SPECIAL NOTICE
66 -- Fluorometer
- Notice Date
- 8/22/2013
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Agricultural Research Service - Eastern Business Service Center
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- AG-32SC-S-13-648500Fluorometer
- Archive Date
- 9/18/2013
- Point of Contact
- Kristen Turner, Phone: 3096816624
- E-Mail Address
-
kristen.turner@ars.usda.gov
(kristen.turner@ars.usda.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- <input name="dnf_class_values[procurement_notice][description][0][added_on]" type="hidden" value="2012-06-13 11:43:26" /> THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACT AND IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. The intent of this Special Notice is for informational purposes only. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Eastern Business Service Center (EBSC) intends to award a sole source procurement to the vendor Walz-USA who is located in Pepperell, MA 01463, for the following instrument: Item number: MCP-C, Multi-Color PAM Chlorophyll Fluorometer, quantity of 1 each. Walz-USA is the only known vendor that manufactures a product for the following minimum requirements: At a minimum, the optical components of the fluorometer (i.e., the fluorescence excitation light source, the fluorescence emission photodetector, and the optical paths that convey excitation light to the tissue and fluorescence emitted by the tissue to the detector) need to function at least down to 4° C so the device can be used without moving cold-stored produce to room temperature for measurement. At a minimum, fluorescence detection needs to function under ambient lighting conditions such that vegetables and fruit subjected to various light treatments during storage can be measured without disrupting treatment. This is typically accomplished using "pulse amplitude modulation" (PAM) in which the excitation light is pulsed at high frequency and the detector is adjusted so only fluorescence with the same frequency is measured. At a minimum, the optical components of the fluorometer (defined above) must be adaptable to measure a variety of irregular tissue morphologies that range from leaves to fruit without touching or damaging the tissue and under conditions in which repetitive measurements of the same tissue can be made over a period of days with minimal interference. In particular, dim excitation light is required so as not to generate significant photosynthesis in the test tissue while at the same time emitting little or no radiant infrared (to prevent tissue heating) and low levels of sensible heat to minimize disruption of the cold room environment. This is most easily accomplished using light-emitting diodes. At a minimum, the device needs to determine the following, which all involve fluorescence measurement, but which characterize different aspects of the physiological state of the tissue: 1. Photosynthetic competence of the tissue based on the magnitude of fluorescence under different conditions as well as microsecond changes in the rate of fluorescence. Parameters range from simple (e.g., the amount of variable fluorescence with respect to starting fluorescence [Fv/Fo]) to sophisticated (e.g., the quantum yield of Photosystem II, non-photochemical quenching, and relative electron transport). In addition to dim measurement light, the optical head needs to provide modulated actinic (i.e., photochemically-active) light to excite photosynthesis at user-selectable wavelength bands (blue, green orange, red, white or far-red) at intensities at least up to photosynthetic saturation (e.g., 2000 µmols m -2 s -1 or more). 2. Tissue chlorophyll concentration based on internal screening of fluorescence (i.e., the ratio of dim red-induced steady-state fluorescence emitted at 735 nm relative to that emitted at 700 nm) using different blocking filters at the entrance to the photodetector. 3. Changes in epidermal optical properties (e.g., light scattering and/or concentration of screening pigments) that differentially affect the transmission of excitation energy to underlying photosynthetic tissues by comparing steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence induced separately by dim UV-A (ca. 365 nm), blue, green, orange and red wavelengths. Appropriate software for control and monitoring by a user-supplied portable computer with Windows operating system is required. North American Industrial Classification Code (NAICS) code 334516 is applicable. (FAC) Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-69 is applicable. This notice of intent is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. This notice is not a request for competitive quotations. There is not a solicitation document available and telephone requests will not be honored. Any firm that believes it can provide the equipment listed above may submit substantiating documentation in writing to the identified point of contact no later than COB September 3, 2013. The successful company must be registered at the Web Site: www.sam.gov. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. A determination not to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely at the discretion of the Government. The Point of Contact for this action is Kristen Turner and she may be reached at kristen.turner@ars.usda.gov. The anticipated award date is September 4, 2013.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/2860151b66adcb528b7736e03372f0f5)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Human Nutrition Reseach Center, 10300 Baltimore Avenur, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705, United States
- Zip Code: 20705
- Zip Code: 20705
- Record
- SN03159471-W 20130824/130823000505-2860151b66adcb528b7736e03372f0f5 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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