BULK LIQUID ARGON SoR FOR CS-S 1333ND23QNB640458.pdf

STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS (SoR)

BULK LIQUID ARGON DELIVERIES AND SERVICES

FOR NIST GAITHERSBURG, MD AND NIST CHARLESTON, SC

I. BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NISTs) Inorganic Chemical Metrology Group (ICMG) is responsible for providing the Nation’s chemical measurement infrastructure for the determination of trace elements and inorganic and organic elemental species in a range of analytical samples, including NIST Environmental Standard Reference Materials. Current projects and new laboratory equipment investments related to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometries require continuous, uninterrupted service of gaseous argon to the ICMG located at the NIST Charleston Laboratory (Hollings Marine Laboratory) in Charleston, SC.

Product will be used to provide gaseous argon throughout the building for several inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments (each operating at flow rates of 15 gaseous L/min) and various other uses by researchers in the laboratories.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NISTs) Inorganic Chemical Metrology Group (646.01) within the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) is responsible for performing research leading to the development of reference measurement procedures, developing quality assurance protocols, and developing standard reference materials (SRMs) for quality assurance and method validation. The types of equipment and instrumentation used for such work consumes large quantities of argon gas. NIST has built an infrastructure to meet this argon need, which include a 3000 L liquid argon tank outside Building 227 near the loading dock and the attendant argon gas pipelines that distribute the gaseous argon from the tank to the group 646.01 located on the third floor of Building 227.

Product will be used throughout the building for several analytical instruments in group 646.01 and various other uses by researchers in the laboratories.

II. SCOPE

The Contractor shall supply up to 5,000 liquid L of argon per year and rental of one (1) 1000 Liter (1000 L) very high pressure (VHP) microbulk argon tank and telemetry unit at the NIST Charleston Laboratory, located at the rear of the Hollings Marine Laboratory.

NIST Charleston Laboratory

Hollings Marine Laboratory 331 Ft. Johnson Rd.

Charleston, SC 29412

A rented argon tank of the same size is installed and operating. The existing tank will be removed by the former Contractor to allow installation of the replacement rental tank, assuming replacement is required. The replacement microbulk tank shall be located on a pre-existing 6’L X6’W X8” thick concrete pad, inside a fenced enclosure near other existing bulk gas tanks. The concrete pad specifications allow for installation of a 1000 L microbulk tank. The Contractor shall install the requisite stainless-steel tubing connections from the microbulk tank to the laboratory piping isolation valve located near the concrete pad as necessary. The Contractor shall maintain the installed 1000 L tank. The Contractor shall maintain the liquid argon levels to prevent venting of the tank.

The Contractor shall provide NIST Charleston an on-line account to the contractor-provided telemetry unit for real-time argon level monitoring.

The Contractor shall maintain one (1) government-owned 3000 Liter (3000 L) PERMA-Cyl 3000 VHP microbulk liquid argon tank manufactured by Chart Inc and supply up to 14,000 liters of liquid argon per year to the 3000 L microbulk argon tank located at the NIST Gaithersburg Laboratory next to the loading dock of Building 227.

NIST Gaithersburg Laboratory Material Measurement Laboratory Building 227 100 Bureau Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20899

The gaseous argon generated from the supplied liquid is used for the continuous operation of an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP- OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (ICP-MS). The Contractor shall maintain the liquid argon levels to prevent venting of the tank. A government-furnished telemetry unit is provided in Gaithersburg MD for the Contractor to monitor the liquid argon levels in the tank, and the Contractor shall provide NIST an on-line account to the telemetry unit for real-time argon level monitoring.

The Contractor shall inspect and maintain both microbulk argon tanks annually and during each fill event to ensure safe operation of each in accordance with applicable Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). As part of the maintenance operation, the Contractor shall perform on an as needed basis the removal of krypton build-up in each microbulk argon tank to ensure the argon gas is meeting or exceeding the specification described in Section III of this SoR.

III. SPECIFICATIONS

A. Tank Filling Piping Circuit and Minimum Continuous Pressure Requirements:

1. Charleston SC

1.1 1000L microbulk tank shall be outfitted with a top and bottom fill piping circuit assembly to allow filling of liquid from the bottom of the tank, in order to precisely control the tank pressure during fill events.

1.2 At least 250 PSI of argon gas pressure (regulated from the tank headspace) shall be maintained in the existing laboratory piping infrastructure at all times, including for the duration of each tank fill event.

1.3 A minimum continuous pressure of 200 PSI shall be maintained and available at all times at the terminus of three (3) laboratory piping drops. Each internal laboratory piping drop location is equipped with a line pressure regulator. The pressure gauge settings at each line pressure regulator are permanently set at 200 PSIG.

2. Gaithersburg, MD

2.1 At least 250 PSI of argon gas pressure (regulated from the tank headspace) shall be maintained in the existing laboratory piping infrastructure at all times, including for the duration of each tank fill event.

2.2 A minimum continuous pressure of 150 PSI shall be maintained and available at all times at all terminuses on the third floor of building 227.

B. Liquid Argon Specification:

1. Critical Assay-99.997%

2. Meets ICP-MS Specification

3. Oxygen-< 5 ppm

4. Total Hydrocarbons (as CH4)-< 1 ppm

5. Nitrogen-< 20 ppm

6. Carbon Dioxide-< 0.5 ppm

7. Water-< 4 ppm

8. Hydrogen-< 1 ppm

C. Estimated Usage in Liters:

NIST Charleston, SC

Base Period – up to 5,000 liters Option Year 1 – up to 5,000 liters

Option Year 2 – up to 5,000 liters Option Year 3 – up to 5,000 liters Option Year V – up to 5,000 liters

NIST Gaithersburg, MD

Base Period – up to 14,000 liters Option Year 1 – up to 14,000 liters Option Year 2 – up to 14,000 liters Option Year 3 – up to 14,000 liters Option Year 4 – up to 14,000 liters

IV. TASKS

Task 1 – Installation of Telemetry Unit in Charleston SC

During initial tank installation, the Contractor shall install a wireless, self-powered telemetry unit. NIST will not supply phone lines or power lines to any telemetry units.

The Contractor shall provide NIST an on-line account to the telemetry unit for real-time argon level monitoring.

The telemetry unit shall be provided by the Contractor throughout the entire period of performance. The Contractor shall maintain the telemetry unit in working order and to manufacturer’s specifications throughout the period of performance. Repair, replacement, and periodic calibration and/or other appropriate preventative maintenance shall be provided by the Contractor at no additional cost to the Government throughout the period of performance.

The telemetry unit shall include an LCD display for reading the current tank level in percent (%).

Task 2 - Delivery Requirements and Minimum Tank Levels

The Contractor shall not let the microbulk tanks vent (i.e., the complete evaporation of all liquid argon in the tanks). To prevent venting, each tank’s wireless telemetry system shall communicate with the Contractor and notify the Contractor that a tank needs to be filled. The Contractor shall maintain a working telemetry system for each tank. If a telemetry system fails or is out of order, it shall be repaired or replaced by the Contractor free of charge for the unit in Charleston SC or at a set labor rate plus material cost for the unit in Gaithersburg MD. The Contractor shall make redundant checks, or deliveries for argon, to maintain the liquid argon levels within the specification below until the telemetry unit is repaired or replaced.

The Contractor shall e-mail a copy of each delivery ticket to the designated NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME) at the NIST Charleston SC site and to the NIST SME at the NIST Gaithersburg MD site respectively. The delivery ticket shall include the date of delivery and amount of liquid argon delivered. A certificate of analysis shall be provided with each fill ticket.

The following minimum level shall be maintained at all times for the microbulk tanks: 20% of the total capacity.

Task 3- Maintenance of Microbulk Tanks

The Contractor shall maintain the contractor-provided microbulk tank in Charleston SC to ensure operation and function according to manufacturer’s specifications. Repair / replacement of the tank in Charleston SC shall be completed at no additional cost to the Government throughout the period of performance.

The Contractor shall maintain the government-owned microbulk tank in Gaithersburg MD to ensure operation and function according to manufacturer’s specifications. If NIST or the Contractor detects an issue with the government-owned tank or the government-furnished telemetry unit, the Contractor shall diagnose the problem. The Contractor shall provide a quotation to repair the tank or the telemetry unit. The quotation shall be itemized and include a parts list with established lead time for each, all labor to perform the repair, expected travel-related expenses to/from the Gaithersburg MD campus to perform the repair and a planned date when the repair will be performed. The complete quotation shall be submitted to the NIST SME for the Gaithersburg MD campus NLT two (2) business days after the diagnosis of the issue(s); The Government may proceed with a separate procurement action for the quoted repair. The Contractor shall not proceed with the repair or incur any costs without written approval from the NIST designated SME for the Gaithersburg MD campus.

Krypton and other impurity build-up in the liquid argon microbulk tanks is a natural occurrence. The krypton build-up gradually degrades the purity of argon gas generated from the tanks. The maintenance of both tanks shall include removal of impurities in the liquid argon to ensure that the purity of argon gas generated from the microbulk argon tanks meets or exceeds the liquid argon specification shown in Section III above. Maintenance visits shall be scheduled, at least 14 calendar days in advance.

The Contractor shall not be responsible for maintenance, repair or replacement of other NIST-owned tanks that are within the vicinity.

Task 4- Tank Inspections

The Contractor shall provide an annual inspection of each microbulk argon tank.

The Contractor shall inspect the microbulk argon tanks using American Petroleum Institute (API) Standard 653, (“Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration, and Reconstruction”), outline available at https://www.api.org/~/media/files/publications/whats%20new/653_e5%20pa.pdf.

A certified API 653 Inspector qualified to perform the inspections shall be dispatched to each site to inspect the tanks.

The annual tank inspections shall include replacement of pressure relief safeties if required. Replacement of the pressure relief safeties shall be completed at no addition cost to the Government for the contractor-provided microbulk tank in Charleston SC. The Contractor shall provide a quotation to replace the pressure relief safeties for the government-owned microbulk tank in Gaithersburg MD. The quotation shall be itemized and include a parts list with established lead times for each, all labor to replace the pressure relief safeties, expected travel-related expenses to/from the Gaithersburg MD campus to perform the replacement and a planned date when the replacement will be performed. The complete quotation shall be submitted to the NIST SME for the Gaithersburg MD campus NLT two (2) business days after the diagnosis of the need. The Government may proceed with a separate procurement action for the quoted replacement. The Contractor shall not proceed with the replacement or incur any costs without written approval from the NIST designated SME for the Gaithersburg MD campus.

For each annual inspection, a report of findings for the tank inspected shall be delivered to the NIST Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and the NIST SME designated for each campus not later than (NLT) 15 calendar days after the inspection is completed.

The annual inspection report of findings shall clearly state if the tank that has been inspected is safe for liquid argon storage and liquid/gas use.

To the maximum extent practicable, each annual inspection shall take place during a single visit to the NIST Charleston SC site and single visit to the NIST Gaithersburg MD site. Each annual inspection shall be scheduled, in advance, with the NIST SME for the Charleston SC facility and the NIST SME for the Gaithersburg MD facility.

Task 5- Service & Support

The Contractor shall have customer service operators on duty 24/7 (including holidays) to receive calls and set up deliveries at both the Charleston SC and Gaithersburg MD facilities. The Contractor shall be able to make deliveries 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, including holidays, and have a large enough fleet of trucks to accommodate this demand. If a truck breaks down that is https://www.api.org/%7E/media/files/publications/whats%20new/653_e5%20pa.pdf.A https://www.api.org/%7E/media/files/publications/whats%20new/653_e5%20pa.pdf.A assigned for a scheduled delivery, the Contractor shall have other trucks that can cover the scheduled delivery.

Task 6 Security Registration - Delivery Drivers

Not later than (NLT) 10 business days after award, the Contractor shall provide to the NIST COR a complete list of delivery drivers who are “authorized to deliver” to the Charleston SC campus and a complete list of delivery drivers who are “authorized to deliver” to the Gaithersburg MD campus. These lists shall be updated yearly. Drivers on the lists are required to obtain NIST badges for entry into each NIST campus.

To be authorized to deliver argon to the Charleston SC and Gaithersburg MD facilities, delivery drivers:

• Shall not be an illegal or an undocumented alien. The Contractor shall verify US Citizenship through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services e-Verify.

• Shall be a citizen of the United States of America, including U.S. territories and/or commonwealths. The NIST COR may approve Lawful Permanent Residents who are currently members of U.S. armed services (Reserves or National Guard) or who possess an Honorable Discharge from a U.S.

Military component.

• Shall have been issued an approved Social Security Card by the Social Security Administration.

• Shall possess a CDL class A or B license.

Only drivers on these “authorized to deliver” lists will be permitted access to the NIST campuses. Drivers without a NIST badge will be denied access to NIST.

NIST will not be responsible for delays to deliveries due to non-badged drivers being denied access to the facility.

Task 7 Tank Removal in Charleston SC

The Contractor shall be responsible for removal of the contractor-provided tank at any time during the period of performance and/or at the conclusion of the final exercised option year. NIST will contact the Contractor within 15 calendar days before the need to remove the tank. It is anticipated that the tank removal process shall be completed in ONE day. All tank removal work shall be coordinated through the NIST SME for the Charleston SC facility and completed during normal business hours, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

The following process shall be followed:

• The Contractor shall arrive onsite with a Contractor-hired crane and rigger and an empty transport to set up for removal

• The Contractor and their crane and rigging crew shall meet with the NIST

SME for the Charleston SC facility and other authorized NIST/NOAA personnel, to review safety procedures and clarify lift. The crane shall be positioned and readied for lift

• The Contractor shall remove any residual product by venting to atmosphere and de-pressurize the vessel according to Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations

• The Contractor shall disconnect anchor bolts from legs and rigger shall attach rigging line from crane to lifting lugs at the top of the tank

• The crane shall lift tank up vertically and lay it down in the horizontal position on empty transport provided

• The Contractor shall chain the tank down according to DOT and Contractor procedures and exit the site

• The crane shall be disassembled and exit the NIST site

• The Contractor shall clear the tank site of any debris, pack equipment and leave the NIST site

V. DELIVERY

If a contractor-provided 1000 L microbulk argon tank and telemetry unit is intended to be placed at the Charleston SC facility by the Contractor because they do not own the tank that is currently in place, delivery of this tank and telemetry unit is expected not later than (NLT) 45 calendar days after award. No later than (NLT) 5 calendar days after award, the Contractor shall order a very high pressure [VHP] (minimum 350 psi safety release) 1000L microbulk argon tank equipped with a top and bottom fill piping circuit and a wireless, self-powered telemetry unit. The Contractor shall send proof of tank and telemetry unit order (immediately after order placement) via email to the designated NIST SME at the Charleston SC facility.

VI. INSTALLATION

No later than (NLT) 45 calendar days after award, the Contractor shall arrive onsite at the Charleston SC facility with a Contractor-hired crane and rigger to set up the tank; the Contractor and their crane and rigging crew shall meet with the NIST SME at the Charleston SC facility and/or other authorized NIST/NOAA Facilities and Safety personnel, to review safety procedures and clarify lift.

Installation shall be scheduled, in advance, with the NIST Charleston SC SME and coordinated with the NOAA Facilities Engineering and Safety personnel responsible for Plant duties at the Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML) in Charleston, SC.

The Contractor shall install the requisite stainless-steel tubing connections from the microbulk tank to the laboratory piping isolation valve located near the concrete pad at the delivery location.

After tank installation, the Contractor shall provide a first fill to ready the tank for continued use.

VII. SAFETY

The Contractor shall ensure compliance with all applicable safety or other regulations and all pertinent codes.

VIII. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

One (1) 3000 L PERMA-Cyl 3000 VHP Microbulk Liquid Argon Tank manufactured by Chart Inc and Telemetry Unit (ANOVA DataPort, 4G Radio ID PLS62-W) at the NIST Gaithersburg, MD facility.

IX. DELIVERABLES

Reference Description Quantity Due Date

SoR, Section III- A1

1000 L Liquid Microbulk Argon Tank and Telemetry Unit

1 of each

NLT 45 calendar days after award – if the Contractor does not own the tank currently in place

SoR, Section IV- Task 2

Liquid Argon

Up to 5,000L annually in Charleston SC and up to 14,000L annually in Gaithersburg, MD

Periodically, as tank levels dictate

SoR, Section IV- Task 3

Maintenance and/or replacement of tanks

N/A According to manufacturer’s recommendations

SoR, Section IV- Task 4

Annual tank inspections 1 per year per site Annually in March

SoR, Section IV- Task 4

Annual Inspection Reports

1 per year per site

Delivered to the NIST SME at each facility NLT 15 days after each inspection is performed

SoR, Section IV- Task 6

Complete list of delivery drivers who will be delivering to the NIST Charleston SC site and to

1 list per site NLT 10 business days after award and updated yearly thereafter the NIST Gaithersburg MD site

SoR, Section IV- Task 7

Tank Removal N/A

Anytime a change of tank is needed and at the end of the final exercised option year

X. GENERAL INFORMATION

Payment and Invoicing: The Contractor shall submit no more than ONE in arrears invoice per month for each tank location. The Contractor shall provide a custom, streamlined invoicing solution and for the NIST Charleston SC site shall not invoice separately for microbulk tank rental, telemetry rental and volume of gas delivered. Invoices shall include all information identified in clause entitled “NIST LOCAL 04 BILLING INSTRUCTIONS”. Charges shall be itemized based on the line item schedule included in the purchase order.

Safety: The Contractor shall be responsible for knowing and complying with NIST installation safety prevention regulations. Such regulations include, but are not limited to, general safety, fire prevention, and waste disposal.

Security: NIST is a restricted campus. An identification badge is required that must be shown to the armed Security Police when entering the campus.

Identification Badges: The Contractor shall comply with NIST identification and access requirements. The Contractor shall wear a visible identification badge provided by the NIST Security Office. The badge shall show the full name, title, and if required by NIST, the words “Contractor” in front. The Contractor shall turn in the NIST identification badge to the designated NIST SME for each site or to the NIST COR upon termination or expiration of their driving or servicing privileges at a NIST facility.