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

66 -- COMPONENTS FOR A HIGH-RESOLUTION, HIGH THROUGHPUT, QUADRUPOLE MASS DISCRIMINATED ION SOURCE SOL RFQ2-36677-SLC DUE 080498 POC Sharon L. Connolly, Contracting Officer, Phone (650) 604-6927, Fax (650) 604-4646, Email sconnolly@mail.arc.nasa.gov -- Barbara A. Drake, Contracting Officer, Phone (650) 604-3002, Fax (650) 604-4646, Email bdrake@mail.arc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/ARC/date.html#RFQ2-36677-SLC. E-MAIL: Sharon L. Connolly, sconnolly@mail.arc.nasa.gov. THIS NOTICE CONSTITUTES AMENDMENT NO.1 TO THE COMBINED SYNOPSIS/RFQ FOR COMPONENTS FOR A HIGH-RESOLUTION, HIGH THROUGHPUT, QUADRUPOLE MASS DISCRIMINATED ION SOURCE. Companies shall acknowledge all amendment(s) in their quote. This notice serves as the official amendment to subject synopsis/RFQ and a written amendment will not be issued. The purpose of this amendment is to provide additional information to all interested quoters as a result of questions submitted: Question: Will all the ions be cations? All anions? Answer: The primary objective of this project is to study cations. Question: Which is the specification: that the filter have "better than unit mass resolution" or that it provides "specific ionized species"? The latter would require roughly 1/2500 AMU resolution to resolve mass defects. Answer: The system should have better than unit mass resolution -- that is, it should be able to deliver one specific mass peak to the exclusion of all others. Mass defects are not anticipated to be a serious problem with the species of interest (purified samples of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), MW 128 amu and greater). In any event, it is unlikely that a system could be designed which could resolve mass defects and still provide the necessary quantities of the ion of interest. Question: Is there a figure of merit for background contamination, beyond the phrase "extremely low"? Answer: Within the context of this RFQ, "background contamination" refers specifically to (1) all ions other than the ion of interest and (2) residual neutral species emanating from the ion source. The specifications of the quadrupole mass filter are devised to ensure the satisfactory exclusion of (1), and the quadrupole deflectors serve to ensure the satisfactory exclusion of (2). "Extremely low" levels of contamination in the context of this RFQ, then, means abundance's of these species at or below detection limits. As per the numbers presented in the RFQ for species of this type, this means the buildup of less than 10e(14)contaminant ions/molecules over the course of an experiment. This translates into a "leakage" rate of no more than 10e(10) particles of any particular contaminant per second. Question: The use of the term "revolutionary" is puzzling. If the solicitation's author already has a particular technology in mind and considers it revolutionary, why hasn't he/she spelled out what it is? If by "revolutionary" the author means novel and not off-the-shelf, why isn't this an SBIR or BAA topic instead of an RFQ? I have no objection if the author already has a vendor in mind, which frankly appears to be the case, but I would like to avoid wasting time developing a proposal under that circumstance. Answer: The goal of the research conducted in the Astrochemistry Laboratory is applied spectroscopy -- fundamental laboratory spectroscopy applied to the study of the chemical compounds found in space. Among these, PAHs -- more specifically PAC cations -- are of particular interest. Our current technique for studying these species relies on in situ ultraviolet photoionization of a neutral precursor isolated in an inert matrix at low temperatures. Unfortunately, ionization efficiencies using this technique are typically only a few percent, leaving more than 90% of the sample unchanged. Effectively, then, the sample is mostly "contaminant" that only serves to obscure the spectrum of the species of interest. Furthermore, the species that can be studied by this technique are limited to the immediate daughter photoions of the isolated PAH. It is not possible to study the infrared spectra of PAH cation fragments -- species which have been stripped of one or more H atoms, protonated species, etc. -- all of which may play important roles in interstellar space. Therefore, the term "revolutionary" in the context of this solicitation refers to the impact of the new technique in the field of astrophysics. It may well be that from a technological standpoint this project may not seem "revolutionary" -- simply a new application ofestablished technology. Furthermore, the details of that technology are well-defined by the specifications set forth in the RFQ. The introduction to the RFQ was designed only to provide a descriptive overview of the project for prospective quoters. Question: The system must integrate with the existing matrix-isolation equipment. Is there a specification for that interface, or is the bidder expected to have inside knowledge? Answer: The statement that the new ion source must be integrated into the existing matrix-isolation equipment means only that the vacuum chamber that encloses the mass selected ion source sector must ultimately connect to the matrix isolation vacuum chamber with the ion entrance port proximate to the sample window. The vacuum chamber is clearly and specifically excluded from the RFQ, thus no details of this "interface" were called for. Question: Is there a description on-line of the matrix-isolation facility? Answer: No. The equipment has been described in detail in the literature. For example, see: Hudgins, Sandford, and Allamandola, J. Phys. Chem., 1994, 98, 4243. Hudgins, D. M.; Allamandola, L. J. J. Phys. Chem. 1995, 99, 3033. Question: From where do the input neutrals come: A vapor sample provided by ARC scientists or a lecture bottle? Answer: Vapor samples are to be generated by the Astrochemistry Lab Staff according to the physical properties The due date for receipt of offers is not extended. Companies shall provide the information stated in the synopsis/RFQ posted on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) on July 20, 1998. Documents related to this procurement are available over the Internet and are in Microsoft Office Suite (Word 6.0, Excel 5.0, or PowerPoint 4.0) format and reside on the World Wide Web (WWW) server which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The WWW address or URL of the NASA/ARC Business Opportunities home page is http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/ARC/class.html. Posted 07/29/98 (D-SN230160). (0210)

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