Chromatography Planetary Centrifuge

Added: Aug 30, 2014 3:34 pm THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6-STREAMLINED PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATION AND SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS-AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED, AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 05-76, effective August 25, 2014.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing - with a small business size standard of 500 employees. This acquisition is being procured using full-and-open competition. Simplified acquisition procedures will be utilized.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requires a Countercurrent Chromatography Planetary Centrifuge. The Materials Science and Engineering Division (MSED) of NIST strives to provide high precision measurements and high purity standard materials to facilitate new materials research and development by US industry. The Nanotube Metrology project within the MSED focuses on a specific type of material: single-wall carbon nanotubes. An objective of the project is to purify each and every single nanotube species from a synthetic mixture, with highest resolution and purity. Studies conducted by NIST scientists have shown that the polymer aqueous two-phase method carried out by the countercurrent chromatography is capable of achieving highest resolution and purity in an automated fashion. Acquiring such a capability is expected to increase the output as well as speed (by > 10-fold) of the Division's carbon nanotube processing capabilities. The required instrument will be used as a fundamental tool within the Nanotube Metrology project for routine chirality fractionation of carbon nanotube dispersions.

This is a Brand Name or Equal Requirement. Brand name or equal description is intended to be descriptive, but not restrictive. It is to indicate the quality and salient characteristics of products that are considered satisfactory to meet the agency's requirement.

Reference Combined Synopsis/Solicitation attached.