USDA-ARS-MWA, Contracting Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604

66 -- SPECTROMETER WITH ACCESSORIES SOL 5114-7-3063 DUE 071197 POC Lori J. Houghton, Contracting Officer, (309) 681-6616 The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area has a requirement to purchase a Spectrometer with accessories. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation No. 5114-7-3063 is being issued as a Request for Proposal. This solicitation is unrestricted; open to large and small businesses. The Standard Industrial Classification Code for this acquisition is 3826 with a size standard of 500 employees. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 90-46. CLIN 0001 Rheometric Scientific ARES-2KFRTN1-FCO-LS or equal Base Unit, 200-240 VAC 50/60 Hz, 1 each; CLIN 0002 Rheometric Scientific ARES-AD or equal Air Dryer, 1 each; CLIN 0003 Rheometric Scientific ARES-PP50S or equal 50 mm Parallel Plates, 1 each; CLIN 0004 Rheometric Scientific ARES-S2S or equal Solids Testing Tooling, 1 each; CLIN 0006 Rheometric Scientific ARES-DPFS or equal Disposable Plate Fixture, 1 each; CLIN 0007 Rheometric Scientific ARES-DP25S or equal 25 mm Disposable Stainless Plates, 1 each; CLIN 0008 Rheometric Scientific ARES-DP25A or equal 25 mm Disposable Aluminum Plates, 1 each; CLIN 0009 Rheometric Scientific ARES-DP50S or equal 50 mm Disposable Stainless Plates, 1 each; CLIN 0010 Rheometric Scientific ARES-DP25S or equal 25 mm Disposable Stainless Plates, 1 each; CLIN 0011 Rheometric Scientific ARES-C25.1S or equal 25 mm Diameter 0.1 Radian Cone, 1 each; CLIN 0012 Rheometric Scientific ARES-C50.04S or equal 50 mm Diameter 0.04 Radian cone, 1 each; CLIN 0013 Dell-GXI166-MM or equal Dell Pentium 166 Gxi MultiMedia System, 1 each; CLIN 0014 HP-Deskjet Printer, or equal, 1 each. The salient characteristics that are the minimum requirements are as follows: Frequency range must be from 10-5 to 100 rad/s; Temperature chamber must be Controlled, and be able to reach temperatures from ambient to 600 C with a heating rate up to 60 C/min.; The drive system must be able to deliver a minimum strain of 0.005 mrad in torsion; The sensor must have a minimum torque sensitivity of 0.2 g-cm; The drive system must be able to drive in torsional deformation; The instrument must be capable of conducting dynamic strain sweeps, dynamic frequency sweeps, stress relaxation, temperature sweeps (both step and ramp), creep, and steady rate sweep; The instrument must be able to measure normal forces in the range of 5.0-100 gf.; The instrument must be equipped with support software running under Windows95 and provide for data plotting, and have the capability of performing time-temperature superposition; The instrument must have the ability to accept different fixtures including cone-and-plate, parallel-plate, torsional rectangular, and couette fixtures. The fixtures should be produced in either aluminum or stainless steel; The platform of the instrument must be motorized and have the ability to automatically adjust to increasing normal force during a temperature ramp experiment; The instrument must be able to handle both glassy-solid samples as well as polymer melts; The instrument must be a controlled-strain rheometer. Offerors quoting on "equals" must submit desciptive literature with their proposal for evaluation. Delivery to be within 3-6 months after receipt of order to USDA-ARS-MWA, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. The resultant contract will be Tax Exempt and FOB Destination. FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation -- Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, and FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items apply to this acquisition. Proposals will be evaluated on price and price related factors. Offer must include a 45 calendar day acceptance period. Offers are to be received Not Later than the Close of Business, July 11, 1997 at USDA-ARS-MWA, Contracting Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. The POC for this acquisition is Lori Houghton, (309) 681-6616. (0171)

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