66 -- Smoking Machine

This is not a solicitation and thus quotes are neither requested nor required. This is a special notice of intent. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) Division of Laboratory Sciences (DLS) requires a 20-port Rotary smoking machine to conduct analyses of toxic and carcinogenic metals in tobacco smoke. The smoking machine must have an integrated electrostatic precipitator and quartz collection tubes that are required for testing metals in particulate. Additionally, the smoking machine must have an electrostatic smoke trap with tungsten tip and quartz collection tubes for trapping metals-containing smoke particulate; this requirement is the single most important integrated component. The smoke trap is essential for adding elements to our analyses for toxic and carcinogenic metals in tobacco smoke. In addition to the trapping capability and less contaminating nature of the tungsten probe, the quartz tubes permit extraction of tar with lower metals background than glass. CDC intends to purchase a RM20H Rotary smoking machine with Electrostatic Precipitator, Tungsten Probes, Quartz Tubes, Accessories for Hoffmann Analytes from Borgwaldt KC, Inc., Richmond, VA which is the only known, responsible source capable of satisfying the minimum requirements. No other source offers a 20-port rotary smoking machine that has an integrated electrostatic precipitator and quartz collection tubes that are required for testing metals in particulate and a smoke trap with tungsten tip and quartz collection tubes for trapping metals-containing smoke particulate. The statutory authority for this intended sole source procurement action is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1). Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on February 10, 2008. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. All responses shall be submitted via email to Mr. Lionel Nadeau at: contact@example.gov