SOURCES SOUGHT
66 -- Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer
- Notice Date
- 10/27/2008
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1640
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1640
- Solicitation Number
- AMD-09-L001
- Response Due
- 11/4/2008 3:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 11/19/2008
- Point of Contact
- Janet M. Lamb,, Phone: 301-975-6205, Todd D Hill,, Phone: 301-975-8802
- E-Mail Address
-
janet.lamb@nist.gov, todd.hill@nist.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- General Information Document Type: Sources Sought Notice Reference Number: AMD-09-L001 Current Response Date: Classification Code: 66 -- Instruments & laboratory equipment Naics Code: 334516—Thermal analysis, laboratory-type, manufacturing Contracting Office Address Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899-1640 The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) seeks information on commercial vendors that are capable of providing a simultaneous thermal analyzer that combines thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with the potential for evolved gas analysis of a diverse class of materials. The instrument is required to provide the capability of accurately measuring with high resolution the sample mass of the material under study as the temperature of the material is changed. At the same time as measuring mass changes, the accurate determination of caloric effects such as specific heat and enthalpies of phase transitions is required. The system will be sited and used in a multi-user facility. Besides the routine (i.e. varying temperature from room temperature to 600 oC) simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) experiments that will be done on this instrument there are a set of ‘Key Experiments’ that will need to accurately record sample weight loss on heating of solvated materials then having the sample cooled to -150 oC under flowing helium gas. Once the sample has reached thermal equilibrium, the sample is exposed to a low flow of hydrogen gas and allowed to further equilibrate. The hydrogen gas must be isolated from the rest of the STA using the helium as a buffer gas and be compatible with any electrical components such as mass-flow controllers or valves. The hydrogen is then swapped back to helium, and the system heated to at least 500oC to record DSC and TGA responses. Since hydrogen is an extremely light molecule and adsorbed in small amounts in most materials of interest at these temperatures, the adsorption/desorption mass changes require extreme sensitivity of the instrument balance. Evolved gas analysis After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed and specifications are developed for equipment that can meet NIST's minimum requirements, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a Purchase Order. If at least two responsible, qualified respondents are classified as small business manufacturers of the equipment described herein, then any competitive procurement solicited by NIST will be done as a small business set-aside. NIST has a need for TGA/DSC instrument that would meet the following requirements: TGA/DSC Instrument Requirements 1.1Instrument requirements 1.The requirements of studying hydrogen adsorption in small mass samples requires that the Instrument have a micro balance capable of measuring the mass change with resolution of better than 25 nano-grams with low mass drift. 2.There must be easy access to sample, easy exchange of sensors, stable position of sensor and small dead volume with a continuous buffer gas flow for evolved gas analysis. 3.To accommodate the diverse sample material requirements of the facility, the instrument must be equipped with the ability to simultaneously install a cooling furnace and a furnace that is capable of operating from room temperature to 2000 oC. The process of interchanging furnaces must be simple and not require special tools so that a non-expert user can perform this task quickly. The furnace change must not require changing the physical connections between the low temperature furnace and the liquid nitrogen vessel and temperature/flow controllers. 4.There must be at least 2 gas paths available for the system. A helium buffer gas and a user changeable gas that flows over the sample. This second path may contain hydrogen and all mass flow controllers and associated electronics should be suitable for that purpose. 5.Many samples will be air-sensitive once heated and desolvated as described in the ‘key experiments’: the instrument must be vacuum-tight and be able to reduce O2 concentrations below the 1ppm level to ensure sample integrity while in use. 6.The instrument must be supplied with FT-IR and Mass-Spec transfer lines that must be able to operate at a controlled temperature either simultaneously or independently. 7.Laboratory space is at a premium, and the instrument should take up the minimum of bench space. The maximum dimensions allowable are 28” W x 28” D x 36” H with extra height available for coupling accessories. 1.2Manufacturer qualifications: 1.NIST prefers that the Manufacturer shall state how many years of experience in the manufacturing and maintenance of supplying thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry equipment. Response should include the number of years of experience for the manufacturer in this industry. NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large, foreign, and small businesses. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 334516, as those domestic sources having 500 employees or less. Please include your company’s size classification in any response to this notice. Companies that manufacture process simultaneous thermal analyzer are requested to email a detailed report describing their abilities tojanet.amb@nist.gov and todd.hill@nist.gov no later than the response date for this sources sought notice. The report should include achievable specifications and any other information relevant to your product or capabilities. Also, the following information is requested to be provided as part of the response to this sources sought notice: 1. Name of the company that manufactures the system for which specifications are provided. 2. Name of company(ies) that are authorized to sell the system, their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address). 3. Indication of number of days, after receipt of order that is typical for delivery of such a system. 4. Indication of whether each instrument for which specifications are sent to janet.lamb@nist.gov and todd.hill@nist.gov are currently on one or more GSA Federal Supply Schedule contracts and, if so, the GSA FSS contract number(s). 5. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research. Point of Contact Janet Lamb, Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 975-6205, Email janet.lamb@nist.gov and Todd Hill, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 975-8802, Email todd.hill@nist.gov
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
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- Place of Performance
- Address: Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1640, United States
- Zip Code: 20899-1640
- Zip Code: 20899-1640
- Record
- SN01696747-W 20081029/081027214904-2caf88fca66c6db6abde7af74adb75b4 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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