NOI 75N98026Q01048.pdf

NOTICE OF INTENT: Service Contract for the T20 TEM microscope (75N98026Q01048)

Sole Source Justification and Notice Authority: FAR 6.302-1 — Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

Contracting Activity: National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Proposed Contractor: FEI Company

Description of Requirement: FEI Service Contract for the T20 TEM microscope

Justification for Sole Source:

Only One Source: FEI Company is the only known responsible source capable of providing the required services that meet NICHD compatibility, and continuity requirements in accordance with FAR 6.302-1.

FEI is the only known source, capable of meeting the requirement. This instrument is used in chronic disease basic science biophysical investigations and in structural biology biophysical investigations. The labs rely on dependable availability of the T20 TEM because when an investigation produces a viable sample it must be imaged immediately to give feedback information about the entire investigative protocol, typically involving 3-5 investigators, whose demanding and complicated workstreams must flawlessly intersect to generate the experimental samples. Without this timely information, months to years of work and the concomitant financial investment could be lost due to the demanding and complex nature of these chronic disease basic science investigations, which are critical to support the health of the American public.

The structural biology investigations in the lab depend on the reliable availability of the T20 TEM to quickly image the samples produced by biochemical purification protocols. If the images from the T20 TEM prove that the sample is well-purified and complete, it can be considered for Cryo-EM structural imaging studies on other, very expensive, TEM instrumentation resources here at the NIH. Thus, the role of the T20 TEM for the structural biology investigations saves not only considerable time but also prevents financial and workforce expenditures from being wasted on these much more advanced TEM microscopes.

Additionally, if the T20 TEM were not reliably available at the moment each sample is finally produced, months to years of time and investment could be lost due the complex and challenging nature of producing and purifying these biological samples of fundamental importance.

Proven Performance: FEI has reliably supported NICHD operations, demonstrating consistent, timely maintenance and performance that protects research.

Small Business Notification: This notice is not a request for competitive quotes. However, any interested small businesses (including 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone, small disadvantaged, veteran-owned, and women-owned small businesses) may submit a written capability statement demonstrating their ability to perform the requirement. Submission of capability statements does not constitute a commitment by the Government to compete the proposed award; any decision to compete will be made at the Government’s sole discretion.

Anticipated Award Date: An award is anticipated approximately five (5) days after the date of this notice closes unless the Government determines another vendor can meet the requirement.

Please email responses to danielt@mail.nih.gov no later than 09:00 a.m. EDT on August 2026.