SAM # 75D30126Q78873

NIOSH Mobile App Validation and User Experience Study for Respirator Fit

NIOSH, part of the CDC, is seeking a contractor to validate and refine a mobile application for facial measurement and respirator fit prediction. - Government Buyer: - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Office of Acquisition Services - Products/Services Requested: - Validation study and user experience testing for NIOSH mobile app - Testing of 200 human subjects (CLIN 0001) - Development and support of a smartphone test rig (CLIN 0002) - Optional testing of 25 additional subjects (CLIN 0003) - IRB protocol support if required (CLINs 0004, 1002) - Fit testing of 25 subjects with N95 respirators during option period (CLIN 1001) - Contractor to provide all labor, materials, technical support, data processing, and reporting - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Human participant testing with diverse subjects - Development and assessment of a low-cost face measuring tool (e.g., paper ruler/template) - Fabrication and maintenance of a smartphone test rig with adjustable settings - IRB protocol acquisition and maintenance if required - Monthly progress and final reports - Collaboration with NIOSH throughout the project - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or commercial vendors are named; NIOSH is the developer of the mobile app - Place of Performance: - Pittsburgh, PA (NIOSH location) - CDC Chamblee Campus, Atlanta, GA (contracting office) - Period of Performance: - Base period of one year with an option for an additional year; optional tasks may be exercised within the base period - Estimated Contract Value: - Mid five-figure to low six-figure range, based on scope and participant numbers - Primary Competitors: - Companies specializing in human factors research, biometric measurement, and respirator fit testing services

Description

 Overview: Respiratory protection research and panel sizing requirements currently rely on manual measurements based on the NIOSH Bivariate Panel (face length and width measurements) and the NIOSH Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Panel (10 facial measurements). NIOSH has developed a beta version of a mobile application for smartphones and tablets for measuring people’s faces and classifying them into the NIOSH panels. Additionally, the application will provide a prediction of respirator models with a likelihood to fit. This contract is for the application validation testing, user experience study testing, development of a low-cost face measuring tool (such as a paper-printed ruler or paper face size template) and its assessment, and additional respirator fit testing to support the application’s respirator fit predictions.  This contract requires human participant testing to support validation of a mobile application Beta version developed by NIOSH. The primary objective of NIOSH’s validation study is to estimate discrepancies between panel classifications and facial dimension measurements determined by calipers, currently the standard instrument for taking such measurements, and those determined by the mobile application. The contractor shall assist NIOSH in refining the study design and developing test protocols. The contractor shall recruit test participants of diverse face sizes and races/skin tones, to potentially include some participants whose face/head size fall outside the panels. The contractor shall perform all participant measurements and respirator fit testing. To complement the validation study, the contractor shall work with NIOSH to develop a survey-based user experience study. Additionally, to accommodate those who do not have access to mobile devices, the contractor shall develop a low-cost face measuring tool (such as a paper-printed ruler or paper face size template) and work with NIOSH to assess the performance of this tool relative to the calipers and mobile application. The contractor shall work closely with NIOSH to ensure the success of this project.

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