66 -- CARBON AND NITROGEN ELEMENTAL ANALYZER AND ACCESSORIES

Notice Date

September 7, 2000

Contracting Office

USDA, ARS, North Atlantic Area, Contracting Office, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038

ZIP Code

19038

Solicitation Number

N/A

Point of Contact

Lisa M. Botella, Point of Contact, Eileen LeGates, Contracting Officer, (215) 233-6551, fax (215) 233-6558

Description

The USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), intends to negotiate solely with Elementar Americas, Inc. in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey to furnish, deliver and install a Carbon and Nitrogen Elemental Analyzer and accessories for the USDA, ARS, National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture in Kearneysville, West Virginia. This equipment must be compatible with and be capable of connecting to the following Government-owned equipment: a) an isotope ratio mass spectrometer for subsequent analysis of stable isotopes; b) Electronic balance; and c) a Personal Computer with Windows 98 software. The Company shall provide a list of their minimum specification requirements for the above equipment. This equipment will be used for the simultaneous elemental analysis of carbon and nitrogen dynamics in samples of water, soil, and organic matter. Further understanding of the dynamic nature of carbon and nitrogen cycles can be determine when stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in the gases are analyzed by an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Item No. 01: Carbon and Nitrogen Elemental Analyzer must be capable of simultaneous determination of the elements carbon and nitrogen/protein, by combusting the sample and measuring the entire contents of nitrogen and carbon in the combustion gases. It must include electronic mass flow controllers for the regulation of the helium carrier gas and oxygen combustion gas, and, a single thermal conductivity detector to analyze all of the analyte gases resulting from combustion without the utilization of a gas splitting system. The system must: a) be capable of measuring from 0.02 mg to 150 mg absolute nitrogen and from 0.02 to 400 mg absolute carbon; b) be capable of handling the following sample sizes: 1) soils up to 1.5 g., 2) plant tissue and other organic matter samples up to 5 cubic centimeters in size, and 3) water or water with sediments or organic matter up to 4 ml. in volume; c) have a 60 position or greater automatic sample loading device, capable of handling both solid or liquid samples. The sampling device must remove the ash from the analysis after each sample; d) include all analytical hardware and software required for the operation of the instrument by a Government-owned, external PC operating Windows 98; e) employ a combustion tube made from stainless steel to eliminate the possibility of breakage due to thermal shock in the case of a power outage; f) be able to operate on 120 VAC, 60 Hz power, without the need to use an external power transformer; g) include all the necessary consumable start-up kit with a minimum of 400 samples; h) include installation and start-up; i) include training for a minimum of three (3) people by a factory-trained representative; j) include at a minimum a one-year parts and labor warranty; k) include two sets of the operations and maintenance manuals. Accessories include the following: a) Pressure regulator for He, with a 6 bar outlet pressure, two stage for He gas cylinder and tubing; b) Pressure regulator for O2, two stage for O2 gas cylinder and tubing; c) Consumable Kit for 4000 analyses including combustion tube, quartz reduction tube, O2 lances, drying tubes O-rings and required reagents; d) O-ring kit with a 15-compartment box and a stand-by supply of all commonly used 0-rings and fuses. No deviation will be accepted from the specified sample size requirement as homogenous samples are required to support the research efforts. Used equipment is not acceptable. Delivery shall be F.O.B. Destination, within Consignee's Premises to the USDA, ARS, National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture in Kearneysville, WV, within 60 calendar days after receipt of the order. SIC Code is 3826, NAICS is 334516 with a small business size standard of 500 employees. Companies with the demonstrated capability and financial capacity to provide and service such equipment must submit a written substantive statement outlining the Company's and systems' capabilities to the Contracting Officer within 15 days of publication of this notice. This is not a request for proposal. No solicitation is available.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20000911/66SOL017.HTM (W-251 SN494075)