FAR 13.5 Single Source or Brand Name Justification Exceeding SAT (redacted).pdf

This document is a Sole Source Justification under FAR 13.5 for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA intends to award a firm fixed-price contract to Tecan U.S., Inc. for five (5) modified Tecan Fluent 480 Liquid Handlers with Air FCA (Air Flexible Channel Army), Robotic Gripper Arm, and associated services and parts. The specialized automated robotic machines are designed to minimize staff handling of diagnostic samples, capable of processing 96 samples simultaneously with specific requirements including tube scanning, decapping, pipetting, and incubation functions, all contained within a fully enclosed HEPA filtered cabinet.

Market research was conducted on alternative automated liquid handler machines from manufacturers like Beckman Biomek, Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Eppendorf Emotion, and Hamilton, which were ultimately deemed unsuitable for the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) diagnostic programs. The research concluded that the Tecan Fluent Liquid Handler machines are currently the only machines meeting the agency's specific requirements, justifying the sole source procurement under simplified acquisition procedures.