Synopsis 1305M321QNRMJ0028.pdf

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ACQUISITION AND GRANTS OFFICE

SYNOPSIS

Two (2) Mass Spectrometers

SYNOPSIS:

The requirement is hereby synopsized in accordance with FAR 5.207 Preparation and Transmittal of Synopses:

Solicitation #: 1305M321QNRMJ0028

(1) Action Code: N/A

(2) Date: 4 March

(3) Year: 2021

(4) Contracting Office ZIP Code: 80305

(5) Product or Service Code: 6640

(6) Contracting Office Address: 325 Broadway, DSRC, Boulder, CO 80305

(7) Subject: Mass Spectrometer

(8) Proposed Solicitation Number: 1305M321QNRMJ0028

(9) Closing Response Date: 8 March 2021

(10) Contact Point or Contracting Officer:

Contracting Officer: Darrin Moore

Email: darrin.moore@noaa.gov

(11) Contract Award and Solicitation Number:

Solicitation Number: (proposed) 1305M321QNRMJ0028

Contract Number: To be determined at time of award.

(12) Contract Award Dollar Amount: N/A

(13) Contract Line Item Number: N/A

(14) Contract Award Date: TBD

(15) Contractor: TBD

(16) Description:

This requirement is to procure measurements of aerosol chemical analysis with sizing and molecular characterization for organic components using two high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometers to support the NOAA airborne trace gas and aerosol measurement program: VIA-VOCUS 2R (Vocus Inlet for Aerosols with a high resolution, ultra-sensitive mass spectrometer) and HToF-AMS (High Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer system).

The VIA-VOCUS 2R must provide molecular characterization for organic aerosol components and must have a thermal desorption unit that evaporates aerosols, a versatile chemical ionization flow tube source, which is configurable to permit the use of ammonia and hydronium reagent ions and be switchable to a bipolar extractive electrospray ionization source, and must have a mass spectrometer with a mass range of up to 4000 Th and a mass resolution of at least 10,000 Th/Th and up to 15,000 Th/Th.

The HToF-AMS must be capable of real-time, size-resolved sub-micron non-refractory aerosol chemical analysis, must have an aerosol sampling inlet with a 40 nm – 1 μm transmission range, must concentrate particles to minimize gas phase interferences, must use thermal particle vaporization with electron impact ionization, must have direct linear detection of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, chloride and organic aerosol species, and must have an efficient particle time of flight chopper. The mass spectrometer for the HToF-AMS must have a mass range of up to 1,000 Th and a mass resolution of at least 3,000 Th/Th and up to 5,000 Th/Th.

The VIA-VOCUS 2R and HToF-AMS must come complete with time-of-flight mass spectrometers, vacuum system, data acquisition system, mass spectrometer control electronics and high-speed data acquisition card, and control software and must be flight-proven, demonstrated by previous successful deployments aboard pressurized turboprop and high-altitude jet research aircraft.

Proposed source:

Aerodyne Research, Inc.

45 Manning Road Billerica, MA, USA 01821-3976

Aerodyne Research, Inc. manufactures a proprietary reagent ion source, Vocus, an ion molecule reactor that operates at reduces pressure with multi-frequency RF ion focusing. Operation of a chemical ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer at reduced ambient pressures relevant to airborne sampling in the stratosphere, as required by this research, would result in significant degradation of the detection capabilities without the implementation of the Vocus. The degradation of the instrumental capabilities would reduce the performance of the instrument below the benchmarks necessary for the required research.

The proposed contract action is for equipment for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 13.501(a). Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, any firm that believes it can meet this requirement may provide written notification to the Contracting Officer. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

The subject solicitation will not be made available through the Government Point of Entry (GPE).

Interested parties may request a solicitation by email from the Contract Specialist identified in this document.

(17) Place of Contract Performance: Boulder, CO

(18) Set-aside Status: The Government intends this procurement to be a 100% Small Business Set-Aside.