NASA/Ames Research Center, JA:M/S 241-1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

66 -- GAS CHROMATOGRAPH/VISCOUS INLET/ISOTOPE MASS SPECTROMETER SOL RFO2-36307 -- MMH DUE 090197 POC Micheli Hull, Contract Specialist, Phone (650) 604-1751, Fax (650) 604-4646, Email mhull@mail.arc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/ARC/date.html#RFO2-36307 -- MMH. E-MAIL: Micheli Hull, mhull@mail.arc.nasa.gov. This notice 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; offers are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This notice is being issued as a Request for Offers (RFO) for the following items: (All items are a quantity of 1 each) 1) Mass spectrometer with gas source for stable isotope analyses; 2) Multiple collector system(s) for isotopic analyses of C,O,N,S and H and analyses of O2/N2; 3) Mass spectrometer geometry and vacuum system for H2 isotope analysis with continuous He flow; 4) Dual viscous inlet system; 5) Gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector; 6) Interface between gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer, with systems for combustion and water removal; 7) Interface between elemental analyzer and mass spectrometer with systems for water removal and dilution of CO2 peak; 8) System for injection of standard gases into continuous He flow for calibration; 9) Computer and software for automated system control and data acquisition; 10) One year warranty; 11) Operator training. The item offered must meet the following required technical specifications: 1) The system will consist of a gas source stable isotope mass spectrometer integrated with the following: a dual viscous inlet system, a gas chromatograph with a combustion interface, an interface compatible with a C, H, and N elemental analyzer, and a computer and software which control instrument performance and data acquisition. 2) The power requirements for the system are either 120v, 60 Hz or 240v, 60 Hz, single phase. 3) The mass spectrometer will perform high-precision stable isotope analyses of the gases carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. For greater than 19 determinations of either carbon dioxide or nitrogen, the standard deviation should be within a factor of four of the shot noise limit. 4) The mass spectrometer will obtain highly-accurate stable isotope analyses of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. Introducing carbon dioxide or nitrogen into the viscous inlet, del13C and del15N values in the range 10 to 50 permil, relative to the working standard, should lie within 0.1 permil of the accepted value, when an appropriate standard accurate to within 0.01 permil is used in the instrument. Introducing oxygen into the viscous inlet, del18O values should lie within 0.2 permil of the accepted value, when an appropriate standard accurate to within 0.01 permil is used in the instrument. Introducing hydrogen into the viscous inlet, delta D values in the range 10 to 50 permil, relative to the working standard, should lie within 1 permil of the accepted value, when an appropriate standard accurate to within 0.05 permil is used in the instrument. 5) The mass spectrometer should have a sensitivity for carbon dioxide and nitrogen of greater than 5x10E-4 ions per molecule, measured at the ion collector, with a He flow rate into the source of 200 microliters per minute. 6) The high vacuum part of the system must be constructed with ultra-high vacuum components only, with all-metal gaskets. The mass spectrometer will have a stable background pressure of greater than 2x10E-9 torr, without the use of cryogenic or chemical trapping. 7) The dual viscous inlet system must be all-metal construction, including valving and lines, to minimize memory and leakage. All movable parts (e.g. valves, bellows, etc.) must be modular and replaceable in the field. 8) The gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector must have capabilities equivalent to those of a Hewlett-Packard 6890 gas chromatograph. 9) The GC-combustion-mass spectrometer (GCCMS) interface should support fully automated high-precision isotopic analyses of C and N at natural abundance for individual GC peaks. For greater than 10 determinations of either C as propane or N as nitrogen, the standard deviation should be within a factor of four of the shot noise limit. 10) Regarding accuracey, when 10 injections of propane or other gaseous hydrocarbon are interspersed with standard gas with time spacings in the 1 to 10 min range, the GCCMS system should deliver del13C values of the propane, relative to the averaged value of the standard, that should not differ from the accepted value by more than 3 standard deviations. The average del15N value for 20 peaks of atmospheric nitrogen recorded at 1 min intervals should be within 0.1 permil of 0. 11) Regarding efficiency of transport of species through the GCCMS interface, the sensitivity either for nitrogen or for carbon dioxide produced from propane eluting from the GC column should be the same as the sensitivity of the mass spectrometer, after compensating for the carbon dioxide or nitrogen discarded in the open gas split between the interface and the mass spectrometer. Also, using typical commercially available capillary GC columns, baseline resolution shoud be achieved for pristane and phytane from nC17 and nC18 alkanes, respectively. 12) Combustion of CH4 by the GCCMS interface must be greater than 99.5% complete. Any change in del13C value over a 10x change in sample size must be less than 0.1 permil. 13) Regarding reference injection in the He continuous flow mode, if the same carbon dioxide gas is used in the reference injection unit and in the main carrier stream, the average delta values (for 10 determinations of both del13C and del18O must not deviate from 0 by more than 3 standard deviations of the mean. 14) The following specifications (enumerated and described above) must be demonstrated by a representative of the vendor in post-delivery tests: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,13,14,15,16,17 and 18. 15) The computer software (C and S) should run the mass spectrometer and the viscous and GCC inlet systems. It should support automated operation with the elemental analyzer (Carlo Erba Model EA1108, supplied by customer). The C and S should accomplish the injection of known reference gases at preprogrammed intervals for calibration purposes. 16) The computer and software (C and S) should be Windows NT-based and menu-driven. It should support measurements of sensitivity, abundance sensitivity, precision, accuracy, linearity, peak top flatness, V/F converter stability, and magnet and high voltage power supply stability. The C and S should display outputs of FID together with either the MS major ion beam or the calculated isotopic ration, and it should include automated routines for background correction. The C and S should support post-analysis corrections for background, drift, blanks and reference isotopic compositions. It should reduce the data to a form which can be exported to a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel or equivalent. The customer will receive free upgrades of this Windows NT-based software for a period of up to 12 months following the successful installation of the complete isotope mass spectrometer system. 17) Manuals must be provided that explain the operation of all equipment and software, and also copies of training manuals for the equipment and software. A full set of electronics schematics must be provided. 18) The vendor will pay for shipping charges and installation expenses until the entire system has met specifications, and provide 1 day on-the-job training for users during this period. 19) The vendor will supply full 1 year warranty on the complete system. This procurement is being conducted under the NASA MidRange Pilot Test Program approved by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. The provisions and clauses in the RFO are those in effect through FAC 90-46. The SIC code and the small business size standard for this procurement are 3826 and 500 employees respectively. The offeror shall state in their offer their size status for this procurement. All responsible business sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. Delivery to NASA Ames Research Center is required within 30 days ARO. Delivery shall be FOB Destination. The DPAS rating for this procurement is DO-C9. Offers for the items(s) described above may be mailed or faxed to the identified point of contact and include, solicitation number, FOB destination to this Center, proposed delivery schedule, discount/payment terms, warranty duration (if applicable), taxpayer identification number (TIN), identification of any special commercial terms, and be signed by an authorized company representative. Offerors are encouraged to use the Standard Form 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items form found at URL: http://procure.arc.nasa.gov/Acq/Standard_ Forms/Index.html to submit a offer. Offerors shall provide the information required by FAR 52.212-1. Addenda to FAR 52.212-1 are as follows: . If the end product(s) offered is other than domestic end product(s) as defined in the clause entitled "Buy American Act - -- Supplies," the offeror shall so state and shall list the country of origin. The Representations and Certifications required by FAR 52.2l2-3 (which may be obtained via the internet at URL: ftp://msfcinfo.msfc.nasa.gov/pub/reps&llmdash;certs/midrange/) shall be required from the successful offeror(s) prior to award. Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition except: 52.225-21 Alternate I, 52.239-1, 52.247-64, 52.222-41, 52.222-52, 52.22-43, 52.222-44, 52.222-47. All other clauses under 52.212-5 are applicable. Questions regarding this acquisition must be submitted in writing no later than August 22, 1997. Offers and Representations and Certifications are due by close of business on September 1, 1997, to the address and identified point of contact specified above. Selection and award will be made (on an aggregate basis) to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror in accordance with NFS 1871.401-3(b). Technical acceptability will be determined by information submitted by the offeror providing a description in sufficient detail to show that the product offered meets the Government's requirement. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See Note "B". Prospective offerors shall notify this office of their intent to submit an offer. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of this combination synopsis/solicitation and amendments (if any). Hard copies may be obtained from the identified point of contact; however, the closing date is as stated in this combination synopsis/solicitation, inclusive of any amendments. Any referenced numbered notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nnotes.htm. (0227)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0273 19970820\66-0002.SOL)