Blood Box, Product

This is a Sources Sought Notice Only.

This is not a Request for Proposal for Quote, or Invitation for Bid.

DLA Troop Support is seeking to identify possible sources that can manufacture the item listed below or provide a comparable commercial product or similar item with the same form, fit, and function. A detailed item description is listed below, and drawings are attached for your review. Interested contractors will be required to submit a complete technical data package, which will be forwarded to the Engineering Support Activity (ESA) for review. This technical package must include a similar product for comparison by the ESA showing the same form, fit, and function.

DLA Troop Support is in the process of seeking sources for national stock number 8115-00-935-0761. This item is a Blood Box Product. Interested parties must submit their drawings.

Interested contractors should contact Avril Dickerson, DLA Troop Support – Directorate of Construction and Equipment, at Avril.Dickerson@dla.mil or 445-737-7976 prior to 13 June 2025.

National Stock Number: 8115-00-935-0761

Description of Product: (see below)

NSN 8115-009359761

NAICS 326140

Material. The outer box shall be solid weatherproof fiberboard. The Insert, insert cover, and partitions shall be polystyrene foam.

Outer box. Box shall be constructed of corrugated fiberboard, having a dry bursting strength of either 275 or 350 pounds per square inch. Box shall be weather resistant, front side of box shall be coated with “Michaelman Wax” as indicated on drawing 25019. The outer box shall be suitable for holding the fully loaded, assembled insert, and insert cover.

OUTER BOX, AND INNER BOX; OUTER SHALL BE CORRUGATED, WEATHERPROOF, FIBERBOARD; INNER IS ONE PC MOLDED POLYSTYRENE FOAM W/COVER AND REMOVABLE PARTITIONS; PARTITION SIZE 5.5 IN. H,15 IN. W,0.50 IN.THK; INCLUDES 2 ICE BAGS,8104-01-266-7411; HOLDS 30 UNITS RED BLOOD CELLS CONTAINED IN 600ML BAGS OR 27 UNITS RED BLOOD CELLS CONTAINED IN 800ML BAGS PLUS 14 LBS BAGGED ICE CUBES UNIT OF ISSUE - EA(EACH).

Insert, insert cover, and partitions. The Insert, insert cover, and partitions shall be foam molded parts of polystyrene. Molded foam shall be firm in composition and essentially unicellular or closed cell structure. The color of the end product shall be natural or neutral with no color additives. The molded foam shall be free from any objectionable odor and shall not contain any fire-retardant additives. The inserts shall have sufficient capacity for receiving and holding 30 units of packed red blood cells contained in 600ml blood bags or 27 units of packed blood cells contained in 800ml blood bags plus 14 pounds of bagged, cubed ice. The complete whole blood shipping box including a full pack of PRBC and 14 pounds of bagged, cubed ice shall not exceed 75 pounds. When fully packed, the box shall be capable of passing through a circular opening with a twenty-five-inch diameter.

Polystyrene foam. The Polystyrene foam shall be fabricated of expandable medium-size polystyrene beads which shall be aged for a minimum of 10 hours and maximum of 48 hours after pre-expansion. The polystyrene shall have a density range of 2.0 to 2.4 pounds per cubic feet. The molded foam (insert, insert cover, and partitions) shall have a minimum compressive strength of 18 psi and a maximum average thermal conductivity of 0.28 BTU per inch per hour per square foot per degree Fahrenheit.

Plastic bags. Bags shall be fabricated from extruded, seamless, lay-flat, polyethylene tubing. Wall thickness shall average 0.004 inch and minimum thickness at any point shall be not less than 0.0036 inch. Polyethylene shall be 100 percent virgin material of the best quality.

Blood product shipping box. The blood product shipping box shall consist of a rectangular outer fiberboard box, and the following molded foam components: an insert with two removable partitions, and an insert cover. The blood product shipping box shall be in accordance with drawing 25019. Blood shipping box shall be suitable for shipping refrigerated whole blood with conditioning medium. Fully loaded blood box shall be capable of maintaining temperature requirements. Box shall not exceed 50◦F starting with a pre-conditioned temperature of 39◦F plus or minus 1◦F for a minimum of 48 hours. Weight of unloaded blood shipping box (outer box, insert, insert cover, partitions and two empty temperature conditioning medium bags) shall not exceed 9-1/2 pounds.