99 -- MIXER ASSEMBLIES FOR SUBMILLIMETER RECEIVER LABORATORY DEVELOPMENT

Notice Date

October 31, 2000

Contracting Office

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138-1516

ZIP Code

02138-1516

Solicitation Number

RFP-BF7490

Response Due

November 21, 2000

Point of Contact

Contracting Officer, EJ Dotts, 617-496-7562, edotts@cfa.harvard.edu

Description

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) intends to award on a sole source basis a follow-on procurement to the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, England, per justification pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. We require the manufacture, assembly, and delivery of the following: 1) two sets of 600/720 GHz Mixer Assemblies (including mixer blocks and integral feedhorns); 2) two sets of 250/360 GHz Mixer Assemblies (including mixer blocks and integral feedhorns); and 3) two sets of 180/260 GHz Mixer Assemblies (including mixer blocks and integral feedhorns). Each mixer assembly, block plus integrated feed, uses a combination of both traditional machining and electroforming techniques. The feed horns are made from electroplated copper on gold plated aluminum mandrels, machined to a surface finish of 6 microinches; dimensions are held to within 5 microns. The feeds are press fit into the mixer blocks before final machining, and the use of solder is not permitted. The mixer blocks, made from OFHC, will be gold plated and the mechanical dimensions are to be held to within 5 microns. The blind waveguide section will be made by either broaching in OFHC or electroforming; the use of electroerosion is not permitted. All edges will be clean and sharp. No other source is known for these parts that meet all of our requirements. These mixer blocks were previously purchased from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. It is imperative that these sets are identical to the original sets, as they are extremely critical components in our array of radio astronomical receivers. The desired delivery date for the required sets is 1 May 2001. The FOB point is destination, Cambridge, MA. This acquisition will be accomplished using simplified acquisition procedures in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 12. The applicable NAICS code is 334419 and the size standard is 500. No solicitation package will be issued. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by SAO to not compete this effort on a full and open competitive basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of SAO. Questions or comments may be directed to EJ Dotts at 617-496-7562, or by e-mail at edotts@cfa.harvard.edu.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001102/99SOL002.HTM (W-305 SN505675)