VARIABLE-PRESSURE SEM AND EDS WITH SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS 66 -- INSTRUMENTS AND LABORATORY EQUIPMENT SOL DUE POC CONTRACT: Mr. Robert L. Mohn, Contract Specialist, (412) 386-4963. Technical Representative is Mr. Everett Ramer, (412) 386-4920. Desc: This requirement is being procured in accordance with FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items and an award will be made in accordance with FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory intends to issue a Request for Quotations (RFQ) for a Variable-Pressure SEM with EDS and Software Applications to be shipped to the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 16236.. The Variable-Pressure SEM with EDS and Software Applications must meet the following specifications: I. SEM SPECIFICATIONS: Pre-aligned tungsten filament; Acceleration Voltages: 5kV, 10kV, 15kV, and 20kV; Magnification: 20X -- 200,000X; Resolution: 10nm; Automatic Stigmation Control; Automatic Focus Control; Port ready for specimen current meter; Chamber size must accommodate a 50mm (X) x 50mm (Y) x 35mm (Z) specimen during the complete range of stage X and Y motion while maintaining a Z working distance of 30mm; Stage: Motorized and computer controlled X and Y with movements of X = 50mm (+/-25mm), Y = 50mm (+/-25mm), and Z = 35mm; Seller must furnish a chamber CCD camera if any routine SEM or EDS operating procedure requires a column-to-sample distance of less than 5mm; Back-Scattered Electron Detector: 4 Quadrant solid state diode with Automatic Contrast/Brightness and quadrant image mode; Secondary Electron Detector: Everhart-Thornley with Automatic Contrast/Brightness and collector bias control; Adjustable scan speed; Scan Modes: Adjustable reduced area, positionable spot, and positionable line scan with display of line-scan signal; Digital images in TIFF, BMP, or JPEG format; Measurement Functions: Gray-level histogram and point-to-point distance in calibrated units; No photo or video hard copy unit required; SEM Computer: Intel Pentium, Microsoft Windows 98/NT, and totally Windows 98/NT compatible SEM Control Software with graphical user interface that controls all SEM functions including accelerating voltage, variable pressure, magnification, focus, scanning, and stage with cut and paste of SEM images to Windows 98/NT applications, including Microsoft Office; Remote diagnostics of SEM via INTERNET, modem, or FAX; Vacuum System: Variable Pressure with Automatic regulation to 1 torr (130 Pa) and Conventional High Vacuum with 2-3 minute switching between high-vacuum and variable-pressure modes; Utilities: Buyer will furnish single-phase 110V/220V and Air. Seller must furnish closed loop circulator if cooling water is required. (2) EDS SPECIFICATIONS: EDS Computer: Intel Pentium, Microsoft Windows 98/NT, Totally Windows 98/NT compatible EDS Control Software with graphical user interface that controls all EDS functions including detector and SEM stage with cut and paste of EDS data or maps to Windows 98/NT applications, including Microsoft Office; Remote diagnostics of EDS via INTERNET, modem, or FAX; SEM/EDS integration: Single mouse and keyboard operation of both SEM and EDS; Control and Automation: EDS applications monitor and control SEM column and stage with fully automatic transfer of SEM operating conditions to EDS applications for correctly calibrated data; Data Storage: SEM images and operating conditions, and EDS data and maps are saved on the same PC, hereafter called "the common storage PC"; Peripheral Devices/Software: Buyer can install on the common storage PC any Windows 98/NT compatible device (e.g., secondary hard drive, ZIP, CDRW, network card, printer) or software (e.g., Microsoft Office) without further purchase of software and services from the Seller; Transfer of SEM and EDS output from the common storage PC to external PCs via network; Network Card: 10 base T on the common storage PC; EDS Software: Quantitative Analysis with rigorous digital filtering and least squares fitting for quantitative analysis of bulk specimens with polished surfaces, including ZAF or Phi-Rho-Z corrections; X-Ray Elemental Maps: Digital elemental maps with 8-bit pixels created by analysis of the entire x-ray energy spectrum at each pixel, including correction for background and overlapping peaks. Elemental k-ratios must be directly obtainable from map pixels; X-Ray Detector: 10mm2 LN2-cooled Si(Li) detector with ultra thin atmospheric window (B and up). Automatic detector protection against low LN2 level. Unlimited thermal cycling of detector with no degradation in performance; Digital Pulse Processor: Software selectable energy range and time constant with acquisition rates greater than 30,000 cps with no significant spectrum distortion. Digital zero stabilization, 4096 channel resolution with 32 bit data/channel. (3) COMBINED SEM/EDS APPLICATION SOFTWARE: Mosaic Imaging: Automated stage scanning of user-specified area with archival of BSE, SE, or EDS images/maps with user-specified overlap between images; Automated Particle Analysis and Classification: Automated search for particles within a user-defined area followed by chemical classification into user-defined species. Results such a chemical class, size, distribution and population can be exported to a spreadsheet for further analysis. (4) DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION: Seller must provide transportation of SEM and EDS systems to Buyer's freight dock. Seller must provide setup and verification of both SEM and EDS systems; Seller must provide user training for both SEM and EDS systems; Warranty: Standard 1 year warranty offered to commercial purchasers. The National Energy Technology Laboratory intends to issue a Request for Quotations (RFQ) for the above listed item(s). Request for the RFQ can be faxed to 412-386-5770. Solicitation Number S0000395 is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). All items shall be delivered FOB Destination within 4 weeks after receipt of purchase order. FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items (AUG 1998) is incorporated by reference and applies to this acquisition. Within FAR 52.212-1, an reference to "offer" is changed to read as "quote". The provisions at 52.212-2 Evaluation -- Commercial Items (JAN 1999) does not apply to this acquisition. Instead, the following information will be used for evaluation of offerors: An award shall be made to that responsible offeror submitting a technically acceptable quote and offering the lowest evaluated price. Price shall be the deciding factor among technically acceptable quotes. Technical acceptability will be determined solely on the content and merit of the information submitted response to this provision as it compares to the minimum characteristics provided above. Therefore, it is essential that offerors provide sufficient technical literature, documentation, etc., in order for the Government evaluation team to make an adequate technical assessment of the quote as meeting technical acceptability. Price shall be the deciding factor among technically acceptable quotes. The offeror shall provide backup information to support the quoted price (e.g. a copy of current catalog or established price list, three invoices for the same equipment, etc.). FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representation and Certifications -- Commercial Items; FAR 52.214-4 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. FAR provisions and clauses including FAR 52.212-3, can be found at the INTERNET site: http://www.arnet.gov/far. COMPLIANCE WITH VETERANS EMPLOYMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS -- (a) The Offeror represents that, if it is subject to the reporting requirements of 38 U.S.C. 4212(d) (i.e. the VETS-100 report required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation Clause 52.222.37, Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era), it has ( ), has not ( ) submitted the most recent report required by 38 U.S.C. 4212(d). (b) An Offeror who checks "has not" may not be awarded a contract until the required reports are filed. (31 U.S.C. 1354). RFQ responses are DUE NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on May 15, 2000 to: U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, ATTN: Mr. Robert L. Mohn, PO Box 10940, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940, FAX (412) 386-5770. All responsible sources may submit a quote which shall be considered by the agency. Firm fixed priced purchase order shall be issued using the Simplified Acquisition Procedures. E-MAIL: mohn@netl.doe.gov, mohn@netl.doe.gov. Posted 04/20/00 (W-SN447247).

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0468 20000424\SP-0007.MSC)