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

36 -- HIGH TEMPERATURE GPC SYSTEM TO PERFORM SIZE EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY ON SYNTHETIC POLYMERS SOL 53SBNB960071 DUE 050799 POC Nick Nichols, Contract Specialist, (301) 975-6333: Sandra L. Febach, Contracting Officer, (301) 975-6326. WEB: NIST Contracts Homepage, http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract.htm. E-MAIL: NIST Contracts Office, Contract@nist.gov. This action is unrestricted. Statement of Work/ Specifications. The contractor shall provide a fully operational new device to perform size exclusion chromatography on synthetic polymers. This device must be able to operate from ambient temperature plus 10 C to 180 C. It shall have an integrated differential refractive index detector and an integrated intrinsic viscosity detector both of which shall be able to work over the entire temperature range of the instrument. The device shall have an internal sample preparation system which includes sample filtration functional over the entire instrument temperature range. The device is to be used to study synthetic polymer molecular mass distribution, primarily for NIST Standard Reference Material certification, and shall be compatible with this purpose. Preference shall be given to systems that are versatile. This will be judged partly on the number of options available to the user that allow for full exploitation of the machine's capabilities. Preference shall be given to devices that are amenable to upgrade with additional detectors. The desire is to maintain a state of the art device by upgrading its capabilities as necessary. Lastly, preference shall be given to instruments that demonstrate superior resolution and sensitivity. CLIN 0001, General System design: The instrument shall be from a single manufacturer of a Size Exclusion Chromatograph or Gel Permeation Chromatograph. The design shall be an integrated design for solvent conditioning and delivery, sample preparation and injection, and sample detection with a differential refractive index detector and a differential viscometer detector. The system must have a Pentium or equivalent microprocessor based overall system management. All software is required to be in accordance with FAR 39.106 -- Year 2000 Compliance. Solvent flow system shall have: (1) a pump capable of flow rates from 0.1 cc/min to 10 cc/min with a relative standard deviation flow of less than 0.1%. (2) a selector valve for at least two different solvents. (3) a solvent conditioning system with integral vacuum solvent degasser. Sample preparation and injection compartment: (1) shall have capacity for at least 20 sample vials. (2) shall allow multiple injections per sample vial. (3) shall have internal and external needle wash capability to allow less than 0.1% sample carryover. (4) shall have provision to vary injection volumes from 100 to 500 microliters and provide 0.1% RSD reproducibility.(5) shall have a programmable, fully automated, warm, spin and filter capability for individual processing of each sample up to to 180 C . (6) shall have a user programmable temperature control (for both increase and decrease of temperature) of 1 C from ambient temperature plus 10 C to 180 C. Column compartment: (1) shall be able to hold at least 4 columns of 50 cm length. (2) shall have a user programmable temperature control (for both increase and decrease of temperature) of 1 C from ambient temperature plus 10 C to 180 C. Refractor index detector: (1)shall be integrated into system and operate at temperatures up to 180 C. (2) shall have a user programmable temperature control (for both increase and decrease of temperature) of 1 C from ambient temperature plus 10 C to 180 C. Viscosity Detectors: (1) shall be integrated into the system and operate at temperatures up to 180 C. (2) shall have a user programmable temperature control (for both increase and decrease of temperature) of 1 C from ambient temperature plus 10 C to 180 C. Built-in user interface: (1) shall have computer interface with keyboard and monitor, preferably Windows driven, with capability of control monitoring and feedback. (2) shall have real-time displays on screen of detector output and system status. (3) shall allow saving of data files in simple ASCII format. Additional Detector Ports: (1) shall be capable of collecting data from four additional detector signals with input voltage ranges of +10 mv to -10 mv, +100 mv to -100 mv and +1v to -1 v. CLIN 0002, Data Collection Software: (1) shall be compatible with the additional data ports and shall be able to analyze the signals collected from these ports. (2) shall have RS232 capabilities or have a macro or script capability so the user can communicate with a Spectra Physics UV array detector through the RS232 port. CLIN 0003, Data Analysis Software: (1) shall be usable on a Pentium or equivalent based personal computer. (2) shall be user friendly software to analyze molecular mass and molecular mass distribution of synthetic polymers. (3) Software shall use differential RI and viscosity detector to analyze polymer using Benoit's Universal Calibration method. (4) Software shall be flexible enough to use signals from additional detector ports in the molecular mass analysis. (5) Software shall allow a variety of ways to subtract off baseline before data analysis and shall allow for rescaling of data to compare scans. (6) Software shall have capabilities to overlay at least six chromatograms to compare polymers. CLIN 0004, Startup requirements: (1) Startup and spare parts kit. (2) at least one GPC column. (3) All software preloaded. (4) Operator documentation and service manuals. CLIN 0005, On-site installation and start-up by manufacturer's service representative. On- site installation shall include proving of repeatability of chromatography using repeated injections of a polystyrene standard. CLIN 0006, Training for at least one staff member in the use of the software and the device and servicing of the device. CLIN 0007, Warranty: at least one full year warranty on all parts and equipment. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 13.5 -- Test Program for Commercial Items and subpart 12.6 -- Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation, Quotations are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation 53SBNB960071 is issued as a request for quotations (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-10. The Standard Industrial Code (SIC) code is 3826. The small business size standard is 500 employees. FAR clauses and provisions referenced in this solicitation may be downloaded from http://www.arnet.gov/far. Offerors shall comply with the provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items, and submit a sufficient description of the items being offered in order to evaluate compliance with the requirements in this solicitation. Evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of the provision 52.212-2 are as follows: (1) the technical capability of the items offered to meet the Government's requirement and other factors to include the offerors ability to provide post sales and engineering support on a timely basis; (2) past performance; and (3) price. To demonstrate past performance the offeror must show in the quotation at least 6 of the systems or equivalents installed over the past three years and include names and telephone numbers of persons that may be contacted. Technical capability and past performance when combined are significantly more important than price. The Government will award a Firm Fixed Price Purchase Order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be of best value to the Government, price and other factors considered. Delivery date shall be no later than six months from the award date. The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial items, applies to this acquisition. Also the clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms & Conditions required to implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition, including paragraph B, subparagraphs (1) 52.203-6, Alternate I (6) 52.222-26, (7) 52.222-35, (8) 52.222-36, (9) 52.222-37, (10) 52.225-3, and (15) 52.225-21, Alt.I, and paragraph C. Department of Commerce Agency-Level Protest Procedures Level Above the Contracting Officer, can be downloaded from the NIST Web Page located at http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/protest.htm. Offers are due by 3:00 P.M. EDST MAY 7, 1999 and must include a copy of the provisions at 52.212-3, offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items which may be downloaded from http://www.nist.gov/admin/od/contract/repcert.htm. All offers should be sent to the National Institute of Standards & Technology, Acquisition & Assistance Division, Bldg. 301, Rm. B117, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 3572, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-3572. Faxed offers will not be accepted. For information, call the POC identified above. Posted 04/22/99 (W-SN323254). (0112)

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