Request for Information / Sources Sought Notice for Providers/Suppliers of a Field deployable X-Ray Diffraction System

BACKGROUND
This is a notice to Request Information (RFI)/Sources Sought Notice (SSN) from industry to help determine the availability and capability of small business and other than small businesses that are capable of providing any or all of the products and services required by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST is conducting market research to identify potential sources that can provide an X-Ray Diffraction System that meets or exceeds all technical specifications, inclusive of delivery, installation and training requirements identified in this notice. 

This notice is strictly to request information for market research purposes to help NIST determine the appropriate acquisition strategy for this requirement. This notice shall not be construed as a solicitation, an obligation, or commitment by the NIST.

OVERVIEW
NIST has a potential requirement for a Contractor to provide a portable x-ray diffraction system meeting, or exceeding, the technical specifications below.  The system is expected to be used in both laboratory and outdoor settings on meter-scale structural members, with the physical and software components required for multiaxial stress measurements of steel. 

The Contractor shall provide an XRD system that meets or exceeds all technical specifications identified below for Line Item 0001 and Optional Line Items 0002, 0003, and 0004. 

Minimum Specifications: 

Line Item 0001 (Required) 
Description: Field Deployable X-Ray Diffraction system
Quantity: One (1)
A.    Technical Specifications
a.    The system shall be capable of measuring and computing axial (1-1), shear (1-2), and transverse (2-2) stress components in iron and steel materials.
b.    Able to export raw intensity vs. two-theta (or similar) peak profile data.
c.    Must be portable indoors and outdoors via protective pack-out boxes or similar.
d.    Must include means of securing to horizontal and vertical surfaces.
e.    Must include a form of enclosure or radiation shielding.
f.    Must include any necessary alignment fixtures / guides for proper system setup and measurement.
g.    Must include zero-stress and low/high-stress standards for calibration and alignment verification.
h.    Must include means for emergency stop of x-ray generation.
i.    Must include a visible hardware indicator showing when the x-ray tube is active or the shutter is open. 
j.    Must include at least one powered translation stage for fine (0.1 mm or less) positioning of diffracting volume.
k.    Must include powered rotational stage that enables automated multidirectional stress measurements.
l.    Must be able to operate using standard single phase, 115V or 120V electrical power.’
m.    System is electrically wired (including plug termination) to be powered by an existing 120V receptacle.
n.    A one-year manufacturer’s warranty. 

Optional Requirements: The following units are optional items, that if exercised, shall be exercised in accordance with FAR 52.217-7 Option to Increase Quantity as a Separately Priced Line Item.

Line Item 0002 (Optional)
Description: X-ray tube for stress measurement in Aluminum
Quantity:1
A.    Technical Specifications:
a.    Able to measure and compute axial (1-1), shear (1-2), and transverse (2-2) stress components in aluminum.
b.    Zero-stress and low/high stress standards for verification of alignment / calibration with the x-ray tube stated under this optional CLIN. 

Line Item 0003 (Optional)
Description: Liquid cooling system for X-ray tube
Quantity:1
A.    Technical Specifications:
a.    Liquid cooling loop for X-ray tube including all required hoses, connections, and chiller.

Line Item 0004 (Optional)
Description: Translation stages for spatial stress mapping
Quantity:1
A.    Technical Specifications:
a.    Powered translation stages that enable automated stress mapping of a region in one or two orthogonal directions.

ANTICIPATED DELIVERY, INSTALLATION, AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
Delivery of the XRD system shall be F.O.B Destination and shall occur within 120 days After Receipt of an Order (ARO). Delivery shall be made to the NIST Shipping and Receiving address, located at 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001. 

INSTALLATION
The system shall be installed by the Contractor no later than 14 days after delivery at a time mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and the NIST Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).  Installation, at a minimum, shall include set-up and hook-up of the system and demonstration of all specifications.  Onsite installation shall take place at the NIST Final Equipment Destination identified above.   All installation requirements are identified below:
1.    System is electrically wired (including plug termination) to be powered by an existing 120V receptacle.
2.    System is appropriately aligned, calibrated, and levelled for multiaxial stress measurement in iron and steel.  

TRAINING
The contractor shall conduct one training session for up to five users at NIST.  The training shall provide a thorough demonstration of all system/solution functions, maintenance, data administration, and basic troubleshooting.  The training shall be completed at NIST Monday – Friday during the operating hours of 9 AM – 5 PM immediately after installation/set-up has been completed or at a mutually agreed upon time between the contractor and the COR to be scheduled no later than five days after installation. The Contractor shall also perform on-site measurements demonstrating that no damage or misalignment issues arose during transportation and installation.

INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM INDUSTRY SOURCES:
NIST invites industry sources to review this notice carefully and to familiarize themselves with this Source Sought Notice.  Thereafter, NIST encourages those sources to submit the following:

•    Company Summary:

1.    Notice ID and its Title for this posting
2.    Your company’s name, address, website address and Unique Entity Identifier (if the company has one)
3.    Company point of contact, their phone number, and their email address
4.    Your company’s size status as it relates to NAICS 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing.  See table of business size standards at https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards for more information. 
5.    Indicate whether your company has an active registration for procurement purposes in sam.gov.

•    Place of Manufacture/Origin: Please identify whether the potential product is manufactured in whole or in part in the United States. If it is manufactured outside of the United States, in whole or in part, pleas identify the country of manufacture. 

•    Existing Contract Vehicles: Indicate whether your company has a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract or other federal contract under which NIST would be authorized to place an order, and if so, provide a copy of that contract (including contract number, name and contact information for contracting officer, contract SOW, contract terms and conditions and contract prices).

The Government reserves the right to follow up on a one-on-one basis with respondents to request additional information or clarifications about information submitted.

THIS IS STRICTLY MARKET RESEARCH. NIST WILL NOT RESPOND TO QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RESULTS OF THIS MARKET RESEARCH. REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT BE PROVIDED

SUBMMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Interested parties shall submit responses to by the closing date of this notice to hunter.tjugum@nist.gov and to lauren.roller@nist.gov. 

•    Microsoft Word (or PDF) document, and 11 or 12-point font.
•    Submission shall not exceed five (5) pages. Any cover page OR Standard Commercial Pricing Sections is not included in the total page count.
•    Respondents are requested to state their capabilities and expertise in clear and concise language.
•    Respondents are strongly encouraged to avoid use of excessive marketing and sales language.

Cover Page
Respondents shall include the following Business information on the Cover Page:

1.    Sources Sought Notice number, title, and date of issuance
2.    Unique Entity ID
3.    Company Name
4.    Company Address
5.    Company website address, 
6.    Company Point of Contact, Phone, and Email address
7.    Validation of business status under NAICS: 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. See table of business size standards at https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards for more information. 
8.    Indicate whether your company has an active registration for procurement purposes in sam.gov.

This notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of NIST.

NIST does not intend to award a contract based on responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted. As a result of this notice, NIST may issue a Request for Quote (RFQ).

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against NIST shall arise because of a response to this notice or NIST’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation

Confidentiality
Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in response to this notice. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary information as it deems appropriate in establishing requirements for its upcoming acquisition.

DISCLAIMER
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to help NIST assess alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received and other market research, NIST may publish a solicitation on SAM.gov or on GSA ebuy, depending on the acquisition strategy chosen by NIST. NIST will not consider proposals submitted directly in response to this notice for award. Responses received after the closing date for this notice may not be considered for market research purposes.