In the absence of other qualified sources, it is the intent of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration?s (NOAA) Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) of the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) to negotiate on a sole source basis with Aerodyne Research, Inc. located at 45 Manning Road, Billerica, MA 01821-3976, for an upgrade of the Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer detector on the NOAA/CSD Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer to a Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer detector. The Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (ToF-MS) detector will improve the performance of existing equipment to have 10-second detection limits of less than 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter for sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and organic aerosol mass and other non-refractory aerosol components. This detector is also capable of obtaining mass distributions as a function of size as well as single particle mass spectra for particles larger than about 200 nm.A significant requirement of this acquisition is that it must be physically compatible with the existing equipment (the Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer) and must generate ASCII or hierarchical data format files with the ToF-AMS data acquisition software v. 2.1.0 that can be analyzed with HeiDI (Hierarchical Data from Igor) v.1.2.1 and/or SQUIRREL (SeQUential Igor data RetRiEvaL) v.1.41 software. In the ion source of the requested detector, focused particles must be vaporized at a controlled temperature from 200 to 900 C and the resulting vapors ionized with electron impact ionization. The position of this ion source must match the position of the focused particles in the existing equipment. The ions formed are extracted and pulsed into the requested time-of-flight mass spectrometer detector to obtain a complete mass spectrum up to 300 amu with a mass resolution of 800 every 13-15 ms. Several features of data acquisition are user defined, including signal thresholds, timing parameters, and the number of spectra coadded for saving onto the computer. Particle size is measured by the combined timing of particle pulses near the inlet of the existing equipment with signals from the time-of-flight mass spectrometer detector. The size of the detector must be smaller than 5? wide, 8? high, and 11? long to fit on the existing equipment within NOAA research aircraft. Together, the detector, power supply, microchannel plate, 1GHz data acquisition card, chamber, vaporization and ion source assembly, ion pulsing electronics, cabling, and associated computer must weigh less than 110 lbs. This acquisition will replace another less sensitive detector, the quadrupole mass spectrometer detector, that was supplied with the Aerosol Mass Spectrometer previously purchased from Aerodyne Research Inc. in 2002. Included with the new ToF-MS detector are the power supply, a microchannel plate, 1GHz data acquisition card, port for differential pumping, vaporization and ion source assembly, ion pulsing electronics, and associated computer. The updated detector is required to come with at least a one-year warranty. This is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete this action based on this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Any information received in response to this notice will be considered for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Interested parties who believe they can meet the agency?s requirements are requested to submit, in writing, an affirmative response demonstrating their technical capabilities. To be considered an affirmative response, the response must include detailed technical information and other technical literature demonstrating the ability to meet the stated requirements. Interested parties must address each of the mandatory requirements listed in sufficient detail to permit agency analysis to establish a bona fide capability to meet requirements. Failure to submit documentation will result in the agency proceeding as stated above. All affirmative responses shall be received by 4:00 P.M., Mountain Standard Time, on August 28, 2007 to
[email protected]. BACKGROUND: The Chemical Sciences Division of NOAA?s Earth System Research Laboratory (NOAA/ ESRL/ CSD) has undertaken laboratory and field studies aimed at understanding aerosol formation and redistribution in the atmosphere. Knowledge of aerosol properties and sources are needed to evaluate and manage a wide variety of air quality concerns. These include the concentrations and physical and chemical properties of these particles and how these properties affect human health, atmospheric visibility, and climate change. To advance this research CSD acquired an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer that was delivered in May 2002. The instrument has been successfully used in a variety of field and laboratory studies aimed at understanding aerosol properties. However, the sensitivity of this instrument is insufficient for airborne studies aboard NOAA research aircraft, where rapid time response in narrow pollution plumes and low detection limits in remote environments and the free troposphere are needed. The 10-minute detection limits for inorganic (sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) and organic aerosol components of the current system are between 0.1 and 0.6 micrograms per cubic meter of air, depending on the species measured. For aircraft flying at a speed of 100 meters per second, 10 minutes of sampling time corresponds to a distance of 60 km, which provides insufficient resolution to meet all of CSD?s research objectives. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The contract to be negotiated allows for a 124 calendar day delivery.