Eppendorf_Brand_Name_Justification.pdf

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Agency and Activity. The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval for award of one Eppendorf epMotion Liberty 5075t with CleanCap and Application Implementation 3 on a limited source basis as required by FAR 13.106-1.

2. Nature of Action Being Approved. New firm fixed price award for brand name Eppendorf Inc., to purchase an epMotion Liberty 5075t NGS solution with CleanCap and Application Implementation 3.

3. Description of Supplies or Services. The U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center (UMESC) requires the purchase of an Eppendorf epMotion Liberty 5075t with CleanCap and Application Implementation 3.

4. Statutory Authority. The proposed action may be awarded on a Brand Name Justification basis under the authority FAR 13.106-1.

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5.

The Eppendorf epMotion Liberty 5075t provides automated next generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation at a high-end performance level with (0.31% pipetting accuracy at 1µl) giving us the capability to reduce time, errors, sample contamination, and increase the overall efficiency and throughput of our lab which enables us to meet increasing demands from state, federal, and tribal natural resource management partners. Consumables and tools from our current epMotion 5075t can be used interchangeably with the Eppendorf epMotion Liberty 5075t. This would enable us to seamlessly flow through the library preparation process by taking samples through one step on our current existing robot and continuing through different steps on the new instrument without transferring samples to new consumables at significant risk of contamination thereby compromising the data. Finally, an Eppendorft epMotion ensures there is data continuity, if another piece of equipment was used, it could skew the long-term data set if another product was used.

6. Other Information. N/A

7. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted.

Market research via the Internet indicates no other vendor can provide interchangeable tools and supplies, be incorporated into existing Government inventory, or meeting data continuity requirements. Competition will be available among Eppendorf epMotion Liberty 5075t resellers.

8. Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition. All brands and vendor instrumentation with the ability to provide consistently high-quality equipment for current and future studies will be considered. Future requirements for same/similar items will undergo market research be competed to maximum extent practical.

9. Recommendation and Certification from Program Office

Based on the above, I recommend this acquisition be conducted on a limited source basis. I certify that technical data which form a basis for this justification, that are the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel are complete and accurate.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) considers employee signatures to be Personal Information, and therefore all employee signatures have been redacted. By posting this document, the Contracting Officer attests all appropriate signatures have been obtained.