RFI for Respirators for USWFS

The Department of the Interior's Interior Business Center is conducting a Request for Information to identify commercially available air-purifying respirator systems for the U.S. Wildland Fire Services, with responses due by October 23, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This is market research for planning purposes only; no contracts will be awarded and no funds are available.

The government seeks half-facepiece reusable APRs that are NIOSH-approved with a minimum OSHA Assigned Protection Factor of 10, ideally meeting the National Fire Protection Association 1984 Standard for Class 2 respirators. Respirators must protect against smoke particulates, organic vapors, and formaldehyde while functioning during high ambient temperatures, heavy physical exertion, extended wear periods, heavy sweat and moisture, high dust and ash levels, and transportation through rugged terrain. Desired characteristics include replaceable cartridges, durability for wildland firefighting environments, reusable components capable of repeated cleaning, field-maintainable parts, and compatibility with quantitative fit testing equipment. Products must also integrate with wildland firefighter equipment including helmets, eye protection, hearing protection, communication systems, and line gear.

Responses limited to 25 pages must cover corporate information (company name, UEI, GSA Schedule number if applicable, business size, federal contract history, wildfire experience), technical specifications (product description, respiratory protection performance, operational suitability, equipment compatibility, maintenance procedures, fit testing requirements, wildfire smoke performance data, manufacturing capacity and production lead times), and Rough Order of Magnitude pricing for 100 and 1,000-unit initial purchases covering respirators, cartridges, replacement parts, and annual operating costs. Submit responses to Jason_Nuckols@ibc.doi.gov with subject line "RFI for Wildland Fire Respiratory Protection."