REQUEST FOR QUOTATION

(THIS IS NOT AN ORDER)

THIS RFQ IS IS NOT A SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

15. DATE OF QUOTATION

16. SIGNER

a. NAME (Type or print)

c. TITLE (Type or print)

b. TELEPHONE

AREA CODE

NUMBER

STANDARD FORM 18 (REV. 6/1995)

Prescribed by GSA-FAR (48 CFR) 53.215-1(a)

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition not usable

8. TO:

b. COMPANYa. NAME

c. STREET ADDRESS

d. CITY e. STATE f. ZIP CODE

9. DESTINATION

a. NAME OF CONSIGNEE

b. STREET ADDRESS

d. STATE e. ZIP CODE

7. DELIVERY

FOB DESTINATION

OTHER

(See Schedule)

10. PLEASE FURNISH QUOTATIONS TO THE

ISSUING OFFICE IN BLOCK 5a ON OR BEFORE CLOSE OF BUSINESS (Date)

IMPORTANT: This is a request for information and quotations furnished are not offers. If you are unable to quote, please so indicate on this form and return it to the address in Block 5a. This request does not commit the Government to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the submission of this quotation or to contract for supplies or service. Supplies are of domestic origin unless otherwise indicated by quoter. Any representations and/or certifications attached to this Request for Quotation must be completed by the quoter.

11. SCHEDULE (Include applicable Federal, State and local taxes)

ITEM NUMBER

(a)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(b)

QUANTITY

(c)

UNIT

(d)

UNIT PRICE

(e)

AMOUNT

(f)

12. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

a. 10 CALENDAR DAYS (%) b. 20 CALENDAR DAYS (%) c. 30 CALENDAR DAYS (%) d. CALENDAR DAYS

NUMBER PERCENTAGE

NOTE: Additional provisions and representations are are not attached.

13. NAME AND ADDRESS OF QUOTER

a. NAME OF QUOTER

b. STREET ADDRESS

c. COUNTY

d. CITY e. STATE f. ZIP CODE

14. SIGNATURE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO

SIGN QUOTATION

PAGE OF PAGES

1. REQUEST NUMBER 2. DATE ISSUED 3. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST NUMBER 4. CERT. FOR NAT. DEF.

UNDER BDSA REG. 2

AND/OR DMS REG. 1

RATING

5a. ISSUED BY 6. DELIVER BY (Date)

NAME TELEPHONE NUMBER

AREA CODE NUMBER

c. CITY

5b. FOR INFORMATION CALL (NO COLLECT CALLS)

National Institutes of Health OD - Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations 6100 Executive Blvd., Room 6B05 Bethesda, MD 20892-7511

75N98027Q00044

NICHOLAS CAPOBIANCO

+10

000-000000

1630 ES

Multiple

The purpose of this COMBINED SYNOPSIS /

SOLICITATION is to provide NHLBI with

Upgrading PExA 2.1 to Vial-Based ("PExA

Cap") Collection and Related Supplies.

This Request for Quotations (RFQ) is issued under FAR Part 12 and Subpart

13.1 as a Brand Name or Equal competitive solicitation. The following

FAR and HHSAR provisions and clauses apply to this solicitation and any resulting purchase order (incorporation by reference per FAR 52.252-1 &

52.252-2): FAR 52.204-7, 52.204-13,

52.204-16, 52.204-18, 52.204-24, 52.204-25, 52.204-27, 52.211-6, Continued...

1 7

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGES

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(B)

UNIT

(D)

UNIT PRICE

(E)

AMOUNT

(F)

OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

ITEM NO.

(A)

QUANTITY

(C)

NSN 7540-01-152-8067

75N98027Q00044

52.212-1, 52.212-2, 52.212-3, 52.212-4, and

52.212-5 (specifically marking 52.204-27, 52.222-3, 52.222-19, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.222-50, 52.225-1, 52.225-8, 52.225-13, and 52.232-33); FAR 52.225-2; FAR

52.232-40; and HHSAR 352.222-70 and

352.232-71.

COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION (COMPETITIVE)

Title: Upgrading PExA 2.1 to Vial-Based ("PExA Cap") Collection and Related Supplies (Brand Name or Equal)

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested, and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) The solicitation number is 75N98027Q00044. This solicitation is issued as a competitive combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services. The Government intends to award a contract or purchase order resulting from this solicitation using full and open competition. This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 12.603, Streamlined Solicitation for Commercial Products or Commercial Services, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director, Office of Acquisitions, intends to negotiate and award a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Purchase Order to the responsible offeror whose proposal represents the best value to the Government.

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2026-01, effective date 03/13/2026.

(iv) The associated NAICS code is 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

• This requirement is unrestricted.

(v) Description of Requirement:

Background and Purpose:

As part of its mission to investigate the causes of patients' diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Laboratory for Chronic Airway Infections (LCAI) needs to collect patients' exhaled particles. However, the current paper-based collection of patients' exhaled particles is not efficient because it requires at least one hour for sample post-processing and equipment cleaning, and because it wastes a fraction of the precious and exiguous samples that remains absorbed in the paper. Therefore, the LCAI requires upgrading its existing Government-owned PExA 2.1 (Particles in Exhaled Air) instrument to enable vial-based collection ("PExA Cap") of exhaled particles from human subjects, as well as purchasing the consumables to perform it. When samples will be collected in vials no post-processing of the substrate/sample will be needed, and all the sample will be retrieved during analysis, enabling the LCAI to collect more samples and to obtain more data from the samples. In addition, due to the absence of an additional matrix, the sample can in principle be extracted in a lower volume, thereby increasing the concentration of analytes and improving their detectability.

Brand Name Reference / Schedule of Items:

• Brand Name Reference: PExA AB (Gothenburg, Sweden) – Upgrade of existing PExA

2.1 Research Instrument to PExA Cap functionality (Qty: 1), PExA Sample Kits (Qty:

100), and Round-Trip Instrument Shipping/Handling (Qty: 2 one-way shipments).

o CLIN 0001: Upgrade of existing PExA 2.1 Research Instrument to PExA Cap functionality (including service and calibration and 1-year warranty after delivery) – Qty: 1 o CLIN 0002: PExA Sample Kits (including sampling material, mouthpiece, and nose clip) – Qty: 100 o CLIN 0003: Round-Trip Instrument Shipping/Handling (USA – Contractor Facility, Contractor Facility – USA) – Qty: 2 one-way shipments

Salient Characteristics (Required for "Equal" Items):

To be considered acceptable, any proposed "equal" upgrade and consumable kit must meet all of the following physical, functional, and performance characteristics:

• Full Physical, Mechanical, and Software Integration with Existing PExA 2.1 System: Must seamlessly integrate with and modify the existing Government-owned PExA 2.1 Research Instrument.

• Vial-Based Particle Collection: Must convert the existing paper-based collection mechanism to vial-based collection requiring zero post-collection substrate processing.

• Full System Service, Calibration, and Warranty: The upgrade must include complete factory-level installation, system servicing, calibration of the upgraded PExA 2.1 instrument, and a minimum one (1) year warranty covering the upgraded instrument and workmanship after return delivery to NIH.

• Compatible Consumable Sample Kits (Quantity: 100 Kits): Must provide 100 complete disposable sample kits engineered to exact mechanical and airflow tolerances of the upgraded vial-based PExA 2.1 impactor. Each kit must include the sampling material, a mouthpiece, and a nose clip.

• Round-Trip Instrument Transport (Quantity: 2 One-Way Shipments): Must include specialized, fully insured door-to-door pickup, crating/handling, customs clearance (if applicable), and return delivery of the Government-owned PExA 2.1 instrument from NIH in Bethesda, MD to the contractor’s modification/calibration facility and back to NIH.

(vi) Delivery Location:

The existing Government-owned PExA 2.1 instrument will be picked up from and returned to the Laboratory for Chronic Airway Infections (LCAI) at the following address, and all 100 consumable sample kits shall be delivered to the same location:

• Location: National Institutes of Health (NIH), 10 Center Drive, Building 10 (Clinical Center), 5th Floor, Room 5-1421, Bethesda, MD 20892.

• Shipping Requirements: The contractor shall coordinate pickup and return delivery using a carrier experienced in handling sensitive scientific/medical instrumentation.

(vii) [Reserved]

(viii) FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management, applies to this acquisition.

(ix) The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. In addition, the provision at FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal, applies to this acquisition. Offerors proposing "equal" products/upgrades must clearly identify the item by brand name, make, or model number and provide descriptive technical literature demonstrating that the proposed items meet all salient physical, functional, and performance characteristics specified in paragraph (v) of this notice.

(x) The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation represents the best value to the Government, price and other factors considered.

(b) Evaluation Factors:

• Price

• Technical capability (ability to meet all Brand Name or Equal salient characteristics in paragraph (v))

• Past performance

• Delivery schedule

Technical capability, past performance, and delivery schedule, when combined, are significantly more important than price; however, where quotes are determined to be technically acceptable/equal, price may become the determining factor.

(c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, issued within the time specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. The Government reserves the right to accept any offer before the expiration date.

(xi) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(xii) Additional contract requirements or terms and conditions, as determined necessary by the Contracting Officer and consistent with customary commercial practices:

• FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal

• FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services

• FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (including FAR 52.225-1, Buy American—Supplies; FAR 52.225-2, Buy American Certificate; FAR 52.225-8, Duty-Free Entry, if applicable; FAR 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; and FAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer— System for Award Management).

(xiii) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) is not applicable.

(xiv) Submission Requirements:

Responses must include sufficient information to demonstrate the offeror’s capability to provide the required product or service. Quotes shall include, at a minimum:

• Unit and total price

• Shipping and handling costs

• Delivery timeframe after award

• Delivery terms

• F.O.B. point (destination or origin)

• Product or catalog numbers (if applicable)

• Product/service description (and descriptive literature per FAR 52.211-6 if offering an "equal" item)

• Country of Origin of offered supplies per FAR 52.225-2 (Buy American Certificate)

Additional evaluation considerations may include past performance, warranty, lifecycle cost, maintenance availability, and environmental or energy efficiency. Responses must include the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and business size certification. All offerors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov.

All responses must be received by November 12, 2026 at 9:00 AM EST and must reference solicitation number 75N98027Q00044. Responses may be submitted electronically to nicholas.capobianco@nih.gov.

(xv) Point of Contact:

Nicholas Capobianco Contracting Specialist National Institutes of Health Email: nicholas.capobianco@nih.gov https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sam.gov mailto:nicholas.capobianco@nih.gov mailto:nicholas.capobianco@nih.gov

Title