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COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY ISSUE OF DECEMBER 17,1997 PSA#1994National 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) Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0227 19971217\66-0006.SOL)
66 - Instruments and Laboratory Equipment Index Page
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