National Institute of Standards & Technology, Acquisition & Assistance Div.,100 Bureau Drive Stop 3572, Bldg. 301, Rm B117, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-3572

66 -- MONOCHROMATOR SYSTEM SOL 53SBNB9C1031 DUE 042199 POC Pauline E. Mallgrave, Tel (301) 975-6330, or Anne McFarlane, Contract Specialist, Tel (301) 975-4648, FAX (301) 963-7732, e-mail anne.mcfarlane@nist.gov WEB: NIST Contracts Homepage, http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract.htm. E-MAIL: NIST Contracts Office, COntract@nist.gov. THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a requirement for a MONOCHROMATOR SYSTEM. As part of the Color and Appearance Competency Project, the Optical Technology Division is constructing an instrument for measuring, with the lowest possible uncertainties, the spectral reflectance of samples. Such measurements are the basis for calculating the colors of the samples, which will be used to set national standards for color measurements. The purpose of this procurement is to obtain a monochromator system that will be used as part of the source system supplying a monochromatic, collimated, and polarized beam of light incident on the sample to be measured. The specifications and performance requirements of the monochromator system are to achieve a reasonable compromise between wavelength accuracy, optical throughput, and stray-light rejection. All three of these criteria are important for obtaining the lowest possible uncertainties in the measurement of spectral reflectance, and hence in the measurement of color. SPECIFICATIONS: The system shall consist of the following three components, with the requirements listed for each. 1) MONOCHROMATOR: a) Double-grating with additive dispersion. This can consist of two single-grating monochromators assembled to form a double-grating monochromator, or one single monochromator with two gratings; b)5 m focal length with a maximum f/# of 5; c) Two (2) 600 groove/mm ruled gratings blazed at 500 nm, with a size of 110 mm by 110 mm; d) Stepping motor drives for the gratings, modified so that absolute encoders can be attached to the motor shaft, with a minimum wavelength step size of less than 0.001 nm; e) Dual entrance and exit ports, with automated mirrors for selecting the ports. If assembled from single-grating monochromators, dual ports on both monochromators; f) Automated bilaterally adjustable slit widths on all ports, with a maximum slit width of at least 3 mm and a minimum step size and accuracy of 10 mm; g) Adjustable slit heights on all ports, with the capability of 3 mm slit heights; h) Computer-interfaced control of the grating stepping motors, port mirrors, and bilateral slits, using either serial or GPIB communication protocols. This will include the controllers for the motors and a listing of the command set, but not programs for operating the controllers; i) All gratings and mirrors overcoated with Al and MgF2. 2) ORDER-SORTING FILTER WHEEL: a) Mechanically attached to exit port; b) Accommodate six (6) filters with 2.54 cm diameters; c) Supplied with filters with cut-on wavelengths of 300 nm and 400 nm; d) Computer-interfaced control of filter selected. 3) DUAL SOURCE COMPARTMENT: a) Mechanically attached to entrance port; b) Contain quartz-tungsten-halogen and xenon lamp sources; c) Power supplies for both sources; d) Computer-interfaced switching between sources. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA: Four tests will be used to verify the performance of the monochromator system prior to acceptance. These are: 1) At least 20 mW of radiant power out of the exit port of the monochromator system using a quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp in the source compartment for wavelengths from 400 nm to 800 nm; 2) Stray-light rejection of at least 10-7 at wavelengths at least ten times the spectral bandwidth from the wavelength of the source; 3) Triangular slit-scattering function for both 1 nm and 5 nm spectral bandwidths: 4) Wavelength accuracy of at least 0.05 nm and repeatability of at least 0.005 nm over the wavelength range from 400 nm to 800 nm for spectral bandwidths from 1 nm to 5 nm.*****The delivery location is NIST, Building 301, Receiving Room, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. The FOB Point shall be Destination. Desired delivery is less than 120 days, and is required within 180 Days after receipt of order.*****This solicitation is being conducted under full and open competition. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: i) Technical; ii) Past Performance indicating ability to supply similar items and deliver on time; iii) Price. The factors are listed in descending order of importance. Technical and Past Performance, when combined, are more important that Price. *****All offerors shall submit the following: 1) Two copies of the quotation; 2) Evidence of past performance during the past three years for similar products; 3) Most recent Price List; 4) Description of commercial warranty; and 5) A completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items which may be downloaded from http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/repcert.htm. *****Incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-10. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. Also, the clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition, including subparagraphs (1) 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, with Alternate I; (3) 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns; (6) 52.219-23, Notice of Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small disadvantaged Business Concerns; (10) 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns; (11) 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; (12) 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; (13) 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled Vietnam Era Veterans; (14) 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; (15) 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; and Department of Commerce Agency-Level Protest Procedures Level Above the Contracting Officer, which can be downloaded from the NIST Web Page located at http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/protest.htm. Copies of the above referenced clauses are available at www.arnet.gov/far, or upon request to this office, either by telephone or fax.*****All offers should be sent to the NIST, Acquisition and Assistance Division, Attn: Anne McFarlane, Building 301, Room B117, 100 Bureau Drive Stop 3572, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-3572. Fax copies are not acceptable. For information, call the POC identified above. Submission must be received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 21, 1999. Posted 04/08/99 (W-SN317608). (0098)

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