This synopsis is being amended. Three optional maintenance periods of one year each are now included in the requirement. A bidder's meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday June 10th at 1:00 PM est in Ann Arbor, MI. The solicitation will be issued by May 29, 2003. In accordance with FAR Part 12 procedures, the EPA intends to procure one (1) Medium Duty Four Wheel Drive Dynamometer for Office of Air and Radiation/Laboratory Operations Division. The four wheel drive electric chassis dynamometer will be located in a newly-developed test site at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. As a part of the Clean Air Act and its Amendments, federal regulations for exhaust emissions and fuel economy of motor vehicles specify tests using chassis dynamometers to duplicate the forces encountered by a vehicle moving on a road by modeling those characteristics with a stationary vehicle on a rotating surface. The new dynamometer will provide EPA with additional testing capabilities to support both current and future regulations as well as a range of evaluation and development activities. This dynamometer will be used to test a wide range of vehicles including front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, four wheel drive and all wheel drive with the full range of powertrain technology including those providing energy conservation through regenerative braking. These vehicles will include those powered by some combination of internal combustion engines, electric motors and storage devices, hydraulics and hydraulic storage systems and fuel cells. In general the dynamometer shall incorporate the following general features for testing these vehicles: accurate and precise road load determination and simulation; vehicle loading applied to the tires by 48" diameter rolls connected to intermediate motor/absorbers on a per axle configuration that contacts each vehicle tire; capability of testing all light duty vehicles, medium-duty passenger vehicles and complete heavy duty vehicles up to 14,000 GVW, in two wheel drive and four wheel drive configurations, in a weight range of 1,000 to 14,000 pounds; roll sets which operate with synchronous speeds; operation under various ambient conditions. The intended test site at NVFEL is a new facility intended to provide a wide range of test capabilities. The room's nominal measurements are 25'W x 75'L x 24'H with a clear height of 20' to the bottom of the 4' girder trusses. This room will contain a dynamometer pit that has inside dimensions of 15' W x 55' L x 9' D located about 10 feet from each end. This pit contains a thick reinforced floor capable of supporting the dynamometer machinery. Adjacent is a 20' x 25' x 10' control room that will have a concrete structural deck surface for equipment. Construction of this new test facility began on April 2, 2003 with a projected completion date of January, 2004. The EPA is seeking to purchase a dynamometer system that will perform and collect data at the highest precision and accuracy with a high level of certainty, in a manner that can be comprehensively demonstrated and documented. All equipment and all functions performed by the dynamometer system must be in accordance with the vehicle emissions testing and fuel economy-testing requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations. The successful contractor shall also abide and comply with all building and safety codes specified in the EPA Facility Manual and by ASME, AISC, NEC, OSHA, BOCA, and NFPA wherever they apply. This procurement will be made using "Best Value" evaluation criteria through Full and Open Competition for all elements of the Statement of Work. The solicitation should be issued by May 13, 2003 at http://www.epa.gov/oam/cinn_cmd. A "DRAFT" of the proposed Statement of Work for this requirement can be found at http://www.epa.gov/oam/cinn_cmd. Interested parties are invited to review the "DRAFT" SOW and provide any comments or request a copy of the solicitation in writing to Emily Marcil at the above address, by fax at (513) 487-2107, or by e-mail at
[email protected]. by May 6, 2003. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered by the agency. EPA anticipates award of the contract by July 15, 2003.