Inactive

The Purpose for this amendment is to update the response due date. This is a Request For Information This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitm... The Purpose for this amendment is to update the response due date. This is a Request For Information This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. No contract will be awarded as a result of this Sources Sought announcement. The United States Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and Grants is soliciting information from qualified sources; the results of this announcement will be evaluated to determine if there are businesses capable of fulfilling this requirement. The US Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and Grants seeks responses from vendors that possess the capability to analyze rock samples. The USGS needs to acquire ID-TIMS and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age determinations, plus trace element chemistry, on detrital zircon grains from 5 mineral separates of rock samples. Zircons from mineral separates and are prepared for age determination first by polishing both sides and conducting cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging. The U-Pb geochronology requires expertise in the use of thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and laser ablation inductivity coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) techniques, and access to appropriate lab facilities. The polished zircon wafers are analyzed via LA-ICP-MS first to obtain approximate ages and trace element chemistry, and multiple fragments of detrital zones are then separated using a laser and analyzed via TIMS to obtain precise detrital age determinations. The age of each analyzed zircon is calculated from the analytical data, which come in Excel Spreadsheet format. The contractor shall have experience in all aspects of sample preparation and igneous and detrital zircon geochronology using CL, LA-ICP-MS, and TIMS methods. For each mineral separate sample that is submitted with enough zircons, at least 5 individual zircons shall be analyzed. Each zircon will have up to 2 TIMS analyses and up to 25 LA-ICP-MS analyses The sample preparation and instrument capabilities, workflow experience, and expertise necessary to achieve the required result of obtaining both types of U- Pb ages to distinguish multiple geologic events detrital and metamorphic from zircons in a single sample. For further information, interested parties may contact the Contract Specialist, Victor Nuno, electronically at vnuno@usgs.gov by the due date, Friday January 13, 2023 at 5:00pm ET.