Automated Segmented Flow Analyzer for volatile acidity

Subject to final approval, The Department of the Treasury's Bureau of the Public Debt (BPD) Procurement Division, on behalf of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), intends to make an award for an Automated Segmented Flow Analyzer for TTB's Beverage Alcohol Lab (BAL) in Beltsville, MD. TTB's Compliance Lab has previously obtained ISO 17025 accreditation utilizing the Astoria-Pacific Flow Analyzer, and as the Beltsville lab has need of assisting with the volatile acidity testing, the exact same instrument is required in order to transfer the validated method/ISO accreditation to the Beverage Alcohol Lab. In addition, for chemist certification samples, volatile acidity will be a required test. Since BAL analyzes the chemist certification samples, it is necessary for BAL to have the equipment needed to carry out these analyses. The Government intends to award a contract for the new equipment, two-year warranty, installation, and related in-house training and technical support. Mission: TTB's mission is to collect alcohol and tobacco excise taxes; to ensure that these products are labeled, advertised, and marketed in accordance with the law; to administer the laws and regulations in a manner that protects the consumer and revenue, and promotes voluntary compliance. Nature and Description of Action: TTB's Lab has need of a new Automated Segmented Flow Analyzer system to include a sampler, detector, software, auxiliary pump for system, and volatile acidity cartridge. Part of the validation package includes utilization of colorimetric segmented continuous flow technology, with the capability of analysis rates of 48 samples per hour. This equipment is critical to TTB's mission, as there is a need for the volatile acidity testing, along with maintaining the validation package and ISO 17025 accreditation established by the Compliance lab. No solicitation document is available. The Bureau of the Public Debt will consider all affirmative responses received no later than ten days after publication of this notice. Affirmative responses shall be accompanied by sufficient documentation to clearly show the ability to provide the requirement, at terms more advantageous to the Government. A request for more information will not be considered an affirmative response. If no affirmative written response is received that clearly demonstrates the ability to meet all the requirements and that is more advantageous to the Government, we intend to negotiate an award to Astoria-Pacific. Point of Contact: Mindy Wargowsky, Contract Specialist: Tel: 304-480-7034 // Fax: 304-480-7204 // psb3@bpd.treas.gov Jane Oney, Contracting Officer: Tel: 304-480-8004// Fax: 304-480-7204 // psb3@bpd.treas.gov Electronic submissions, in response to the RFI, shall be sent to the attention of Mindy Wargowsky and e-mailed to psb3@bpd.treas.gov. Electronic submissions must be received no later than 10:00 AM ET, Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Please note that an RFQ document is not available at this time. The vendor must identify their business size classification (i.e. SDVOSB, 8(a), Woman-owned), as well as provide any available contract vehicles, such as GSA Schedule. Dependent upon the results of this market survey, TTB may subsequently issue a Request for Quote (RFQ) to acquire the support services. Interested offerors may register at http://www.fedbizopps.gov to receive notification when the solicitation and any amendments are issued and available for downloading. Please note that the General Services Administration provides the notification service as a convenience and does not guarantee that notifications will be received by all persons on the mailing list. Therefore, we recommend that you monitor the FedBizOpps site for all information relevant to desired acquisitions. You may respond by fax to (304) 480-7204 or e-mailing psb3@bpd.treas.gov.