SOR-RFQ-133ND23QNB640522-COMBUSTION ANALYZER wOpts.pdf

RFQ 133ND23QNB640522

Requirements Document

Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer with Option Years for Preventative Maintenance.

I. Background

The Chemical Science Division (CSD) is continually working to make high-accuracy and high precision analytical measurements of a wide range of materials. Currently CSD is trying to improve its efforts in making measurements of carbon/carbonates in cements, as well as the determination of carbon and sulfur in various ferrous and non-ferrous alloys. To that end, CSD needs to acquire a combustion analyzer with an induction furnace that is capable of reaching at least 1700 °C for measuring both carbon and sulfur in a wide range of materials including but not limited to cements, iron and steel alloys, and titanium alloys. Although there are a number of types of carbon and sulfur combustion systems available from various manufacturers, not all of these provide the temperature required to evolve carbon and sulfur from all matrices, or the design and detectors to accurately measure carbon and sulfur simultaneously over a wide range of sample concentrations. CSD needs the ability to have robust sample handling and withstand numerous measurements of potentially “dirty” samples such as cements or samples with a high organic component without losing sensitivity.

II. Scope

The Contractor shall provide one (1) Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer which shall augment CSD’s current capabilities in the measurement of carbon and sulfur in the support of the standard reference materials (SRM) program, and for the quantitation of carbon dioxide in cement materials in support of direct air capture and sequestration efforts.

III. Minimum Requirements

All items must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award. Experimental, prototype, or custom items will not be considered. The use of “gray market” components not authorized for sale in the U.S. by the Contractor is not acceptable. All line items shall be shipped in the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) packaging and include all original documentation and software, when applicable.

The Contractor shall provide one (1) Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer that meets or exceeds the following minimum requirements:

Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer

1. Must be a benchtop model.

2. Must have a high frequency induction furnace as the heat source to meet research requirements.

a. Vendors must provide documentation that the instrument is capable of recovering C and S from cements and concretes and metal alloys such as, iron, steel alloys, and titanium alloys.

3. Must detect carbon at levels from at least 0.0006 mg to 60 mg or higher. The detector response in this range should also be linear.

4. Must detect sulfur at levels from at least 0.0006 mg to 60 mg or higher. The detector response in this range should also be linear.

5. Must be capable of handling samples up to 1 g

6. In addition to the performance requirements above, the instrument should be provided with a computer and/or have a single point interface for user software.

a. Control software should be capable of downloading run data to a removable device such as a flash drive.

b. Users should be able to download raw data off the instrument in a common file format (e.g. .csv or .xlsx) for data analysis

7. Must include an operations and maintenance manual covering proper operation, routine maintenance, and troubleshooting for the instrument and controlling software. The manual shall be supplied in hard copy and/or electronic format.

Consumables Kit

Must be provided with enough reagents and consumables to perform 1000 measurements.

Spare Parts Kit

Must be provided and include spare parts for heavy wear components such as O-rings or seals that are routinely replaced within a 2-yr. period.

Option Yr. 1 Service Plan: beginning the day following expiration of the 1-yr.

warranty through 365 days.

Option Yr. 2 Service Plan: beginning the day following expiration of Option Yr. 1 through 365 days.

Option Yr. 3 Service Plan: beginning the day following expiration of Option Yr. 2 through 365 days.

Option Yr. 4 Service Plan: beginning the day following expiration of Option Yr. 3 through 365 days.

The Contractor shall provide a service plan covering unlimited repair and maintenance incidents with 2-day on-site response time for the carbon sulfur combustion analyzer; to include factory-certified repl. parts, engineer labor, travel, (1) preventative maintenance (PM) visit, and update service for instrument software and firmware.

Preventative Maintenance (PM)

The Contractor shall provide one (1) preventative maintenance (PM) visit during the term of the service plan. The PM shall include replacing and/or cleaning all necessary parts in order for the instrument to meet the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) specifications.

Scheduling of the PM shall be consistent with the maintenance requirements of the instrument as detailed in the operations and maintenance manual for the instrument and in accordance with the most recent service practices and maintenance protocols.

The PM shall occur during regular business hours of 8:30AM-5:00PM ET M-F, excluding Federal holidays. The Contractor shall contact the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME) to schedule a mutually acceptable date and time to conduct the PM. The scheduled PM may be performed in conjunction with an unscheduled or emergency service visit for corrective or other action if such a visit occurs within one (1) month before a scheduled PM. The visit shall be scheduled in advance with the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME) or designated representative.

Service Calls

The Contractor shall respond to an unlimited number of on-site requests for service calls in the event of instrument failure(s), which may require immediate repair. The Contractor shall make a reasonable effort to respond to a service call request and schedule the on-site visit within a targeted 48-hr. timeline. The Contractor shall provide travel, per diem, labor, and OEM factory-certified parts that require replacement. Due to timelines associated with clearance of non- U.S. citizens, personnel performing repairs must be U.S. citizens.

All repairs must result in the carbon sulfur combustion analyzer meeting OEM specifications.

The Contractor shall conduct service calls during regular business hours M-F only. The Contractor’s service technician/engineer shall exert his/her best effort to provide on-site service at NIST’s Gaithersburg, MD facility not later than two

(2) business days from the date and time a performance issue is diagnosed, and a determination is made by a technical support engineer that the resolution will be conducting an on-site service call.

No weekend service visits shall be required. If the Contractor is unable to resolve the problem during the on-site service call, the Contractor shall provide telephone and on-site support thereafter, as needed, to expedite a resolution for NIST. Telephone support shall occur during the Contractor’s regular business hours.

The Contractor shall obtain all parts and software/firmware updates required for all repairs and maintenance. The Contractor shall make a commercially reasonable effort to secure parts and software/firmware updates within 72-hrs.

after identifying the need.

Replacement parts provided under the service plan shall be OEM certified and may be either new or remanufactured. The Contractor may exchange and/or repair existing components of the system.

Prior to completion of the service call, the Contractor shall test the carbon sulfur combustion analyzer, review the system’s performance, and take whatever additional corrective action is necessary to ensure the carbon sulfur combustion analyzer is functioning in accordance with the OEM specifications.

All labor and OEM replacement parts/components (excluding consumables) provided by the Contractor shall be guaranteed for a period of ninety (90) days from the service visit completion date.

Any parts or components removed for replacement will become the property of the Contractor unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Contractor shall remove the parts from the NIST campus at the time of the service call or provide shipping instructions and return shipping information so that NIST may return the parts to the Contractor within three (3) days after the service visit is completed. The Contractor shall assume all charges and liability for all shipments.

Service Conditions

All service provided hereunder shall be provided by factory trained and certified personnel who are fluent in the operation of the covered carbon sulfur combustion analyzer.

All parts shall be approved for use with the carbon sulfur combustion analyzer by the OEM. The Contractor shall only employ tools, equipment, instruments, software, test apparatus, methodologies, techniques, and practices approved for use with the carbon sulfur combustion analyzer by the OEM. The service protocols and equipment specifications shall be adhered to at all times.

The service plan shall include correcting, repairing and/or replacing, as applicable, a non-conforming or defective system product/component, as determined by the Contractor at its sole discretion.

To the maximum extent practicable, service shall be rendered on-site at the NIST Gaithersburg, MD campus.

In the event that a part needs to be repaired off-site, the Contractor shall be responsible for all packaging, shipping and transportation costs. The Contractor shall assume all charges and liability for shipments to and from NIST Gaithersburg, MD. Prior to shipment, the Contractor shall be responsible for providing NIST with packaging instructions, a shipping account number, and a Return Authorization Number authorizing return of the part(s).

Service Ticket

The Contractor shall submit a service ticket to the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME) prior to departure from NIST for all maintenance and/or repair service calls. The service ticket must include the following:

a. Model number

b. Serial number

c. Date and time of arrival to NIST

d. Description of service performed

e. Name and quantity of any parts that were repaired

f. Name and quantity of any parts that were replaced

g. Date and time of departure from NIST

h. Diagnostic test results or narrative summary demonstrating that the instrument is meeting OEM specifications

i. Any comments or recommendations

j. Printed name and signature of service technician/engineer

k. Signature block for the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME) accepting the services rendered

Priority Technical Telephone Support

The Contractor shall provide telephone support during normal business hours M-F, 8:30AM to 5PM EST except for Federal holidays.

Telephone support shall include responses to questions about operating practices, applications use, and service issues that can be diagnosed and resolved over the telephone.

IV. Site Preparation Requirements

Vendor shall provide a list all site preparation details, such as electrical connections, voltage requirements, dedicated power supply, ventilation of exhaust gases, gas fittings, etc. necessary for the installation of the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer.

V. Delivery

Delivery shall be FOB Destination (or equivalent terms, such as INCOTERMS Delivered Duties Paid) and shall occur not later than (NLT) 90 days ARO.

FOB Destination means: The Contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirements, deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the purchase order, be responsible for any loss of and/or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order; and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery. The Contractor shall deliver all line items to:

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Bldg. 301 Shipping and Receiving

100 Bureau Drive

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

VI. Deliverables

Description Quantity Due Date

Combustion Analyzer One (1) NLT 90 days after award of this requirement

Consumables Kit One (1) NLT 90 days after award of this requirement

Spare Parts Kit One (1) NLT 90 days after award of this requirement

Installation Once NLT 30 days after delivery

Operations and maintenance manual for the analytical instrument

One (1) NLT 90 days after award of this requirement

Training of NIST personnel at NIST, Gaithersburg, MD

Once NLT 7 days after installation

VII. Inspection and Acceptance

A visual inspection of the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer will be performed by NIST to identify surface defects or any form of indication that the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer was damaged during transport to NIST. The Government shall have sole discretion to require repair or replacement of damaged and/or nonconforming componentry at no cost to the Government.

The Government at any time prior to acceptance will reject the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer due to defects and/or nonconformance.

In addition to the inspection and acceptance terms articulated in FAR 52.212- 4(a), the Government reserves the right to conduct performance tests and evaluations as defined below to verify the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer is fully operational. Such tests and evaluations, if performed, shall be conducted within the environment that the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer is to be operated. The Contractor has the right to be present during the tests and evaluations, if performed, at the Contractor’s expense.

Performance of the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer will be assessed by measuring the elemental content of a set of NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs). Acceptance of the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer will be based on a demonstration that the measured values of carbon and sulfur are within the reported uncertainty bounds of the tested SRMs.

Final acceptance by the Government shall be granted after confirmation that the instrument meets all minimum required specifications defined in the Requirements Document, including satisfactory test results achieved, installation and training successfully completed. The warranty shall not commence until final acceptance has been granted by the Government.

VIII. Installation

The Contractor shall install the instrument in Building 227, Room B344, at NIST’s Gaithersburg, MD facility. Installation shall include, at a minimum, uncrating/unpacking of all equipment, rigging, set-up and assembly, hook-up of all equipment, software installation, start-up, demonstration of all required specifications, and removal of all trash.

Contractor authorized personnel shall install the instrument and perform all activities necessary to ensure the instrument is fully functional and meets all required minimum specifications.

The instrument shall operate to OEM specifications upon completion of installation.

The installation shall occur during regular business hours, between 8:30AM and 5:00PM ET M-F except for Federal Holidays and shall be coordinated with the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME). Installation is to occur within 30 days after delivery.

IX. Training

The Contractor shall conduct up to two days of training at NIST’s Gaithersburg, MD facility for up to 4 NIST personnel covering normal operation, basic troubleshooting, routine maintenance procedures, data administration and include a thorough demonstration of all system/solution functions. Training shall be provided during regular business hours, between 8:30AM and 5:00PM ET M-F except Federal Holidays and shall be coordinated with the NIST Subject Matter Expert (SME) to ensure maximum availability of NIST personnel. Training may be mutually scheduled to occur within 7 days of installation. Alternatively, training may be conducted on-site at NIST’s Gaithersburg, MD facility immediately after installation and demonstration of specifications.

X. Warranty

The Contractor shall provide, at a minimum, a one-year warranty for the instrument that shall be in accordance with the terms articulated in FAR 52.212- 4(o). The warranty shall cover all parts, labor, and travel. The warranty shall commence upon successful completion of delivery, installation, inspection, training, and demonstration of all required specifications.

XI. Payment Schedule

The Contractor shall be paid, in accordance with Net 30-day payment terms, upon receipt and acceptance of a proper invoice, in accordance with the following schedule:

100% after delivery, installation, training and acceptance by NIST of the Carbon Sulfur Combustion Analyzer