USDA, ARS, FMOD, BA, Contracting Section, Bldg. 003, Rm. 329, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350

66 -- SCANNING NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETERS SOL 09-3K47-98 DUE 080598 POC Janice Speth, Contract Specialist, 301/504-6071 The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture intends to solicit and noncompetitively negotiate with FOSS North America, 7682 Executive Drive, Eden Prarie, MN 55344 to procure two (2) Scanning Near-Infrared Spectrophotometers with accessories, under the authority of FAR 6.302. One of the two spectrophotometers is not funded and will be priced separately as an option. The instruments and accessories must be available as commercial products; not developed solely for the purpose of this procurement. The award will be made using FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items. The minimum requirement for the first spectrometer (funded) is as follows: 1) research grade scanning monochromator; 2) spectral range 400 to 2498 nm; 3) collects data at least every 2 nm at a bandwidth of 10 nm or better; 4) easily relocatable; 5) operates in the following modes: reflectance, transmittance, and using fiber optic cables; 6) uses the following sample accessories: a) rotating sample cup for powders, b) bulk sample holder for unground samples such as grain, c) cuvettes and liquid cell for liquid samples, and d) fiber optic bundles for solids, liquids and slurries; 7) temperature control cell for liquids; 8) includes sample cells for powders, liquids and unground solids as well as a fiber optic bundle assembly and interface for reflectance measurements; 9) includes software (Year 2000 Compliant) for system and data collection and analysis (software is needed for the data analysis of the resulting spectral information); and 10) training on instrument and software operation for two people. The minimum requirement for the second spectrometer (not funded) is as follows: 1) Research-grade scanning monochromator with a spectral range of at least 400 to 2500 nm, continuous, with data collection at 2-nm or smaller increments and bandwidth of 10 nm or less; 2) Portable in the sense of being easily relocatable; 3) Includes all connectors and cards required for connection to personal computer; 4) Includes sample cells for fluids, slurries, and powders; 5) Measures in reflectance, transmittance, and interactance modes without the use of an integrating sphere (due to highly variable sample sizes); 6) Detectors must be the same silicon-lead sulfide configuration for reflectance, transmittance, and interactance sampling to ensure calibration and spectral data transfer; 7) Reflectance, transmittance, and interactance modes accomplished with optical cables as necessary to ensure access to intact fruit or vegetable samples, as well as shaped or contained powder or liquid samples; 8) Measures an area at least 2 cm in diameter in reflectance or interactance and be adjustable to smaller areas; 9) Includes self-aligning optic fiber bundles and fixtures appropriate for the wavelength range and suitable for reflectance, transmittance, and interactance measurements; 10) Includes an interactance probe suitable for intact fruit and vegetables, as published by Conway et al., Kawano et al., or Slaughter. Interactance cable must be at least 1 m in length. Illuminator fibers should uniformly surround the sample area in a ring 18.59 mm in diameter (area = 23.7 mm). Detector fibers must be separated from the illuminator bundle by a metal spacer and be uniformly distributed over the 7.76-mm diameter sampling area (area = 47.3 mm); 11) Includes a transmittance probe and jig for measuring slices of tissue, adjustable for samples from 3 to 10 mm thick. Area measured must exceed 7 mm diameter. Cable must be at least 1 m in length; 12) Includes software for instrument operation, data collection, and data analysis, including calibration and prediction of constituent concentrations or contents; 13) Software must include algorithms for mathematical spectral data treatments up to nine manipulations for a given spectrum, including smoothing and running first and second difference. Software must include algorithms for Partial Least Squares (PLS), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and Clustering analyses. Software must be Windows95 or 98 and NT compliant and Year-2000 compliant; and 14) Includes training on both instrument and software for at least two people. Training for two to four additional personnel must be available, if needed. Only one source, FOSS North America, is known to meet the above minimum requirements. The delivery is FOB destination (including inside delivery) to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland. The applicable Standard Industrial Classification Code for this acquisition is 3826 and the small business size standard is 500 employees or less. This is not a request for competitive proposals or a formal solicitation. However, any interested/qualified source who believes they can provide the required equipment may respond, within 14 calendar days from the publication date of this synopsis. All such responses will be evaluated in order to determine the ability to meet the above stated capabilities. Responses shall include technical specifications, literature, brochures, and other such information corresponding to each element required which demonstrates the capabilities of the offeror's equipment. Each response must reference the CBD title and number. A determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. This notice may represent the Government's only official notice of this procurement. Anticipated award date is August 28, 1998. Posted 07/17/98 (W-SN225163). (0198)

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