Compound parabolic refractive lenses (UW-MAD) [19-0065]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison, located in Dane County and Madison City, is seeking bids for the procurement of 50 compound parabolic refractive lenses for the Materials Science & Engineering Department. Specifically, the request is for beryllium 2D-lenses with precise technical specifications, including an R-50m radius, parabolic shape, 1.1 m focus length at 8 keV, and a focusing size of 1 micrometer for X-ray applications. The Request for Bid (RFB) was initially issued on May 24, 2019, with written questions due by May 31, 2019, and the original bid due date of June 6, 2019, later extended to June 10, 2019, at 2:00 PM CDT. Bidders must submit a comprehensive package including a signed RFB Form, Bidder Response Sheet, specifications, descriptive brochures, an itemized bid list, vendor information sheet, and client references. Evaluation criteria include technical specifications, pricing, vendor experience, and the ability to meet the university's precise lens requirements, with bids required to remain firm for 60 days from the opening date.

The procurement opportunity includes provisions for Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Woman-Owned Business (WBE), and Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (DVB) suppliers, who may receive preference consideration if their bid is within 5 percent of the lowest qualified bid. Bidders must be original manufacturers, authorized distributors, or manufacturer-authorized dealers with at least three years of experience providing optical lens items or services. Vendors must maintain the manufacturer's standard warranty and provide three client references from comparable institutions. The university requires contractors to certify that they have not engaged in collusion, developed the bid independently, and are not debarred or suspended from federal participation. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the procurement involves multiple lens units with additional considerations for bulk discounts, transportation costs, and transport insurance calculated at 1 percent of total value. Payment terms are set at Net 30 days following acceptance and successful testing of items to specification.