Thermal Suite Sources Sought.docx

10 October 2023

N0017424SN0005

MARKET SURVEY – SOURCES SOUGHT

NOTICE N0017424SN0005

This is a Sources Sought notice. This notice neither constitutes a Request for Proposal (RFP), nor does it restrict the Government from an ultimate acquisition approach. This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the Government for any purpose. Requests for solicitation will not receive a response. All information is to be submitted at no cost or obligation to the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any input as a result of this market survey. The U.S. Government is not obligated to notify respondents of the results of this survey. If a formal solicitation is generated at a later date, a solicitation notice will be published. No award will be made as a result of this market survey.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) Contracts Department 026 is seeking companies with technical expertise, experience, capability, and resources to provide a suite of thermal analysis equipment to include the following:

· Heat Flow Microcalorimeters (HFC)

· Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) – Research and Analytical Grade Instrumentation

· Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) with Evolved Gas Analysis by Mass Spectrometry

· Simultaneous Differential Scanning Calorimetry/Thermogravimetric Analyzers (SDT)

· Thermal Mechanical Analysis (TMA)

Minimum technical requirements needed to obtain quality analytical results consistent with existing equipment are provided for each instrument.

MINIMUM TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Heat Flow Microcalorimeter (HFC):

· Thermostat must be based on a configurable platform and capable of a temperature range from 4-150 °C with stability < ±100 μ°C/24h.

· Thermostat must accommodate up to 24 simultaneous calorimetric experiments.

· Thermostat must accommodate several calorimeter options spanning volumes ranging from 1-to-125 mL.

· Calorimeters must be truly isothermal and offer options with short term noise levels < ±10 nanowatts and baseline drift < 40 nanowatts/24 hours.

· A small volume minicalorimeter of roughly 4-mL +/- 25% (relative) must be an available option. The small volume minicalorimeter must be a true isothermal system, not adiabatic, and be able to provide a short term stability of <+/- 100 nanowatts; baseline drift of <200 nanowatts/24 hours; accuracy of <5%; and precision of +/- 200 nanowatts. The small volume minicalorimeter must accommodate a wide variety of ampoules including: closed ampoules, made from either glass, stainless steel or hastelloy and employing heat seals, crimp seals, and/or screw caps. Calibration of the heat response should ideally be via an internal fixed heater.

· HFC equipment must allow for static ampoule calorimetry and micro-reaction systems including Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, Gas Perfusion, RH Perfusion, Solution Calorimetry, and Vacuum/Pressure perturbation.

Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) – Research and Analytical Instrumentation:

· DSC must be capable of Modulated DSC experiments with the ability to apply sinusoidal temperature waves to the sample: Amplitude of sine wave ± 0.01 to 3°C; frequency period from 10-to-200 seconds. Must include the ability to perform quasi-isothermal experiments, i.e. holding isothermal with a small temperature modulation.

· Baseline Linearity should be <5 mW from -50°-300°C without any smoothing or blank subtraction applied for Research grade instrumentation; and <10 mW from -50°-300°C without any smoothing or blank subtraction applied for Analytical instrumentation. Baseline accuracy should be ±20µW from -50°-300°C for the Research grade instrumentation and ±30µW for Analytical grade Instrumentation.

· Data files must contain measured sensor temperature values, not calculated temperatures.

· As more than one cell will likely be needed during the instrument’s lifetime, The DSC module must provide a user the ability to replace the DSC cells (sensor, furnace and associated electronics) by simply removing a few screws.

· The DSC must be able to record and correct for the contributions to the heat flow measurement pertaining to any imbalances in the thermal resistance, thermal capacitance and heating rate imbalances between the sample and reference pans.

· The DSC should include an auto sampler option which can be configured to accommodate up to 54 samples and able to accommodate a variety of DSC pans including, but not limited to: standard, hermetic, open, and high-volume pans. Programming must be able to continue the series if a sample is aborted or loss of handshaking between the instrument and user interface computer occurs.

· The DSC software should include the ability to store and change from one calibration set to another (Heating rate/Pan type/Gas flow conditions).

Thermogravimetric Analyzers (TGA) with Evolved Gas Analysis by Mass Spectrometry:

· The TGA must employ a vertical null-balance design for accurate, precise, and reliable weighing of samples. It must be well insulated, electrically grounded, separately gas purged, and thermally isolated from the furnace. This is essential for high performance baseline performance.

· Furnace type must be based on a quartz furnace with Infrared heating including built in electromagnetic coil for automated temperature calibration.

· Dynamic Baseline Drift must be <10 µg, with platinum pans, at temperatures between 50-to-1,000 °C (defined as the maximum deviation from the smallest measured weight to the largest measured weight of an empty platinum pan, while being heated at 20 °C/min in flowing nitrogen atmosphere - without any blank subtraction applied or post-test processing).

· Baseline Linearity must be <1 µg, with platinum pans, at temperatures between 50-to-1,000 °C (defined as the average absolute deviation from a best fit linear regression of a baseline scan without any smoothing or blank subtraction applied).

· Data files contain measured sample temperature, not calculated temperature.

· Be able to accommodate masses up to 1g regardless of pan used.

· The TGA must include an auto sampler that will hold up to twenty-five samples. The method of sample loading / unloading must not disturb the balance. Programming must be able to continue the series if a sample is aborted or loss of handshaking between the instrument and user interface computer occurs.

· The TGA software should include the ability to store and rapidly change from one calibrations set to another (Heating rate/Pan type/Gas flow conditions).

· TGA must be able to support sample decompositions while avoiding thermal runaway by lowering heating rate/switching to isothermal modes (Hi-Res TGA).

· Furnace Cooling: Forced Air 1000 °C to 35 °C in < 10 min post experiment.

· TGA must have an option to integrate mass spectrometry (MS) for evolved gas analyses. MS must be a commercial product and be able to be provided, maintained and serviced by the thermal equipment provider.

Simultaneous Differential Scanning Calorimetry/Thermogravimetric Analyzers (SDT):

· SDT must be capable of performing: Modulated DSC, Modulated TGA, and Hi-Res TGA modes.

· Weighing Precision must be ± 0.1% (defined as the standard deviation of at least 10 measurements of a 100mg standard weight, with removing and replacing the sample in between each measurement.)

· Dynamic Baseline Drift (50 to 1,000 °C): <50 µg & (1000-1500 C): <50 µg - Defined as the maximum deviation from the smallest measured weight to the largest measured weight of an empty alumina cup, while being heated at 20°C/min in flowing nitrogen atmosphere (without any blank subtraction applied)

· Heat capacity measurement accuracy must be ± 5% or better.

· The SDT should include an auto sampler that can be configured to accommodate up to 30 samples. The auto sampler must be capable of loading and unloading both sample and reference pans. Programming must be able to continue the series if a sample is aborted or loss of handshaking between the instrument and user interface computer occurs.

Thermomechanical Analyzers (TMA):

· TMA must offer advanced testing modes to include: Modulated TMA (MTMATM), Dynamic TMA, Creep and Stress Relaxation.

· Sensitivity must be equal or better than 15 nm (defined as 2X the average rms noise).

· Force Range must be 0.001-to-2 N and Frequency Range must be 0.01-to-2 Hz (for dynamic experiments).

· TMA must have cooling options that use either liquid nitrogen cooling and/or a mechanical, LN2-free chiller.

Software:

· The DSC, TGA, SDT and TMA must include software which allow for user changes during the experiment and/or session (for instruments with auto sampling) without aborting the run and/or session.

· The data analysis software should be unkeyed, to allow for unlimited installations within one site. The data file format should easily allow sharing/transfer of data files as individual electronic documents (MS Word, Excel, ASCII), which are readable by the same data analysis package. The data analysis program should also include a .pdf generator, for the efficient export of analyzed plots.

· As there are decades of HFC, DSC, TGA, SDT and TMA historical data available, the software must be able to open/analyze these historical files.

Responding sources must be able to provide commercial products encompassing the entire suite of identified instrumentation, as well as on-site installation and familiarization training for turn-key operation. Responding sources should additionally be able to provide continued preventative maintenance and servicing beyond the initial warranty periods for all instrumentation and sub-components. In addition to field services, technical support via phone should also be available to the end user. Maintenance or service contract options should include contracts for individual instruments with multiple year options, as well as an option for multi-instrument coverage to potentially include all identified components of the thermal analysis suite with multiple year options.

All responding sources shall provide a capability statement that clearly indicates the company’s experience, assets, background, and ability to provide the required commercial products and perform the required work without compromising the quality, accuracy, reliability, and schedule. Responses should include specific experience of the instruments being applied to energetic materials, appropriate references should be provided. It is also required to provide a point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, mail address, business size, taxpayer identification number, Unique Entity ID number and CAGE Code.

All responding sources must submit their responses no later than Friday, 27 October 2023, 02:00 PM EST to:

1) NSWC IHD

Attn: James Thomasson james.n.thomasson2.civ@us.navy.mil

2) NSWC IHD

Attn: E. Brooke Bowling erin.b.bowling.civ@us.navy.mil