Inactive

INTRODUCTION. The U.S. Army Contracting Command – New Jersey, on behalf of U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Armaments Center, DEVCOM, Quality Engineering & System Assurance (QE&SA) ... INTRODUCTION. The U.S. Army Contracting Command – New Jersey, on behalf of U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command – Armaments Center, DEVCOM, Quality Engineering & System Assurance (QE&SA) Division, Energetic Verification Laboratory (EVL), at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is conducting market research to determine the capability of businesses to provide a Digital Image Analyzer (DIA) to enable the validation and verification of current test methods in determining the particle size and particle shape characterization of explosives, formulations and ingredients. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement, if a requirement materializes. Based on the responses to this sources sought notice/market research, this requirement may be set-aside for small businesses (in full or in part) or procured through full and open competition. Multiple awards may be made. All small business set-aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding submissions. DISCLAIMER THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A “REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)” TO BE SUBMITTED. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THE RESPONDER. NOT RESPONDING TO THIS NOTICE DOES NOT PRECLUDE PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ) OR INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) OR RFP, IF ANY ISSUED. IF A SOLICITATION IS RELEASED, IT WILL BE SYNOPSIZED ON THE GOVERNMENT-WIDE POINT OF ENTRY (GPE). IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF POTENTIAL OFFERORS TO MONITOR THE GPE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMMATION PERTAINING TO THIS REQUIREMENT. REQUIRED CAPABIILITIES. The contractor shall provide a dynamic image analyzer with necessary hardware and software to test a vast range of energetics and energetic ingredients to high precision. This instrument will provide robust capability to efficiently and effectively conduct analysis of particle size distribution, shape characteristics and transparency properties of free flowing bulk materials from multiple granulated explosive formulations and ingredients. The contractor shall provide analyzer with the following capabilities: a. An instrument capable of analyzing and measuring dry and wet samples. b. Suitable to handle fine, agglomerating, free flowing, potentially explosive and hazardous materials. c. Have a distribution range of 0.8 micrometers (µm) to 8,000 micrometers (µm). d. Run time of 1 to 3 minutes e. Carry a high resolution (0.8 µm/pixel), 4.2 mega-pixel full frame dual cameras technology for wide measuring range with reproducibility and resolution without any hardware changes. f. Produce a dynamic image analysis frame rate of 310 images per second. g. Include parameters for correlation to laser diffraction, sieve analysis, microscopy, SEM and other sizing techniques. h. Provide a stainless steel, dry module with: a vibrational feeder, a free fall gravity dispersion cartridge feed chute, 40/15 mm holder, an air-pressure dispersion cartridge feed chute long 40mm, a dispersion aids (brushes and bolt) vacuum controlled by the software vacuum adaptor cable and vacuum bags. i. Supply a stainless steel wet module, resistant to organic solvents with an ultrasonic probe and a stainless steel centrifugal pump homogenizer accessory. j. Provide a calibration reticle to supervise and adjust the system. k. Include a software with a particle image library for detailed look at the images of the real particles, flexible data evaluation, 3D cloud graphical display, emulation of other measuring principles like sieve analysis and software controls for vibrator feeder. ELIGIBILITY. The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a Small Business Size Standard of 1,000 employees. The Product Service Code is 6640 Lab Equipment and Supplies. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify their business size in their capabilities statement. SUBMISSION DETAILS: Each potential source is requested to provide any existing contract number(s), dollar value(s) and brief description of work previously or currently being performed either on a Government Wide Acquisition Contract or otherwise, which specifically demonstrates the contractor's ability to successfully satisfy the requirements of the Qualifications Listed. In addition, please provide the firm’s name and address, point of contact with telephone number and email address, CAGE Code and DUNS number, and size of business (i.e. large, small, disadvantaged, veteran owned, woman owned, etc.). Firms shall also provide point of contact information, where available, for the efforts cited above. All data should be sent electronically at no cost to the US Government by 24 February 2021 to the U.S. Army Contracting Command New Jersey, ACC-NJ-JA, ATTN: ACCNJ POC, Building 9, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 07806. ATTN: Elizabeth.a.horak2.civ@mail.mil and Malgorzata.stroynowski.civ@mail.mil. Phone inquiries will not be addressed; all requests should be submitted in writing via email. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the survey. This is a market survey for information only, and shall not be construed as a request for a proposal or as an obligation on the part of the US Government. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.