NOI to SS.pdf

NOTICE OF INTENT to Sole Source

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER:

75N95025Q00242

2. TITLE: Installation of NMR console and peripheral equipment for Bruker 400 MHz Avance NEO Ascend NMR System

3. CLASSIFICATION CODE: J066- Maintenance, Repair and Rebuilding of Equipment: Instruments and Laboratory Equipment

4. NAICS CODE: 811210- Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance

5. RESPONSE DATE:

August 20, 2025 at 2:00 pm EST

6. PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT:

Andrew Varley Andrew.Varley@nih.gov Phone: 301.827.5851

7. DESCRIPTION:

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT)

SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN

COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME).

National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Bruker Biospin, Inc. for the Installation of NMR consoles and peripheral equipment for Bruker 400 MHz Avance NEO Ascend NMR System.

NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE and SET

ASIDE STATUS

The intended procurement is classified under NAICS code 811210- Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance with a size standard of $34 Million.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13—Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6—Competition Requirements. FAR Subpart 13.106-1 (b) Soliciting from a single source provides that: For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, Contracting Officers may solicit from one source IF the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name OR industrial mobilization).

The resultant contract will include all applicable provisions and clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2025-04 dated June 11, 2025.

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES:

The Analytical Chemistry Core (ACC) at DPI/NCATS requires the reinstallation of a Bruker NMR superconducting magnet, console, and peripheral equipment in the recently renovated CLL NMR Lab. A Bruker service engineer is required to unpack and install these NMR components as they can ensure the appropriate standard operating procedure is taken for their proprietary NMR consoles and peripheral equipment. While installation could possibly be performed by a third-party service group, Bruker claims no liability in the event an error with the components causes a system failure or damage.

Furthermore, it would invalidate any additional warranties associated with the NMR magnet, console, and non-cryogenic components. As such, we require Bruker to perform the reinstallation of the 400 MHz Avance NEO Ascend NMR System. NMR spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique used by chemists for the identification and confirmation of organic molecules. The NMR instruments are used daily to collect compound data, as well as conduct more advanced NMR experiments overnight for research projects focused on a wide range of disease targets. Chemists can perform a variety of 1D (1H, 13C, 19F, 15N, 31P, APT, DEPT, NOE, etc.) and 2D (COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC, etc.) NMR experiments, as well as variable temperature (VT; -80 °C to +130 °C) studies. This extensive number of experiments allows for structure validation, determination of chromatographic and isotopic purity, and impurity identification.

The Analytical Chemistry core (ACC) can analyze small molecules, larger peptides, and proteins. Structural and conformational analysis is possible through use of chemical shift (δ, ppm), coupling constant (J), NOE interactions, and residual dipolar couplings (RDCs). Quantitative NMR (qNMR) analysis is utilized for concentration determination, purity assessment, and mixture analysis. Ligand-protein binding analysis utilizing saturation transfer difference (STD) and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) NMR experiments enable identification of small molecules that bind reversibly to a protein of interest. Epitope mapping and concentration-based NMR experiments can be performed to determine key structural contacts with the protein and calculation of the dissociation constant (Kd), respectively, thus aiding in the design of structural modifications. Constant access to fully functioning NMR instruments is imperative to maintain productivity in the successful pursuit of the NIH mission. NMR spectrometers consist of a superconducting magnet and complex electronics that require specialized training to maintain and repair. Bruker is the sole source provider of their proprietary 400 MHz Avance NEO Ascend NMR System, which includes the magnet, console, probe, and the peripheral equipment. The Bruker NMR system has been in storage while construction contractors renovated the ACC CLL NMR Lab. With completion of the lab renovation, we are now requiring reinstallation of the NMR system. This work must be performed by a Bruker field service engineer as they have the requisite training to ensure Bruker’s proprietary hardware is properly unpacked and installed. During the service visit, DPI will provide access to the facility, as well as access to the NMR instrumentation. There are no other government responsibilities beyond the above-mentioned. Furthermore, the field service engineer will provide documentation outlining the successful completion of reinstalling the NMR systems.

Period of Performance:

Delivery shall be made 60 days ARO.

CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION

(INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION

The essential characteristics of the item or service that limit the availability to a sole source are:

This acquisition requires previous experience in the making of methyltransferase inhibitors. The service provided by this contractor will allow for continuity of research, consistency of data/results which is imperative in this project.

The intended source is:

Bruker Biospin Corporation 15 Fortune Drive, Billerica, MA 01821, USA

CLOSING STATEMENT

THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement.

Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Unique Entity ID (UEI), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size.

All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All responses must be received by the closing date and time of this announcement and must reference the solicitation number 75N95025Q00242. Responses must be submitted electronically to Andrew Varley, Contract Specialist at Andrew.Varley@nih.gov. U.S. Mail and fax responses will not be accepted.