66 -- PROTON TRANSFER REACTION MASS SPECTROMETER

Notice Date

May 30, 2001

Contracting Office

DOC; Mountain Administrative Support Center; Acquisition Management Division; 325 Broadway, MC3; Boulder, CO 80303

ZIP Code

80303

Solicitation Number

NRMAB-65DT

Response Due

June 18, 2001

Point of Contact

Doris Turner, Purchasing Agent, 303-497-3872; FAX: 303-497-3163

E-Mail Address

NOAA; MASC Acquisition Management (Doris.P.Turner@noaa.gov)

Description

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Aeronomy Laboratory (AL) located in Boulder, CO requires one (1) proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) for trace gas analysis that can measure trace amounts of a broad range of long-lived volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. The compounds of interest include, but are not limited to benzene, acetone, methanol and acetonitrile. The instrument taking these measurements will be operated on board the NOAA WP-3 aircraft. The measurements of the compounds of interest must be made continuously with a detection limit capable of measuring the compounds in air at a mixing ratio of 100 parts per billion by volume in air with a time resolution of 10 seconds. These are essential feature for measurements from a fast-moving platform such as an aircraft, which is the intended use of this instrument. In aircraft measurements, the concentration of organic trace gases in the outside air can vary on time scales from seconds to minutes. Therefore, a fast-response instrument is necessary to measure the concentrations and to obtain detailed insight into the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The low detection limits are required to detect these compounds in the atmosphere at great distances from their sources. Based on these requirements, we are specifying as our technique of choice a mass spectrometric technique, the proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). The PTR-MS allows on-line measurements of organic trace compounds in air at the part-per-trillion level. The principle of the measurement is based on the ionization of trace compounds using proton-transfer-reactions with pronated water vapor ions, and detection with a quadropole mass spectrometer. The pronated water vapor ions are produced in a hollow-cathode discharge ion source. The PTR-MS is unique in the sense that it allows the detection of organic trace compounds in the atmosphere with a time response of seconds or less. Alternative techniques, such as gas chromatography, lack the time response necessary to perform comparable measurements from an aircraft. Interest sources proposing to supply the specified equipment must submit a written qualification statement clearly establishing capability to meet the above requirements within 15 days from the date of this synopsis. The qualification statement will be used to determine the need for competitive bids. In the absence of other qualified sources, it is the intent of the Government to negotiate a sole source contract under the authority of 41 U.S.C.253(c)(1) with the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter, P.O. Box 3021, 3502 GA Utrecht, the Netherlands as this source is considered to be the only responsible source and no other items will satisfy agency requirements. Responses must be received on or before June 18, 2001. This announcement is being issued under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures, FAR Part 13. Estimated government cost is between $25,000 and $100,000. FAR Clauses in full text are at http://www.ARNET.gov/far/. Agency level protest procedures can be found at http://oam.osec.doc.gov/conops/#reference .

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010601/66SOL023.HTM (D-150 SN50N4A5)