Sole_Source_Justification.pdf

Sole-source justification for purchase of Canberra alpha spectrometry system

RESL currently uses the Canberra Alpha Analyst counting system for its alpha spectrometry measurements. RESL plans to procure a second Alpha Analyst system to more effectively complete the analyses of samples and to provide backup capability in the case that the older system were to break down.

There are only two commercial providers of alpha spectrometry counting systems – Canberra with the Alpha Analyst, and Ortec/Ametek with the Ensemble. Purchasing the Ortec/Ametek hardware would not conform to RESL’s standardization goals in that new equipment must be compatible with both the software and hardware of the existing system.

One of the most important considerations with an alpha spectrometry system is contamination control. This is accomplished in the instrument by accurately controlling vacuum and minimizing contamination from recoiling particles from the sample. The Canberra system has a much more robust recoil protection system, which is integrated into the hardware and is always

on. The Ortec system is not included, but must be purchased separately. It has a separate vacuum control, is not integrated into the system, and requires the user to regularly check and replace batteries in every chamber. Poor contamination control leads to more frequent replacement of detectors, which cost over $1000 each.

Although the contamination control is the main factor, the Canberra system is superior in other ways. The Canberra software control is much more user friendly and practical. The Ortec system requires each sample to be run in a batch, which requires a great deal of input regardless of the batch size. With the Canberra software, the user simply opens the detector and starts a count. The file system on the Canberra software is also much more intuitive, with files saved in the common

Windows directory structure. The Ortec software simulates a database and individual count files are much more difficult to find and open because they are stored under a batch system. The

Canberra software also meets RESL’s software standardization goal as it is also used for the

RESL gamma spectroscopy system. Both companies are able to deliver their systems as they are both composed of standard equipment.

Finally, RESL maintains a service contract on the existing Canberra Alpha Analyst system. The cost of adding and maintaining a service contract for a new alpha spectrometry system, from

Canberra, would be about equivalent by only adding the additional detectors to the current contract. However, adding a new and separate contract from another vendor would also require paying for at least two additional trips for a service technician to come and maintain the equipment semi-annually and would add an additional cost of between $3000-$8000 (cost is estimated on the evaluation of other service contracts RESL has with various vendors).