Multipurpose X-ray Diffraction Instrument

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) located in Gaithersburg, MD is seeking to identify sources capable of providing a multipurpose x-ray diffraction instrument for material research of powders, thin films, nanomaterials and solid objects that meets the below minimum requirements. Minimum technical requirements: 1) Command line control of software: a. User must have the ability to write scripts that can be executed from a command prompt that controls the instrument via the provider's GUI environment. For instance, the user should be able to write a script file using Matlab or Python and call the provider's GUI/software with a command prompt incorporating the program executable and the script. b. The commands should be on a per sample basis for control data acquisition (sample position, type of scan, duration of scan, etc.), then data processing and final integration. c. System shall be operable remotely via internet/intranet connection 2) X-ray Source: a. X-ray source that is significantly brighter than conventional sealed x-ray tube. b. Copper target. c. If tube is not air cooled, vendor must provide water chiller system. 3) X-ray Optics: a. Parallel mirror optics that condition beam in both axial directions (90 apart) incorporating Goebel Mirrors or Montel Mirrors. b. Collimator and slit sets for Goebel or Montel Mirrors. c. X-ray beam spot size must be submillimeter on the sample. d. Programmable divergent slit and anti-scatter slit assemblies (incident and receiving) operable in both fixed slit or variable mode. e. Soller slits for the incident and diffracted beam. f. Appropriate K-beta filters to attenuate unwanted radiation and fluorescent background. 4) Geometries must include: a) The goniometer vertical configuration must be capable of converting between theta-theta and theta-2Theta geometry on-site at NIST. b) Allow variable sample to detector distance. c) Goniometer 2Theta angle range with accessories: minimum -110 to maximum 168 d) Optical encoding system for goniometer positioning and accuracy i. Minimum step size 0.0001 - ii. Step size reproducibility +/- 0.0001 - e) Software control/interface of components to prevent hardware collisions. f) Five axis Eulerian Cradle i. The system shall have an Eulerian cradle with chi ? and phi ? rotations, and x, y and z translations; the ranges of motion must be at least as follows: ii. X: +/- 40 mm iii. Y: +/- 40 mm iv. Z: minimum total range of travel 4 mm v. Chi ?: -10 - to 95 - vi. Phi ?: unlimited rotation g) Computer controlled video camera with digital zoom for sample imaging combined with a laser pointer for accurate sample positioning and system alignment. i. Camera/laser must be aligned to be coincident with x-ray beam on the sample. ii. The camera/laser is removeable for high 2Theta angles if needed. 5) Detector a) Multi-dimension detector with 0-D (point), 1-D (line), 2-D (area) capability for Copper radiation with direct detection and single-photon counting sensitivity. 6) The instrument must be configured with the following user-interchangeable sample stages and stage exchange must be able to be performed by laboratory staff: a) Single specimen stage. b) Flat positioning stage with x, y, and z translations. c) Vacuum chuck 5-inch diameter that can rotate. d) Capillary spinner mount for x, y, z stage. e) Manual control box to control stage position for selection and alignment of the specimen sampling region. f) Unrestricted access into instrument enclosure to facilitate exchange of x-ray tubes, sample stages and instrument optics. 7) Reproducible positioning of optics and stages "alignment-free exchange" a. All system optics, x-ray sources, detectors, and sample stages must be exchangeable and alignment free with reconfiguration done by the user. 8) Computer System for instrument control, data acquisition, processing and analysis a. Windows-based computer with high speed processor b. 1 TB hard drive c. Dual 24" LCD monitors d. Keyboard (wired) with keypad e. Mouse (wired) f. 32 GB RAM 9) Data Display, Processing and Analysis a. User must have the ability to write scripts that can be executed from a command prompt that controls the instrument. b. Full data collection and instrument control software including capabilities for batch control of multiple samples. c. Intelligent software application to recognize and facilitate hardware and configuration changes. d. Data analysis software as described below: i. Comprehensive codes for instrument control, performance monitoring, data display, data manipulation, data processing and analysis. ii. Full qualitative and quantitative analysis of phase compositions using Rietveld and other methods. a. Search-match using multiple powder diffraction databases, including a user-generated database, ability to constrain the search based upon material bulk chemistry. iii. Full texture analysis, including the calculation and manipulation of pole figures and orientation distribution functions. iv. Stress analysis using both single-directional and multi-directional (full stress tensor) techniques. v. Able to collect, process and analyze data for pair distribution analysis. vi. Data import and export in multiple file formats such as GSAS and X-Y. vii. Capable of creating and using a user-developed database from user's CIF files without error in translation. viii. Databases for search-match and Rietveld refinement must include: ICDD PDF 4 and ICSD. ix. Provisions to create a user database based upon CIF files for search-match and Rietveld refinement. 10) Safety Enclosure: The system must be compliant with all State and Federal requirements for X-ray safety. Must provide full radiation protection that includes safety interlocks. The enclosure must allow high visibility and accessibility of the goniometer through large tempered leaded glass windows. 11) Must provide a water chiller (if x-ray source is not air cooled) with all connections to the instrument and to house water source for heat dissipation. Water access provided by NIST. 12) Must provide an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) to serve as a power conditioner and to carry instrument over short-duration power loss. 13) System delivery, installation, initial setup, confirmation of performance, and on-site initial training by a company field service engineer, 14) On-site training for a minimum of 2 days to be provided by a qualified manufacturer's XRD application scientist 15) 24-hour response time for problem inquiries by telephone or e-mail. 16) Locally-available company field service engineers who specialize in service and repair of that manufacturer's x-ray powder diffraction instrumentation available within 72 hours. Delivery & Acceptance Requirements Delivery shall be 120 days after award and installation shall be 30 days after delivery unless special arrangements are agreed upon. Testing after start-up will consist of demonstration of the individual instrument components and their appropriate use and performance for data collection, including an analysis of NIST SRM 1976a for evaluation of diffraction peak intensity and position across the 2-theta scale from 20 degrees to 150 degrees per the SRM 1976a certificate and LaB6 resolution performance test. Evaluation based upon peak position and relative intensity as well as an evaluation for spectral contamination lines. This test will also be performed after the exchange and/or reconfiguration of "alignment-free" components to demonstrate reproducible calibration. Evaluation/acceptance after installation will occur by NIST staff after the vendor demonstrates the instrument meets all of the vendor specifications in the Gaithersburg, MD laboratory. Instructions / Required Submissions: Interested parties shall describe the capabilities of their organization as it relates to the services described above. The small business size standard associated with the anticipated NAICS code for this effort is 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. Interested parties shall include their business size classification and socio-economic status in response to this notice. The following information is required to be provided as part of the response to this sources sought notice: 1. Documentation/Description of capabilities, which clearly demonstrates the capability of providing x-ray diffraction instruments; 2. Documentation of any relevant experience in providing the required instrument; 3. Name, Address, DUNS number, CAGE code, business size, and point of contact information of the company; 4. Indication of whether the services/products described in this notice are currently on one or more GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract(s) or Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) and, if so, the applicable contract number(s). 5. Any other relevant information that is not listed above, which the Government should consider in finalizing its market research. General Information: After the results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a contract. If at least two small businesses are identified during this market research, then a competitive procurement that results may be conducted as a small business set-aside.