Attachment 2_Sole Source Justification_Redacted.pdf

This is a Determination & Findings document for a sole source procurement justifying the award of maintenance and user training services for a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) machine to Life Technologies Corporation (ThermoFisher Scientific), the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

The contracting activity is AFLCMC/PZIBA, and the procurement is justified under RFO 12.102(a) (Commercial Products and Services), finding that only one source is available. The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) requires maintenance and training support for a QuantStudio 6 Flex Real-Time PCR System that has not been operational since 2019. The qPCR machine is essential for the EMGT 640A Engineering Management course (25-30 students per class), Air Force Civil Engineering Center research, and groundwater quality studies supporting Defense Environmental Restoration Account projects. The determination document details that OEM service is necessary to ensure authentic calibrated parts, compliance with strict performance specifications, data integrity, specialized maintenance expertise, proper calibration procedures, software and firmware updates, and documented proof of maintenance required for asset management in highly audited environments. Alternative vendors (Diamond Diagnostics, MYCO Instrumentation, Green BioMed, and Gemen Service Lab) were investigated but cannot provide the required comprehensive maintenance and user training services or hold manufacturer training certifications. A Sources Sought notice was released on SAM.gov on July 7, 2026, with a closing date of July 14, 2026, but no responses were received. The determination is signed by the Contracting Officer on July 21, 2026, and the contract must be completed in FY26 to prepare the machine for full utilization in Fall 2026.