Science Associates has a requirement for an amplified Ti:sapphire-laser-based spectroscopy system planned for the Ultrafast Laser Facility at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The system is designed to collect transient absorption spectra of nanostructures and molecules suspended in solution (in transmission) or supported on solid surfaces (in reflection). Spectra will be measured by pump-probe methods, where the pump will be ultrafast pulses (~ 100 fs temporal width) from either a Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier in the near-IR (~ 800 nm) or an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) equipped with a frequency mixer to generate pulses in the UV to NIR (240 – 2600 nm). Transient spectra will be collected with probe light derived from white-light continuum generation in an ultrafast spectrometer providing multichannel single shot data acquisition over a 450 – 1600 nm wavelength range. The time response function of the spectrometer will be better than 150 fs (FWHM) with a noise level below 0.0002 OD (with 5 seconds of averaging). The design critera were chosen to enable time-resolved dynamical studies of a wide range of nanostructured and supramolecular materials. Dynamics of interest include that of hot carriers, electron-phonon coupling, plasmons, nanoparticle acoustic modes, short-lived fluorescent states, molecule-particle coupling and nanoparticle surface chemistry. The overall system will comprise six subsystems which are described in brief here and specified in detailed below. These systems must be designed such that the component systems are compatible and function together to deliver all required performance specifications listed in § II.B. Preference will be shown to a single vendor that can source and support all laser subsystems (Subsystems 1, 2, 3) and deliver most or all of the requested laser diagnostics (Subsystem 6 – the IR viewer, the power meters, the ultrafast-pulse measurement device and the fiber optic spectrometer). The following are the six subsystems: 1. Ti:sapphire Oscillator 2. Ti:sapphire Regenerative Amplifier 3. Optical Parametric Amplifier (OPA) and Frequency Mixer 4. Ultrafast Spectrometer 5. Optical Tables and Enclosures 6. Laser Diagnostics This acquisition is planned as, a “Best Value” procurement. The utilization of this procedure is expected to provide the greatest overall benefit to BSA/BNL. Best Value employs a trade off process that permits award to other than the lowest priced offeror or to the highest technically rated offeror. The tradeoff process, associated with Best Value involves a comparative weighing of the evaluation factors and sub-factors identified in the Request for Proposals (RFP). Specifically, the trade off process involves selecting the most advantageous offer based upon an integrated assessment of both non-cost/price factors, taking in their assigned relative importance. BSA will evaluate offers received under this RFP based upon technical compliance and overall system cost. Awards may be made to multiple offerors in order to effectuate a system providing the “Best Value” to BSA. The following factors have been identified as significant measures of equipment design and performance. Detailed information as to RFP pricing requirements are contained in the “Instructions to Offeror” which may be downloaded from this website. The following factors, in their relative order of weighting, will be utilized to evaluate the offers: 1. Specification Compliance Subsystem 1 - Ti:sapphire Oscillator System Subsystem 2 - Ti:sapphire Regenerative Amplifier Subsystem 3 - Optical Parametric Amplifier (OPA) and Frequency Mixer Subsystem 4 - Ultrafast Spectrometer Subsystem 5 - Optical Tables and Enclosures Subsystem 6 - Laser Diagnostics 2. System Support Operating Manuals Warranty (Section III) Training 3. Performance Risk Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy System production and installations Relevant Experience Quality of Work Timeliness of Performance Proposals are due November 17, 2006 by 4:00 PM, EDT, and shall be submitted to Brookhaven Science Associates, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Attention: D. Paveglio, Bldg. 355, Upton, NY 11973, by US mail This RFP has been sent to the following known manufacturers: Clark-MXR, Inc Coherent, Inc. Kapteyn-Murane Labs Inc. Quantronix Spectra Physics Lasers Del Mar Photonics Ultrafast Systems Coherent, Inc. Newport Corporation Thorlabs TMC FJW Optical Ocean Optics All other interested Manufacturers may download RFPUF118675 from this website.

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