June 16, 2020 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has announced that it intends to award a sole source fixed-price purchase order to Mechdyne Corporation for the software/hardware maintenance renewal of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH) Division of Safety Research’s (DSR) virtual reality CAVE system. The work will be performed both on site and off-site.
Based in Iowa, US, Mechdyne specializes in audiovisual and information technologies, visualization and software solutions, immersive virtual and augmented reality technologies, and technical support services. Its CAVE systems are built with Direct View LED display technology. CAVE systems in general help to bring ‘walk in’ immersive experiences to users, enabling them to step into what is essentially a room with projections displayed on the walls and ceiling, thus the use of a virtual reality headset is not required.
The contract works will involve:
- Providing two on-site preventative maintenance visits;
- Providing two on-site emergency visits; and
- Providing unlimited phone and email support during normal business hours of 8am – 5pm (CST).
According to the notice published by the CDC, the contract period will consist of a base year that runs from August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021, with options to extend for three years thereafter, potentially taking the contract up to July 31, 2024.
This contract action is for supplies or services for which the US Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulatory’s Simplified Acquisition Procedures.
However, interested persons or businesses may still identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirements listed above or submit proposals. The notice published by the CDC is not a request for competitive quotations, but all quotations and responses received before June 17, 2020 will be considered by the government.
Any information that the CDC receives will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether the organization will go through a competitive procurement process instead.
For more information on how to submit information to the CDC for the requested Virtual Reality CAVE system, please email contact@auganix.org. The deadline for submissions to the CDC is 12:00 pm EDT on June 17, 2020.
Image credit: Mechdyne Corporation
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Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.