66 -- INSTRUMENTS AND LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

Notice Date

August 2, 2001

Contracting Office

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch 6701 Rockledge Dr RKL2/6100 MSC 7902, Bethesda, MD, 20892-7902

ZIP Code

20892-7902

Solicitation Number

NHLBI-PS-044

Response Due

August 16, 2001

Point of Contact

Cecilia Morales, Purchasing Agent, Phone (301) 435-0366, Fax (301) 480-3345, Email cm71f@nih.gov

Description

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. The solicitation number is NHLBI-PS-2001-044, and is issued as a Request For Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation/contract includes all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 97-27. This acquisition is set-aside for Small Business. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334516 and the size standard is 500 employees for this requirement. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to purchase the following brand name only systems, manufactured by Boeckler Instruments, 4650 South Butterfield Drive, Tucson, Arizona 85714: One (1) each, Catalog No. 305166, Model RFD-9010, Freeze Etching System; One (1) each, Rapid Specimen Stage Cooling System; One (1) package of EB Gun filament; One (1) package of Carbon Chip; One (1) package of Platinum/Carbon Chip; One (1) each Specimen holder for three 3mm Cu specimen carriers; One (1) each Specimen holder, double replica type for use with CU specimen carriers (4.6mm hats); and On-site Installation of the complete system and users-training by manufacturer authorized personnel (the training period must be specified). The Freeze Etching system must meet the following specifications: 1) Shall use Platinum/Carbon electron beam guns. 2) A two stage closed cycle cryopump shall be provided with air locks on both the sample and electron beam gun chambers. A cryopumped system with integrated liquid nitrogen cold trap shall be provided which will be completely oil free and provide a pumping speed of at least 1200 liters/sec ATM , 3) A main load lock for both specimen and knife exchange shall be provided. The electron guns shall be housed in an independent vacuum chamber protected by an automatic specimen chamber isolation valve. The task of performing both sample and knife exchange shall be simply accomplished via an operator actuated gate valve. 4) The electron beam guns must have a minimum of three preset selectable accelerating voltages. The guns should be located in an independent vacuum chamber, separated from the specimen by a shutter and an isolation valve. The guns must be able to produce a minimum of 30 shadows before servicing is required. It is required that the evaporating material can be adjusted with controls located outside the gun chamber during operation. 5) A flat arc microtome shall allow a minimum knife advance of no greater than 0.5 microns for accurate fracturing. The operator must have easy access to see the specimen prior to performing the fracture. 6) an anti-contamination shroud shall be provided to prevent fracture chips from escaping and outgassing.7) a rotary stage shall be provide that is capable of turning in either direction for precise fracture alignment. 8) A timer shall be provided to automatically allow the sample to cool to the appropriate replication temperature after each etch time has expired. 9) a specimen table temperature of less than -180C shall be achievable. Temperature sensors shall monitor and be able to control both the temperature of the knife and the specimen. It must be possible to rapidly change the temperature of the specimen stage by pumping liquid nitrogen to the specimen stage. 10) The metal replica thickness shall be controlled by a timer. In order to produce reproducible high-resolution replicas, it is desired that a shutter be provided coupled to the evaporation material feeders. 11) Provision for Double Axis Rotary Shadowing (DARS) shall be provided. The operator needs to be able to change the shadowing angle during the shadowing process by changing the angle of the specimen with respect to the position of the electron guns. 12) A stereo microscope and operator view port with at least two independent light sources are desired to provide the necessary illumination and visibility to allow proper operator visualization of the specimen. 13) A minimum of 3 days on onsite training is required at NIH. The Hardware must include the following: On the Freeze Fracture Etching System: a) One, helium Compressor; b) Two, 3mm Stainless Steel Flex Hoses for Helium Gas; c) Microtome knife with precision stepping system for 0.5-micron/division positioning; d) Two independent illumination sources for specimen chamber; e) Autoshutter with timer on EB gun port; f) EB gun power supplies; g) Large sample chamber with wide viewing angle window; h) Specimen observation microscope; i) Specimen exchange airlock; j) Knife exchange via airlock; k) Evaporation material advance without venting or removal of electron guns; l) Evaporation material exchange airlock; m) Rotary vacuum pump; n) Air compressor for pneumatic valves; o) Step down transformer. The Government's desired delivery and acceptance schedule is before December 31, 2001. The provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-1, Instructions to offerors -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items is applicable to this acquisition. The contractors must submit descriptive literature of the product quoted and an itemized price list. The Government intends to evaluate offers and award a contract without discussions with contractors. Therefore the initial offer must contain and meet all the Government specifications. The Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if, the Contracting Officer later determines to be necessary. The Government may reject any or all offers if such action necessitates and waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. The award will be made based upon adherence to system specifications/requirements, lowest price, and delivery time after receipt of order. The contractor must include a completed copy of the provision of FAR Clause 52-212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items with its offer. The Provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes of Executive Orders Commercial Items Deviation for Simplified Acquisitions, applies to this acquisition, The clauses are available in full text at http://www.arnet.Gov/far. Interested vendors capable of furnishing the government with the items specified in this synopsis should submit two (2) copies of a quotation to the address below. The quotation shall include an itemized price list, citing the list price and the discounted price, delivery / freight charges, prompt payment terms, Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUN's) and descriptive reference literature of the items offered, identifying all of the requirements. The offers must reference "Solicitation Number: NHLBI-PS-2001-044". The response due date is August 16, 2001or fifteen (15) calendar days from the publication date of this synopsis, whichever is later. All responsible sources may submit an offer, which if timely received, shall be considered by the agency. The offer must be submitted in writing to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Contracts Operations Branch, Procurement Section, Rockledge Building 2, Suite 6042, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817-7902, Attention: Ms. Cecilia Morales, Purchasing Agent, EMAIL: moralesc@nhlbi.nih.gov. Fax number 301-480-3345, Fax offers will only be accepted if dated and signed by an authorized representative.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (http://www.eps.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NHLBI/NHLBI-PS-044/listing.html)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010806/66SOL005.HTM (D-214 SN50T7W8)