Arc Flash PPE Rental and Laundry Services

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE THIS IS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR A REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS AND DOES NOT COMMIT THE GOVERNMENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE to determine offerors who can provide services for leasing Arc-Flash rated garments and weekly laundering services. Small Businesses (e.g., 8(a), Service-disabled veteran owned small business, HUBZone small business, Small disadvantaged business, Veteran-owned small business, and Women-owned small business) are encouraged to respond to this notice under NAICS code 812332.NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) is seeking services for leasing Arc-Flash rated garments and weekly laundering services at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus in Gaithersburg, MD.This is a Sources Sought ONLY, not a Request for Proposals (RFP) and does not commit the Government to award a contract now or in the future. The

purpose of this synopsis is to identify organizations with the requisite qualifications to provide the services stated herein. Requirements are as follows: Contractor Furnished Items: The contractor shall furnish all facilities, equipment, labor, material, and transportation to provide arc-flash rated garments and weekly laundry services in accordance with the terms and conditions herein. The contractor shall provide only new, not previously worn garments.Quantities: Contractor shall provide 50 employees with 11 new sets of Arc-Flash category 2 garments. As the overall number of employees requiring an arc-flash garment changes or if employee requires a size change during the contract period, the contractor shall be notified in writing of these changes by NIST COR in writing. The contractor shall provide new, not previously worn garments.Certificate of Compliance: The contractor shall submit all arc-flash rated garments / materials certifications with bid proposal. All garments / materials shall meet current industry standards in accordance with ASTM, NFPA 70E, and OSHA for category 2 rated arc-flash protection & laundering specifications.Garment Measurements: To ensure a proper fit, the contractor shall visit the NIST campus to measure all identified employees requiring arc-flash garments.Weekly Pick-Up & Deliveries: The contractor shall pick up and deliver garments weekly, on a reoccurring negotiated day and time. Laundry Process: All NIST garments shall be “Lot” laundered (washed separate from all other customers). All laundry process shall meet current ASTM, NFPA, and manufacture’s requirements. All (SDS) Safety Data Sheets shall be submitted with the proposal for any laundry process, I.E., soap or other products used in the laundry process. Coveralls Laundering and Rental: Periodically the contractor shall provide laundry service for Government owned arc-flash coveralls that are ASTM/OSHA compliant with respect to NFPA 70E arc flash protection. The contractor’s laundry procedures shall meet those used when laundering the arc rated garments, such that the work coverall’s flame-resistant properties are not reduced. These Government owned coveralls shall be laundered and returned to NIST OFPM within one week. Periodically the Government may request to rent a pair of arc flash coverall(s) from the contractor while an employee’s corresponding pair of Government owned work coverall(s) are being laundered by the contractor. Work coverall(s) available for rent through the contractor shall be ASTM/OSHA compliant with respect to providing NFPA 70E arc flash protection.Garment Maintenance and Repair: The contractor shall maintain the garments in good order by ensuring they are free of any defects, i.e., holes, tears, fabric defects, stains, uneven dyeing, lose or frayed stitches, or anything else that shall affect their ASTM/OSHA compliance, arc flash rating serviceability, or appearance. The contractor shall be responsible for replacing buttons, zippers, etc., and patching small rips, tears, or frayed materials on a garment as required. All garments shall be returned to NIST within two weeks at no additional cost to the Government. The Government shall notify the contractor of requested repairs by affixing a repair tag provided by the contractor to the garment and specifying the repair(s). The contractor shall perform minor alterations (e.g., adjustments to the waist and length of pants, and to the sleeve length and shirt tail of shirts) at no additional cost to the Government. Garments that are torn or worn beyond repair shall be replaced with new, not previously worn garments at no additional cost to the Government. The COR/OFPM Electric Shop Supervisor shall make the final determination as to whether a garment is torn or worn beyond repair. Garments shall remain the same color as if they were new, if not the garment shall be replaced. Garments in need of replacement due to normal wear and tear shall be replaced with new garments during the term of the agreement, on an as needed basis, and in all cases, at the discretion of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or the NIST OFPM Electric Shop Supervisor. The contractor shall afford the Government 4 weeks to return all old garments before billing for any missing garments.Garment Returns: Garments that are no longer required by NIST shall be returned to the contractor and the weekly laundering/rental fee shall be reduced accordingly. If the Government fails to return any garment it will pay the contractor a negotiated percentage value of the missing garment based on the remaining life of the garment. The contractor shall allow the Government a minimum of four weeks to gather and return the garments before billing for missing garments.Garment Exchanges: Garment replacements for size changes shall be provided at no additional cost to the Government for UP TO A MAX OF 22 GARMENT PIECES. ADDITIONAL ITEMS SHALL BE PER UNIT PRICE. The contractor shall replace identified garments requiring size changes (within industry standard sizes) within two weeks of the request date. The contractor shall allow the Government a minimum of four weeks to gather and return the former garments after the new garments have been received.Contractor Inventory: The contractor shall maintain an accurate inventory of all garments provided to the Government. The contractor shall maintain an (electronic bar code or RFID tracking system) inventory system that identifies each garment in “real-time” by employee’s name, employee’s assigned number, number of individual garments (shirts and pants) assigned, and quantity of individual garments being picked-up or delivered for weekly laundry. This electronic log shall also include all garments sent-out for repairs and the status of the repair with an estimated return date of the garment. Garments not returned from the laundry the following week or requested repair garments within two weeks of pick-up date shall be replaced the following delivery date with a new garment(s) at no additional charge to the Government. Contractor shall supply NIST COR access to view this electronic inventory system in “real time”. It is the contractor’s burden to meet NIST security protocol or provide an alternative means to allow the NIST COR to access the electronic inventory system. Health and Safety: The contractor shall supply the OFPM Safety Representative and the COR with safety data sheets for all chemicals used to launder the arc-flash garments. OFPM retains the right to reject any garment that causes an adverse effect upon one of its employees. Adverse effects include, but are not limited to: headache; eye, dermal, nasal, or throat irritation and/or sensitization; nausea; and dizziness. If the cleaning process used or the fabric supplied causes an individual employee to have an allergic reaction, the contractor shall provide an alternate cleaning method or alternate fabric for that employee at no additional cost to the Government.Arc-Flash Garments; Minimum Specifications:Shirts: Fabric and Style: Shirts shall be long sleeve and made of a flame-resistant material with a protection value of not less than 8 cal/cm2 and shall be ASTM/OSHA compliant (with respect to NFPA 70E arc flash category (2) protection). All shirts shall be new upon delivery to the Government and not previously worn. Shirts shall have a minimum of one front pocket and be of a quality and style generally accepted as industry standard arc-flash garments. Shirts shall have the employee’s name and identification number marked on the inside collar for identification purposes. Bar codes are acceptable provided that some other form of identification is also present.Sizes: Shirts shall be available in both men’s and women’s sizes from small to 3x including tall sizes. In accordance with these specifications.Pants:Fabric and style: Pants shall be made of a flame-resistant material with a protection value of not less than 8 cal/cm2 and shall be ASTM/OSHA compliant (with respect to NFPA 70E arc flash level two protection). All pants shall be new upon delivery to the Government and not previously worn. The fabric shall have permanent press and soil release finishes. Pants shall have a plain front with two quarter top pockets and two back hip pockets. Flame retardant cargo style pants shall be offered if available. Pants shall have regular (not flared) leg bottoms and shall be double stitched with no cuff at the end of the legs. Pants shall be of a quality and style generally accepted as industry standard. Pants shall be available in regular and full cut/loose fit. Pants shall have the employee’s name and his/her identification number marked on the inside for identification purposes. Bar codes are acceptable provided that another form of identification is also present.Sizes: Men’s pants shall be available in waist sizes from 28 inches to 54 inches with an inseam of 28 inches to 36 inches and shall be altered to fit as needed at no additional cost to the Government. In accordance with these specifications. Women’s pants shall be available in sizes 4 to 24 with an inseam of 26 inches to 34 inches and shall be altered to fit as needed at no additional cost to the Government.Interested PartiesInterested, capable Arc-Flash PPE and laundry service entities shall submit a capability statement in response to this Sources Sought Notice, including, at a minimum, the following: Offeror's name, address, points of contact with telephone numbers and email addresses.Business information to include Unique Entity ID, type/size of company, NAICS code, and Social Economic status (SB SDB, WOSB, HUBZone, VOSB or SDVOSB) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov.C. Experience to include the following:Technical discussion of Contractor experience with items #1 in addition to “a” through “l” Identify whether you are interested in this acquisition as a prime contractor or a subcontractorIdentify and clearly mark any proprietary processes or data.Responses are requested to not exceed a total of 20 pages.No phone calls will be accepted for this notice.The synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. This is not a solicitation announcement for proposals, and no contract will be awarded from this announcement.No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow-up information requests.Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. All information submitted in response to this announcement must arrive on or before the closing date. All capability statements shall be submitted via e-mail to the point of contact listed below.Responses must be submitted no later than Friday, February 10, 2023, at 11:00 am (EDT). Documentation should be sent via email to:Primary Point of Contact: Laurie Morris laurie.morris@nist.govSecondary Point of Contact: Jillian Staskin jillian.staskin@nist.gov