Health and Human Services (HHS) - Wide Procurement of Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) Suits- Personal Protective Equipment

Active

Contract Opportunity

The purpose of this acquisition is to obtain multiple models of BSL-4 Positive Pressure Suits for use

at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC). The NIH Division of Logistics Services (DLS), through the Office of Logistics and

Acquisition Operations (OLAO), OALM, NIH, intends to award a sole-source firm-fixedprice

purchase order to Protective Industrial Products, Inc. (WX8TVG6ZFT64). The total estimated

value of the purchase order, inclusive of all options, is $3,075,975 (see breakdown in the table

below). The Government projects award no later than August 17, 2026. The planned period of

performance is a base and two option years, commencing on August 17, 2026, through

August 16, 2029, (if all option periods are exercised).

The Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations (OLAO) within OALM, NIH,

anticipates awarding one purchase order for Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) positive pressure suits to support

NIH and CDC personnel and researchers.

The required procurement is for Honeywell brand protective suits designed specifically for life science

personnel working within high-containment BSL-4 laboratory environments dealing with high-risk

pathogens and deadly biological agents. Multiple models of BSL-4 positive pressure suits within the

Honeywell product line will be procured under acquisition for mission critical functions.

The requirement to procure the Honeywell brand is specific to this manufacturer, as no other vendor

produces a functional equivalent that integrates seamlessly into the established laboratory

infrastructure. The Honeywell suit is the only option among the marketplace that meets the salient

characteristics (see table below) required for the specific research environments in NIH’s National

Institute of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and CDC. The following table

lists the required safety criteria for BSL-4 positive pressure suits:

Required Safety Criteria for BSL-4 Positive Pressure Suits

Manufacturer must be able to meet demands of NIH facilities with need of ~200 per year

Must be durable to withstand repeated use without defects

Must demonstrate chemical compatibility with disinfectants used in the BSL-4 without degradation

Suit ensemble must be offered in at least 5 unique and different sizes (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)

Breathing airlines must be placed to accommodate human physiology

Suit must not have noise levels that require hearing protection

Breathing air flow rate must be 16-34 cubic feet per minute (CFM)

Airline specifications must work with NIH BSL-4 facilities design (e.g., 80-100 psi maximum with 60 psi operational set point)

Exhaust valves must be protected from direct chemical or other hazardous liquid splashes, must automatically seal upon disconnection from breathing air, and must have internal screens to protect from interference

Suit gloves must attach to the suit using interface components to secure them to the suit and allow use of gloves currently in use at NIH BSL-4 facilities

Suit must include internal HEPA filter on the breathing air line

The color must be light so that splashes or contamination is easily visible on the surface

Seams must be smooth to ensure effective decontamination with no excess fabric

Temperature in the suit must not exceed 26C during continuous use for up to 5 hours

Suit must have two different options for footwear, either with an attached outer boot or stocking feet that can be slipped into external shoes

Must have shelf life of at least 5 years

Suit must be designed in such a way that it can be tested by quantitative pressure decay test to ensure proper function and seal

Visor or headpiece must have 300 degrees of transparency to ensure proper visibility of surroundings

Suit must weigh less than or equal to10 lbs. to minimize stress to the user.

Please see attached CSS document for full details.

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