SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- Cryo-Free Refigerator
- Notice Date
- 5/17/2017
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NIST AMD Boulder, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado, 80305, United States
- ZIP Code
- 80305
- Point of Contact
- Dennis M. Fuentes, Phone: 3034975573
- E-Mail Address
-
dennis.fuentes@nist.gov
(dennis.fuentes@nist.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- SB1341-17-SU-0200
- Award Date
- 4/10/2017
- Description
- JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Purchase Request NB686010-17-00892 1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity. This is a justification for other than full and open competition executed by the Office of Acquisition and Agreements Management (OAAM), Acquisition Management Division (AMD) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of Commerce (DOC), on behalf of the Sources and Detectors Group, the Faint Photonics Group, and the Quantitative Nanostructure Characterization Group of NIST, under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology Office of Acquisition and Agreements Management/Acquisition Management Division 325 Broadway, Division 164, Bldg. 111, MS 1640 Boulder, CO 80305 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. AMD intends to procure an Cryogen free refrigerator and measurement system. The procurement will be a sole source under a firm-fixed-price contract using simplified acquisition procedures for commercial items (FAR Parts 12 and 13.5). 3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value). This Cryogen free refrigerator and measurement system will enable NIST to develop superconducting sensors and other electronics that operate at temperatures below 1 K.. The following specifications are required: (1) Cryogen-free Refrigeration and Measurement System with the following specifications and containing the following components: a. Cooling from 300 K by a Cryomech PT410 pulse tube cryocooler or equivalent. This cryocooler should reach temperatures of 3 K or below. Lower temperatures are strongly preferred. The rotary valve shall be separated from the cryocooler body such that there are no moving parts in the part of the cooler that is rigidly attached to the experimental system to be cooled. b. Liquid helium required: 0 (never needed for any operation) c. Ultrapure (99.995%) He use: approximately 1 bottle per year (assuming system kept cold) d. Minimum base temperature: below 0.4 K e. Time to cool sample from room temperature to 4 K: less than 60 minutes f. Time to cool sample from room temperature to below 0.4 K: less than 3 hours g. Maximum magnetic field: 9 Tesla h. Magnetic field homogeneity: < 0.025% over 1 cm on axis i. Magnetic field resolution: < 0.020 mT j. Resistivity measurements: at least 3 separate 4 wire samples (12 wire, 3 channel) k. Ability to measure sample heat capacity, AC susceptibility, DC magnetization, AC resistance, and Hall effect l. Heat capacity sample mass: up to 500 mg (2) Delivery of all equipment with drawings to the NIST Boulder Laboratories. (3) Acceptance Testing: The vendor will verify the performance of the full cryogenic-free platform at the NIST Boulder Laboratories. It is anticipated that acceptance testing will take two weeks at NIST after the initial delivery and instaltion. Anticipated total cost: $505,000.00. 4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. The authority for the justification for other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 3304 (a)(1), subject to 41 USC 253(e) (i), made pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. 5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. Only Quantum Design, a small business sells a commercial refrigerator whose design architecture matches the requested specifications. The system must be capable of reaching temperatures below 1K. The system should use no liquid cryogens and produce low levels of mechanical vibration. The cooling architecture requested is unique to Quantum Design, Inc. This cooling architecture was developed by Quantum Design, Inc. 6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 5.2, and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies. In accordance with FAR Section 5.203, the Contract Specialist posted a Sources Sought Notice: Solicitation Number NB687080-17-00892, entitled "Cryogen Free Refrigerator and Measurement System" on FBO.gov on February 2, 2017, which closed February 13, 2017. No responses were received. 7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable and the basis for that determination. NIST will request commercial pricing, but in the absence of published pricing will compare anticipated costs of components to be purchased (derived from attached IGCE) to recent prices the Government has paid for similar items. Based on these comparisons, the Contracting Officer will make a fair and reasonable determination. For example: NIST purchased some similar equipment from HPD in FY 2015, requisition NB686020-15-02889/Award SB1341-15-SU-0767 (Hitt). The total firm-fixed-price of $282,254 included: • The base model 107 K2 cryostat ($255,000; did not include the paramagnetic salt pill). Paramagnetic salt pill has an estimated retail value of about $10,000, so with this, the base model 107 K2 would have cost $265,000. The present IGCE anticipates a cost range of $260,000 to $275,000. • Kepco BOP 20-20M power supply ($3,816). Present IGCE anticipates a cost range of $3,500 to $4,000. • Lakeshore 372 ac resistance bridge ($12,471). Present IGCE anticipates a cost range of $12,000 to $13,000. • Model 100 Atlas service stand ($10,967). Present IGCE anticipates a cost range of $10,500 to $11,000. NIST purchased some similar equipment from HPD in FY 2016, requisition NB687080-16-05292/Award SB1341-16-SU-0743(Fuentes). The total firm-fixed-price of $23,401.00 included: • An electrical breakout box, CryoBoss box, and cable set ($6,055). Present IGCE anticipates a cost range of $6,000 to $6,500, total, for these items. • Cernox thermometers (qty. 3), cryogenic wiring, and cryogenic heaters ($6,011). Present IGCE anticipates a cost range of $6,000 to $6,500, total, for these items. • UPS and battery pack, each from APS ($2,379). Present IGCE anticipates a cost range of $1,950 to $2,700, total, for these items. 8. A description of the market research conducted (FAR part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted. The program office routinely interacts with these vendors and other manufacturers of low-temperature systems at the trade shows associated with major conferences such as the Applied Superconductivity Conference (held September 5-9, 2016), and the 16th International Workshop on Low Temperature Detectors (held July 20-24, 2015). They have not discovered any equivalent cryocooler products at trade shows. Based on the electronic searches and the on-going market research with the vendor community, they have determined that High Precision Devices, Inc. is the only vendor of cryogenic platforms of the required cooling architecture. Using NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laborator Instrument Manufacting) and item description - "Cryogen Free Refrigeration and Measurement System", the following results were identified: GSAadvantage.gov: No businesses were identified using the NAICS code and item description above. General internet search: One small business was found using the NAICS code and item description above. • Quantum Design, Inc. - Small Business The vendor's Cryogen Free Refrigeration and Measurement System was evaluated by our TPOC using the NIST specifications described in TAB A2 of the contract file. • Quantum Design, Inc. - Technically Capable 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition such as: N/A 10. A listing of sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. No other sources have expressed an interest, or the capability to meet the requirement. There were no responses received to the Sources Sought Notice that was posted on fbo.gov. 11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the same supplies or services. NIST continues to use solicitation methods to encourage commercial firms to develop new technologies. NIST attempts to increase the competitive base for its unique requirements through the use of interactions with the vendor community, preliminary and specific market research, and public announcements. As requirements evolve, NIST will continue to search for GSA vendors as well as open-market vendors that can fill the agency's needs. 12. CERTIFICATIONS: I hereby certify that this justification for other than full and open competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Dennis Fuentes, Date Contracting Officer ______________________________________________________________________________________ Cecelia Royster Date NIST Competition Advocate
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/9a8c54f6477e30ab50f6cbfdec5944eb)
- Place of Performance
- Address: NIST, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado, 80305, United States
- Zip Code: 80305
- Zip Code: 80305
- Record
- SN04512588-W 20170519/170517235834-9a8c54f6477e30ab50f6cbfdec5944eb (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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