A05_Justification_Redacted.pdf

This is a Decision to Restrict Competition document from the United States Department of Agriculture justifying the use of a single source for an acquisition under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.

The requisition (1170228) is issued by the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services, National Veterinary Services Laboratory, with the contracting activity under APHIS, Marketing and Regulatory Programs Business Services (MRPBS), Acquisition and Asset Management Division (AAMD). The acquisition is for a Bruker Sirius Biotyper MALDI-TOF RUO (Research Use Only), a critical scientific instrument used to identify bacterial isolates from diagnostic samples. The equipment is necessary to continue efficient testing operations, reduce testing times, ensure compatibility with existing accessories, and meet NVSL ISO accreditation requirements.

The document restricts competition to Bruker Scientific, Inc. (located at 40 Manning Road, Billerica, MA 01821) based on unique qualifications and characteristics exclusive to their product. Market research confirmed no other MALDI-TOF manufacturer meets the required compatibility and performance criteria. The Bruker Sirius Biotyper MALDI-TOF RUO is compatible with existing reagents and accessories, features a larger validated database for bacteria and yeast identification, supports expansion for Mycobacteria identification, and possesses proprietary hardware and software that cannot be replicated by competitors. The justification has been certified by Keira Stuart (Microbiologist) and approved by Contracting Officer Kathy Melby as of August 7, 2026.