Environmental Protection Agency, Contracts Management Division, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268-7001

66 -- DISSOLVED INORGANIC CARBON COULOMETER Sol. C500450T1. Contact Point, Richard A. Makepeace, 513/366-2044. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Environmental Research Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, Florida intends to acquire a coulometric titration system for analysis of dissolvedd carbon dioxide concentrations in aquatic enviromments. This acquisition will be made on a sole source basis as authorized by 41 U.S.C. 253 (C)(1). This instrument, designated SOMMA, is currently produced by the Instrument Development Laboratory of the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography in conjunction with Brookhaven Laboratories. This instrument is considered unique. Recent research in chemical oceanography has developed adequate methods for analysis of small variations in carbon dioxide concentrations resulting from bacterial degradation of organic matter. This approach is highly sensitive and precise considering the large ambient concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide in open ocean water. This method will greatly assist the stable isotope interpretation of microbial degradation of xenobiotic compounds. The following minimum specifications for total carbon dioxide analysis using coulometric titration are required: analytical precision of 1.5 umol kg-1 with 2000 umol kg-1 samples; rapid (4 sample per hour) high precision samply analysis; single operator capability; integrated PC with software for automated sample processing, calibration and sample TCO2 determination; single chassis electronic calibration with independent automated gas calibratin capability; integrated thermostated sample pipet and bath; integrated conductance (salinity) cell with less than 0.1% accuracy (compared to independent high precision salinometer); integrated barometric sensor with 0.1 mbar precision; integrated (multiple) temperature sensors (sample pipet, gas sample loops, coulometer cell); certified to 0.01 C; visible and accessible components. THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A PRESOLICITATION NOTICE. Any firm which is capable of meeting these requirements may submit technical documentation to establish that it can furnish equipment which is fully compliant with the requirements stated above. Documentation must be submitted 21 days from the date of publication of this notice. If the Contracting Officer fails to receive proof that another firm is capable of meeting the minimum specifications, the Contracting Officer will proceed to negotiate for the instrument on a sole source basis. See Numbered Note 22. (153)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0375 19950606\66-0003.SOL)