National Institute of Standards & Technology, Acquisition & Assistance Div., Bldg. 301, Rm B117, Gaithersburg, MD 20899

66 -- AUTOMATIC FUSED BEAD PREPARATION MACHINE SOL 40SBNB867013 DUE 123097 POC Contract Specialist, Keith Kennedy, 301. 975.6325; e-mail, keith.kennedy @nist.gov WEB: NIST Contracts Homepage, http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/contract.htm. E-MAIL: NIST Contracts Office, Contract@nist.gov. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. Federal Acquisition Circular 97-02 applies to this acquisition. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to acquire from Philips Electronic Instruments Co. (Philips), Mahwah, NJ, one automatic fused bead preparation machine for activities related to research and analysis work in X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. NIST requires one machine designed for automated sample preparation by fusing samples in a glass matrix. The specified product, Philips Perl=X3, is the only known machine: A. with multiple, programmable, pre-oxidation and oxidation steps prior to fusion, which is essential for successful fusion of samples contained reduced species or having high loss on ignition; B. with fully programmable microprocessor control of all operation steps for bead production with programs stored in instrument memory, which is essential for flexibility and automatic logging of activities for traceability of data; and C. that can be controlled by an external computer and that has a proven service record. The system shall be composed of a high temperature heating apparatus, a means of casting the glass melt into uniform beads with flat, smooth surfaces and a microprocessor to control processing variables. The system shall be capable of performing unattended, automated processing with high precision. The instrument will be used to prepare fused glass beads of a variety of samples, e.g. cement, soil, minerals, metals and alloys, in a matrix of lithium or sodium borate compounds. The NIST will also use the system to prepare fused beads from custom mixtures of high purity compounds to create calibration standards. Some of these compounds contain elements that will be lost by volatilization if temperature control is not sufficiently rapid and precise. This equipment will be used for research purposes. Therefore, the unit must be capable of high precision, flexibility of operating conditions, and storage of process programs in memory. Platinum ware will be required to operate the equipment and perform sample preparations. This platinum ware is normally designed specifically for each model of bead preparation machine. NIST requires two sets of platinum ware as part of this acquisition. The contractor shall deliver and install this equipment within eight (8) weeks from the date of contract award. NIST will prepare the installation location according to the contractor's instructions and provide a computer for interface with the equipment, if necessary. The NIST will accept the equipment only after the successful operation of the machine to create at least three fused beads prepared from lithium tetraborate and any necessary release agent. The beads must be intact without bubbles, inclusions, or cracks. The beads shall be qualitatively analyzed by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry to ensure they are free from detectable contaminants. The instrument must be fully automated with microprocessor control of all of its operating parts, including a heating apparatus -- temperature set point, temperature ramp; mixing apparatus B rocking motion amplitude and rate of oscillation of crucible; pouring and casting apparatus B temperature of casting dish, time delay before pouring, forced air cooling of casting dish; temperature measurement B for readout of actual crucible temperature. Concerning the heating apparatus, the temperature range must be 400 to 1500EC or greater with stability at a fixed temperature of "20EC or better. A temperature measuring device shall be part of the system and shall be controlled by the system microprocessor. The apparatus must be capable of bringing the crucible and its contents to the set temperature at a rate set by the analyst. In some applications, the apparatus shall achieve the set temperature in a period of less than four minutes. The instrument shallbe capable of unattended operation during melting, mixing and casting. For this reason, safety regulations prohibit the use of an open flame. Heating must be an electro-thermal heating process. The heating apparatus must have a built-in mechanism for rocking the crucible to mix the melt. Amplitude of motion and rate of oscillation shall be under microprocessor control. The instrument must be capable of pouring the melted flux into a preheated casting dish to make a bead approximately 30-mm in diameter. Casting dishes must be of a heavy gage platinum alloy to prevent warping during heating and cooling. The casting surfaces must be polished to an optical finish to eliminate the need for lapping of beads. The instrument shall be capable of fully programmable control settings for temperature, time, heating ramp, sample oscillation (both rate and amplitude), casting temperature, and bead cooling time and airflow with any pauses between step for additions of reagents. Programmable processes must allow for oxidation, fusion, casting and cooling steps with pauses between steps for additions of reagents. Programming and memory must allow for storage of at least 10 different programs in instrument resident memory. These programs will consist of instruction sets telling the instrument what processes to take with the current sample and what control settings to use for each step. The instrument must have a RS232 computer interface connection for control by a separate computer. Logging of procedure steps and error messages is critical for quality control and traceability of specimen preparations. Software shall be available for instrument control and data logging. The nature of the specimens to be created with this equipment is such that all steps in preparation, weighing drying, ashing, fusion and X-ray measurement must be logged in a computer file. The purpose is to keep a complete record of all procedures with minimal operator intervention. The NIST will provide a computer, but the contractor shall propose any memory, microprocessor or accessory specifications for the software. The instrument must be compatible with platinum crucibles and casting dishes having a composition of 95% Pt, 5% Au. Upon delivery, the contractor shall provide drawings and specifications for fabrication and reconditioning Pt ware. The NIST will acquire two sets of platinum ware from the contractor as part of this purchase. For some designs, a set consists of a crucible and casting dish. For designs that cast in the crucible, no casting dish is used. One set of instruction manuals for the equipment and any accessories or software shall accompany the instrument. The unit shall be provided with a simple means of exhausting off-gasses into the building hood system without the need to install the unit in a hood. There is no hood space available in the room where this unit will be used. The system shall carry a warranty of one year from the date of acceptance. During the warranty period, the instrument shall be warranted against failure of all components, except consumable items that the contractor shall list in the documentation. The contractor shall provide all parts, labor and travel expenses. The contractor shall provide on site service response within 48 hours. Telephone support shall be available during the work week from 9 am to 5 pm EST. Contractor trained specialists shall perform service. The contractor shall propose service agreement terms, conditions and pricing structures. The NIST, at its option, may elect to perform out of warranty maintenance and service on the system, using its own technicians. If the NIST chooses to self-service the system, the contractor shall provide service training to the NIST=s technicians and appoint a designee through which the NIST may purchase spare parts, as well as such manuals, bulletins, and updates related to the maintenance and service of the system. Spare parts for the system shall be made available to the NIST for a period of not less than five (5) years from the system=s last production date. Upon successful completion of the training course by the NIST=s technicians, the contractor shall certify in writing to the NIST contracting officer technical representative that the individual is fully trained to service the system within the NIST. The contractor shall not be responsible for any damages or injuries resulting from the NIST=s maintenance or service of the system or inability to maintain or service the system to keep it operational. The contractor shall provide at least one day of on-site training by suitably qualified personnel immediately following acceptance of the system. The contractor shall also provide a training course at a contractor-selected site. This training shall include familiarization with the theory and operation of the system as well as demonstration of the instrument and its software. The contractor shall provide this training at no additional cost to the Government, excluding travel and per diem costs, if necessary. Anticipated award date is January 15, 1997. SIC code is 3674. FOB destination National Institute of Standards and Technology, Building 301, Receiving Room, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899 The NIST intends to solicit one source under authority of FAR 13.106-2(a)(5), which permits solicitation from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available. However, NIST will consider all capability statements received within 14 days after the posting of this combined synopsis-solicitation. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability by submitting a written capability statement. The capability statement must provide adequate information on supplying this system, and qualifications required to supply this system. The NIST must receive all of the above to determine whether to open this requirement to competition. A determination by the NIST not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the NIST. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, applies to this acquisition. Philips shall include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial applies to this acquisition. The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition and includes the following FAR clauses: FAR 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; FAR 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled Veteran Era Veterans; FAR 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; FAR 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; FAR 52.225-3, Buy American Act-Supplies; Department of Commerce Agency-Level Protest Procedures Level Above the Contracting Officer, which can be downloaded from the NIST external web page, the Internet address is http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/protest.htm. Philips shall submit the following: Quote which address the following contract line items: 01 -- automated bead preparation machine model Perl=X3, catalog number 500-0571, or equal, one each; 02 -- spares kit for Perl=X3, catalog number 500.00541, or equal, one each; 03 -- Platinum alloy crucible, 25cc, catalog number 700.47001, or equal, two each; 04 -- Platinum alloy casting dish, 30mm, catalog number 700.47121, or equal, two each. Philips shall also submit technical description and/or product literature and two copies of the most recent published price list and one completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3. Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items, which may be downloaded from the NIST external web page, the Internet address is http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/repcert.htm. Submission shall be sent to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Acquisition and Assistance Division, Building 301, Room B117, Gaithersburg MD 20899, ATTN: Keith Kennedy, Solicitation Number 40SBNB867013. Submission must be received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 30,1997. The offer or modifications of the offers received at the address specified for the receipt of offers/quotes after the exact time specified for receipt of offers will not be considered. A faxed quotation will not be accepted. (0349)

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