This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation number is 75N94025Q00073 and is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation/contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-04. The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Code is 811210 and the business size standard is $34M. However, this solicitation is not set aside for small business. This acquisition is being conducted using Simplified Acquisition Procedures in accordance with FAR Part 13. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) intends to contract on a sole source basis with BD Biosciences – 2350 Qume Drive – San Jose, CA 9513111 to procure a One Year Full-Service agreement for the following BD Biosciences instruments and components:
- FACSymphony A5 - SN: R66096400103 - QTY (1) EA
- FACS FLOW SUPPLY SYSTEM - SN: N3492775591 – QTY (1) EA
- G4 355-60 W/BD UV Laser – SN: NO-SERIAL 13361 - QTY (1) EA
- COHR SAPPHIRE 532-200 LASER -SN: NO-LASER 13362 - QTY (1) EA
- SAPPHIRE 488-400 BLUE LASER – SN: NO-LASER 13358 - QTY (1) EA
- MPB 628-200 Red Laser – SN: NO-LASER 13359 – QTY (1) EA
- OBIS 405-200 LX VIOLET LASER – SN: NO-LASER 13360 – QTY (1) EA
This agreement provides full coverage for the BD FACSymphony A5 and its components w/5 Laser and one computer workstation and one BD FACstation. Five day coverage (Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Customer Time)This Agreement will cover the BD FACSymphony A5 and one BD FACStation (excluding printers)for labor, travel expenses and parts(excluding consumable items and lasers)for the following:- Two (2) Preventive Maintenance Inspections to be performed during a twelve-month period- Two (2) PM Kits will be provided Software Revisions that are released during the Agreement term- Unlimited service visits during the term of this Agreement, Monday through Friday, excluding BD Biosciences holidays- 48-hour guaranteed response to a request for emergency on-site service (Monday through Friday, excluding BD Biosciences holidays). Unlimited telephone support for instruments, remote troubleshooting technology to diagnose and fix issues over the phone and reagents and applications.
This plan covers the FACS Flow Supply System for labor, travel expenses and parts (excluding consumables) for the following: Unlimited service visits, Monday through Friday, excluding BD Biosciences holidays. Unlimited telephone support for instruments, reagents and applications will be provided.
Period of Performance - June 24, 2025, through June 23,2026.
BD Biosciences does not certify third party organizations to perform service on its
instrumentation in the United States and as the original manufacturer can ensure the supply of spare or replacement parts which are unique to BD™ flow cytometry system. Due to proprietary technologies Becton Dickinson is the only company able to service and provide the necessary parts to maintain and repair this instrument. BD is uniquely capable of maintaining, service and troubleshooting the Symphony A5, etc. BD provides certified and trained service engineers/technicians specifically certified in each unit/system. Thus, only BD certified trained engineers/technicians are trained and authorized to conduct all the services on the products listed in this solicitation, no outside service engineers/technicians allowed/accepted to provide service, thus service quality is guaranteed. The use of unauthorized parts, maintenance, or repairs may invalidate the warranty or any existing service agreement.
These instruments (FACSymphony A5 and FACS flow supply system) need to be fully operational and calibrated at all times because it is used extensively. When they break down it results in loss of experiments, time and money. Results generated by these instruments are critical for our research. The FACSymphony A5 instrument is highly complicated with many lasers, filters, mirrors and fuilidcs components that must be fine-tuned and maintained by certified technicians. Without a service contract, the preventive maintenances are not performed and equipment is likely to fail, laser alignments and detector specifications must be ensured for proper measurement. And if repairs are needed and no contract is in place, it takes longer to get service as it is a lower priority than instruments with service contracts. Due to the nature of our work, if there are delays due to in-operational equipment, we lose experiments
The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of the 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1), FAR 6.302. This synopsis is not a request for competitive proposals.
The offeror must include a completed copy of the provision of FAR Clause 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (May 2024) (Deviation Feb 2025) with its offer. The provisions of FAR Clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items; FAR Clause 52.212-2, Evaluation – Commercial Items factors: technical capability to provide all services, proprietary information, manuals, updates etc. as per solicitation and parts, price and past performance. Technical capability and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than cost/price; FAR Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items; and FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders – Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Jan 2025) (Deviation Feb 2025) – Deviation for Simplified Acquisitions applies to this acquisition. The offeror must include their Unique Entity ID (UEI), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. Note: The contractor/offeror must provide a completed copy of FAR 52.204-24, "Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment" with their quote in response to this solicitation. Non-OEM Offerors must include a signed agreement (along with offer/quote) with the OEM BD Biosciences authorizing that you can provide all the needed services, BD trained Field Service Engineer for services, proprietary information/software, manuals, updates etc. as per solicitation for the A5, FACstation and components, use original manufacture parts and maintain existing warranties, etc. The clauses are available in full text at http://www.acquisition.gov/far/. Offeror capable of furnishing the government with the service specified in this synopsis should submit a copy of their quotation, etc. robinsti@mail.nih.gov. Responses to this solicitation must include enough information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing all products and service (s) needed. Responses must be accompanied by descriptive literature, warranties and/or other information that demonstrates that the offer meets all the foregoing requirements. Quotations will be due on June 17, 2025, before 5:00 pm eastern daylight time via email to robinsti@mail.nih.gov. Attn: Tina Robinson. The quotation must reference “Solicitation number 75N94025Q00073. All responsible sources may submit a quotation, which if timely received, shall be considered by the agency. Any questions must be sent via email to robinsti@mail.nih.gov and must include solicitation# 75N94025Q00073 in the subject line of email.
Note: In order to receive an award, contractor must have an active registration for all awards in the SAM database @www.sam.gov.
Note: “System updates may lag policy updates. The System for Award Management (SAM) may continue to require entities to complete representations based on provisions that are not included in agency solicitations, including 52.223-22, Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction Goals— Representation, and paragraph (t) of 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Agencies will not consider or use these representations. Entities are not required to, nor are they able to, update their entity registration to remove these representations in SAM.”
