Statement of Requirements.pdf

Statement of Requirements

Micropore Gas Sorption Surface Analyzer Instrument

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The NIST Facility for Adsorbent Characterization and Testing (FACT Lab) was built with support from the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) of the U.S. Department of Energy.

The FACT Lab aims to serve the sorbent materials research community as an impartial source for testing and characterization of sorbent materials, and by establishing reference materials, data, and testing procedures. The FACT Lab seeks to contribute to the NIST direct air capture and carbon dioxide removal research effort by developing standard measurement procedures and reference data using reference materials.

The FACT Lab requires the acquisition of a surface sorption analyzer instrument that allows for characterization of materials’ surface using various probe gases, such as N2, Ar, or Kr to determine surface area and pore size distribution from the measured isotherms. In addition, due the low-pressure capability of the instrument, single gas or vapor isotherms at low pressure, such as those relevant to DAC (below 0.4 mbar) is possible for CO2.

II. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall deliver a surface sorption analyzer instrument that meets the following requirements and specifications:

• Sealing materials: compatible with nitrogen, argon, helium, carbon dioxide, krypton, and water

• Number of analysis ports: at least 3

• Analysis type: micropore analysis (Pressure transducer ranges: 0.1, 10, and ≥1000 torr)

• Analysis pressure range: 1 x 10-5 bar (or lower) to ambient (nominally 1 bar)

• Analysis temperature: parts and accessories to perform cryogenic (e.g., 77 K and 87 K) and near room temperature (nominally 0-50 °C) measurements

• Outgassing temperature: up to at least 400 °C, or higher

• Number of gas ports: at least 4 separate inlets for 4 different gas tanks

• Number of sample holders: at least 9 sample holders, filler rods and caps

• Number of outgassing stations: 6 ports

• vacuum pump: turbo molecular pump backed with a rough pump to achieve vacuum level of at least 1x10-6 mbar for both outgassing and analysis.

• Manuals: electronic or hardcopy of manuals for instrument and software

Instrument and accessories (i.e., PC, vacuum pumps, temperature controllers, sample holders, manuals) shall allow for outgassing and analysis to be done simultaneously, i.e., samples for next run can be outgassed while current measurement is running. If outgassing and analysis ports share turbomolecular pump, pump must be protected with cold trap with outgassing.

III. SOFTWARE

• PC compatible with instrument and accessories and all software installed and ready to use.

• Software shall have the ability to display and process data (BET surface area and various routine methods for pore size distribution, pore volume etc.)

IV. DELIVERY

Delivery shall occur within ninety (90) calendar days of award. Delivery shall take place during normal business hours, between 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday except Federal Holidays, and shall be coordinated with the Contracting Officers Representative (COR).

Delivery shall be to NISTs campus at 100 Bureau Drive, Building 221/room A012 Gaithersburg MD, 20889, USA.

V. INSTALLATION

The Contractor shall install the instrument at NIST’s FACT Lab at NIST Gaithersburg, MD building 221/room A012 to occur within 14 days calendar days of the delivery date. Installation shall include, at minimum, uncrating/unpacking of all equipment, set-up and necessary connections for operation, hardware, and software installation, basic functionality, instrument start-up, demonstration of instrument performance with the specifications and removal of any trash.

VI. TRAINING

On-site training at NIST Gaithersburg, MD for at least one (1) NIST scientist shall be completed within 14 days of installation. Training shall include a thorough demonstration of the instrument and accessories, along with a demonstration of isotherm measurement with reference material for surface area and pore volume/pore size distribution, and data processing and analysis

VII. WARRANTY

The Contractor shall provide at minimum, one (1) year warranty to include all parts and labor for instruments and accessories. Repair shall be performed on-site at NIST, Gaithersburg, MD. If parts are replaced, manufacturer must retrieve the old parts. Warranty period shall commence upon acceptance by the government and shall include software updates.

VIII. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

Upon delivery, the COR will perform an inspection. Acceptance will occur once installation and training are complete, and the instrument demonstrates accurate isotherm measurement with reference material for surface area and pore volume/pore size distribution .

IX. OPTIONAL EXTENDED WARRANTY

Upon expiration of the warranty, the Contractor shall provide two (2) one-year options for extended warranty to include preventative maintenance, repairs, and software updates. The Contractor shall contact the COR to schedule a mutually acceptable date and time for maintenance.

• Preventative Maintenance: Annual service shall include one scheduled preventative maintenance (PM) visit to include replacing and/or cleaning all necessary parts so that the instruments are operating in accordance with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications, confirmed with testing of a standard reference material for surface area and pore size distribution.

• Repair: The Contractor shall provide repair visits within 14 days of a down instrument. The

Contractor shall cover travel, labor, and all parts for repairs. All repairs must result in the instrument meeting OEM specifications.

The Contractor shall utilize the most recent operation and maintenance manuals available for these instruments. The preventive maintenance visits shall occur during NIST’s regular business hours.

Regular business hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time except for

Federal Holidays.

The contractor shall contact the COR to schedule a mutually acceptable date and time for the preventive maintenance visit.

X. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance shall be three years from the date of award.

XI. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The installation of the equipment, training, warranty services, and preventative maintenance services shall be performed at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland campus site. Normal duty hours at

NIST are Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time except for Federal holidays.

XII. DELIVERABLES

Description Quantity Due Date

Entirety of adsorption analyzer instrument along with accessories (i.e., PC, vacuum pumps, temperature controllers, sample holders, manuals) shipped and received by COR at NIST

Gaithersburg, MD.

1 90 calendar days after award of this requirement delivered to the COR.

On-site installation of instrument and accessories at NIST Gaithersburg, MD campus.

1 Within 14 days after delivery of instrument and accessories to be coordinated with the COR.

On-site training at NIST Gaithersburg, MD for at least one NIST scientist 1 Within 14 days after delivery of instrument and accessories, to be coordinated with the COR.