--NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT TO STRUERS, INC. FOR A HARDNESS TESTER THAT HAS AN AUTOMATIC STAGE, AUTOMATIC FOCUSING, AUTOMATIC TURRET AND SOFTWARE.

The U.S. Army Contracting Agency, Directorate of Contracting, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD intends to negotiate solely (as prescribed in FAR 6.302-1) with Struers Inc., 24766 Detroit Rd., Westlake OH 44145-1598. The contractor shall provide a Hardnes s tester that is fully automated to perform Vickers, Knoop, Brinell, and Superficial Rockwell tests in the same machine. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is 423490 and the size standard is 500 employees. Inte rested persons may identify their interest, in writing, to the Government point of contact. Responses to this notice must be received no later than 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time, December 13, 2006. This notice of intent is not a request for competiti ve proposals or a solicitiation of offers. The point of contact for this action is Irene Mancuso, Contract Specialist, email: [email protected].