USDA-ARS-MWA, Contracting Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604

66 -- MULTISPECIMEN TEST MACHINE SOL 5114-7-3058 DUE 061997 POC Lori J. Houghton (309) 681-6616 The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area has a requirement to purchase a Multispecimen Tribology Test Machine for the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Center, Peoria, IL. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation No. 5114-7-3058 is being issued as a Request for Proposal. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 90-46. This solicitation is unrestricted and being procured under full and open competition. CLIN 0001 F-1506 Falex Multispecimen Test Machine, 220V, 60 Hz, Single Phase, or equal, 1 each; CLIN 0002 F-1506B Falex Microprocessor Data Acquisition and Control System, or equal, 1 each; CLIN 0003 F-1506C Falex Microprocessor Data Acquisition and Control System Low Load Option, or equal, 1 each; CLIN 0004 F-1500-38 Wear Particle Analyzer, or equal, 1 each; CLIN 0005 F-1506-115 Four Ball Wear Test Adapter, or equal, 1 each; CLIN 0006 F-1506-123 Single Pin-On Disk Test Adapter, or equal, 1 each; CLIN 0007 F-1506-124 Three Pin-On Disk Test Adapter, or equal, 1 each; CLIN 0008 F-1519-50 Test Specimen Balls, 500 per Box, or equal, 1 box; CLIN 0009 F-1506-60 Upper Rotating Pins, 440C SS, or equal, 100 each; CLIN 0010 F-1506-42 Small Stationary Lower Washer, or equal, 100 each; CLIN 0011 F-1500-10 Two Days Training before shipping, or equal, 1 course. The salient characteristics that an approved equal must meet are as follows: Multispecimen Tribology Test Machine Specifications: The apparatus as a whole should be designed to evaluate wear rates and PV limits and to determine static and dynamic coefficients of friction. The apparatus should consist of the following components: Test Unit, Data Acquisition and Control System, Wear Particle Analyzer and Miscellaneous. Test Unit. With various adapters, the test unit should be capable of testing many specimen-device configurations through flexibility of contact geometries, specimen materials, speeds, loads, temperatures and motions. Test apparatus should meet commercial and military specifications and provide useful data under a broad range in field applications. Initially, the unit should provide apparatus for conducting four ball wear, pin-on-disk and three-pin-on-disk tests on lubricants, greases and coatings. Four ball (three stationary) wear testing should meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D2266, D4172 and D5183 specifications. Pin-on-disk testing should meet ASTM G99 specifications. The unit should be equipped with a motor with variable speed control and an operating range of 60 to 3600 rpm 0.5 %. The unit should be capable of operating with applied loads of 5 to 800 lbs (2.3 to 363 kg) 2 %. Loading should be controlled by microprocessor-based pneumatic system that is programmable for ramping and soaking times. The unit should be equipped with an enclosed test chamber for simulation of field conditions including temperature, humidity and inert gas or other special atmospheres. The unit should be capable of testing in wet or dry conditions and with the entire test area submerged in fluid. Temperature control should be programmable from ambient to 150 C and with automatic temperature start-up. The unit should be designed to incorporate the following future options for controlling environmental conditions: a recirculation system to allow constant flow of heated fluid through the test area, a low-temperature (to -20 C) test chamber and a pressure chamber (to 100 psig). The unit should be designed to measure torque directly and have an automatic cut-off. The unit should include a system to allow field calibration. The unit should indicate rate of wear and total wear measurements to within 0.001 in (0.0254 mm) under heavy loading. The unit should be able to calculate coefficients of friction directly from torque measurements given the respective specimen configuration. Data Acquisition and Control System: This system should be a microprocessor PC-based system for controlling and logging test variables and data. The system should allow keyboard entering of test parameters and monitoring of torque, wear, specimen temperature, environment temperature, load, speed and other data. The system should be fully compatible for integration with the test unit described above. System should include the following: IBM or compatible CPU system with pentium (or compatible) microprocessor, 16 KB minimum RAM, operator keyboard, 1 GB minimum hard disk drive, 3 -in floppy drive, CD read/write drive and internal modem; Color SVGA video display; Color printer; Surge protection; DOS 6.0, Lotus 1, 2, 3 ; Menu-driven test control and data acquisition programming; Control of rate of speed; Variable rate/pneumatic loading system (requiring no more than 100 psig clean,dry air); Fiction sensor; Specimen wear sensor; Specimen temperature sensors; Data storage in Lotus 1, 2, 3 or compatible format. Files should be viewable in alphanumeric form and graphically on color monitor. Wear Particle Analyzer: The analyzer will be used to measure magnetic iron and steel particles in lubricants. The analyzer should provide accurate, digitally displayed readings that a sensitive to within one microgram. Wear particles should be collected in a reusable, high gradient magnetic filter. Miscellaneous. The following should also be included: Test specimen kits for operating four ball wear and pin-on-disk adapters; Training; On-site installation and start-up; Warranty and service agreement covering periodic field calibration, inspection and preventative maintenance of: All electronically powered devices should be configured for North American installation (220 V, 60 cycles, single phase). Delivery to be within 20 weeks after receipt of order to USDA-ARS-MWA, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. The resultant contract will be FOB Destination. FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation -- Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, and FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items apply to this acquisition. Proposals will be evaluated on price and price related factors. Offerors offering "equals" should submit descriptive literature for evaluation. Offers must include a 45 calendar day acceptance period. Offers are to be received Not Later than the Close of Business, June 19, 1997 at USDA-ARS-MWA, Contracting Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. The POC for this acquisition is Lori Houghton, (309) 681-6616. (0149)

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