The Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has awarded a sole-source purchase order contract valued at $53,268.96 to Physical Electronics USA, Inc. for the maintenance and service of a VersaProbe III X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) Microprobe. This specialized surface analysis instrument is used for materials characterization research at NETL's facilities in Morgantown, West Virginia. The contract includes full functionality, technical support, upgrades, equipment exchanges, and scheduled preventive maintenance services, provided by the original equipment manufacturer's factory-trained personnel. As the only known source capable of servicing this proprietary instrument, Physical Electronics was awarded this firm-fixed-price contract without a set-aside designation. The company has extensive experience supporting federal agencies like the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Department of Defense through the delivery, installation, and maintenance of advanced analytical equipment for research and development.