Opportunity: Bruker Vertex 70 FTIR Spectrometer and Gas Sample

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL), Ann Arbor, Michigan, requires a contractor to provide and install a: ¿ Bruker Vertex 70 Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer with a high resolution scanner option and two detectors, DLaTGS and MCT. The instrument shall be compatible with existing US EPA NVFEL FCC Heatable 10 cm Gas Sampling Cell for Vertex 70. Instrument will be installed in the Gas Lab. ¿ OPUS/IR FT-IR Spectroscopy Software Package for Bruker Vertex 70 Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer with Quant and Quant 2 applications ¿ Heated 2 cm optical path length Gas Sampling Cell for Bruker Vertex 70 ¿ Heated Variable Long-Path Gas Sampling Cell for Bruker Vertex 70 ¿ Alternative detection position unit for detector position 2 of existing US EPA NVFEL FCC Bruker Vertex 70 Fourier including modification of instrument. The Chem Lab at NVFEL currently uses a Vertex 70 for the analysis of biodiesel by ASTM D7371 and for the analysis of emissions, e.g., carbon dioxide in dilute exhaust using gas sampling cells. A portion of this requirement is the ability to exchange gas sampling cells and detectors between the instruments. The Quick Lock baseplate is a feature unique to the Vertex 70 allowing direct exchange of gas cells between the instruments. Vertex 70 instruments allow the exchange of detector between instruments. This expands the utility of each instrument and reduces potential cost increases due to duplication of instrument accessories and detectors. The instrument is the only instrument compatible with existing US EPA NVFEL FCC Heatable 10 cm Gas Sampling Cell for Vertex 70. Also the government has expended funds to train two chemists on the Vertex 70 and the OPUS software required to operate the instrument. Award for an instrument other than the Vertex 70 would require a duplication of funds for training. For these reasons, Bruker Optics is the brand named product that is being procured. The contractor shall install and verify the installation of the above listed new (not refurbished) equipment and software. See attached draft Statement of Work. In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), the 68HE0C18Q0124 will be solicited as full and open competition after exclusion of sources, and processed in accordance with FAR Parts 12 and 13. A Brand Name Justification was completed. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code designation for the acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1000 employees. The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed priced purchase order. Award will be made on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis. It is anticipated the complete request for quote (RFQ) will be posted on or about June 4, 2018, via FedConnect.net. This office does not intend to mail hard copies of the RFQ. All responsible sources may submit a proposal via FedConnect.net which shall be considered by the Agency after the posting of the solicitation. Notices of any modifications to this FBO procurement announcement, including Requests for Quotations and amendments, will be posted using the FedConnect web portal. FedConnect can be accessed at https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/. Interested parties are expected to download the solicitation and any subsequent amendments from the website and to monitor the status of the RFQ. Point of Contact for this requirement is Angela Lower, Contracting Officer, at (513) 487-2036, or by email at lower.angela@epa.gov. Telephone inquiries will not be honored. FedConnect is a web portal that connects agencies and vendors to streamline the process of doing business with the federal government. Through FedConnect contractors will be able to receive, review and respond to contract pre- and post-award actions and documents such as correspondence, request for proposals, tasking instruments and contract modifications. The use of FedConnect also furthers the EPA¿s commitment to moving towards a paperless acquisition environment by reducing its carbon footprint and conducting its business in an ecologically friendly manner. There is no charge to use FedConnect. Vendors can register with FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect technical questions please call the FedConnect Help Desk at (800) 899-6665 or email at support@fedconnect.net. In addition, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), as this facilitates registration for FedConnect. Please note that vendors MUST have their SAM profile set to ¿public¿ otherwise FedConnect will not be able to access the SAM information required to validate vendor credentials. Registration may be completed and information regarding the registration process may be obtained at http://www.sam.gov. There is no charge for registration in SAM.