USDA-ARS-MWA, Contracting Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604

66 -- FLUID RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES MEASUREMENT SYSTEM SOL 5114-9-3133 DUE 082099 POC Lori J. Houghton, Contracting Officer, 309-681-6616 WEB: Federal Acquisition Regulation or Agriculture FAR Supplement, http://www.arnet.gov/far or http://www.usda.gov/da/procure/agar.htm. E-MAIL: Contact the Contracting Officer, houghtol@mwa.ars.usda.gov. The USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area, National Center for Agriculture Utilization Research, Peoria, IL has the requirement for a Fluid Rheological Properties Measurement System. 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; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation No. 5114-9-3133 is being issued as a Request for Proposal. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-12. The solicitation is 100% set-aside for small businesses. Standard Industrial Classification Code 3826 with a corresponding size standard of 500 employees applies to qualify as a small business. Offerors are to propose prices for the following: CLIN (Contract Line Item Number) 0001: Base Unit, DualRange FRT Transducer with Normal Force, Recirculating Fluids Bath, Low Shear Rate Air Bearing Actuator 1 each; CLIN 0002 Air Dryer 1 each; CLIN 0003 Standard Circulator for Base Unit 1 each. The Fluid Measurement System Specifications must meet or include: Rheometer: True Strain Controlled Rheometer utilizing a separate Strain Motor and a Torque Transducer. Must have optical and birefringence measurements capabilities available. Torque Transducer: Force Rebalance Transducer. Torque range: 0.002-100 gcm in one experiment. Normal Force measurements from 0.1-100 g. Frequency: 0.00001 to 100 rad/sec. Motor: Direct drive servo motor Rate range of 0.000002 rad/sec. 100 rad/sec. Strain range: 0.005 mrad -- 0.5 rad. Air Bearing supported Motor to minimize axial run-out to less than 1 micron Environmental System: Fluid Bath. Temperature range: -10 -- 140 C Compatible with Optical Analysis Module, Peltier and Forced Convection Oven. Test Modes: Stress Relaxation and Creep; Thix Loop and Step Rate Sweeps; Frequency, Time and Strain Sweeps; Multiwave and Arbitrary Wave Form; Autozero/Autogap Axial Rate ( Squeeze Flow ); Software: Windows 95/98/NT Compatible; User Programmability, Test Sequencing. Offerors shall submit Descriptive Literature describing their proposed equipment in enough detail to ascertain whether the equipment meets the criteria listed above. Failure to demonstrate compliance will be cause to reject the proposal without further discussions. FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial, FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, and FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items apply to this acquisition. Proposals will be evaluated on price, past performance, and proof of meeting the salient characteristics listed above. Offers must include completed FAR 52.212-3, a commercial warranty for equipment, and a list of at least four references to include name, address, phone number, and fax number. Payment will be made 30 calendar days after acceptance of delivered equipment. Equipment will be shipped FOB Destination to: National Center for Agriculture Utilization Research, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. Delivery of equipment desired to be within 12 weeks after receipt of award (however delivery is negotiable). Offer must include a 30 calendar day acceptance period. Offers are to be received Not Later than the Close of Business, August 20, 1999 at USDA-ARS-MWA, Contracting Office, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604. The POC for this acquisition is Lori J. Houghton, (309) 681-6616, or E-Mail: houghtol@mwa.ars.usda.gov, or FAX: (309) 681-6680. Faxed Proposals will not be accepted. Posted 08/05/99 (W-SN364081). (0217)

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