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Automated Instrument for Measurement of pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, and Turbidity THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. NO FORMAL SOLICITATION IS BEING REQUESTED UNDER THIS NOTICE. This Sources Soug... Automated Instrument for Measurement of pH, Conductivity, Alkalinity, and Turbidity THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. NO FORMAL SOLICITATION IS BEING REQUESTED UNDER THIS NOTICE. This Sources Sought Notice is for market research purposes to identify interested firms for the potential requirement detailed below. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) and the size standard is 1,000 employees. The Government will review the information requested in this announcement to determine the type of set-aside (if any) for this requirement, should it come to fruition. Note: The Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 8301-05) is the primary federal procurement law providing a preference for domestic goods and manufactured products. As such, the USGS is seeking information on sources that can supply the described instrument either mined, produced or manufactured in the U.S. in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities of satisfactory quality. Background: A robotics-based instrument is needed to perform unattended, automated analysis of up to three water quality parameters ¿ pH, specific conductance (or conductivity, herein), and alkalinity ¿ for unfiltered water samples; and three parameters ¿ pH, conductivity, and acid neutralizing capacity (ANC; an alkalinity equivalent measurement not otherwise noted herein) ¿ for filtered water samples. This instrument will replace two separate instruments currently used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) to independently measure each of these parameters. The instrument is needed to increase the efficiency in the analysis of these three parameters in approximately 17,000 water samples per year (samples/y) for pH and (or) conductivity; and 6,000 samples/y for alkalinity, including by custom procedures designed for low specific conductance samples. These analyses support studies conducted nationwide by the USGS Water Mission Area. An instrument is needed that can be programmed to select which of the measurements are performed on any given sample as described below. Requirements: The instrument shall provide the following functional, operational, and performance capabilities: 1. The system, including measurement instrumentation and components provided by third-party sources used to assemble the complete system, shall be new. Demonstration units or used systems will not be accepted. 2. The system shall be able to perform unattended, automated sample manipulation and measurements, without manual inputs needed during a sequence of multiple sample analyses, using a robotics-based sampler design that includes the additional components and analytical measurement instruments and capabilities specified herein. 3. The system shall be controlled for unattended, automated sample analysis of the measured parameters by vendor-supplied software (system software) operated on a USGS-supplied computer with Windows 10 (or later) operating system. 4. The system shall include one or more sample manipulators that move in XYZ (3-dimensional) space to allow manipulator movement between samples that are manually placed into one or more sample racks prior to beginning unattended, automated analysis. 5. The manipulator(s) shall be fitted with a stirrer for mixing of the sample prior to within-sample container measurement of pH and conductivity, and prior to withdrawal of sample aliquots that are used for measurement of alkalinity in a separate titration vessel (cell) as described below. The stir rate shall be adjustable and controlled by the system software. 6. The sample container shall contain the sample used to complete measurements of pH, conductivity, and/or alkalinity and have sufficient volume to allow withdrawal of replicate aliquot volumes needed for at least two discrete alkalinity measurements. The alkalinity measurement is performed in a separate alkalinity titration vessel (see below). 7. The vendor shall provide estimates of the maximum volume of sample and aliquots required to complete the pH, conductivity, and replicate alkalinity measurements to inform total sample volume requirements for the container. 8. The sample container shall be made of plastic (polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene) and fitted with a non-leaking plastic screw cap and be of free-standing tapered vial design or flat bottom design as vendor determines is optimum for reliably and accurately making the required measurements using the system. The container(s) shall be capable of performing the dual role of being the water sample container used during field collection followed by direct placement into the robotic system¿s rack to commence measurements (after manually uncapping the container) to eliminate the need for sample pour-up into a different container prior to analysis on the system. 9. The sample container shall be of a common, commercially available type to help ensure continuous, adequate supply over time and not exceed $3.00 per container at the time of this procurement. The vendor identified container must be directly available from distributor(s) that allow direct purchase by the Government of large quantities of containers for both field and laboratory use. 10. Upon vendor selection, the vendor shall coordinate with NWQL staff to finalize selection of an appropriate container. Conductivity and pH measurement specifications: 1. The manipulator(s) shall be fitted with probes for measuring pH and conductivity of the water sample within the sample container positioned on the system rack(s) to facilitate rapid measurement of pH and conductivity on at least 20 samples per hour (samples/h) when only those two parameters are being measured. 2. pH shall be measured using a pH electrode (probe) of type that conforms with standard capabilities as given in Standard Method 4500-H+ B, EPA Method 9040C, USGS I-2587-85, with temperature monitoring and correction of the measured pH. 3. Conductivity shall be measured using a specific conductance probe of type that conforms with the standard capabilities as given in Standard Method 2510 B, USGS I-2781-85, and reporting in units of microsiemens per centimeter (µS/cm) with wide measurement range (for example, 5 to 20,000 µS/cm at 25ºC). 4. The system shall include an automated mechanism for wet storage of pH and conductivity probes (in probe manufacturers¿ recommended storage solutions) on the robotic system when not in active use during a run sequence (for example, when only alkalinity is measured in the sequence) and especially upon completion of a sequence at night or over a weekend. Alkalinity measurement specifications: 1. The instrument used shall determine alkalinity by titration of an aliquot of either a filtered or unfiltered water sample using procedures that conform to USGS method I-2030-85, Standard Method 2320B and EPA 310.1, with software options that allow for user-defined use of pH endpoint or inflection point methods and calculations for the alkalinity determination. 2. Measurement of alkalinity shall be performed using a separate titration cell/vessel and not be performed within the sample container on the system rack. 3. The stirred aliquot (defined by volume, not weight) of sample used for alkalinity titration shall be taken from the sample container from which the pH and conductivity measurements are made using probes on the manipulator(s). The procedure used shall allow for at least one repeat aliquot sampling from the sample container to perform either a discrete replicate alkalinity titration measurement for the sample or, if needed, a discrete measurement on a dilution of the sample. 4. The system software shall be able to determine if a sample dilution is necessary based on the initial total alkalinity measurement in milligrams of CaCO3 per liter (mg CaCO3/L) of water and automatically prepare a dilution of a new aliquot of the sample for subsequent alkalinity determination that will fall within the instrument calibration (defined measurement) range. 5. The system software shall record and store the titration curve for each sample to allow user review. 6. The sample aliquot used for the alkalinity measurement shall be directed to waste and not returned to the sample container to minimize contamination of the system flow path. 7. The system shall be capable of achieving a method detection limit of 4 mg CaCO3/L or lower. Other system requirements: 1. The system shall be able to perform automated preparation of calibration and continuing calibration verification [CCV] working standards from stock standard solutions. 2. The system shall perform automated dilution(s) and reanalysis within a run sequence, or as an immediate follow-on sequence, for any samples having results that exceed the upper calibration range such that the dilution result will fall within the calibration range. 3. The system shall perform automated rinsing of all components of the manipulator(s) (including probes, stirrers, aliquot sippers), alkalinity titration cell, and sample flow path tubing of the system between every sample to ensure sample cross-contamination does not occur throughout an entire analysis sequence. 4. The system shall include a flowing (not static) rinsing mechanism for thorough rinsing with deionized water between each water sample of the pH probe, conductivity probe, stirrer(s), sample aliquot sipper, all sample flow lines, titration cell, and all other aspects of the system flow paths. This rinse volume (rinse time) shall be user defined within the system software with all waste rinse water transported to at least one separate, large waste container. It is desired that the system be able to perform real-time monitoring (with data storage) of system cleanliness and automatically control rinse time (rinse volume) by, for example, measurement of conductivity during the rinse step performed between each sample in the sequence. 5. The system shall be capable of unattended (¿walk-away¿) processing of at least 80 samples within a run sequence over an 8 hour or less period when measuring pH, conductivity, and alkalinity. Note: this requirement presumes a uniform time for alkalinity titration for all samples in the sequence. 6. The system shall be capable of readily using different rack configurations (to accommodate different container sizes, number of samples per rack, and multiple rack use) by selection of rack type and number of racks within the system software. 7. System shall have the power requirements of 100-120 V. 8. Operational ability (relative to system design and components including software) to readily add additional measurement capabilities into the robotics system in the future, such as measurement of turbidity, color, hardness etc. and perform sample filtration. 9. System software/control also shall include the ability to: 1. Input sample (including QC sample types) lists using a barcode reader or from a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) (import from LIMS via comma separated values (CSV; preferred) or tab delimited file format) for samples requiring measurement of any of the parameters per sample. 2. Monitor sample measurements and sequence status and to pause the sequence to add new samples to the sequence, to add parameter measurements for samples not yet analyzed in the sequence, and to add reagents, or, if needed, to terminate the sequence prior to sequence completion with system retention of all acquired measurement results prior to termination. 3. Create and store multiple analytical methods. 4. Define quality control samples at user-specified intervals or sequence positions. 5. Select parameters to be measured per sample. 6. Run the instrument unattended once samples and stock standards or working calibrants are placed into the rack(s), reagents are readied, and the sequence is started. The instrument must not stop advancing to subsequent samples in the sequence due to difficulty measuring pH on a sample with low conductivity. The system shall record the occurrence of inability to acquire a measurable pH for any sample. 7. Record and report operational conditions and run audit information for each sequence including at least sample identification number, sample type, sample analysis date and time (date-time stamp) for each parameter measured, probe identification numbers, identification and concentrations of calibrators, calibration models used, and user-defined quality control (measure range, accuracy) criteria, and an audit trail with date and time stamp of instrument errors. 8. Flag results that fall outside of user-defined operation specifications and quality control criteria. 9. Perform automated re-analysis of groups of samples based on performance of bracketing QC samples in the event of a failure in one or both bracketing QC sample. 10. Sound alarms to alert the operator to a problem, or initiate shutdown procedures for the system when critical system or measurement failures are detected by system sensors. 11. Provide all sample results and operational meta data for the sequence run, including calibration and quality control sample results, in comma delimited (.csv; preferred) or fixed field (ASCII .txt) file format that can be user modified and that can be direct imported (reported) to a LIMS, Excel spreadsheet, stored on a data server, and that can be printed, including as pdf file format. 12. Have software control via USB, LAN, or serial connection from a controlling computer to the system. All business concerns who believe they can responsibly provide this type of product should submit the following information to the Contracting Officer: 1. The firm shall specify the brand name products that meets the specifications listed above along with product specification sheet and product brochure. 2. For equipment/supply requirements, business responses must include: (1) the place of manufacturing (i.e. address if supply/equipment is a domestic end product and include country of manufacture) 3. The firm shall also specify if they offer leasing of instruments listed in the specifications above and provide leasing options available. If the firm does not offer leasing of instruments, please include a statement as such. 4. The firm shall specify that they are either a small business (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, etc.) Or other than small business under the NAICS Code listed in the announcement. 5. The firm shall provide a point of contact name and e-mail information, and the firm¿s Cage Code, and SAM.gov UEI. NOTE: All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary - the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. Materials submitted to the Government for review will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. This is not a request for quotations. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on responses received under this announcement. In order to be responsive to this Notice, a firm must provide the appropriate documentation for consideration by June 16, 2022. Responses that do not comply with these procedures will not be considered. Inquiries will only be accepted by e-mail to Lisa Williams at ldwilliams@usgs.gov