SOURCES SOUGHT
34 -- Tungsten Shield for 150% Efficiency HPGE Gamma Detector
- Notice Date
- 8/28/2008
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 332999
— All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Acquisition Management, RTP Procurement Operations Division, E105-02, RTP Procurement Operations Division (D143-01) Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
- ZIP Code
- 27711
- Solicitation Number
- PR-NC-08-10664
- Response Due
- 9/15/2008
- Archive Date
- 10/15/2008
- Point of Contact
- LANELLE T. SHANDS, Contract Specialist, Phone: 919-541-4278, E-Mail: shands.lanelle@epa.gov; ROBERT D. FLOWERS, Placement Contracting Officer, E-Mail: flowers.rob@epa.gov<br />
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS FOR WRITTEN INFORMATION ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is performing market research to determine potential small business sources in preparation for an upcoming procurement. EPA has a requirement for a shield that is intended to provide an ultra-low radiation background for a high purity germanium detector to be used for general purpose high resolution gamma spectrometry of a wide range of sample types, including water, soil, and air. The selected contractor will install the tungsten powder in the shield assembly either at their place of manufacture, or after delivery to the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, AL, at their option. The quotation must be firm fixed price and include any necessary travel and per diem expenses, if required, as outlined above. EPA will not separately reimburse travel expenses. Both items one and two must be properly packaged for shipment by motor freight. The NAREL cannot accept rail or bulk shipments. Furthermore, the small business must be able to purchase all necessary items, including the tungsten powder up front. Payment will not be made by the Government until all items have been delivered to NAREL. Item 1 ? Low Background Shield AssemblyThe shield is intended to be used to house and reduce background radiation for a nominal 150% efficiency coaxial P-type Germanium radiation detector. The detector will be in a vertical dipstick cryostat configuration but will initially be cooled by a mechanical cooler. It is possible that liquid nitrogen cooling may be used in the future, so sufficient room is required under the shield assembly for a standard 30L liquid nitrogen dewar. Samples will be placed inside the shield and on the detector from the top.The following requirements have been determined for the low-background shield assembly:AThe shield assembly will consist of a shield and a table stand.BThe shield shall be cylindrical, with an inner cavity to house the detector and samples.1The final finished diameter of the shield assembly shall not exceed 22?.2The final inner dimensions of the shield will for a void no less than 11? diameter by 16? high.3The shield is to have three components, a main side wall shell, a moveable lid assembly, and a base.CThe shield shall be fabricated as a hollow shell that will be packed with tungsten powder. 1The assembled shield will consist of an outer wall and inner wall that will retain tungsten powder at a depth of 4 inches between the outer and inner walls.2The inner and outer walls will be manufactured to the minimum wall thickness necessary to support the structure of the shield and to retain the tungsten powder.3The outer wall of the shield shall be carbon steel.4The support table top may be used as part of the outer shell of the shield, if a means is provided to ensure that when filled, the tungsten powder will not leak through gaps between the bottom of the cylindrical shield walls and the table top.5The inner wall of the shield shall be copper, including top, bottom, and sides.6A vertical hole, 4.5? in diameter, shall be provided in the base of the shield to allow for insertion of the detector and passage of refrigerant tubing to the detector. This penetration shall be lined with copper as in C.5 above to contain the tungsten powder.7The lid of the shield shall be a separate piece and shall have provisions for easy and quick access to the shield cavity for placing and removing samples. Any variation of hinged or roll top designs are acceptable provided that the specific design has been previously and successfully used. New designs must be submitted for EPA approval prior to manufacture. The lid design must ensure that, when the lid is closed, there is not a direct streaming path between the active volume of the detector and any point outside of the shield. For purposes of this requirement, the detector active volume may be assumed to be a cylinder 3.5? in diameter and 4? high, centered in the cavity of the shield.8After fabrication, all exposed steel surfaces shall be cleaned and painted for corrosion protection and appearance. The color selected shall be identical to the color used to finish the support table.DThe shield shall be capable of being filled with tungsten powder that meets the requirements for Item 2 below. 1The process used to fill the shield shell shall ensure that there are no voids.2This may be performed either at the place of manufacture, or during installation of the shield assembly at the National Air and Radiation Laboratory in Montgomery, AL.EThe shield assembly must be warranted to be free of defects in material and workmanship for at least one year from the time of acceptance by EPA. The warranty must provide for repair or replacement at no cost to the government, and shall not require the government to pay for shipping or handling costs for return of defective equipment for repairFThe shield shall be supported by a carbon steel table with four legs:1The table surface shall be between 29? and 31? above floor level. For leveling purposes, each leg shall be equipped with a means of adjusting height over a continuous range of at least 1?.2The table surface shall be square, with a width and depth of at least 24? but no more than 25?.3An open area, at least 18.5? wide, 18.5? deep, and 24? high (above the floor), shall be maintained under the table top and between the four legs. Cross members between legs are permissible provided that on at least one side access must be provided for sliding an 18? diameter liquid nitrogen dewar into position under the shield. If a cross member is used at this point of access, it must be removable and it can not be a structural support member.4The table surface is to have a hole, 4.5? in diameter, in the center for installation and removal of the detector and refrigerant tubing.5Structural components of the table, including the leg leveling mechanisms, shall be of adequate strength to support at least 150% of the expected weight of the shield when filled with tungsten powder. 6After fabrication, all exposed steel surfaces shall be cleaned and painted for corrosion protection and appearance.GInstructions and/or drawings that describe how to safely fill, move, set up, maintain, and use the shield assembly shall be provided. Any drawings provided shall identify components by part number and be accompanied by part lists that include all components shown in the drawings. This documentation may be provided either in printed form, or on CD-ROM in portable document format (PDF) files. Item 2 ? Tungsten Powder for Item 1Tungsten powder in sufficient quantity (approximately 1000 kg or 2200 lbs) to fill the shell of the shield assembly in Item 1 above shall be provided, plus an additional quantity (approximately 365 kg or 800 lbs) to fill a 24? x 24? x 3.5? shadow shield container, for a total quantity of approximately 1365 kg or 3000 pounds. The powder shall be 60 to 100 mesh with a minimum purity of 99.7% by weight and a minimum density of 10.5 g/cc Item 3 ? Shipping and Handling for Item 1Shipping shall be F.O.B. Destination, to the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory in Montgomery, Alabama. Item 4 ? Shipping and Handling for Item 2Shipping shall be F.O.B. Destination, to the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory in Montgomery, Alabama.The applicable NAICS code is 332999 (All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing) with a size standard of 500 persons. ANY INTERESTED SMALL BUSINESS FIRM should submit a capability statement which demonstrates the firm's ability to perform the key requirements described above. Standard company brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this Sources Sought Synopsis. In the capabilities statements, contractors should provide their size status for the above referenced NAICS code, (i.e. large, small) and whether or not they are a certified hubzone, 8(a), women-owned, small disadvantaged and/or disabled veteran owned concern. The EPA reserves the right to set this action aside for small businesses. Responses to the above should be submitted to U.S. EPA, Attn: Lanelle T. Shands, 4930 Old Page Road, RTP Procurement Operations Division (D143-01), Durham, NC 27703, or shands.lanelle@epa.gov no later than 15 calendar days from date of posting. A separate synopsis will be issued for any Request for Proposal (RFP) which may result from this sources sought synopsis.
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