Single Source (24-039) signed FD Redacted.pdf

143041-24-0026

The ASPEC GX-271 from Gilson, Inc. is the only automated SPE workstation that fits our laboratory needs and market research indicates similar products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet agency needs.

Gilson is one of the leading companies with automated liquid handling systems for laboratories.

Their ASPEC GX-271 SPE workstation fits our requirements in our laboratory when it comes to flexibility of solvents, racks capacity, volumes and complex protocols with minimum specifications as described in the Statement of Need. For example, it is crucial to have a dual pump operating the syringes for volume accuracy at wide volume ranges within the same extraction protocol. Other important features required are the advanced rinsing system (internal and external), high capacity for samples at a wide range of volumes, and integrated solvent evaporating system. The presence of these important specifications is crucial to our laboratory.

They would prevent poor quality analysis of critical samples due to volume inaccuracy, sample cross-contamination, among other inconsistent missteps. Such a poor extraction process can lead to irreproducible environmental data, potentially under- or overestimating contaminant levels measured, ultimately compromising our contribution to the mission of the agency on stewardship of protecting marine habitats and ESA-list species against anthropogenic stressors.

As shown in the Market Research document, similar brands have less flexible SPE workstations, not adequate to our lab protocols and would not meet our needs, including far less sample capacity, single pump system or too simplistic rinsing mechanism.

Gilson’s ASPEC GX-271 workstation is compatible with the already consumable supplies in our laboratory used in our old manual system (SPE cartridges). We would also be able to transfer all our current protocols for analysis of contaminants in several biological samples to their automated SPE workstation ASPEC GX-271 as well as its operating software with no need to change our current protocol’s conditions. Changing these conditions in our current protocols would require re-validating our methods and would not guarantee the efficiency of our protocols, which would generate incompatible data for long-term environmental studies.

X - Exclusive Licensing Agreement/Restrictive Rights/Authorized Reseller - Purchasing the ASPEC GX-271 SPE workstation from Gilson, Inc (manufacturer of the instrument) is the only way to guarantee Gilson’s trained field engineer to install the instrument in our facility. The company's full warranty can be compromised if third party technicians conduct the installation or training of end users.

X - Other - Only one source is capable - Gilson, Inc. is the only company producing the ASPEC GX-271 SPE workstation that fits our requirements in our laboratory . In addition, this product must be purchased directly from Gilson, Inc to ensure efficient technical and customer support, service maintenance as well as full warranty support (see letter from Gilson Inc provided) for the ASPEC line.

5. Market Research.

The Environmental Chemistry Program of the NWFSC conducted market research during several years, but closely looked at several options during December 2022 - December 2023 to identify available sources and to evaluate the availability of the marketplace to meet our requirements to transfer methodologies, flexibility of protocols and sample volumes and capacities.