Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JULY 09, 2006 FBO #1686
SOLICITATION NOTICE

99 -- OPTICAL MATERIALS MICROSCOPE WITH HEATING STAGE TO UPGRADE ZEISS PHOTOMICROSCOPE III AND AXIO VISION IMAGING SYSTEM

Notice Date

7/7/2006
 

Notice Type

Solicitation Notice
 

NAICS

541380 — Testing Laboratories
 

Contracting Office

Library of Congress, Contracts Services, Contracts Section, 101 Independence Ave SE LA-325, Washington, DC, 20540-9411
 

ZIP Code

20540-9411
 

Solicitation Number

LSP20060114
 

Response Due

7/28/2006
 

Archive Date

8/12/2006
 

Description

The Library of Congress intends to purchase through sole source from Carl Zeiss, Inc., whose local distributor is Hitech Instruments, 855 Sussex Blvd, Broomall, PA 19008, an optical materials microscope with heating stage to upgrade PR&TD's current Zeiss Photomicroscope III and AxioVision Imaging System for use in the analysis, characterization, and imaging of library materials and Library of Congress collection objects. It is the Library's understanding that Carl Zeiss is the only vendor who can provide an optical materials microscope that is capable of meeting the Library?s critical performance requirements to upgrade the Preservation Research & Testing Division's existing instrument, a Zeiss Photomicroscope III and AxioVision Imaging System, that also meets the following needs: the microscope must have a planetary focus mechanism, which uses ball bearings instead of gears for the primary drive mechanism, for smooth motion, resistance to wear, and enhanced durability; the microscope must have the capability to do circular DIC and Polarizing techniques, thus eliminating the need for a circular stage to rotate the sample to view the DIC image at different orientations; the microscope must have the nosepiece, stage carrier, and focus mechanism coupled together to be isolated from the rest of the stand to maximize thermal stability and provide mechanical vibration free performance to reduce distortion and ensure the clarity and resolution of digital images captured at increasing magnification; the microscope must have apochromatically corrected relay lenses in the reflected light illumination beam path to deliver images that have the most representative color rendition of the sample at all magnifications; the nosepiece must be 6 position with M27 threads in all positions, and be digitally encoded to communicate with the controller and other external devices to permit maximum flexibility in exchanging optics; the reflector cubes must be mounted in a turret of at least 6 positions; the reflector turret must be encoded to allow feedback of the current position to external devices including computers; the reflector cubes must have light traps to dampen stray light to maximize contrast and resolution; the microscope must include a 12V100W halogen illuminator that has the ability to center the position of the bulb to allow precise centering of the bulb for Kohler illumination; a pre-centered bulb is not acceptable; the microscope must have a simultaneously mounted double lamp housing mount for the reflected light illumination to allow the user to easily switch from one to the other via a rotating mirror; the microscope must have the capability to be able to make TIC (total interference contrast) measurements of thin layers; the microscope must have the capability to be able to use an LED illuminator in the transmitted light path; the microscope must have the capability to be able to view darkfield with a single turret condenser in the range from 2.5X objective to 100X objective without changing over the condenser; the microscope must include fluorescence filters and compatible epi-fluorescence objectives; the microscope must include a heating stage and appropriate accessories; the vendor must provide a trade-in value of at least $5000.00 for the PR&TD Zeiss Photomicroscope III; the vendor must provide trade-ins for the PR&TD AxioCam and controller to upgrade these components such that they are compatible with the latest version of AxioVision digital imaging software, which stores images in ZVI format to allow the microscope and camera parameters to be stored with the digital images, and which is currently used by PR&TD; the vendor must provide training for PR&TD staff in the features and operation of the microscope and all accessories; the parts must be supplied by a local distributor who can provide 24-hour service response. Any other company that, at the time of application, (1) is either legally incorporated as a U.S. business entity or capable of demonstrating through its business plan its intention to be fully incorporated as a U.S. business, and (2) believes that it can provide all of the parts and accessories listed above and can meet all the above performance requirements can apply to the Library for consideration.
 

Place of Performance

Address: 101 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, WASHINGTON DC

Zip Code: 20540-4560

Country: UNITED STATES
 

Record

SN01084821-W 20060709/060707221716 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

---

| FSG Index  |  This Issue's Index  |  Today's FBO Daily Index Page |