Gemini 8-M Telescopes Project, Aura, 950 N. Cherry Ave, PO Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85719

36 -- HELIUM COMPRESSORS SOL N980392 DUE 052998 POC Andrew Flach, Gemini Contracts Manager, 520-318-8537 WEB: General information about the Gemini Project, http://www.gemini.edu. E-MAIL: Click here to submit letter of interest by email, aflach@gemini.edu. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) is seeking a qualified vendor to provide 10-15 helium compressors to support its cryogenic astronomical instrumentation at both the northern (Hawaii) and southern (Chile) observatories and sea-level base facilities of the Gemini 8m Telescopes Project. These compressors will be coupled to existing helium-grade plumbing in either the lab or telescope systems, and procured in stages over the next 2-3 years. Given the cooling loads of the various instrument configurations, the compressors must be designed to function in parallel to supply 1 to 3 scientific instruments (housing 2-8 cooling heads) concurrently with compressed helium. Both GM and JT systems will be employed within the instrument complement. We will consider both water and air cooled compressors in our closed cycle cooling systems. The Gemini 8m Telescopes Project is an international collaboration to build two 8 meter telescopes, one to be located on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the other to be located on Cerro Pachon in Chile. The Gemini project partners include the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Argentina, Brazil and Chile. The Gemini project is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under contract to the National Science Foundation. Firms that are interested in receiving the Request for Proposal for this procurement should send a letter of interest by 29 May, 1998, to the following address: Gemini 8m Telescopes Project, 950 North Cherry Avenue, PO Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85719-6732 (PO Box) 85719 (Street address), Attn: Contracts Manager, Request for Proposal No. N980392. Facsimile 520-318-8590. (0135)

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