National Institute of Standards & Technology, Acquisition & Assistance Div., Bldg. 301, Rm B117, Gaithersburg, MD 20899

66 -- VACUUM LUBRICANT DEPOSITION SYSTEM SOL 53SBNB860097 DUE 071698 POC Anita Tolliver, Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer, #301/975-6308, Fax # 301/963-7732 WEB: NIST Contracts Homepage, http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/contract.htm. E-MAIL: NIST Contracts Office, Contract@nist.gov. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to award a purchase order on or about July 17, 1998 to Carnegie Mellon University on a sole-source basis for a vacuum lubricant deposition system with the following specifications: 1. Vacuum of 10-7 torr or better, 2. Magnetic hard disk holder, 3. Ionization pressure gauge, 4. Measurement capability of lubricant film deposition rate down to 1 A/sec., 5. Lubricant heating capability of up to 300 degrees Celsius, and 6. Provision to hold magnetic hard disks. The vacuum lubricant deposition system will be used to study the vapor phase deposition of one or two molecular layer(s) of liquid lubricant molecules on magnetic hard disks. This project is to support the data storage industry's effort to reduce downtime and performance efficiency by depositing lubricant molecules directly onto the disks without breaking the vacuum as conventional technology currently is doing. NIST needs to have a very high sensitivity in order to measure the deposition rates. The authority for this non-competitive acquisition is 41 USC 253(c)(1). This notice is not a request for quotations; however, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to satisfy the Government's requirement NLT the response date. The Government will verbally request a written quotation from Carnegie Mellon University. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed purchase order based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the contracting officer. A solicitation document is not available. See numbered Note 26. Posted 07/02/98. (0183)

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