Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JUNE 17, 2010 FBO #3127
SOLICITATION NOTICE

66 -- Compensated Ion Chamber Neutron Detector Assemblies

Notice Date

6/15/2010
 

Notice Type

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 

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

SB1341-10-RQ-0346-2
 

Archive Date

7/15/2010
 

Point of Contact

Charles Koehler,
 

E-Mail Address

charles.koehler@nist.gov
(charles.koehler@nist.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6-STREAMLINED PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATION AND SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED, AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED. This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-41. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 with a business size standard of 500 employees. BACKGROUND The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) reactor has been in continuous operation since it achieved initial criticality on December 7, 1967. The existing nuclear instrumentation is organized as three (3) overlapping ranges of coverage - the Source Range, the Intermediate Range and the Power Range - with five (5) Compensated Ion Chamber (CIC) neutron detectors covering all of the Intermediate Range and Power Range in five (5) separate nuclear instrument channels. The neutron detectors for each of these channels are suspended in "dry wells" (Attachment 1) in the biological shield that partially shield them from undesired gamma radiation and allow for removal for servicing or replacement, and for vertical positioning adjustments. The detector wells are vertical metal pipes outside the reactor vessel (containing the fuel core, moderator and cooling water). The pipes are set in concrete and lead shielding. Over time, the wells have developed constrictions that reduce the interior diameter. These diameter changes cause physical drag and binding and now restrict the ability to place existing CIC detectors in their correct positions. During the past 40 years, detectors were normally removed from their wells only for repair or replacement. Now, to monitor future loss of well diameter, it may be necessary to have to pull each detector out annually of which will greatly increase the risk of damage to the detectors and attached cables. CURRENT OPERATION Each of the existing CIC Neutron Detector Assemblies (of which are lowered into each detector well) consist of the following components: 1. The CIC neutron detector itself. Westinghouse WL-8074 or equivalent, with three male type HN coaxial connectors on one end. See Attachment 2. 2. Polyethlene insulating spacers separating the detector and cable connectors from the outer can. See Attachment 3. 3. A protective outer can 3.5 inches in diameter and 31 inches long, with a 3/4-inch inside diameter lifting eye attached. The can is made of type 6061-T6 aluminum and the lifting eye is made of type 316 stainless steel. See Attachment 3. 4. Three radiation- and heat-resistant mineral-insulated coaxial extension cables 7 feet long. See Attachment 4. Before use in the reactor, each MI cable is wrapped with fiberglass insulating tape over its entire length. 5. A different insulating spacer (Attachment 5) carrying three female-to-female type HN coaxial cable bulkhead connectors (part UG-1019/U), used for the transition from the mineral-insulated cables to the conventional flexible coaxial signal and power cables installed from the reactor top to the control room. The control room cables are terminated with female type BNC connectors at the reactor top, and adapted to the female type HN connectors with part UG-309/U with short BNC-BNC cables between. 6. A lifting cable of 1/8-inch 7x7 Stainless Steel Aircraft Cable. While the lifting cable supports the weight of each detector assembly, there is no provision for support of the attached mineral-insulated cables nor for their corresponding conventional coaxial signal and power cables. The unsupported mineral-insulated cables, especially, are prone to mechanical damage and electrical failure upon every insertion, height adjustment and removal. The CIC neutron detectors currently used are electrically connected to their cylindrical outer metal enclosure. The detector well walls are metal. The detectors generate spurious signals whenever the detector enclosure, or a coaxial cable outer conductor make contact with the well walls. The protective outer can, with the included insulating spacers, electrically insulates the detector itself and protects it from mechanical damage, and provides the lifting point for insertion, positioning and suspension of the detector assembly. The mineral-insulated cables are far more resistant to the radiation and heat damage that occurs in conventional coaxial cables. In the present installation, three (3) MI cables connect each detector to the cables from the control room, one (1) each for High Voltage into the detector, Compensating Voltage into the detector and the detector current signal into the control room electronics. Attachment 3 depicts the final neutron detector arrangement, incorporating a final assembly of the separate components: the compensated ion chamber; fiberglass-wrapped mineral-insulated cables; polyethylene insulating spacers; protective housing; and lifting eye. This assembly is roughly 3.5 inches in overall diameter, and, with the MI cables, is approximately ten (10) feet long. The detector and protective housing itself is approximately 32 inches long overall. The detector wells (Attachments 6 and 7) are all approximately 23 feet deep, and they are closed, when in operation, with a five-foot long steel plug. Two (2) of the wells execute an 11-degree bend 12 feet down from the top of the well. This well design places two (2) more constraints on the assembled neutron detectors: (a) the overall length, including attached mineral-insulated cables, may not exceed ten (10) feet; and (b) the length of the rigid (detector/enclosure) portion may not exceed 48 inches. OBJECTIVE NCNR requires seven (7) Compensated Ion Chamber Neutron Detector Assemblies meeting or exceeding the electrical and mechanical performance of the currently-installed detector assemblies. All interested Contractors shall provide a comprehensive quotation for Line Item 0001, Line Item 0002 and Line Item 0003 of which must be reflective and/or accompanied by technical literature; warranty policy; lead time after receipt of order; quotation expiration date; and FOB Destination. LINE ITEM 0001: Prior to commencement of the manufacturing stage, the Contractor shall submit the appropriate final designs/drawings to NIST's Technical Contact for comment/approval with respect to the technical specifications delineated in Line Item 0002. LINE ITEM 0002: Quantity of seven (7) each Compensated Ion Chamber Neutron Detector Assemblies meeting or exceeding all of the following minimum specifications and shall: 1. Not exceed a maximum overall outside diameter of two and one-half (2.500) inches at any point in its length. 2. Not exceed 48 inches in length for any rigid portion of its structure. 3. Not exceed 10 feet in overall length including the attached mineral-insulated cables. 4. Include a lifting eye for use with nominal 1/8-inch stainless steel aircraft cable for insertion, position adjustment and removal of each detector assembly. 5. Provide strain relief for the complete final detector assembly including the attached mineral-insulated cables. 6. Be electrically insulated against contact with exterior metallic surfaces, such as the detector well wall, and insulated from the metallic lifting cable. 7. Exhibit the same neutron sensitivity as the existing detectors, and the same gamma sensitivity, within the 2 Watt to 20 megawatt operating range of the reactor (operating thermal neutron flux range of 1.3 x 102 nv to 5.0 x 1010 nv). The neutron sensitivity shall be no less than 3 x 10-14 Amps/nv, and the uncompensated gamma sensitivity shall be no greater than 3 x 10-11 Amps/R/hr. 8. Integrate with the existing NBSR nuclear channel electronics. The available detector high voltage range is 0 to 1000 positive Volts DC. The available detector compensating voltage range is 0 to negative 175 Volts DC, presently set at - 5 Volts. The channel electronics' Intermediate Range is defined as from 1 x 10-10 Amps to 1 x 10-3 Amps ( that is, 100 picoamps to 1 milliamp), and the Power Range reads 100% power (representing 20 megawatts) with a detector current of 140 microamps. 9. Terminate all attached signal and power cables with male coaxial connectors, either type HN or type BNC, for connection to the Government-furnished cabling from the Control Room to the Reactor top. 10. Warranty from the Contractor shall provide for a minimum of one (1) year from delivery acceptance by NIST. Warranty shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, unlimited telephone and e-mail support during the warranty period and be inclusive of matters relating to installation, operation and that to which is of a similar nature. The Contractor shall provide a statement/terms of its warranty of which shall meet or exceed the aforementioned. LINE ITEM 0003: All supporting documentation necessary for installation, operation and maintenance of the neutron detector assemblies shall be provided in electronic, text-searchable Portable Document Format (PDF). Internet download is acceptable. INSTALLATION Installation from the Contractor is not required. TRAINING Training from the Contractor is not required. TEST AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA The detector assemblies produced will be tested by NIST at the CNCR facility per National Bureau of Standards Reactor (NBSR) Instrument Calibration and Test Procedure IC-BP-IONIZATION CH (Attachment 8). Acceptance will include visual and physical review at NIST for adherence to design specifications. Please refer to CAR clause 1352.217-102 in full text below. 1352.217-102 Government Review, Comment, Acceptance and Approval (JAN 1987): a) Documentation, including drawings and other engineering products and reports, required by the contract to be submitted for review, comment, acceptance or approval will be acted upon by the Government within 30 calendar days after receipt by the Government, unless another period of time is specified. b) Review, comment, acceptance or approval by the Government as required under this contract and applicable specifications shall not relieve the Contractor of its obligation to comply with the specifications and with all other requirements of the contract, nor shall it impose upon the Government any liability it would not have had in the absence of such review, comment and acceptance or approval. DELIVERY Delivery shall be completed within the Contractor's commercial schedule upon receipt of the Purchase Order. Contractor shall state on the Quotation the lead time for all Line Items based on After Receipt of Order (ARO). All Line Items shall be delivered to NIST, ATTN: Shipping and Receiving, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, and shall reference the NIST Purchase Order Number. Delivery shall be FOB Destination. The Contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirements; deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the purchase order; be responsible for loss of and/or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order; and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery. FINAL ACCEPTANCE Final acceptance shall be provided and payment in full shall be made upon NIST's receipt and acceptance of all Line Items. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BASIS FOR AWARD Award will be made on a best value basis to the Contractor whose quotation offers the best value to the Government. The Government will evaluate quotations based on the following evaluation criteria: (a) Technical Approach; (b) Past Experience; and (c) Past Performance. Technical approach, past experience and past performance, when combined, shall be more important than price. If technical approach, past experience and past performance are equivalent, price shall be the determining factor. Technical Approach refers to the following: 1. Project Engineering: Offeror demonstrates a feasible approach to the realization of the electronic and mechanical specifications. Offeror demonstrates appropriate engineering mechanisms that assure the resulting design will meet the required specifications. 2. Project Development: Offeror exhibits enough design factors, (e.g.: calculations, assumptions and conclusions) that the NCNR can be assured the design is valid. 3. Quality Assurance: Offeror demonstrates existing Quality Control/Quality Assurance documentation and procedures that assure that the design and manufacturing processes will minimize technical and production mishaps. Past Experience refers to the following: Past Experience will be evaluated to determine the degree of vendors' experience in providing comparable systems for the types of applications described herein. Offeror shall demonstrate prior experience in design and fabrication of Nuclear Detectors, particularly Compensated Ion Chambers intended to function over similar power ranges. Evaluation of past experience may include contacts used for past performance; however, the vendor should provide additional references and documentation relating to its past experience information, if necessary. Past Performance refers to the following: Past Performance will be evaluated to determine the overall quality of the products and services, provided by the Contractor. Evaluation of Past Performance shall be based on the references provided IAW FAR 52.212-1(b)(10) and/or information from other sources, including NIST. Offerors shall provide a list of at least three (3) references to which the same or similar products have been sold. The list of references shall include, at a minimum: (a) the name of the reference contact person and the company or organization; (b) the telephone number of the reference contact person; (c) the contract or grant number; (d) the amount of the contract and the address and the telephone number of the Contracting Officer, if applicable; and (e) the date of delivery or the date services were completed. Past Experience, Past Performance and Price shall not be evaluated on quotes that are determined not to be technically acceptable in accordance with the Technical Approach evaluation factor. REQUIRED SUBMISSIONS Interested Contractors shall submit the following as it relates to the Solicitation: 1) A Quotation which addresses all Line Items as delineated in the Solicitation. 2) This is an Open-Market Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for equipment as defined herein. The Government intends to award a Purchase Order as a result of this Combined Synopsis/Solicitation that will include the terms and conditions that are set forth herein. In order to facilitate the award process, all quotations shall include a statement regarding the terms and conditions herein as follows: The offeror shall state "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document without modification, deletion, or addition." OR The offeror shall state "The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following": Offeror shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s) This procurement is not being conducted under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program nor another Government-Wide Area Contract (GWAC). If an offeror submits a quotation based upon an FSS or GWAC contract, the Government will accept the quoted price; however, the terms and conditions stated herein will be included in any resultant Purchase Order, not the terms and conditions of the offeror's FSS or GWAC contract, and the statement required above shall be included in the quotation. 3) In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.204-7, the successful quoter must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) prior to award. Reference www.ccr.gov for details. Refusal to register shall forfeit award of a purchase order. DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS All quotations shall be sent via E-mail to Charles Koehler, Contract Specialist, at charles.koehler@nist.gov. The E-mail subject line shall refer to the complete Solicitation Number of this procurement. Quotations submitted in any manner other than noted above will not be acknowledged nor honored. Submissions must be received by 12:00 PM ET on June 30, 2010. ATTACHMENTS Illustrations and additional specifications as noted as "Attachments" or otherwise in the Solicitation are available to interested vendors upon further request. Request for release of illustrations and additional specifications shall be made via E-mail to charles.koehler@nist.gov. PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES The full text of a FAR provision or clause may be accessed electronically at www.acqnet.gov/far. The following provisions apply to this acquisition: 52.212-1 - Instructions to Offerors - Commercial; 52.212-3 - Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items. In accordance with FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items, offerors must complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://orca.bpn.gov. If paragraph (j) of the provision applies, a written submission is required; The following clauses apply to this acquisition: 1) 52.212-4 - Contract Terms and Conditions (Commercial Items); 2) 52.212-5 - Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders (Commercial Items including subparagraphs); 4) 52.222-3 - Convict Labor; 5) 52.222-19 - Child Labor (Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies); 6) 52.222-21 - Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 7) 52.222-26 - Equal Opportunity; 8) 52.222-36 - Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; 9) 52.225-1 - Buy American Act-Supplies; 10) 52.225-13 - Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (E.O. 12722, 12724, 13059, 13067, 13121, and 13129); 11) 52.232-33 - Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer (Central Contractor Registration); and 12) Department of Commerce Agency-Level Protest Procedures Level above the Contracting Officer is also incorporated, of which can be downloaded at www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/agency.htm.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/SB1341-10-RQ-0346-2/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899, United States

Zip Code: 20899
 

Record

SN02178043-W 20100617/100615235504-eba9db00bcda09183233be5f5ac83b09 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

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

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