Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF AUGUST 26, 2004 FBO #1004
SOLICITATION NOTICE

41 -- Dilution refrigerator to perform experimental tests of ultra-low NEP detectors.

Notice Date

8/24/2004
 

Notice Type

Solicitation Notice
 

NAICS

333415 — Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Mountain Administrative Support Center, 325 Broadway - MC3, Boulder, CO, 80305-3328
 

ZIP Code

80305-3328
 

Solicitation Number

RA134104RP4036
 

Response Due

9/8/2004
 

Archive Date

9/23/2004
 

Point of Contact

Robert Mecklenburg, Contract Specialist, Phone (303) 497-3657, Fax (303) 497-3163, - Rhonda Nelson, Procurement Technician, Phone (303) 497-3487, Fax (303) 497-3163,
 

E-Mail Address

Robert.Mecklenburg@noaa.gov, Rhonda.Nelson@noaa.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Total Small Business
 

Description

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented by additional information included in this notice and in accordance with the simplified acquisition procedures authorized in FAR Part 13. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested; and a written solicitation will NOT be issued. The solicitation number is RA1341-04-RP-4036 and issued as a request for proposal (RFP). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-24. The NAICS Code is 333415. Any amendment(s) hereto will only be published in the FedBizOpps. Non-compliance with the instructions herein may cause proposals to be rejected. GENERAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION. The government requires a dilution refrigerator to perform experimental tests of low noise cryogenic detectors. The detectors are particularly susceptible to Radio-Frequency (RF), infrared, and visible light power leaking into the system. However, the system must be equipped to make sensitive measurements with RF equipment. The dilution refrigerator system shall be designed to avoid ground loops in the connection of all external electrical equipment, be RF and light tight, and appropriate steps must be taken to RF filter thermometry and other dilution refrigerator control lines that would allow RF to reach the mixing chamber experimental space or cause improper operation of the dilution refrigerator. Clearly describe in the proposal the precautions to be taken. Describe the following in the proposal as a minimum: helium-3/helium-4 mixture, gas handling system in cabinet with circulation pumps, oil filters if needed, cold traps, valving, gauges and mixture dump, lines to allow gas handling and pumping systems to be 2000 to 3000 mm away from cryostat, dilution refrigerator insert with minimum of three line of sight ports and minimum three additional ports for thermometry and customer wiring, connections for UT and micro coax, needle valve, valve and nozzle on the side of one of the port tubes for the introduction of exchange gas into IVC space, shields, thermometry system, still heater and controlling power supply, cryostat, 1K pumping system, drawings, manuals and on-site installation, training and testing at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) laboratory site with full instructions for prior site preparation. Further details are elaborated in the Technical requirements. Where possible, construction of the dilution refrigerator insert should avoid the use of Pb solder or Pb alloy solder joints where aggressive fluxes are used. Offerors shall clearly detail in their proposal the construction methods used, especially in the circulation part of the dilution refrigerator insert and the techniques used to ensure long term performance of the system (i.e. freedom from blockages and leaks). TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. Performance specifications. 1) Base Temperature: 10mK or below measured at mixing chamber flange. 2) Cooling Power: 200 microwatt or greater @ 100 mK. 3) Cool-down time of mixing chamber from 4K to below 50mK: 6 hrs or less. 4) Base Temperature Stability: less than 5 micro-Kelvin rms in 1 Hz bandwidth measured at 30 mK. 5) Helium Hold time: greater than or equal to 72 hours with insert mounted in cryostat. 6) Cold trap hold time: greater than or equal to 72 hours. HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS. 1) Thermometry: Lakeshore style bridge (for compatibility with other NIST dilution refrigerators) with calibrated resistance thermometers on the 4K, 1K, still and mixing chamber. All measurements to be 4 wire and RF filtered at the input bulkhead. Spare thermometer on mixing chamber. Submit details of thermometry to COTR for approval after contract award. 2) Terminal on room temperature flange of insert for ground strap. 3) Electrical isolation of pumps, lines, vacuum and pressure gauges and electronics from insert and cryostat. 4) Sliding seal to conserve helium when re-installing insert into cold cryostat.Seal (to stop ~200 mm above inner vacuum can (IVC) flange. 5) Vapor shielded cryostat (dewar). An important property of the dilution refrigerator is a large experimental volume to accommodate tests of full cryogenic focal planes. This volume is defined in points 6-9. The diameters for the IVC, still, and 60 mK stages are specified, as well as vertical tolerances between some of the stages . Questions regarding dimensions are welcomed. The mixing chamber shield is not part of the request for proposal. 6) IVC of diameter up to 250 mm (~10 inches). 7) Still shield of diameter up to 225 mm (~9 inches). Still shield to be thin walled copper. There shall be at least 300 mm of vertical distance between the base of the still shield and the base of the 60 mK shield. 8) Still flange shall consist of a permanent inner disk and removable outer annular segments. The total diameter of the disk and annular attachments shall match the diameter of the still shield. 9) 60 mK shield of diameter up to 200mm (~8 inches). This shield shall bolt to a flange on the heat exchanger stack. There shall be 600 mm of vertical distance between the mixing chamber flange and the base of the 60 mK shield. The 60 mK shield shall be thin walled copper. 10) 60 mK flange shall consist of a permanent inner disk and removable outer annular segments. The total diameter of the disk and annular attachments shall match the diameter of the 60 mK shield. 11) Mixing chamber flange with blind, tapped holes on its underside. NIST will add plates to expand the diameter of the mixing chamber flange as needed. 12) Mixing chamber shall be able to support experimental payloads up to 10 kg. The 60 mK flange shall be able to support experimental payloads up to 12 kg (10 kg on the mixing chamber and 2 kg on the 60 mK shield). The still flange shall be able to support experimental payloads up to 17 kg (10 kg on mixing chamber, 2 kg on 60 mK shield, and 5 kg on the still shield). 13) Twenty hermetic connectors for UT 85 coax on room temperature flange and IVC flange. Hermetic connectors to consist of SMA launchers with kovar vacuum seal brazed or soldered into flanges and SMA female two mounting hole connectors on both sides of flange. Option (see Options section) for manufacturer or user installation of co-ax in helium vapor space. Details of layout of connecters on IVC and room temperature flange to be submitted to NIST staff. Caps shall be provided for the SMA connectors on the exterior of the room temperature flange and the interior of the IVC flange. 14) A) Blind, tapped holes on top of IVC flange to mount a plate orthogonal to flange. This plate shall be located near the region where the UT85 coax emerges from the IVC flange in order to mount amplifiers cooled to 4K. Plate shall extend ~ 200 mm above IVC flange. Details to be submitted to NIST staff. B) Mounting points on 1 K pot for plate in a plane parallel to the plate on IVC flange for additional stages of amplification. Plate will be ~ 100 by 100 mm. 15)Minimum of three line of sight ports from room temperature flange to IVC. Two ports of inner diameter 25 mm or more and one of inner diameter at least 40 mm. Covers shall be provided for these ports at the IVC so that the flange can be made light-tight. Minimum of three additional ports (not line-of-sight) of 20mm or greater diameter. 16) Labyrinthian ?dark? paths for air removal at pump out should be provided for IVC, 60 mK, and still flanges. 17) No magnetic materials used in manufacturing dilution refrigerator insert to include screws. OPTIONS The following options are to be included as separate line items in the proposal. Line item(s): 0002) Dry (oil-free) pumping system. 0003) CryoPerm cans to slide over still and IVC shields (no demag. coils required). 0004) Still and 60 mK shield bases with thru hole pattern of 6/32 or 4/40 threaded holes on 25.4 mm square pattern (to allow experimental apparatus to be mounted below mixing chamber). 60 mK and still shield to be tested with brass screws in place to ensure light tightness. .0005) Ten co-ax cables to be installed between room temperature flange and IVC flange using UT 85 SS ? BeCu with silver inner conductor and mated to ten of the hermetic connectors in hardware specification 13. To be clear, these cables will be in the helium 4 space of the insert. 0006) An additional ten hermetic connectors for UT 85 coax on room temperature flange and 10 micro coaxial stainless steel cables to run from these connectors into the IVC via a vacuum port (not line-of-sight). Length of micro coax should be 130 cm longer than distance to bottom of mixing chamber. 0007) DC experimental wiring:- One (two, if necessary) of the 25mm line of sight or other suitable ports to be devoted to DC experimental wiring looms (minimum 60 twisted pairs shielded wires) (e.g. Tekdata cables are known to meet this requirement -- see http://www.tekdata-interconnect.co.uk/cryo/) made with shielded twisted pairs of ~ 100 micron NbTi. We would like (female) filtered D subminiature connectors (or other vendor suggested and approved by us filtered connectors) at the room temperature end and 25 way MDM (female) connectors potted to the cold end of the looms in such a way that will pass down the line-of-sight-ports. Length of wiring looms to be 50 cm longer than distance to bottom of mixing chamber. 0008) Supply of NbTi twisted pair wire with stainless or BeCu woven shield to allow wiring for option 0006. 0009) Set of baffles for cryostat to be used to minimize boil-off if insert is removed. 0010) Price reduction for not supplying Lakeshore style bridge. 0011) Price reduction for not supplying but specifying mixture circulation pump and 1 K pumps. INSTALLATION, TRAINING, DOCUMENTATION, WARRANTY, AND SUPPORT The contractor shall provide installation, verification of refrigerator performance at NIST Boulder, and training of NIST staff at NIST Boulder. Contractor shall provide with the system documentation, including operation, safety, and drawings sufficient to allow NIST to manufacture and add experimental hardware and wiring. Refrigerator will not be accepted without the documentation described above. Warranty shall be 1 year from date of successful installation at NIST. Successful installation is defined as a demonstration at NIST of performance meeting the specifications. Servicing arrangements during and after the warranty period must be explicitly described in the proposal. ACCEPTANCE Following the departure of the contractor?s staff after successfully performing the dilution refrigerator installation, verification, and training, NIST shall have three working weeks to accept all aspects of the system. EVALUATION CRITERIA & INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSERS Proposals will be considered on a best value to the government basis. Hence, a technically superior proposal may receive preference over the lowest price. Proposals that meet the minimum requirements will be evaluated based on the following factors and on the cost. A. Past performance -- proposals must contain accurate contact information for 3 customers who purchased 100 mK or colder cryogenic equipment in the last 24 months. One of these customers must have received a dilution refrigerator. NIST staff will contact these references to establish the past performance of the proposer. NIST staff may also contact other prior customers with whom they are familiar. Questions for references will include: 1. Was the equipment delivered on time? 2. Did the equipment meet the customer?s specifications? 3. Was the equipment installed correctly? 4. Was the documentation for the equipment complete and accurate? 5. Was the supplier responsive to the customer?s needs during the design process? 6. Was the supplier responsive to queries once the equipment was installed? 7. How reliable was the equipment? 8. How did the supplier remedy any failures of the equipment? 9. Were the representatives of the supplier courteous and professional? B. Design of experimental volume with guidelines provided above Design of the experimental volume and access to the experimental volume is critical. Proposals must include a written description of the experimental volume that, at a minimum, contains flange and shield diameters and heights. Offerors are strongly encouraged to include a drawing of the interior of the IVC. Drawings need not be of machine quality but should contain relevant dimensions and show flanges, shields, coaxial feedthroughs, line-of-sight ports, RF shielding, etc. Experimental volumes with the sizes given in the technical requirements section will be scored more highly. C. Delivery schedule. Delivery is required within 9 months from date of order. Proposal should clearly specify delivery date. Proposals which specify delivery dates longer than 9 months will be scored lower. D. Servicing arrangements & warranty. As noted previously, proposals should describe remedy actions during and after the warranty period. Proposals that include plans to provide prompt response to equipment failure will be scored more highly. Forms and clauses stipulated herein may be downloaded via the internet at the following address: http://www.arnet.gov/far/. Interested parties are responsible for accessing and downloading documents and forms from that (or any other) site. Firms without access to the internet may call 303/497-5588 and request that copies of the clauses, provisions, and/or forms be either mailed or faxed to them. Offers shall include a properly completed and signed Standard Form 1449. The firm fixed-price for CLIN 0001 shall include the price for the DILUTION REFRIGERATOR, including shipping (FOB Destination) and warranty. The firm fixed prices for CLINs 0002 through 11 are optional items listed as options in the statement of work above. The following provisions and clauses are hereby incorporated by reference: FAR 52.212-1 (JAN 2004) (provision) Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items // FAR 52.212-2 (JAN 1999) (provision) Evaluation - Commercial Items // FAR 52.212-3 (MAY 2004) (provision) Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items NOTE: Offerors shall include with their offers a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3. // FAR 52.212-4 (OCT 2003) (clause) Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, // FAR 52.212-5 (JUN 2004) (clause) Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items including the following additional FAR clauses referenced in FAR 52.212-5, subparagraphs (b) (1), (14), (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (20), (24), (25), (26), and (30). Addendum 52.217-7 (clause) Option for Increased Quantity Separately Priced Line Item (MAR 1989). Award will be made to the offeror presenting the best overall value to the Government. Offers shall be evaluated in accordance with the Test Program procedures at FAR 13.500. The Government reserves the right to make award without discussions. For further information, please contact Bob Mecklenburg (303/497-3657). Offers are due at 3:00 P.M. on 8 September 2004 and shall be mailed to: BID DEPOSITORY/ DOC, NOAA, MASC, MC3, Acquisition Management Division, DSRC Room 33-GB506A, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305-3328. ALL hand-carried offers must be scanned in Building 22 at 325 Broadway in Boulder, Colorado prior to being delivered to the David Skaggs Research Center., Room 33-GB506A, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO. If they are not scanned, they may be refused. E-MAIL OR FACSIMILE OFFERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. See Numbered Note 1. EMAIL ADD: robert.mecklenburg@noaa.gov EMAIL DESC: NOAA, MASC Acquisition Management Division
 

Place of Performance

Address: DEPT. OF COMMERCIE, BOULDER LABS, 325 BROADWAY, BOULDER. CO 80305

Zip Code: 80305

Country: USA
 

Record

SN00650261-W 20040826/040825041749 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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