MODIFICATION
66 -- Small-angle X-ray scattering instrument
- Notice Date
- 8/24/2006
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 334517
— Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Nat'l Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, & Kidney Diseases, 2 Democracy Plaza, Suite 700W 6707 Democracy Blvd., MSC 5455, Bethesda, MD, 20892-5455
- ZIP Code
- 20892-5455
- Solicitation Number
- NIH-NIDDK-06-950
- Response Due
- 9/6/2006
- Archive Date
- 9/21/2006
- Description
- AN AMENDMENT TO THE RESPONSE DATE HAS BEEN ISSUED. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE RESPONSE DATE IS NOW 9/6/06. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation number is NIH-NIDDK-06-950, and is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation/contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-27. The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 334517 and the business size standard is 500 Employees. However, this solicitation is not set aside for small business. This acquisition is being conducted using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), has a requirement to purchase a current state-of-the-art technology small-angle X-ray scattering instrument. This instrument will function as an intra-institute resource shared by the Sections on Biophysical NMR Spectroscopy, and the Section on Protein NMR, LCP/NIDDK. Small-and wide angle scattering is capable of providing structural information at physiological-like (solution) conditions for biomolecules varying in size from several kDa to several thousand kDa. Sample preparation for scattering studies is relatively straightforward, data acquisition is fast, and the information content within a fixed resolution range increases with the size of the system. Thus, X-ray solution scattering is in a unique position of being both compatible and complementary with respect to high-resolution solution-state NMR. A joint application of NMR and small-angle solution scattering is well suited to study, simultaneously and under native conditions, macromolecular structure, dynamics, as well as interactions between the macromolecule and the surrounding solvent. Particularly promising applications include large and multi-domain macromolecules, and assemblies of inherently flexible or disordered macromolecules. The resolution range of the instrument will allow studying systems at length scales ranging from 1 to 100 nm. Specific areas of application that will gain most from the availability of an in-house scattering instrument include: A. Large and multi-domain proteins and tight macromolecular complexes. NMR-only studies of such systems are hampered by the decrease in spectral quality with larger size and by scarcity of experimental data defining relative position of the individual domains. Scattering data provides long-range translational restraints that complement global orientational restraints from NMR such as RDCs. B. Large oligonucleotides. The constraint that scattering data provides on the overall shape of the RNA constructs will be especially valuable as NMR distance restraints are limited to the intra- and inter-strand neighbors and RDCs are difficult to acquire. C. Micelle-solubilized membrane proteins. Solution scattering data will provide information on the shape of both membrane-embedded protein and that of the micelle itself. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED TASKS TO BE PERFORMED All specifications must be demonstrated and guaranteed on site (Building 6, under construction). The offeror must be able to provide data that indicate that it reasonably can be expected that the proposed specifications can be met. The system shall include a Cu K?? X-ray radiation generator with collimating and monochromating optics, and evacuated pre-sample flight path with the collimating optics for beam definition, an evacuated sample compartment, an evacuated post-sample flight path, and a 2-dimensional detector. All of the above components shall be mounted on a single table. In addition, the vendor shall supply a vacuum pump, a sample heating/cooling unit, all electronics necessary for the operation of the instrument and any additional components specified below, a computer console, equipment for the detector intensity calibration and correction of the detector image for geometric distortions. The system shall include the software necessary for data acquisition, processing and analysis, at least to the point of extracting radially or azimuthally averaged scattering intensity curves. The quote shall include detailed information on the following points: 1. X-ray Radiation Source and Optics Specify X-ray radiation source and optics, including short-term stability, long term drift, photon flux, shutter operation, attenuator capabilities, and suppression of wave lengths other than K??. In the quotation, include whether the instrument meets or exceeds the following requirements: The instrument preferably shall come equipped with the X-ray generator capable of providing radiation at Cu K?? wavelength with the photon flux at the sample of at least 2.106 cps in the high-resolution mode and 2.107 cps in the high-flux mode (described below). The long-term drift of the incident photon flux should not exceed 3% per week as measured in a series of three measurement separated by one week each. The short-term r.m.s. fluctuation of the photon flux at the detector should not exceed 0.5% as measured in a series of nine consecutive measurements of 10 min each. The X-ray generator preferably shall be equipped with a shutter that can be operated both manually and in the automated mode from the main console as a part of the experiment. The generator preferably shall also be coupled to at least two metal attenuator plates (Al, Cu or Ni are acceptable) with the widths between 0.1 and 1.0 mm that could be independently inserted into the beam path. Instrument optics should allow for suppression of the wavelengths outside of the Cu K?? band with the ratio of the transmitted K??/ K?? radiation intensities not exceeding 10-4. 2. Collimation system Describe collimation system, and include whether the instrument meets or exceeds the following requirements: The evacuated incident beam focusing system shall be capable of producing a point (pinhole)-shaped beam at the sample position with a dimension (FWHM) not exceeding 0.5 mm in a high resolution setup and 1.0 mm in the high-flux setup. An acceptable configuration may include at least 3 pinholes between the sample and the source with the total sample-to-source distance of at least 1400 mm and beam divergence not exceeding 1 mRad. The position of each pinhole should then be independently user-adjustable in two directions perpendicular to the beam path. The vendor will preferably provide two sets of pinholes, one for the high-resolution mode, and the other for the high flux mode. The ratio of the radiation fluxes as the sample in the two modes should be at least 4.0 or higher with the increase in qmin not exceeding 33% for the high-flux setup with respect to the high-resolution setup. 3. Sample compartment Describe sample compartment and temperature regulation system, and include whether the instrument meets or exceed the following requirements: Evacuated sample compartment setup shall allow user to load and recover samples in a cylindrical capillary or a flat-window sample cell through a programmable flow-through syringe pump without breaking the system vacuum and without any other windows between the entry window after the beam conditioning optics and the detector window. Sample holder shall allow console-controlled adjustments in at least 1 dimension perpendicular to the beam with a precision of 10 ??m or better. Sample volume of 20 ??L or less is required for the measurement. At least 2 of each capillary sample cells with the diameters of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm each that will be provided with the system. At least 2 flat cells with a path length o 0.7-1.5 mm will also be included with the system. Temperature control unit will allow a capability of maintaining sample cell temperature in the range between +5oC and +60oC with sample cell temperature variations not exceeding 0.2oC once the set temperature is reached. Variation of the cell temperature shall not exceed 0.02oC with a 1oC change of the room temperature. Temperature adjustments of 10oC within this range should be obtained in 15 minutes or less. The vendor shall provide a mounted standard (such as silver behenate) for conversion between detector pixel coordinates and the q axis and determination of the incident beam center within the detector plane. The instrument shall include a mounted standard for absolute calibration of the scattering intensity such as glassy carbon. 4. Sample-to-Detector Coupling Describe sample-to-detector coupling, and include whether the instrument meets or exceeds the following requirements: The instrument shall allow acquisition of the scattering data in the scattering vector range between qmin = 0.007 A-1 or smaller and qmax = 0.800 A-1 or larger, free of full or partial masking by any instrument components. Here q=4*??*sin(????)/??, where 2?? is the scattering angle and ?? is the incident radiation wavelength. Such range may be achieved by a user-variable setting for the sample-to-detector distance with the center of the detector offset by no more than 5 mm from the incident beam at each of these settings. Such variable sample-to-detector distance will necessitate a multi-section evacuated flight path between the sample compartment and the detector that will not introduce any detector masking within the q range listed above. The individual sections of such path shall be supported by movable independent metal supports rigidly fixable on the mounting table. 5. Detector Describe detector, and include whether the instrument meets or exceeds the following requirements: The instrument shall include a two-dimensional X-ray detector with the following characteristics: dark current less than 10 cps over the entire detector area, and maximum count rate of 105 cps or higher over the entire detector area. The vendor shall provide all necessary hardware and software for correction of the raw detector image for geometric distortions and local variations in the detector efficiency. The output of the detector should be convertible to the ACSII format with the raw number of counts at each detection element. The instrument will include a device for measurement, monitoring, and integration of beam intensity at zero scattering angle transmitted through the sample compartment independent of the data acquisition. Acceptable devices include a semi-transparent attenuating beam stop with transmitted intensity measured by the main 2D detector, or a separate beam stop-mounted sensor. 6. Other System Components Describe other system components, and include whether the instrument meets or exceeds the following requirements: The contractor will supply interchangeable beam stops with diameters of ~3 and ~4 mm. Beam stop positioning mechanism will allow adjustment in two dimensions perpendicular to the beam path with a precision of 10 ??m or less. The instrument shall include a vacuum pump system capable of lowering air pressure within flight-path from atmospheric to <0.03 mBar in less than 15 min at any setting of the sample-to-detector distance if such variable sample-to-detector setup is employed. The instrument shall be equipped with a computer control console, interfaced to all instrument electronics, equipped with the software for script-driven data collection setup, data correction from any smearing or distortion effects, radial and azimuthal integration, and sample-buffer subtraction. Data collection control scripts should allow for user-programmable sample holder translation perpendicular to the beam path, shutter opening and closing, specification of variable acquisition time of up to 12 hours, and setting a cell temperature prior to data acquisition with an option to postpone acquisition before a set temperature tolerance is met. Additional computer systems requirements are: hard drive storage of at least 100 GB unformatted, at least 2 USB-2 ports, Ethernet TCP/IP connectivity. 7. Past performance Include information on other customers, including full contact information, that have the same or very similar equipment, supplied by the vendor, operational in their laboratory for the purpose of structural study of biological macromolecules. 8. Power, space, and cooling requirements Describe average and peak electrical power needed for operation of the instrument. Describe cooling requirements, in terms of chilled water temperature and volume per hour. Describe whether the instrument can be switched to a low power mode when not in use. Describe the minimum time duration needed between turning on the instrument and the start of stable data collection. Describe room temperature and its maximum fluctuation necessary for stable operation of the instrument. Describe minimum space dimensions for the instrument. Can the instrument be installed in a room of dimensions 490 x 310 cm. 9. Maintenance Describe average lifetime of components during normal use, including detector and X-ray source, as well as the cost associated with maintenance of the instrument on an annual basis. 10. Warranty Describe the warranty in terms of parts and labor, offered with the equipment, as well as the availability of (optional) maintenance contracts for it. The offeror must include a completed copy of the provision of FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications ?V Commercial Items with its offer. The provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions ?V Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The addenda to the clause reads as follows: The offeror must include in their quotation, the unit price, the list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. The FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders ?V Commercial Items ?V 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 item specified in this synopsis should submit their quotation to the below address. Quotations will be due fifteen (15) calendar days from the publication date of this synopsis or September 6, 2006. The quotation must reference ??Solicitation number?? NIH-NIDDK-06-950. All responsible sources may submit a quotation, which if timely received, shall be considered by the agency. Quotations must be submitted in writing to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 6707 Democracy Blvd., Room 775, Bethesda, Maryland 20817, Attention: Patricia Haun. Faxed copies will not be accepted.
- Record
- SN01124380-W 20060826/060824220431 (fbodaily.com)
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