Request for Information (RFI) - Blood Product Shipping Container

Introduction

The purpose of this request is to obtain information from industry to support the government’s intent to identify commercially available blood shipping containers for transport of frozen and refrigerated human blood products. This request is a market research effort undertaken by the government which will be used for information gathering purposes. The information received may be used for acquisition planning purposes and may help define future requirements for the subject items. This is not a request for quote or proposal.

Vendors are requested to provide information about their Blood Product Shipping Containers. Vendors are requested to provide responses to this RFI for each of the stated characteristics. Responses for each salient characteristic should be in the form of yes, no, or descriptive explanation. Additional comments may be provided for all responses. Please provide supporting documentation with response. If you do not have any items which meet the minimum characteristics/specifications, please provide information on which items you have available as an alternative.

Information pertaining to this RFI can be emailed to Ketan.Datta@dla.mil.

Scope

Blood Product shipping containers are nonpowered, insulated containers designed for safe transport of frozen and refrigerated liquid blood products. These containers provide passive cooling utilizing wet or dry ice to maintain prescribed temperature range(s).

Characteristics/Specifications

1. The blood product shipping container should be of durable construction, consisting of a rectangular rigid outer box containing an insulating inner box.
   
   
   
   1. Exterior rigid single wall corrugated material, meeting a minimum 350-pound bursting strength; wax coated label area and hook-and-loop-fasteners.
   
   
   2. Interior consist of molded high-density expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation with at least 2.2 PCF density. Self-sealing pressure fit EPS lid; 2 EPS dividers with at least a 2.0 PCF density. Contains two (2) leakproof polybags, clear 4mil, to hold the cooling medium.
   
   
   
   


2. Approximate dimensions of the blood shipping container:
   
   
   
   1. Interior: Approximately18 inches (L) X 19 inches (W) X 16 inches (H), providing 3.2 cubic feet of capacity.
   
   
   2. Exterior: Approximately 19.37 inches (W) x 18.25 inches (L) x 17 inches (H)
   
   
   
   


3. The blood shipping container should accommodate the following payload capacity in addition to ice needed for cooling:
   
   
   
   1. 20 units Whole Blood or 30 units Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBC) or 15 units Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) or 15 units Frozen Red Blood Cells (FRBC) or 30 units Cryoprecipitate.
   
   
   2. Ice for cooling: Approximately 14 pounds of wet ice or 20-30 pounds of dry ice.
   
   
   
   


4. Weight of the unpacked container should not exceed 9.5 pounds. Weight of the fully loaded container (blood product + wet ice) should be between 44 -54 lbs.


5. Fully loaded the blood product shipping container shall maintain the temperature of the contents as follows: liquid products: 1-10° C; Frozen Red Blood Cell Units colder than -30° C, Frozen Plasma/Cryoprecipitate colder than -18° C


6. The blood shipping container will maintain temperature for a minimum of 48 hours without re-icing.


7. Exterior label identifies contents as HUMAN BLOOD.


8. Exterior label should indicate contents are perishable and avoid heating or freezing.


9. Exterior label indicates that container is fragile and arrow to show top of the box.