Pre-Solicitation Notice for Lab Water Purification 2025.pdf

Pre-Solicitation Notice for Lab Water Purification 2025

CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION DETERMINATION

Hydro Service and Supplies, Inc. is the authorized provider of the Hydro Point-of-Use (POU) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems and is the only contractor that is OEM-authorized and capable of providing the necessary parts and maintenance support services. Hydro Service and Supplies, Inc.

is the exclusive source of factory-trained and certified technicians authorized to provide these parts and to maintain and service the equipment.

In accordance with FAR Part 10 — Market Research, extensive market research was conducted to reach this determination. Specifically, consultations with knowledgeable individuals in both industry and Government, as well as reviews of available product literature, revealed no other sources capable of meeting the requirement. Additionally, searches of GSA Advantage, Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS), and previous Government acquisitions returned no results that met all technical and service requirements.

Therefore, it has been determined that only Hydro Service and Supplies, Inc. is capable of fulfilling this requirement.

The Government’s determination to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon this market research. Specifically, Hydro Service and Supplies, Inc. is the only vendor capable of providing the required services for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

Intended Source:

Hydro Service and Supplies, Inc.

P.O. Box 12197 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2187

BACKGROUND, PURPOSE, AND OBJECTIVES

The Office of Research Facilities (ORF), located at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, provides operational support for NIEHS maintenance contracts.

The primary mission of NIEHS is to identify and characterize hazards to human health, understand their mechanisms of action, and evaluate their interactions. To support this mission, NIEHS requires continuous service, maintenance, and supply of Point-of-Use (POU) Laboratory Water Purification Systems, Reverse Osmosis (RO) Equipment, and Leak Detectors with Shut-Off Valves to ensure the integrity of laboratory operations.

At the time of contract award, 196 POU systems and six (6) Reverse Osmosis systems will be covered under this contract annually. All equipment supplied and serviced under this contract must meet or exceed the following specifications.

EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS

Service Carbon Tanks

The carbon media shall be acid-washed, virgin granular activated carbon, manufactured from select grades of bituminous coal, with the following characteristics:

Parameter Specification

U.S. Mesh Size 12 x 40 Percentage on 12 Mesh 5% max Percentage through 40 Mesh 5% max Iodine Number (mg/g) 950 min Ash Content (wt%) 8% max Abrasion Number 75 min pH Range 5 – 8 Moisture Content (wt%) 2% max Total Surface Area (N₂ BET) (m²/g) 900 – 1050 Effective Size (mm) 0.55 – 0.75

The carbon media must exhibit high adsorption capacity, low ash content, high surface area, and superior abrasion resistance. It shall be steam-activated to develop a broad range of pore sizes, allowing effective removal of a wide spectrum of organics from feed water. The media must consistently reduce Total Organic Carbons (TOC) to meet laboratory-grade water standards.

Service Mixed-Bed Deionization (DI) Tanks

The cation resin shall be a premium-grade strong acid type with a minimum total wet volume capacity of 1.8 meq/ml and a water retention capacity of 50–55%. The anion resin shall be a Type I strong base type with a minimum total wet volume capacity of 1.0 meq/ml and a water retention capacity of 60%. All DI resins shall have a Uniform Particle Size (UPS). Resins must effectively retain weakly ionized contaminants such as CO₂ and silicates. All resins shall originate from a single manufacturer. The regeneration process must utilize a state-of-the-art regeneration plant, employing a controlled formulation of premium-grade resins, reactive chemicals, timing sequences, rinse durations, temperature controls, filtered air, sanitization procedures, and recombination mixes to ensure consistent quality. All resins shall be regenerated using a batch process, involving the separation of cation and anion resins before reassembly.

WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS

As part of system maintenance, the Contractor shall perform water quality testing to verify compliance with the following parameters:

Parameter Required Value

Total Organic Carbon (TOC) < 35 ppb Resistivity 18.3 megohm-cm at 25°C Conductivity 0.056 µS/cm at 25°C pH 6.8 – 7.0 Sodium < 1 ppb Hardness 0 ppb

CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

This contract shall cover quality assurance, preventive maintenance, emergency repairs, removal, and relocation services for POU systems, RO equipment, and leak detectors with shut-off valves.

These services are critical to prevent costly leaks, ensure water quality, and maintain full operational status of lab purification systems at NIEHS.

The Contractor shall furnish all necessary services, labor, parts, materials, supplies, tools, equipment, and facilities to successfully fulfill the requirements of this contract.

Preventive Maintenance Schedule:

• POU Systems: Every six (6) months, on a rotating schedule.

• RO Systems: Monthly.

Repair Response Requirements:

Upon notification of a system malfunction by NIEHS personnel (via telephone or email), the Contractor shall respond as follows:

• Weekdays (Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.): On-site within two (2) hours.

• Weekends and Holidays: On-site within twelve (12) hours.

• Emergencies (e.g., leaks): On-site within four (4) hours.

• The Contractor’s service personnel shall be on-call 24/7, with every effort made to respond immediately to emergencies occurring after hours.

To meet these response times, the Contractor’s main service office must be located within a 10-mile radius of NIEHS facilities in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Equipment Leasing and Replacements:

All service carbon and deionization tanks are leased by the Government. The Contractor shall furnish all replacement tanks, equipment, hoses, and supplies necessary to maintain purified water systems in continuous operation. Replacement tanks shall be pressure-tested for leaks before installation at any NIEHS location.