USDA-ARS-FAA, Richard B. Russell Center, 950 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605-2720

66 -- THERMAL DESORBING SYSTEM SOL RFQ-029-4384-98 DUE 090998 POC Elaine Wood, Contract Specialist, 706/546-3534 WEB: Click here to download a copy of 52.212-3, http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/repcert.htm. E-MAIL: Click here to contact the contracting officer via, woode@ars.usda.gov. 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; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number RFQ-029-4384-98 is issued as a request for quotations and incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through FAC 97-03. The standard industrial classification code is 3826. The small business size standard is 500 employees. SPECIFICATIONS: One thermal desorbing system with the ability to interface with a Finnigan 800 ITD Mass Spectrometer interfaced to a Varian Star 3400 Gas Chromatograph. Components necessary in the system include: 1. Must be capable of desorbing one adsorbent sample tube to temperatures of up to 420 degrees C, 2. Must come with a 1/4" x 7",1/4" x 7", or 1/4" x 3.5"-4.5" sample tube furnace allowing for retrofitting other sizes at a later date, 3.Must have an internal, glass bead packed, cryogenic concentrating trap with a temperature range of -- 190 -- 400 degree C, 4. Must have a built-in moisture control system capable of removing water interference without affecting analyte recovery, especially polar compounds, 5. Moisture control system must be able to be baked out to 340 degrees C to remove moisture and any carryover between runs, 6. Must have passivated chromatographic grade Ni and fused silica tubing in the sample path, 7. Sample path including valve and transfer line must have a temperature range ambient to 300 degrees C, 8. Sample path must be continuously swept with desorb gas except during trap desorb to minimize contamination and carryover, 9. User must have the option to turn off sample path sweep to conserve gas when necessary, 10. Must offer optional desorb gas sweep of sample tube prior to desorption, 11. Must be able to achieve Method Detection Limits of 0.2pbv or better, 12. Must have on-board microprocessor control and not require a separate PC for operation, 13. Must have RS-232C interface for optional control via a PC running under a Windows environment, 14. Must have up to 16 method storage including preprogrammed TO-1, TO-2, and Autobake methods, 15. Must allow for method scheduling of up to 12 method changes when on optional thermal desorber autosampler is used, 16. Must be compatible with thermal desorber autosamplers offering up to 32 sample positions, a canister/bag sample introduction interface with an on- column cryofocusing module, 17. Must be certified to meet UL, CSA and IEC standards., 18. Must be configurable pneumatically to any gas chromatograph, 19. Must accept or provide GC start signals either contact closure or TTL, 20. Must be able to program GC cycle time into thermal desorber method to conserve usage of liquid N2, 21. Must be automated and permit analysis of samples 24 hours a day. Delivery is required within 4 weeks ARO. Delivery is FOB Destination to USDA ARS, 1700 SW 23rd Dr, Gainesville, Fl.. Descriptive literature showing the quoted desorber system meets all specifications included herein must accompany the quotation. Failure to include descriptive literature could result in the offeror being considered nonresponsive/nonresponsible. The government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsive/responsible offeror whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is most price advantageous to the government. The following FAR clauses and provisions apply: 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items, 52.212-2, Evaluation of Commercial Items awarded to a responsive/responsible offeror at a fair and reasonable price, 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items; 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses cited in 52.212-5 are applicable to the acquisition: 52.203-6, 52.203-10, 52.219-8, 52.222-26; 52.222-36, 52-222-37, 52.225-3, 52.225-9, 52.225-18, 52.225-21, 52.247-64. The contractor shall extend to the Government the full coverage of any standard commercial warranty normally offered in a similar commercial sale, provided such warranty is available at no additional cost to the Government. Acceptance of the standard commercial warranty does not waive the Government's rights under the Inspection clause nor does it limit the Government's rights with regard to the other terms and conditions of this contract. In the event of a conflict, the terms and conditions of the contract shall take precedence over the standard commercial warranty. The contractor shall provide a copy of its standard commercial warranty (if applicable) with its response. Responses are due by 4:00 p.m. 9/9/98. Quotations should be addressed to USDA, Agricultural Research Service, 950 College Station Rd, Athens, GA 30605-2720 or PO BX 5677, Athens, Ga 30604-5677. Faxed responses are acceptable. Fax number 706/546-3444 Attn: Elaine Wood. Posted 08/21/98 (W-SN240221). (0233)

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