Confined Space Rescue Equipment

The Bureau of Reclamation's Northern California Area Office is procuring confined-space rescue equipment and associated training services through a sole-source solicitation (140R2026Q0055). The procurement includes personal protective gear sets in three sizes (small, medium, large), rescue technician kits, stretcher packs, safety equipment such as litters, ropes, carabiners, and harnesses, as well as specialized rescue apparatus including TerrAdaptor tripod systems and Petzl belay/rappel gloves. The government is seeking items with a 60-day delivery lead time after receipt of order, and contract award will be based on price reasonableness as determined by the Contracting Officer using market research comparisons, previous purchase comparisons, and industry-related pricing analysis. The solicitation specifically requires brand-name American Emergency Response Training (AERT) components for all personal gear sets due to AERT's exclusive proprietary licenses, specialized methodologies, and unique technical expertise in confined-space rescue training. The offer due date is April 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time, with quotes to be submitted electronically to mouang_phan@ios.doi.gov.

Although the RFQ document identifies this as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) set-aside, the Determination document clarifies this is a sole-source procurement awarded to American Emergency Response Training (AERT), Inc., located in Rockford, Tennessee, based on the contractor's exclusive technical capabilities and proprietary training methodologies. The procurement involves 11 personal gear sets and 1 rescue technician kit with specific quantities: 2 small, 6 medium, and 3 large gear sets, along with detailed equipment specifications across multiple line items (CLINs 00010-00210). The contract will be awarded as a Firm Fixed Price purchase order, with delivery required to the Northern California Area Office in Shasta Lake, California, and all items must include standard commercial warranties and proper protection from corrosion and damage during transit. Market research identified 55 total vendors in the relevant NAICS category (339999), though only 10 were capable of supplying the required items, and only AERT could provide the specialized training services necessary for operational safety and compliance with Bureau of Reclamation safety requirements.