Notice of Intent to Sole Source Emerson Model 50021 Fiber Conditioning Ovens and 64 Conditioning Baskets

Notice of Intent: The USDA, ARS, SEA intends to award a sole source procurement to Emerson Apparatus., 170 Anderson Street., Portland, Maine 04101, as they are the sole source for this type of instrument pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(l ) and FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. The award will be for (4) Emerson Model 50021 Fiber Conditioning Ovens and 64 Conditioning Baskets.

The oven is designed to determine the commercial weight of natural or manmade fibers. These highly accurate and consistent ovens allow for the statistically accurate weighing of samples. The commercial weight of a product is obtained by taking the difference between the gross weight of a sample and its weight after being scoured and "conditioned" or dried until bone dry. Emerson Conditioning Oven is designed to provide the optimal heat profile for the intended purpose of drying natural and manmade fibers and materials. The air environment is electrically heated with low-watt density heaters and circulated with a powerful internal blower. This insures complete drying of the sample, including areas not exposed to the air surface. The Emerson Conditioning Oven has two feed through rotatable carousels, each carrying multiple sample baskets. The Basis Weight Scale is provided. A balance positioned between the carousels with an access port permits weighing the contents of each individual basket without removing the samples from the oven. An exhaust blower is provided and calibrated to remove the moisture-laden air. This air is taken from the air plenum, not the oven area. Emerson Apparatus is the only contractor/vendor that sales conditioning ovens for fiber/cotton. The conditioning baskets from existing older Emerson Apparatus ovens also will fit the new Emerson Apparatus ovens. This will allow for research consistency.

The Government intends to award a firm fixed price Purchase Order on or about May 24, 2019, using Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This Notice of lntent is not considered a Request for Quotation (RFQ) nor is it a Request for Proposals (RFP). No solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be honored. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government will consider all responses received by 2:00 PM central time, May 23, 2019. Information received will be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Inquiries will only be accepted via email/mail to the Contracting Officer at the following address:

Contracting Office Address:
Shalunda Mix (CO)
USDA-ARS-SEA
141 Experiment Station Road Stoneville, MS 38776-0225
shalunda.mix@ars.usda.gov

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