SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Instrument time and Sample Analysis
- Notice Date
- 5/28/2014
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541380
— Testing Laboratories
- Contracting Office
- USGS OAG DENVER ACQUISITION BRANCHPO BOX 25046204 DENVER FEDERAL CENTERDENVERCO80225-0046US
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- G14PS00427
- Response Due
- 6/11/2014
- Archive Date
- 7/11/2014
- Point of Contact
- Camille Metherd
- E-Mail Address
-
cmetherd@usgs.gov
(cmetherd@usgs.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- SOURCES SOUGHT: This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a MARKET SURVEY to determine the interest and capability of any firm eligible to compete under NAICS code 541380- Testing Laboratories, for an upcoming requirement for: Detrital zircon geochronology using LA-MC-ICPMS Work Requirements Task 1: PWS: Given samples of sand and sandstone, the contractor shall conduct U-Pb geochronologic analysis for 100 - 200 replicate zircons. Upon request, the contractor may be asked to determine 500, rather than 100 - 200 single grain age measurements for a sample, in order to screen for grains that constrain the maximum depositional age of a sample. Task 1 Standards: Quality Standards: The contractor shall perform all U-Pb geochronologic analysis following the protocols outlined in Cottle et al., 2009, Cottle et al., 2012, and Kylander-Clark et al., 2013. To ensure data continuity with existing USGS data, the contractor shall combine single shot laser ablation methods with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer measurements of isotopic abundances. These requirements mean that the contractor shall also employ data reduction methods that integrate isotope signal intensities over the duration of a single laser pulse to calculate isotope ratios for unknowns, in order to avoid systematic errors that may arise from tau (decay) and/or response time offset effects for different types of ion counters/detectors. Importantly, the geochronologic method must be nondestructive and consume <30 ng of material per zircon, such that additional geochemical measurements may be made on grains as necessary, including Hf isotopic abundances. In order to discriminate between provenance areas with similar geochronologic ages, the contractor may be asked to perform laser ablation split stream analysis in order to simultaneously measure U-Pb ages (MC-ICPMS) and Hf isotopic concentrations (SC-ICPMS) on a single volume of material. The contractor shall be able to demonstrate reproducibility of 238U/206Pb and 206Pb/207Pb ratios for geochronologic reference materials of better than 3%, using the analytical protocols described above. The precision and accuracy of geochronologic measurements should be demonstrated by bracketing measurements of unknowns with measurements of geochronologic standards. In order to provide USGS researchers with the ability to constrain maximum depositional ages for samples lacking sufficient independent age control, the contractor shall, upon request, measure 500 U-Pb zircon ages per sample. For these samples, reproducibility of 238U/206Pb and 206Pb/207Pb ratios for geochronologic reference materials of better than 5% is sufficient. Similar to the requirement described above, the data reduction methods must integrate isotope signal intensities over the duration of a single laser pulse in order to calculate isotope ratios for unknowns. Time Standard(s): The contractor may complete this work at any time, provided all of the work outlined herein is completed within fiscal year 2014. Deliverable: The contractor shall deliver U-Pb and Pb-Pb ages for each single grain, as well as the corresponding U and/or Pb isotope ratios, analytical uncertainties, error correlations, and mass spectrometer signal intensity data. The contractor shall also deliver Uranium and Thorium concentration measurements for each grain, in a formatted Excel spreadsheet. Quality Assurance: Geochronologic reports that are less than the quality standard shall be redone by the contractor at no additional cost to the government. Acceptance: The U.S. Geological Survey's Technical Liaison (TL) will accept the work if the 100% complete U-Pb geochronologic measurements are presented for >100 zircons from each sample, and for 500 grains per sample as requested by USGS scientists. Task 2: PWS: USGS scientists require access to the Laser-Ablation Multi-Collector Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-MC-ICPMS) laboratory for each day of instrument time to gather U-Pb geochronologic data following the protocols outlined in Cottle et al., 2012. During this time, the contractor will maintain the LA-MC-ICPMS laboratory, such that USGS scientists are able to obtain data following the protocols in Cottle et al., 2012. Task 2 Standards: Quality Standards: The contractor will ensure that the LA-MC-ICPMS instrument is available, maintained, and performing normally for each day of scheduled instrument time for a USGS scientist to operate, in order to facilitate U-Pb geochronologic measurements on detrital zircons following the protocols in Cottle et al., 2012. To ensure data continuity with existing USGS data, the contractor shall provide instrumentation that is able to combine single shot laser ablation methods with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer measurements of isotopic abundances. These requirements mean that the contractor shall also employ data reduction methods that integrate isotope signal intensities over the duration of a single laser pulse to calculate isotope ratios for unknowns, in order to avoid systematic errors that may arise from tau (decay) and/or response time offset effects for different types of ion counters/detectors. Importantly, the geochronologic method must be nondestructive and consume <30 ng of material per zircon, such that additional geochemical measurements may be made on grains as necessary, including Hf isotopic abundances. In order to discriminate between provenance areas with similar geochronologic ages, USGS scientists may need to perform laser ablation split stream analysis in order to simultaneously measure U-Pb ages (MC-ICPMS) and Hf (SC-ICPMS) isotopic concentrations on a single volume of material (Kylander-Clark et al., 2013). The contractor shall be able to demonstrate that the instrument is capable of providing reproducibility of 238U/206Pb and 206Pb/207Pb ratios for geochronologic reference materials of better than 3%, using the analytical protocols described above. The precision and accuracy of geochronologic measurements will be verified by the USGS scientist by bracketing measurements of unknowns with measurements of geochronologic standards provided by the contractor. In order to facilitate the determination of sample maximum depositional ages, USGS scientists require access to a laser ablation inductively couple plasma mass spectrometer that is capable of 1) conducting non-destructive geochronologic measurements on a <30 g spot of material, 2) simultaneously measuring U and Pb isotopes, 3) ablating spots on zircon targets using a single laser pulse, and 4) paired with a data reduction software package that facilitates integration of the isotope signal intensity during the full duration of a single laser pulse in order to determine key isotopic ratios. When screening large numbers of zircons to identify grains that constrain sample depositional ages, reproducibility of 238U/206Pb and 206Pb/207Pb ratios for geochronologic reference materials of better than 5% is acceptable. Time Standard(s): The contractor will provide instrument time for some number (likely between 2 and 5 days) of consecutive days, with the number of days to be established on an annual basis. Dates will be mutually agreed upon. USGS scientists will be able to access the LA-ICMPS laboratory for 24 hrs/day during this time period. The contractor must provide technical support over an 8-hr continuous time period for each of these two days. The timing of the 8-hr technical support period will be mutually agreed upon by the USGS scientist and the contractor. Deliverable: The contractor shall provide technical support so that the USGS scientists can perform U-Pb geochronologic analysis on detrital zircons following the criteria outlined in Cottle et al., 2009 and Cottle et al., 2012. Quality Assurance: Time during which the LA-MC-ICPMS instrument is not maintained or performing inadequately will be supplanted with additional instrument time. Acceptance: The U.S. Geological Surveys Technical Liaison (TL) will accept the work if the LA-MC-ICPMS is maintained and functioning for 2 consecutive days of instrument time so that U-Pb geochronologic data can be obtained following the protocols defined by Cottle et al., 2009 and Cottle et al., 2012. Section III. Supporting Information A. Place of performance To be determined. B. All work to be conducted by the contractor shall be conducted at a time of their choosing, provided the work outlined above is completed within the 2014 fiscal year. The contractor shall provide analytical services from, at minimum, a Ph.D. with expertise in analytical geochemistry and continental tectonics. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION AS REQUESTED BY THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR. Submission is voluntary. A scope of work will be provided with any solicitation that may be issued. The Government is not required to issue a solicitation. Responses to this announcement are requested from (A) SBA certified Small Business HubZone firms; (B) Small Business firms certified by a Small Business Administration (SBA) district or regional office for participation in the 8(a) program; (C) Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small Business firms; (D) Small Businesses; (E) Large Businesses; and (F) Women Owned Small Businesses. In response to this announcement, please indicate your firm's socioeconomic status (e.g. small business, service-disabled veteran-owned, women owned, HUBZone, etc.) This information will assist the Government in determining how small businesses can fit into the acquisition strategy. A firm is considered small under NAICS code 541380 if their AVERAGE annual receipts for the preceding three (3) years were less than or equal to $14.0 million. Any information submitted is voluntary. If sufficient interest and capability is not received from firms in categories (1) through (4) above, any solicitation may be issued as unrestricted without further consideration. Interested business firms shall submit (1) NAME, ADDRESS, and PHONE NUMBER OF THE FIRM (including DUNS NUMBER); (2) a CAPABILITY STATEMENT including (a) RECENT (within the last three fiscal years) RELEVANT (similar projects to this requirement) performance history (identify the name of the owner and their point(s) of contact with telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses; and (b) in what capacity (e.g., prime, subcontractor etc.) they performed the work; and (3) their SIZE STATUS. All responses must be submitted NLT June 12, 2014 at 2:30 pm MST via e-mail to: cmetherd@usgs.gov. This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB) and does not constitute any commitment by the Government. Responses to this sources sought notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. All interested sources must respond to future solicitation announcements separately from responses to this market survey. Any solicitation that may be issued will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website and no paper copies will be provided. If a solicitation is released, in order to receive an award your company must have a DUNs number and be registered on-line at the System for Award Management (SAM). You will also be required to provide your small business status information either via the RFP or the On-line Representations and Certifications (ORCA) also located at the SAM website before an award to your company can be made. Your on-line ORCA registration will cover any/all of your offers to the Federal Government, and only needs updated annually.
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