SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- SPECIAL NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE - ACTIVE SPECTRUM INC
- Notice Date
- 3/25/2015
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- USACE ITL, GSL, EL, CHL, Vicksburg, 3909 HALLS FERRY ROAD, VICKSBURG, MS 39180-6199
- ZIP Code
- 39180-6199
- Solicitation Number
- W81EWF50061328
- Archive Date
- 3/24/2016
- Point of Contact
- Amanda Andrews, 601-634-5249
- E-Mail Address
-
USACE ITL, GSL, EL, CHL, Vicksburg
(amanda.andrews@usace.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis (IAW FAR 13.106-1) with Active Spectrum Inc., 1191 Chess Dr. Ste F, Foster City, CA 94404-1192, as the only responsible source that can provide an upgrade to the Active Spectrum Micro-ESR hardware and software for the Environmental Chemistry Branch (ECB). Specifications and requirements are given below that the upgraded ESR must comply with: SPECIFICATIONS: The system must have upgraded magnetic pole pieces. The system must have an improved electronics package, including improved RF tuning, signal acquisition time and overall performance The system must have an improved, high resolution tuner The system must have a new and updated software package After several years of successful operation of the current Micro-ESR system across a number of projects, it has become apparent that the currently constituted instrument is not capable of achieving the sensitivity requirements necessary for future projects. This lack of sensitivity is due to a number of factors, including the age of the instrument and software, the advances in technology since original purchase of the instrument and the finer level of detailed data collection required by current projects. With these requested upgrades, this unit is capable of achieving this high level of precision ( greater than 5x sensitivity and significantly reduced data acquisition time requirements) at a significantly reduced cost compared to full-scale electron spin resonance (ESR) instruments. ESR data of this type is necessary to determine the type and quantity of reactive species in photo-oxidized systems, which is crucial for understanding increased photo-induced toxicity of insensitive munitions explosive (IMX) munitions as part of the Eco-life cycle assessment (LCA) focus area. This unit will also be used for other projects dealing with radical generation, including reactive membrane work in the Decontamination Effluent treatment focus area, photocatalytic water treatment projects being carried out by the Chemistry branch, and several future projects being proposed under Basic Research. This request is in line with EL's and ERDC's mission to support the Corps by performing research and development related to the nature of nano-materials. Assessment of the needs for the system, which was originally produced by Active Spectrum, as well as other ESR systems on the market, indicates that Active Spectrum is the only resource for the necessary upgrades to the Micro-ESR system. The requested upgrades include: Shaped pole pieces. Upgrades to the magnetic pole pieces will significantly increase the field uniformity in the magnetic sampling cavity, producing higher resolution, better signal amplitude and reduced background noise. Improved electronics. The improved RF electronics will improve tuning, signal acquisition time and overall performance. Higher resolution tuner. The high resolution tuner gives 20 times greater resolution than our current hardware, allowing more precise and repeatable tuning. Better software. The upgraded software includes a new signal-processing and simulation package and allows analysis of much larger data sets. Reasons for requesting a sole-source contract for upgrade: No other manufacturer produces magnetic pole pieces that fit this instrument, since the design is proprietary. The electronics package is unique to this system, and Active Spectrum is the only company that creates and installs these electronics. The improved resolution from the tuner requires that the tuner interface with the hardware in our current system No outside software (other than Active Spectrum) can communicate with the instrument, control the instrument or allow visualization of the raw data from the instrument. Upgrading the current system through Active Spectrum will allow the necessary resolution at a fraction of the cost of acquiring a new instrument. This acquisition is being conducted under simplified acquisition procedures. There are no set-aside restrictions for this requirement. The intended procurement will be classified under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 334516 with a Small Business Size Standard of 500 employees. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation document exists for this requirement. However, parties interested in responding to this notice shall submit technical data, including price, sufficient to determine capability in providing the same or similar product. All capability statements received by the closing date of this publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Capability statements shall be submitted only by e-mail as a Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel, or Adobe PDF attachment to Amanda.Andrews@usace.army.mil. Statements are due by 1200 (12:00pm) Central Standard Time 3 April 2015. No phone calls will be accepted. Point of Contact Amanda Andrews, Contract Specialist, Phone 601-634-5249, Email Amanda.Andrews@usace.army.mil Place of Performance Address: USACE/ERDC EL- ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY 3909 HALLS FERRY ROAD, VICKSBURG, MS Postal Code: 39180-6199 Country: UNITED STATES
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- SN03678316-W 20150327/150325234757-6a49ea8d67b0cdbfee6af5ea3cfbf651 (fbodaily.com)
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