment up to and including the Level A ensemble in a contaminated environment.

Power supply replacement. The TIC-VD shall be of a design that allows an operator to replace the internal power supply (batteries) while wearing protective equipment up to and including a Class III ensemble, Level A ensemble [O].

Personnel. The TIC-VD shall require no new Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), Air Force Specialty (AFS), Additional Skill Identifier (ASI), Navy Enlistment Code (NEC) rating or increase in physical and cognitive requirements for operators, maintainers, repairers, or supporters.

Human factors. The TIC-VD and support equipment shall be operable, maintainable, repairable, and supportable by the 5th percentile female to 95th percentile male user population. When integrating equipment and components into the TIC-VD, Warfighter military occupational specialties and personnel skills shall be considered. Man-machine interfaces shall be guided by the use of ANSI/HFES100.

Training. New courseware and curriculums shall be provided in electronic format that is compliant with the DoD Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM).

Safety.

Safety. The TIC-VD shall be safe to operate, store, and maintain in its intended environment throughout its life cycle.

Explosive Atmosphere. The TIC-VD shall be safe to operate in an explosive atmosphere by meeting the guidelines of MIL‐STD‐810G (app G, ref 2), Part Two, Method 511.5, and MIL‐STD‐810G, Part One, Paragraph 5. The TIC-VD shall be tailored to operate in a flammable hydrogen gas atmosphere without causing an explosion, or the system shall be certified as intrinsically safe (meeting UL 913 or FM 3610; Class I, Div 1, Groups A‐D) after testing from a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory [O]. The design of the TIC-VD shall ensure that it can be safely operated in proximity to explosives/munitions.

Electrical Shock. The TIC-VD shall not generate stray voltages or unintended electrical discharges. The design shall minimize the risk of electrical shock to operators and maintainers. All power sources shall be isolated and insulated to prevent electric shocks.

Radioactive Materials. The TIC-VD shall not contain or require the use of any regulated or controlled radioactive materials.

Hazardous Materials. The TIC-VD shall not contain hazardous materials or produce hazardous waste as specified in 40 CFR 261.21-261.24 and 40 CFR 261.33(e) and (f).

Maintainability.

Calibration. The TIC-VD shall not require external organization and facility calibration more than once per year (calibration not required [O]).

Shelf Life. The shelf life of any individual component of the TIC-VD shall not be less than 3 years. Any associated consumables utilized by the system shall have a minimum shelf life of 3 months (2 years [O]), be easily obtainable, and be able to withstand transport, storage, and usage. The shelf life items shall not require environmental controls (including temperature) for transport, storage, and usage.

Operational Availability. The TIC-VD shall be available 90% (95% [O]) of the time required to support identified missions.

Materiel Reliability. The TIC-VD shall have a probability of completing the designated mission, without experiencing an Operational Mission Failure (OMF), of 0.80. An OMF is defined as the inability to perform or a significant degradation in one or more of the essential functions. They also include those failure events resulting in a personal injury related Category I (catastrophic) or II (critical) hazard as defined in MIL-STD-882.

Built-In-Test (BIT) / Self-Test false alarms which indicate loss of one or more essential functions are also defined as OMFs.

Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF). The MTBF of essential functions shall be 1013 hours.

Mean Time Between Maintenance (MTBM) [O]. The MTBM shall be greater than 50 hours.

Mean Corrective Maintenance Time (MCMT). The MCMT of the TIC-VD shall not exceed 30 minutes (15 minutes [O]) at the organizational or field level. MCMT is defined as the total number of hours used to perform on-equipment corrective maintenance divided by the number of on-equipment maintenance events.

Interchangeability. The system shall include interchangeable components to the maximum extent practicable to minimize repair parts and ensure commonality. All assemblies and components that are interchangeable shall fit and function without the undue use of force.

Support equipment. The TIC-VD logistics support concept shall be developed so common or standard tools and test equipment shall be used throughout the system to the maximum extent possible. The TIC-VD shall be designed to allow for repair and replacement of subsystems or parts using common tools and test equipment within each Service. The need for new test program sets or programs associated with general purpose Test Measurement and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) shall be minimized.

Survivability.

Operating Temperature Range. The TIC-VD shall operate at temperatures from -20 °C (-32 °C [O]) to 49 °C. Any required calibration items shall operate at temperatures from 10 °C (-32 °C [O]) to 49 °C.

Storage Temperatures. The TIC-VD shall sustain storage temperatures ranging from -33 °C to 71 °C. System components must operate after storage at temperatures ranging from -33 °C to 71 °C.

Humidity. The TIC-VD shall operate in relative humidity ranging from 5% to 100% (see Rain).

Solar Radiation. The TIC-VD shall operate during and after exposure to solar radiation of 355 British Thermal Units per square foot per hour.

Fungus. The TIC-VD shall operate after exposure to fungal growth.

Salt Water Spray and Salt Fog. The TIC-VD shall operate during and after exposure to salt water spray (i.e., splash proof). The TIC-VD and packaged components shall operate after exposure to salt fog having a salt concentration of 5±1 percent (components packaged configuration).

Dust and Sand. The TIC-VD shall operate after exposure to heavy and light blowing dust and sand at the maximum operating temperature of 49 °C.

Rain. The TIC-VD shall operate after exposure to rain at the maximum operating temperature of 49 °C.

High Altitude. The TIC-VD shall operate after being subjected to altitudes up to 8,000 feet above sea level and withstand air transport in pressurized aircraft at altitudes up to 40,000 feet above sea level.

Rapid Decompression. In transport mode, the TIC-VD shall survive rapid decompression associated with an altitude change of 8,000 to 40,000 feet in not more than 30 seconds.

Vibration. The TIC-VD shall operate after exposure to vibration induced during rough handling, and withstand vibrations encountered during transportation.

Shock. The TIC-VD shall operate after exposure to shock associated with normal handling during transportation and delivery.

Rail Impact. The TIC-VD shall operate after normal railroad car impacts that occur during rail shipment.

Electromagnetic Interference and Compatibility. The TIC-VD shall be resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and not be a source of EMI in the intended operational environment. The TIC-VD shall conform to MIL-STD-461 requirements CE101, CE102, CS101, CS114, CS115, CS116, CS118, RS101, RS103, RE102, and RS103 as well as the MIL-STD-464 requirement for Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO).

Lightning Strike. The TIC-VD shall survive the lightning environment, as specified in MIL-STD-464 Lightning requirement for Electromagnetic Fields from Near Strike Lightning (cloud-to-ground), when in storage.

Battlefield Contaminants. The TIC-VD shall withstand exposure to contaminants encountered on the battlefield such as but not limited to petroleum, oil, and lubricants.

CBRN Contamination. The exterior of the TIC-VD and its non-consumable components shall be able to withstand the materiel-damaging effects of chemical warfare agents, biological agents, radiological contamination and toxic industrial chemicals without losing the ability to accomplish the assigned mission.

CBRN Decontamination. The exterior of the TIC-VD and its non- consumable components shall be capable of being decontaminated using standard procedures and non-corrosive decontaminants and procedures to reduce hazard to personnel operating and maintaining the system (e.g., soap and water, individual decontamination kits) without losing the ability to accomplish the assigned mission.

Data and Connectivity

Feature Lock: The TIC-VD shall include protection to permit lock down of features that may not be suitable for end-user control and to facilitate cybersecurity controls.

Data Transfer [T]. The TIC-VD shall be able to transmit data in a non-proprietary ascii stream via serial connection (e.g. RS232 or serial over USB).

Data Format [O]. The TIC-VD shall be able to create, store, and output the following minimum data: event date/time, event type, chemical detected, concentration (in % or ppm and mg/m3), and other relevant data. Extraction software shall be available to completely clean or wipe data from the systems within the kit.

Library Customization [O]. The library database and/or analysis methods shall be easily updatable to include other chemicals. It shall be possible for a user to add and name collected data to the library of the TIC-VD.

Removable Memory [O]. Identification systems shall include removable memory (i.e. secure digital card) that includes the identification results and data (e.g., spectra). The memory shall be accessible in the field by operators without the use of specialized tools.

Software Upgrades [O]. The TIC-VD base firmware/software shall be field upgradeable via external devices (e.g. SD card, USB flash drive, or similar devices), using external vendor provided software, or other standard methodologies used in upgrading firmware.

WiFi Connectivity [O]. For interconnectivity to other DR SKO components, the TIC-VD shall include a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) capability that meets IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with Wi‐Fi Protected Access protocol (WPA2 minimum). Wi-Fi shall be capable of being enable/disabled using the feature lock described above. The instrument shall include the capability to enable and disable WiFi at the maintainer level.

Bluetooth Connectivity [O]. The TIC-VD shall include a Bluetooth connection capability that meets Bluetooth v4.2, shall use a minimum of 128‐bit encryption, and shall include the ability for only the advanced user (password‐ protected account) to enable the Bluetooth. The instrument shall include the capability to enable and disable the Bluetooth connectivity by the operator.

USB and GPS Connectivity [O]. The TIC-VD shall include a physical port meeting Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard (2.0 or later). The TIC-VD shall interface with the military global positioning system so the location and date‐time group information can be captured and stored with the detection information for use in creating a CBRN report for data transmission to another DoD entity.

RFI RESPONSE GUIDELINES

Interested parties should submit a statement of capability outlining their understanding of the current industry capabilities as well as their own capabilities and past work that is relevant to this RFI. The statement of capability shall include:

Company name, mailing address, e‐mail address, telephone and facsimile (fax) numbers, website address (if applicable), and the name, telephone number, and email address of a point of contact having the authority and knowledge to clarify responses with US Government representatives.

Description of your organization's knowledge on the state of the art of sensor capabilities for rapidly detecting and identifying TICs for surveillance and reconnaissance purposes in more urban highly populated areas in addition to traditional battlefield environments.

Description of your organization's knowledge and experience in performing solutions for rapid detection and identification of TIC Vapor threats for surveillance and reconnaissance purposes that meet US Government requirements.

Your organization's input based on the current state of the art and research and development marketplace on any expertise needed to inform the design of any technology or prototype, highlighting issues that may affect production or an application in an operational environment.

Indication of your understanding of the requirement, and existing products that either meet or exceed the requirements set forth by this document or can be modified easily and quickly to meet the requirements. The Government would like to understand the capability of your device or instrument for each performance requirement identified within this RFI. If commercial or Government test data is available to validate this performance, please note this in your requirements assessment.

The RFI response should indicate the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) that your technical solution has obtained and a justification for the TRL level claim. All Government analysis of this TRL claim should be referenced, if applicable.

Buy American/Trade Agreements/Berry Amendment/ Procurement Restrictions/Compliance

The products and components that are being sought via this RFI shall be in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Buy American Act, Berry Amendment, and international trade agreements within which the US is a participant. For this program all (acquisition) products provided shall be end items that are manufactured or substantially transformed in the United States or a Qualifying or Designated country, as set forth in FAR 25.003. In your response you shall disclose if your product meets this requirement and if it does not what is preventing it from meeting the requirement. Additionally in your response to this RFI you shall provide disclosure for the following supply chain functions location (geographically and nationally): product design activity, product configuration management, software development and configuration control, manufacturing operations, and sources of supply for all major or critical components within your device. All royalty payments to non-domestic entities (US) which would result from procurement of your devices for US end users should be disclosed in your response to this RFI.

Cost Proposal and Shelf Life Declaration

The RFI submissions should include a rough order of magnitude cost estimate for the purchase of ten (10) system kits and five (5) calibration kits. The kits shall include all items required for a military operator to successfully calibrate, use, and maintain the TIC-VD systems during typical CBRN operations. The estimated costs shall be segregated such that the Government can evaluate system costs separately in relation to calibration kit costs. The rough order of magnitude cost estimate shall also clearly indicate items that require resupply due to shelf life expiration and the shelf life limitation for each impacted item. These estimated costs will be used by the Government to scope the funding requirements for any TIC-VD replacement requirements and will not be binding for current or future year procurement actions.

Loan of Test Items for Government Testing

After review of the RFI submissions the Government may select multiple responders for further evaluation that may include testing and analysis at Government test facilities and JHU-APL. The Government requests that up to five test instruments from each selected responder be made available at no cost to the Government for up to nine months for Government sponsored testing and analysis. Consumable items required for testing including calibration gases and gas specific sensor modules shall be purchased separately by the Government in sufficient quantities for all testing. The RFI submissions shall indicate agreement with the proposed loan agreement and all terms and conditions that the supplier would need to include within a loan agreement with the Government for these items.

Additional information based on the current state of the art and research and development marketplace that you believe the US Government should provide in order to receive sound information on integrating new capabilities for detecting and identifying TIC vapor threats into current capabilities.

The statement of capability shall be UNCLASSIFIED. Any information provided by industry to the US Government because of this RFI is strictly voluntary. The US Government will take into consideration the comments and suggestions provided but will not provide any responses to any comments or suggestions submitted.

Response Format

To better assist in the review of submittals to this RFI, respondents are encouraged to prepare a capabilities statement that closely adheres to the following format:

All responses shall be unclassified. The document format shall be either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx), or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) formats. Responses shall be prepared using 12 pt. font, 1 inch margins, and 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper. The total response shall not exceed eight (8) pages in length, including images, data displays, charts, graphs, and tables.

Respondents are encouraged to ensure their submittals are complete and address all items outlined within this RFI. Respondents may provide additional promotional literature in addition to their response as long as the literature conforms to the response format and the RFI response in total does not exceed eight (8) pages in length.

DUE DATE: All responses and correspondence should be submitted electronically via email to: valerie.d.holden-stewart.civ@army.mil and alex.m.schupp.civ@army.mil NO LATER THAN September 20, 2024 Eastern Standard Time

Disclaimer and Important Notes: This notice does not constitute any commitment by the Army Contracting Commend- APG Edgewood Contracting Division or obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response to this notice. The Government reserves the right to use this information provided by the respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Subject matter experts from The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL) under a contractual relationship to the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) will be assisting the Government in the review of all submitted material. Subject matter experts from The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) under a contractual relationship to the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) will be testing selected respondent’s equipment to verify conformance to the requirements set forth in this RFI and evaluate this equipment suitability for the DRSKO mission.

Any organization responding to this RFI notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Responses to this RFI notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response.