NAICS Code: 334516 , This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation is being issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is designated as full and open competition. You can also go to the following website for the solicitation: epa.gov/oam/cinn_cmd. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Exposure Research laboratory Environmental public Health division Branch, under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 13.1, on a firm-fixed price basis, intends to procure the following item: (1) Specifications for a Gas Chromatograph (GC) ? Fourier Transforming infra Red (FTIR) spectrophotometer (GC-FTIR) System. The USEPA-ORD-NHEERL-EPHD-ITFB is requesting proposals for a Gas Chromatograph (GC) ? Fourier Transforming Infra Red (FTIR) spectrophotometer (GC-FTIR) system, to allow for the qualitative and quantitative and compositional analysis of gasoline, diesel engine and test chamber atmospheres. Minimum specifications for the GC-FTIR system: 1) The system is anticipated of two (2) or three (3) major parts: a) a gas chromatograph, b) an interface unit if needed, c) a Fourier Transforming Infra Red (FTIR) spectrophotometer or Infrared Detector (IRD). The system shall have a robust design as it will be moved to several laboratories for use. 2) The FTIR or IRD needs to: have the interferometer be of 90? Michelson design or modified Michelson design, shall have a minimum wavelength resolution of 2 cm-1. The optics shall be suitable for use in the Mid-IR range (7000 ? 400 cm-1) and may be protectively coated. The optical path shall allow the maximum amount of infrared energy to be transmitted through the sample compartment and allow the purging of it with dry nitrogen or water free/carbon dioxide free air. The detector module shall be a mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) type (liquid cooled) with a minimal spectral range of 5,500 ? 460 cm-1 wavenumbers, and have an analog to digital (A/D) converter of at least 24 bits. The interface between the FTIR or IRD and the instrument control/data acquisition system shall utilize an Ethernet or USB connection. The FTIR shall have two (2) or more digital in/outputs to allow start/stop signals from the GC to trigger the data acquisition of the FTIR. The FTIR or IRD is requir ed to run on 120 volt 60 Hz power and is required to be listed by UL or another approved 3rd party listing agency. 3) The data acquisition and instrument control system can be a PC or Laptop. If a PC it should minimally be: Intel i3 processor 3 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive, DVD-RW drive, a DVI digital video card, keyboard, mouse, 19? TFT Flat panel monitor. If a laptop it must minimally Intel i3 processor 2.0 GHz, 4GB RAM, 250 GB hard drive, DVD-RW drive, 15 inch XGA monitor, integrated graphics controller. Common to either computer the operating system shall be Microsoft XP Pro service pack 3 and be Section 508 compliant. 4) The instrument control and data acquisition software needs to at a minimum allow for: a) generation of the chromatogram, b) spectral presentation, c) come with a vapor phase library to allow for vapor phase searching/identification of unknown compounds, d) add subtract, and overlay of multiple spectra and chromatograms, e) unattended operations, f) quantification of known compounds and allow operator calibrations to be done, as well as quality control/assurance testing. The software should allow batch re-process previously collected data. The data files (spectra) should be compatible with GRAMS/AI software (industry standard) for visualization, quantifying and reporting data from various spectroscopic instruments. 5) The interface unit shall allow the effluent from the GC to enter the light pipe of the FTIR or IRD, with an inert transfer line or GC column and shall allow heating of the transfer line/column to a maximum temperature of 300?C. The light pipe should be gold or internally gold plated with Mid-IR range optics and have a minimum size of 1 mm i.d. X 100 mm long or a volume of 100 μl, and shall be able to be heated to a maximum temperature of 300?C. The optical path must allow the maximum about of infrared energy to be transmitted through the light pipe and allow the purging of the interface with dry nitrogen or water free/carbon dioxide free air. The interface is required to run on 120 volt 60 Hz power and is required to be listed by UL or another approved 3rd party listing agency 6) The gas chromatograph (GC) shall have an injection port/inlet, column oven, and a flame ionization detector (FID), an integral gas sampling valve with a sample loop volume of 500 μl, and a stream selection valve for twelve (12) different streams. All pneumatics are required to be electronically controlled to maintain retention time repeatability. The GC shall have two (2) or more electrical in/outputs to trigger the FTIR data collection/acquisition. 7) The injection port/inlet shall be of a split/splitless design that incorporates the integral gas sampling valve sample loop outlet to inject its contents on to the column, method of gas sampling valve-injector integration needs to be described. 8) The column oven should be temperature programmable, the operational temperature range should be from 40 - 400?C, and should quick cooling with the option of adding sub-ambient cooling at a later date if needed. 9) The gas sampling valve and stream selection valve can be electronically or pneumatically controlled. 10) The interface between the GC and data acquisition instrument control system shall be an Ethernet or USB connection. The GC is required to run on 120 volt 60 Hz power and is required to be listed by UL or another approved 3rd party listing agency. 11) The vendor is required to integrate the FTIR/interface or IRD with the GC, so that the system performs as one instrument 12) Performance criteria separate and detect the following at specified limits: C1 ? C5 = 2 ppm, toluene = 2 ppm, NH3 = 0.5ppm, CO2 = 0.1 ppm, xylenes = 2 ppm, methanol = 1 ppm, ethanol = 1 ppm. Other Requirements: 1) The data acquisition and instrument control system can be a PC or Laptop. If a PC it should minimally be: Intel i3 processor 3 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive, DVD-RW drive, a DVI digital video card, keyboard, mouse, 19? TFT Flat panel monitor. If a laptop it must minimally be Intel i3 processor 2.0 GHz, 4GB RAM, 250 GB hard drive, DVD-RW drive, 15 inch XGA monitor, integrated graphics controller. Common to either computer the operating system shall be Microsoft XP Pro service pack 3 and be Section 508 compliant. 2) The instrument control and data acquisition software needs to at a minimum allow for: a) control of the pneumatics including the injector?s split ratio, sample injection valve and the stream selection valve operation, the injector and detector temperatures, the column oven temperature and temperature programming and recording of the settings for quality control/assurance. b) generation of the chromatogram, c) allow liquid and vapor phase identification of compounds by retention time where possible, d) allow an overlay spectra and chromatograms, e) unattended operation, f) quantification of known compounds and allow operator calibrations to be done, as well as quality control/assurance testing. The software should control both the GC and FTIR data collection. Warranty Requirements The agency requires at least a one year warranty however; the agency would like to have vendors price a two year warranty and a three year warranty for review. Installation 1) The vendor will provide on-site set-up/on-site installation by qualified personnel; Training 1) 1. Training on operational use for two (2) researchers? initial training on hardware/software during installation to gain fundamental familiarity for sample analysis and data acquisition and interpretation A copy of the SOW (Adobe Acrobat pdf) will be emailed to offerors who request a copy from the POC (
[email protected]). TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA The Government will award a Fixed Price contractual vehicle resulting from this RFQ to the responsible offeror whose quote conforms to the minimum specifications and is most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors will be used to evaluate an offerors? quote: demonstrated qualifications of a GC-FTIR system, past performance, and price. This requirement will be evaluated on a Best Value basis. Offerors shall provide information to demonstrate/substantiate that its quote meets the requirements outlined in the minimum specifications. Offerors shall provide: 1. DEMONSTRATED QUALIFICATIONS: Offeror shall provide a detailed documentation outlining the technical capabilities of the instrument and software in accordance with the minimum specifications. 2. PAST PERFORMANCE: Provide demonstrated performance during the last three years on contracts/purchase orders which are similar to this requirement. The Government will consider the following areas under past performance: (1) quality of products or service, (2) timeliness of delivery, and (3) business relations. The offeror shall provide reference information for at least three customers utilizing this particular instrumentation. The name, phone number, and e-mail address for the customer=s primary point of contact shall be provided. PRICE: Provide a firm-fixed price quote in accordance with the attached specifications..The following provisions of FAR apply: (The full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address: http://www.arnet.gov/far) 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items (complete Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA)http://orca.bpn.gov), and FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, apply to this acquisition. The Clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Under FAR 52.215-5 paragraph (b), the following additional clauses apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; FAR 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity; FAR 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; FAR 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities; FAR 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; FAR 52.225-1, Buy American Act--Balance of Payments Program - Supplies; and FAR 52.232-34, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Other than Central Contractor Registration. Any firm that believes it is capable of meeting EPA's requirement stated herein may submit a quote, which if received by the response date of this announcement will be considered. Responses to this solicitation must be in writing. The quote shall include a breakdown of the total price, which includes shipping, installation, acceptance testing, and warranties. Delivery of the instrument will be within 150 days of award of the contract. Shipping will be to: US EPA, attention Paul Evansky, room A5555, 4930 Page Road, Durham, NC 27703. Quotes are due 16:00 PM , EDT, November 18, 2011. Submit quote via email to:
[email protected] and
[email protected] with subject line: "Gas Chromatograph (GC)-Fouier Transforming Infra Red (FTIR) Spectrophotometer (GC-FTIR) System, ?SOL-CI-12-00006". Written requests for information will be honored.