This Notice is for planning purposes only and is not a Request for Proposal, Request for Quotation, or an obligation on the part of the NIST for conducting a follow-on acquisition. NIST does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Notice, or otherwise pay for the information requested. No entitlement or payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by NIST will arise as a result of submission of responses to this Notice and NIST use of such information.

NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS EXIST AT THIS TIME.

NIST is seeking information on commercial vendors that are capable of providing a Fourier Transfer Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) to perform chemical analysis of materials, specifically polymers, both transparent and opaque (with the addition of an ATR accessory). FTIR is a very fundamental measurement, which reveals chemical change or degradation over time. This is considered a "workhorse" instrument and is used for several projects (internal, other NIST groups, external collaborations). The instrument must meet or exceed all the specification below.

Instrument Specifications:

1. Optics:
0.09 cm-1 resolution with variable aperture
Gold optics
Germanium-on-Potassium Bromide (Ge-on-KBr) On-Axis beamsplitter (7800 - 350 cm-1)
Ready for automatic beamsplitter changer
Internal storage for 2 additional beamsplitters
Sealed and desiccated with KBr sample compartment windows

2. Sources:
Infrared Source
Tungsten-Halogen white light source

3. Sampling:
One-touch sampling operation
Aligned mounting plates front/rear
Mounts for emission optics and Raman Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) detector
Expandable with the Gas Chromatography - Infrared Spectroscopy (GC-IR), Near-
Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR) module, Raman Module
Compatible with Continuum FT-IR Microscope and Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis
(TGA) Accessory
Accepts current sampling technique accessories
Built-in Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR),
•Wide range Monolithic diamond ATR
•All reflective optics permitting wide spectral range performance
•Enhanced spectral range Deuterated and L-alanine-doped Triglycine Sulfate (DLaTGS) detector (5000 - 100 cm-1)
•60 pounds force
•5-Year Warranty on Diamond Crystal
•Removable sample spillage tray
•Fully sealed and mounted in a sealed/desiccated/purged zone
•Automatic operation through software

4. Detectors:
DLaTGS Detector with KBr window
Liquid N2 Cooled Mercury Cadmium Telluride narrow band (MCT-A) Detector with
Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) window

5. Quality control:
Internal Validation
•Full-system qualification including spectrometer and sampling accessories
•Comprehensive procedures in industry-standard format
•Configurable to allow addition of user-specific tests
•Qualification software
•Documentation for hardware and software
NIST Traceable Polystyrene and NG11 Glass

System and software:

1.The equipment must be software controlled for tests execution, data acquisition and data analysis.

2.The software must be compatible to open and analyze measured data with *.spa and *.jdx file extensions.

3.Control:
High speed USB 2.0 interface
System Performance monitoring
Full-featured report generator and electronic laboratory notebook
Ability to compile routine tasks into simple operations
Password protection and user login support
Easy to set-up parameters
Live display of data collection and live spectral preview
English language kit

4.Analysis:
Auto Analyze feature
Auto Report feature
Automatic atmospheric suppression to remove water and carbon dioxide interferences (no
standards needed)
Full array of data conversion and correction tools
Complete set of spectral data processing tools
Spectral Search feature
Identification libraries including over 1400 spectra (including polymer, polymer additives
and plasticizers, and additives and plasticizers by ATR)
Extensive on-line help and video tutorials

Documentation:
1.A manual describing all procedures to operate the instrument must be delivered with the equipment.
2.A manual describing the maintenance procedures and removal of all major components must be delivered with the equipment.
3.Instruction manuals of the original equipment manufacturer for all third party components must be delivered with the equipment.
4.Two copies of a manual describing the operation of the data acquisition and analysis software shall be delivered with the equipment. The format of the data in the data files must be fully documented.

Training:
The installation of the instrument must also include training of up to six operators at the NIST Gaithersburg site on instrument maintenance, hardware and software.

NIST is seeking responses from responsible small business sources. The NAICS code for this procurement is 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size 500 employees. Please include your company's size classification and socio-economic status in any response to this notice.

Companies able to provide such services are requested to email a detailed response describing their abilities to [email protected], no later than the response date for this sources sought notice.

The report should include any information relevant to your capabilities. Also, please provide the following information as part of the response to this sources sought notice:

1. Name of company/companies that are authorized provide services, including address, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address).
2. Indication of whether the productsare currently on one or more GSA Federal Supply Schedule contracts or any other government-wide contracts. If so, please provide the applicable contract number(s).
3. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing specification requirements.

Points of Contact:
Judith Hicklin, Contract Specialist, Phone (301)975-8838, Email: [email protected]
Robert Cowins, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 975-8335, Email: [email protected]