SOLICITATION NOTICE
36 -- Tricarb 2500TR Varisette Liquid Scintillation Analyzer
- Notice Date
- 8/8/2002
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Specialized Service Center, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268
- ZIP Code
- 45268
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-OH-02-00249
- Response Due
- 8/26/2002
- Point of Contact
- Point of Contact, Scott Tharp, Purchasing Agent, Phone (513) 487-2092
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(THARP.SCOTT@EPA.GOV)
- Description
- NAICS Code: 334519 The U.S. EPA intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, with Perkin Elmer Lifesciences for a Tricarb 2500TR Varisette Liquid Scintillation Analyzer System. The Isotope Hydrology Laboratory is in need of a new special low level Environmental Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC) for low level environmental counting of naturally-occurring radioisotopes. The LSC will be used in research investigations of interest involving hydrological methods. The manufacturer of the LSC must have a proven track record of commercially manufacturing, installing, and providing training and engineering support of their instruments since their time and experience in the field is key. They should be ISO-9001certified, compliant with GLP, and with our QA requirements. They shall provide training for the operator(s) beyond the training given upon instrument installation. Such training for the operator(S) will be requested at a later date on a separate purchase request. The following specifications represent minimum acceptable criteria: * The basic system is a liquid scintillation analyzer, controlled by a built-in computer with QuantaSmart(superscript: TM) software for the Windows NT(superscript: ?) operating system; 750 MHz processor minimum; 64 MB RAM; built-in CD ROM, single 1.44 MB 3.5" disk drive;10 GB hard disk minimum; high resolution graphics card; serial and parallel communication ports; enhanced keyboard; 17 inch color SVGA monitor; and ink jet printer. * The system shall have automatic calibration to correct for both gain and efficiency variations to maintain absolute integrity of the stored quench correction library. The system shall use NIST traceable standards to eliminate the effect of temperature, aging, and line voltage fluctuations on the reference source. It shall feature automatic storage/display of all calibration data on a historical basis. * The system must allow the counting to be fully controlled by the built-in PC, and the instrument operating software shall allow the user protocols to be fully integrated with user defined application programs and/or commercial software for automatic, unattended data processing. * The system shall be configured for super low level radioactivity analysis (super low level option kit) using a form of pulse discrimination and a bismuth germanium oxide (BGO) detector guard to reduce background. It shall have a guaranteed minimum E(superscript: 2)/B (measured in the factory where the instrument is produced), in the most sensitive counting mode (high sensitivity count mode), of 880 for 3H and 6000 for 14C. The E(superscript: 2)/B values must be validated in the factory, before shipment, using sealed NIST traceable standards in large 20 mL glass vials. * The system shall be able to operate at ambient room temperature. * The system shall be capable of automatically monitoring (superscript: 3)H and (superscript: 14)C efficiencies, sensitivities (E(superscript: 2)/B), backgrounds and Chi-square values; store the results to a database for the life of the instrument and shall report possible problems via easy-to-review fixed baseline and running mean Levey-Jennings charts and tables. Historical performance data are also available on demand for reports. * The system shall have a Universal Motor Arm Kit. * The system shall provide user-programmable, assay-specific optimization of the Time Resolved- Liquid Scintillation Counting (TR-LSC?) background reduction feature. This feature enhances sensitivity for all nuclides. * The system shall provide regionless counting and storage of complete spectra for all samples and standards to allow automatic recall of spectra in the quench library for region-independent quench correction. * The system shall incorporate a Multi-Parameter Linear MCA with an effective resolution of 0.1 keV to provide multi-parameter spectrum analysis to correct for luminescence, color quenching, and background radiation and have at least 4000 linear data channels (Spectralyzer). * The system's Spectralyzer shall be calibrated in keV (kiloelectron volts), where the user may select a predefined counting region or manually select a window from 0-2000 keV in increments of 0.1 keV. * The system shall provide complete recall and replay post run sample and postprocessing of all historical count data to eliminate sample recounting. It must enable user programmable direct ASCII and RTF (Rich Text Format) file output to disk, RS-232, and user application software for further processing of data. * The system shall provide on-line spectrum analysis software with polychromatic spectral overlay and spectrum comparison capabilities. Selection of up to six counting regions, automatic sample-by-sample spectrum plotting or postrun processing, mathematical spectrum manipulations and automatic E(superscript: 2)/B optimization. * The system shall have enhanced instrument performance assessment (IPA) with self-tuning. * The system shall provide user-selectable, assay specific coincidence gate selection from 10 to 200 nanoseconds to optimize the counting of solid scintillators and the modern biodegradable cocktails. * The system shall incorporate a bi-directional sample changer that is capable of holding 408 standard vials or 720 small vials in 4 ml, 7ml or 20 ml vial compatible cassettes without special adapters. The system shall permit intermixing of cassettes containing large or small vials. * The system shall have positive sample identification with permanent, non-removable cassette numbers for each cassette. * The system shall have integrated worklisting to identify samples with up to 25 characters and to be able to send or receive worklists if connected to a network. * The system shall have both Sample and Group PrioStat modes of interrupting automatic counting. Group PrioStat will allow automatic return to interrupted sample after one or more cassettes of samples are counted. Group PrioStat also enables user selected printout of sample results without interfering with normal printout. Sample PrioStat allows the user to identify common nuclides; display single photon sample counts per time in live histogram display on the color monitor; identify unquenched region settings of isotopes; count selected samples without interrupting printout and automatically determine the optimum sample counting region to maximize the efficiency to background ratio. * The system shall provide automatic spectrum plots with each sample result * The system shall provide the direct reporting of activity in pCi, uCi, or Bq or scientific notation without the need for additional user calculations. (pCi=picocuries, uCi=microcuries, Bq=Becquerels) * The system shall provide the ability to perform custom user defined calculations to perform additional data computation for reporting data in the desired form. * The system shall provide comprehensive hyperlinked context-specific help messages. * The system shall provide three counting regions. * The system shall allow count times of up to 9,9999.99 minutes per sample. * The system shall allow real time viewing of sample spectra on the integrated color SVGA monitor in user selected linear or log scales. * The system shall allow spectra to be displayed in a different color for each counting region. * The system shall be capable of displaying a single label spectrum relative to the spectra of an associated quench curve in three dimensional integrated color display. * The system shall allow the user to separate a dual label sample spectrum and display the resulting two spectra on the color SVGA monitor. * The system shall provide a minimum of 60 user protocols with storage of unlimited password protected assays. * The system shall store all operating software and defined protocols on the hard disk of the integrated computer. * The system shall allow extended use of computer for other applications without interrupting or slowing sample counting. Counting may be initiated or terminated while computer is off-line (Multitasking capabilities). * The system shall provide password protection for all assays. * The system shall allow software and firmware enhancements without the loss of user-defined protocol parameters. * The system shall allow each protocol to be linked to a user application program, user written or commercially available software, for batch or sample data processing. * The system shall allow a user to define multiple printer or electronic file reports for each of 60 protocols * The system shall allow user selected data to be stored directly in both RTF and ASCII format for each protocol to a user selected disk drive, either the 3.5 disk drive or hard disk. * The system shall have a (superscript: 133)Ba external standard source of approximately 20 microcuries which is positioned beneath the scintillation vial. * The system shall have two methods of quench determination: SIS (spectral index of sample) and tSIE (transformed spectral index of external standard). These methods each utilize the complete sample or external standard spectrum for accurate quench determination without repeat measurements of the external standard. tSIE is terminated by preset error or user selectable time. * The system shall provide DPM (disintegration per minute) by all of the following techniques: 1. Direct DPM technique to determine the DPM of any beta radionuclide without the need to store quench or reference standards. Automatically provides instant results without user intervention or protocol setup. 2. SIS quench correction for single label DPM results. 3. Full spectrum based DPM calculations based on spectrum unfolding for regionless dual label DPM determinations. 4. TSIE based quench curves for single, dual or triple label variably quenched samples which may utilize AEC (Automatic Efficiency Control) to adjust regions for quenching and/or window settings. 5. Constant quench DPM. * The system shall provide factory stored quench curves for (superscript: 3)H and (superscript: 14)C for single and dual label samples using both toluene-type and biodegradable cocktails. * The system shall print quench curves and allow curves to be displayed and edited directly on the SVGA color monitor. * The system shall have protocol plugs with cycle control to allow groups of samples to be counted on subsequent cycles. * The system shall have computer aided LSC diagnostics. * The system diagnostics shall provide a historical report of the normalization and calibration data. * The system shall provide the ability to monitor and correct for luminescence. * The system shall provide heterogeneity monitor to determine sample quality and flag nonhomogeneous samples. * The system shall provide user programmable single phototube counting for luminescence studies. * The instrument must be manufactured in an ISO 9001 system certified manufacturing facility. * The instrument must be certified to comply with the following safety, immunity and radiated emission codes: CSA C22.2 No. 151; IEC 1010-1; EN 61010-1; VDE DIN VDE 0411; IEC 801-2, 3, and 4; C.I.S.P.R. Publication 22, Class A and B; FCC Part 15, Sub J, Class A and B. The Environmental LSC shall have the following necessary "Options": * The system shall be equipped with a utility cart capable of supporting over 500 pounds and mounted on four swivel caster wheels. * The system shall provide a factory installed network adapter to allow for direct linking of the system to a LAN (local area network). * The system shall provide for an additional 64 MB RAM for a system total of 128 MB. * The system shall provide automatic separation of alpha/beta radionuclides using pulse decay analysis. It shall automatically determine optimum spillover settings for alphas as betas and betas as alphas, and store alpha/beta crossover curves for recall and review or plotting. The system shall also store optimum alpha/beta spillover settings for use in any operating protocol. Also to be included: * The manufacturer shall provide the appropriate service manual, QS Manual Kit, and Operators Manual. This procurement will be accomplished under FAR Part 12 Commercial Procedures. Interested firms may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirements. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTATIONS. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Sources wishing to be considered must submit documentation to the office identified above. Documentation must be submitted within 10 days of the date of publication of this notice. Submit your request in writing to Scott Tharp at the above address or by fax 513-487-2107 or by e-mail Tharp.Scott@epa.gov. Telephone requests will not be honored.
- Record
- SN00136580-W 20020810/020808213930 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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