Variable Pressure Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscop (VP-FESEM)
Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.
The solicitation number for this requirement is 9531BM19R0011 This solicitation is issued as a Request for Proposals (RFP).
The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2019-02.
This requirement is issued under full and open competition. The associated NAICS code is 334516, "Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing".
Background
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent Federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant accidents in other modes of transportation-highway, marine, railroad, and pipeline-to issue safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. The NTSB Materials Laboratory, located in Washington, DC, conducts or coordinates all of the materials analyses in support of special studies and accidents investigated by each of the Safety Board's modal offices. Over the years, the Materials Laboratory staff has played a major role in the examination and evaluation of many high-profile component and structural failures. Prominent examples include the Boeing 787 lithium ion battery investigations, the TWA Flight 800 fuselage reconstruction, and San Bruno natural gas pipeline explosion.
As part of the NTSB party system, technical experts from industry often visit the NTSB Materials Laboratory to participate in laboratory examination and provide technical expertise regarding manufacture and use of their products. This process also provides a unique opportunity for equipment contractors to have applied use of their equipment demonstrated to technical experts throughout the transportation industry.
During the course of accident investigations, the Materials Laboratory must frequently examine and analyze fractured components at high magnification using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analyze material composition using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and wavelength-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (WDS). Components examined are made from a variety of materials including aluminum, low-alloy steel, stainless steel, nickel, cobalt, or titanium alloys as well as nonconductive materials including fiber-reinforced composites and various polymers. Surfaces to be examined may also include nonconductive deposits from corrosion or debris. To minimize destruction and damage to critical accident specimen features, the Materials Laboratory needs to maximize the size of samples that can be examined using SEM while minimizing the need for coating of non-conductive samples.
Description of Requirement
The NTSB has a requirement for a Variable Pressure Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (VP-FESEM) in accordance with Section C - Statement of Work of the attached RFP.
Basis for Award
This Request for Proposal (RFP) will result in the award of one (1) fixed-price contract with a base period of performance of two (2) years, plus four (4) one-year options. The total period of performance shall not exceed five (5) years.
All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the NTSB.
The Government may award one (1) firm fixed-price contract to the responsible offeror whose proposal that conforms to the RFP, will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other price factors considered, such that it provides the best value to the Government. Best value is defined as the procurement process that results in the most advantageous acquisition decision for the Government that is performed through an integrated assessment and trade-off analysis between price and non-price factors.
Submission of Proposals
Your proposal must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), on August 2, 2019. LATE PROPOSALS MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED in accordance with FAR provision 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items.
Offers may be transmitted via email to:
Kate Campbell
Email: kate.campbell@ntsb.gov
The maximum size of an email, including attachments, which the NTSB email server can accept is 15 megabytes (MB). Therefore, the Contractor may choose to send their proposal in separate emails, if the combined file size of any email received by the NTSB email server will exceed 15MB. Contractors are encouraged to remove excess graphics from their proposals to ensure proposals remain under the file size limit. It is the Contractor's responsibility to ensure that the designated point of contact has received your proposal at the email address of the contact specified above by the proposal due date.
Site Visit
A site visit will be held at the NTSB HQ on July 16, 2019 at 9:00am, EST. The purpose of the site visit is to provide interested parties with an opportunity to visually inspect the NTSB's Materials Laboratory, including the area where the VP-FESEM will be installed and housed.
Questions Regarding the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
All questions regarding this combined synopsis/solicitation shall be directed to Kate Campbell via email at kate.campbell@ntsb.gov. ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 p.m. EDT on July 18, 2019.
Electronic Dissemination of Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Access to this combined synopsis/solicitation and amendments shall be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website: www.fbo.gov. Amendments to the combined synopsis/solicitation shall be publicized in the same manner as the initial synopsis/solicitation. All Contractors are cautioned that it is your responsibility to frequently check back to the website to ensure that you have received all issued amendments.
Kate Campbell, Contract Specialist, Phone 2023146209, Email kate.campbell@ntsb.gov - BRYAN J. MOY, Contract Specialist, Phone 202-314-6282, Fax 240-752-6262, Email bryan.moy@ntsb.gov
