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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JUNE 11, 2010 FBO #3121
SOLICITATION NOTICE

66 -- ThermoGravimetric Analyzer

Notice Date

6/9/2010
 

Notice Type

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 

NAICS

334516 — Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, South Atlantic Area, Area Office, 950 College Station Rd., Athens, Georgia, 30605, United States
 

ZIP Code

30605
 

Solicitation Number

RFQ-007-43YK-10
 

Point of Contact

Kelly L. Bero, Phone: 706-546-3025
 

E-Mail Address

kelly.bero@ars.usda.gov
(kelly.bero@ars.usda.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for a commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number RFQ-007-43YK-10 is issued as a request for quotations and incorporates provisions and clauses that are in effect through FAC 2005-40. The NAICS code applicable to this acquisition is 334516. This procurement is unrestricted. This instrument must be capable of measuring the degradation of food and feed samples. A thermal gravimetric analyzer will satisfy this need. The instrument should have the capability to perform as a conventional TGA and provide an interface to other analytical instruments so that the chemical structure of the degradation products may be identified. Additional details for this device are listed below: Performance specifications Weighing Capacity: 100 mg Weighing Precision: ± 0.01% Dynamic Baseline Drift: < 10 µg from 50 to 1,000 °C, with platinum pans Sensitivity: < 0.1 µg (1 ppm) Signal Resolution: 0.002 µg Temperature Range: ambient to 1,200 °C Furnace type: Infrared heating with built in electromagnetic coil for automated temperature calibration Isothermal Temperature Accuracy: ±1°C Isothermal Temperature Precision: ±0.1°C Linear Heating Rates: 0.1 to 500 °C/min in 0.01°C/min increments Ballistic Heating Rates: > 2,000 °C/min Furnace Cooling: Forced Air 1000°C to 50°C in < 10 min. ThermoBalance Design: Vertical Hang-down Mass Flow Control: Dual software controlled with flow-rates stored as signals in data file Instrument Features Ability to abort a test and/or segment in a test when operator specified conditions are met. Ability to modify a run in progress, including the ability to add segments to an active run. Balance designed with automated furnace closing and experiment initiation in one keystroke. Must have local control at the module including experiment start/stop and real-time display of sample temperature and experiment status. Automatic recording of initial sample weight. Automated push button taring. One button push loads pan, raises furnace, tares pan, and unloads pan. Ability to continue a run when disconnected from the computer/controller. Ability to use pans up to 250 microliter volume so as to fit larger samples in thermobalance. Ability to store calibration constants in module memory TGA shall include high-sensitivity, temperature-controlled thermobalance as described below. TGA shall include IR-radiation furnace, as described below. TGA must include evolved gas analysis (EGA) capability without resorting to a second furnace. TGA must be easily interfaced to a Mass Spectrometer or FTIR, and shall accommodate a heated purge gas outlet to minimize condensation. The relative temperature of the heated outlet must be software controlled. TGA must include touch screen for easy controller access and monitoring. TGA must communicate with computer/controller through Ethernet BUS. TGA must include dual digital mass flow controllers. Flow rate must be programmable within operating software, and deliverable as a saved signal in the data file. Mass flow controllers must also allow for automated gas switching during an experiment. Data files contain measured sample temperature, not calculated temperature. This allows the user to know what temperature the sample is actually at during different heating rate experiments and makes for accurate and precise transition temperatures. TGA must demonstrate the ability to continuously measure sample weight loss of up to 100 mg. TGA must employ single thermocouple design with continuous use of the measured sample temperature to control the furnace so as to minimize thermal lag. TGA must employ horizontal purge gas flow to minimize buoyancy effects from purge gas and for direct output to off gas analysis. TGA must employ push button automatic loading and unloading of sample pan. Operator does not have to hang pan on wire in normal use. TGA must demonstrate ability to have up to five points for temperature calibration to provide greater temperature accuracy over wide temperature ranges. It must also be capable of Curie Point temperature calibration using an integrated electromagnet, the power of which can be preset. Thermobalance TGA must employ a vertical null-balance design for accurate, precise and reliable weighing of samples. The stabilized meter movement is maintained at 40.00 °C in the balance housing by 3 strip heaters. It must be well insulated, electrically grounded, separately gas purged, and thermally isolated from the furnace. This is essential for high performance baseline performance. Furnace The furnace should employ infrared heating with a ceramic IR absorber for the rapid response needed for the most demanding applications in standard and high heating rate operation. Furnaces employing metal heater windings are not acceptable. It should also have an internal quartz liner to permit direct operation as an Evolved Gas Analysis (EGA) furnace to handle decomposition products that might adhere to furnace internal features. The furnace design should include a horizontal gas purge system using multiple digital mass flow controllers to provide highly accurate and precise control purge gas flow rate and gas switching capability. The system software should include automatic buoyancy corrections for temperature and gas flow rate. The furnace must include integrated electromagnetic coil for convenient Curie Point temperature calibration. The coil power is software controlled. The combined thermobalance and furnace should be capable of operating in vacuum of 1 x 10-2 torr. Software The DSC must include operating software which allows for the instrument to be fully calibrated and verified automatically, without the need for operator presence. Calibrations must include weight and temperature. Scheduling capabilities must be present, such that these calibrations and/or verifications can be programmed to perform outside normal work periods, such as overnight or on weekends. The software must also be capable of sending automatic communications as to the status of these calibration/verification experiments so that the operator is fully apprised of their status. In addition, the instrument software must be capable of performing a series of auto-diagnostic tests, either manually or through the scheduling component. These tests should verify the performance of various instrument components such as furnace components, motors, electronic boards, mass flow controllers, etc. The results of these tests should be logged and the option to automatically report the result should be included. The operating software should also be capable of periodically and automatically checking for updates via an internet connection, and downloading/installing those updates if desired. The data analysis software should be unkeyed, to allow for unlimited installations within one site. The data file format should easily allow sharing/transfer of data files as individual electronic documents, which are readable by the same data analysis package. The data analysis program should also include a.pdf generator, for the efficient export of analyzed plots. Performance The instrument should be able to control the heater to optimize weight loss resolution and separate overlapping thermal transitions. 1) Dynamic Heating Rate to automatically and continuously change heating rate as a function of decomposition (sample weight loss). 2) Constant Reaction Rate to automatically and continuously change heating rate to achieve a pre-determined rate of sample decomposition expressed in %/min. 3) Stepwise Isothermal to automatically change from heating to an isothermal hold when pre-selected limits of weight loss in %/min are met. Modulated TGA The instrument should be capable of performing modulated analyses by applying a sinusoidal temperature wave to a sample. The amplitude of sine wave should include ± 0.01 to 10°C with a period from 100 to 1000 seconds. Calculate and display on a continuous basis in real time the following kinetic decomposition parameters: -Activation energy (kJ/mol) -Log (Pre-exponential factor) (1/min) -ln (rate ratio) -Weight amplitude (mg/min) -Modulated Temp (°C). Delivers above kinetic parameters of decomposition in a single scan (data file) Calculate kinetic parameters by Discrete Fourier Transformation. Modulate temperature during quasi-isothermal methods to evaluate the decomposition kinetics of a single weight loss. The government anticipates award of a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the specifications will be most advantageous to the government. PAYMENT: Any award made under this solicitation is subject to 31 CFR Part 208 which requires all payments made by the government to be made by electronic funds transfer. Please note on your proposal if you will accept a government purchase (VISA) card. This solicitation incorporates the following FAR clauses, provisions and addendums: 52-212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Item; 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items - annual representations and certifications are required. Offers shall include a statement as follows on their offer: the offeror verifies by submission of this offer that the representations and certifications currently posted electronically at http://orca.bpn.gov have been entered or updated in the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard applicable to the NAICS code referenced for this solicitation), as of the date of this offer and are incorporated in this offer by reference, except for paragraphs ______________; 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items; 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders-Commercial Items. In paragraph B of 52.212-5, the following apply: 52.219-28, 52.222-3, 52.222-19, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.225-3, 52.225-13, and 52.225-33. In the event the vendor will accept payment via the Government Purchase Card (VISA), the vendor shall annotate on its offer that it will accept the purchase card, and clause 52.232-33 will be superseded by clause 52.232-36. All sources wishing to provide a quotation must respond by 5:00 PM, July 2, 2010. Quotations should be addressed to USDA, ARS, LSO, 950 College Station Rd, Athens, GA 30605. POC is Kelly Bero, Purchasing Agent, 706/546-3025. Faxed or emailed responses are acceptable. All responses will be evaluated to determine the equipment's capability to meet the above requirements. The Government shall award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsive/responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government per FAR 13.106-2. The anticipated award date is July 9, 2010. All responsible sources may submit a quotation which shall be considered by the agency.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/ARS/SAA-GA-A/RFQ-007-43YK-10/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: 950 College Station Rd., Athens, Georgia, 30605, United States

Zip Code: 30605
 

Record

SN02173066-W 20100611/100609235504-54729de19544d3c5d032ab58d630c3b3 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

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

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