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

36 -- AIR-KNIFE SYSTEM FOR DRYING ASTRONOMICAL MIRROR SOL N980550 DUE 062598 POC Andrew Flach, Contracts Manager, 520-318-8537 WEB: General Information about the Gemini 8m Telescopes, 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 an air knife drying system for the final drying of an 8 meter diameter astronomical mirror prior to the application of its reflective coating. The system would operate in a class 100,000 clean room located at 14,000-ft. elevation. During the drying operation, the mirror would be horizontal, upward looking, and rotating at approximately 1/2 rpm. The system must minimize evaporation with minimum entrainment and provide static neutralization. The provider of the system shall be responsible for designing the system, supplying all hardware, system documentation and a pre-delivery demonstration of system performance on a mock mirror. 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, Chile, and Australia. 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 25 June, 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. N980550. Facsimile 520-318-8590. (0169)

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