34 -- Hand Held Portable Environmental Metals Analyzer

The solicitation number for this procurement is AG-82FT-S-05-0007. Solicitation AG-82FT-S-05-0007 is being advertised as a Request for Quotes. This solicitation and consequent contract award incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2005-03. The NAICS code for this procurement is 423430, the size standard for this NAICS code is 500 employees. This solicitation is for the Hand Held Portable Environmental Metals Analyzer. See below for the specific instrument requirements. The required delivery date is June 17, 2005. Delivery shall be made to Mr. Andrew Archuleta, Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest, 3063 Sterling Circle, Boulder, Colorado 80301. The provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Items applies to this solicitation. The solicitation will be evaluated using the following criteria: (1) Ability to Meet Required Specifications. Offerors must be able to provide all services listed in the solicitation. Offers shall include prices for all line items; (2) Ability to Provide the Best Price to the Government; and (3) Offereors must be able to meet the requirement date of June 17, 2005. Technical factors 1 and 3, when combined, are equal to the importance of price in this solicitation. The provision at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, and any addenda to the provision, applies to this acquisition. In addition, all Offerors must submit a completed form of FAR clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items. This clause may be downloaded, free of charge, at http://www.arnet.gov/far. Offerors who fail to submit a completed FAR 52.212-3 will be considered unresponsive and will not be considered in the evaluation. All Offerors must be registered with the Central Contractors Registry (CCR) per FAR 52.204-7. Offerors who are not registered with CCR will be considered unresponsive and will not be considered in the evaluation. All offers shall include prices; a delivery schedule/process; a completed FAR 52.212-3; and Offeror name, address, contact name, phone number, fax number, email address, tax identification number, and DUNS number. The clause at FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, and any addenda to this clause, applies to this acquisition. The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, and any addenda to this clause, applies to this acquisition. The following additional FAR clauses apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.215-5, Facsimile Proposals (Oct 1997), (a) Definition. "Facsimile proposal," as used in this provision, means a proposal, revision or modification of a proposal, or withdrawal of a proposal that is transmitted to and received by the Government via facsimile machine. (b) Offerors may submit facsimile proposals as responses to this solicitation. Facsimile proposals are subject to the same rules as paper proposals. (c) The telephone number of receiving facsimile equipment is: +1 (555) 000-0000. (d) If any portion of a facsimile proposal received by the Contracting Officer is unreadable to the degree that conformance to the essential requirements of the solicitation cannot be ascertained from the document- (1) The Contracting Officer immediately shall notify the Offeror and permit the Offeror to resubmit the proposal; (2) The method and time for resubmission shall be prescribed by the Contracting Officer after consultation with the Offeror; and (3) The resubmission shall be considered as if it were received at the date and time of the original unreadable submission for the purpose of determining timeliness, provided the Offeror complies with the time and format requirements for resubmission prescribed by the Contracting Officer. (e) The Government reserves the right to make award solely on the facsimile proposal. However, if requested to do so by the Contracting Officer, the apparently successful Offeror promptly shall submit the complete original signed proposal. FAR 52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003). FAR 52.223-6, Drug-Free Workplace (May 2001). FAR 52.247-34, F.o.b. Destination (Nov 1991). FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated By Reference (Feb 1998). In addition, the following Agricultural Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) clauses and provisions are incorporated into this solicitation: AGAR 452.219-70, SIZE STANDARD AND NAICS CODE INFORMATION (SEP 2001) - The North American Industrial Classification System Code(s) and business size standard(s) describing the products and/or services to be acquired under this solicitation are NAICS Code 423430; Size Standard 500 employees. No Numbered Notes are included in this solicitation. Offers are due June 3, 2005, 16:30 local time. Offers shall be submitted to USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Central Administrative Zone, Attention MAI DAILEY, 240 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526. All questions regarding this solicitation shall be submitted, in writing, to MAI DAILEY at (fax) +1 (555) 000-0000 or by email at contact@example.gov. Specifications for Portable Hand-Held Environmental Metals Analyzer (1) Analyzer must be a single-module, handheld, battery powered X- Ray Flourescence (XRF) system using an x-ray tube, with removable Pocket Personal Computer for software and computing platform. It must be capable of analysis of trace levels of contaminants in soils and environmental samples, and must operate in a process analytical mode for the accurate quantitation of elements at levels greater than 10%. (2) Analyzer must have at least 5 filter positions for modifying incident x-ray spectrum to optimize for high-precision analysis of low concentrations of Ti, V, and Cr. This includes precision results for Ti of +/- 0.03 Ti after a 20 second true time (not live time) on ARMI SS321 certified standard, V of +/- 0.03 after a 20 second true time on ARMI F91 certified standard. (3) Filter positions, beam voltages and currents must all be under computer control and menu driven by touchscreen user interface. (4) Analyzer must use an x-ray tube with standard operation conditions of 35 kV current from 5-50 uA, silver anode for x-ray production. (5) Instrument must be capable of analying the following elements in soil: Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Hg, Se, Pb, Cd, Ag, Sn, Sb, Co, Mo , Mn & Pb plus additional elements P, S, U, V & Au. Method of analysis for soil samples should be the Compton Normalization Method (EPA Method 6200) to compensate for soil matrix effects. Method should include the RCRA Metals. (6) Analyzer must be capable of the Fundamental Parameters Method for calculating alloy chemistry in order to eliminate need for calibration standards in the field. (7) Software must provide live chemistry and precision real time updates during analysis. (8) Software on the analyzer must also have an optional alloy grade library capable of storing at least 500 alloy grades, with ability for the end user to edit, add, rename, and delete alloys or specifications on the analyzer in the field. (9) Software on the analyzer must provide user with the ability to add elements into the Compton Normalization Calibration in the field, i.e. without returning system to factory or service center. (10) Software on the analyzer must allow user to modify calibration for any element in any analysis mode. (11) Software upgrades and enhancements must be deliverable via email, user may replace current iPAQ Pocket PC with new iPAQ Pocket PC without return to the factory for service. (12) Analyzer uses Si PiN diode detector, thermoelectrically cooled that provides energy resolution < 260 eV FWHM at Mn K-alpha line (industry standard for monitoring resolution). (13) Analyzer uses Pocket PC, Windows CE software platform. Minimum specifications include 400 MHz XScale Processor, 64 Mb internal memory, and 64 Mb flash memory. Flash memory expandable to 1 Gb. (14) Pocket PC must be removable from portable XRF analyzer for data downloading, data and software security purposes. (15) Analyer must be cabable of storing up to 10,000 tests with spectra based on minimum memory requirements (64 Mb Flash) listed above. Storage must be expandable up to 100,000 tests for use of 1 Gb Flash card option. (16) Analyzer must be capable of operating from one of multiple PDAs, or flash memory cards - allowing multiple, plug in customizations of the system. Different users should be able to use their own, personally optimized iPAQ Pocket PCs to run portable XRF analyzer. Users should be able to remove one iPAQ, snap in another with different optimizations and continue running the analyzer. (17) Analyzer must be capable of hands-free operation to allow for benchtop analysis and hands free analysis of soils in the field. (18) Must be capable of downloading or uploading data by cable, IR, or wireless Bluetooth communication, including GPS data directly to Microsoft (MS) EXCEL spreadsheet. (19) The analyzer must be capable of operating with a desk or lap top PC in addition to the Pocket PC. (20) Analyzer should have a Deadman Trigger feature. (21) Analyzer must be upgradeable to include liquids analysis, wipes and filter media, coatings. User must be able to also add in new elements and calibrations to these modes without returning the analyzer to the factory. (22) Analyzer must be able to run Empirical Calibration Mode that allows user to generate up to 25 calibration models for each element, save and name each model and fit data with a variety of calibration curves including linear, quadratic and exponential. These operations can be executed on the analyzer in the field or in the docked configuration. (23) Analyzer must have an optional battery belt pack and must permit "hot swapping" of batteries without shutting down the analyzer. (24) Analyzer must include wireless GPS capability. Analyzer must be capable of capturing GPS information and storing with every sample reading. (25) Analyzer must have a detachable handle for easy access to confined spaces. (26) Analyzer must have a display that is readable from the back when the analyzer is held at arms length.