University of North Texas-Fire Fighter Glove Study

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to award a sole source firm fixed price purchase order to the University of North Texas for the Professional Services to experimentally evaluate the temperature control performances of the phase change material (PCM)-incorporated structural firefighting gloves for hand thermal protection. There are other researchers who are studying on PCM technologies for thermal managements, but most of them work with low-temperature or medium-temperature PCMs (melting points below 500 °C) or lack of experimental experiences. The existing facilities combined with UNT’s team’s unique expertise on PCMs will significantly enhance the speed of this study, ensuring the completion of this project in a timely manner. The expertise of UNT’s team on high-temperature PCM testing is essentail as not all the potential contractor’s can handle extreme high-temperature heat transfer experiments because it creates additional challenges for materials and facilities under high operating temperatures. UNT has the unique expertise to overcome these challenges in the experiments. Moreover, UNT has all the facilities to measure material thermal properties and conduct high-temperature heat transfer tests, which others do not have the ability to provide. This contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) (SAP) and 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). Interested parties may identify their interest and submit documentation of their capability to respond to the requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all responses received within seven (7) days of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Any response should be emailed to the appropriate point of contact at [email protected] by 11:00 AM on 28 May 2021.