Sources Sought HFP-2025-129391 (Final).pdf

MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY

NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OR SOLICITATION

Purchase of Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit for Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Room

HFP-2025-129391

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting market research to support the acquisition of a Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit that is needed to support an existing Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Room. This equipment supports the mission of the Office of Applied Microbiology and Technology (OAMT) which includes method development, optimization, and validation for fresh produce matrices linked to outbreaks.

The FDA is seeking small business sources to determine the availability and capability of small businesses capable of providing the required product. Other Than Small Business (OTSB) concerns are also encouraged to submit capability statements. The following information is provided to assist the FDA in conducting Market Research to identify potential contractors for this effort.

The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is – 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The applicable Small Business Size Standard is 1,000 employees.

Statement of Work

See below.

Background

The Office of Applied Microbiology and Technology provides leadership in FDA’s Human Foods Program (HFP) in the areas of applied microbiology and technology. The following areas represent key initiative areas for OAMT:

• Method development and validation for the detection of human pathogens in food, on food contact surfaces, in production water (i.e., agricultural water), in soil, and in soil amendments.

• Produce safety.

• Seafood safety.

• Food processing and preventive controls; and

• Applied research to inform risk reduction efforts and mitigate risk.

OAMT works with the HFP program offices to support implementation of risk management activities by developing and validating methods for the detection of hazards in food for human consumption. OAMT also works with HFP program offices to support identification of appropriate risk management activities by generating scientific data through applied research activities. OAMT also supports other stakeholders in HFP, such as Office of Compliance and Enforcement and the Office of Regulatory Testing Science, with scientific expertise.

This is a new acquisition requirement for OAMT. Plant growth chambers provide researchers with a tremendous amount of control of environmental parameters, including temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, and more. To maintain their set temperature, most plant growth chambers have a dedicated refrigeration system to remove heat from the chamber and accurately maintain the required temperature. The condenser is the component responsible for cooling the refrigerant outside the chamber.

A Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Chamber was previously purchased, in 2024 and this condenser is required to support its operation. Since the Conviron GR144 Growth Chamber has already been awarded and received, it is necessary to purchase the Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit that is compatible with the Conviron GR144 Plant Growth Chamber, to ensure the growth room operates at maximal efficiency.

Place of Performance

FDA, MOD1

8301 Muirkirk Road

Laurel, MD 20708

Response Instructions

Though the target audience is small business manufacturers or small businesses capable of supplying a U.S. made product/service of a small business manufacturer or producer all interested parties may respond. At a minimum, responses shall include the following:

Business name, SAM Unique Entity ID number, business address, business website, business size status (i.e., SB, VOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone SB, SDB, WOSB, LB), point of contact name, mailing address (if different from business address), phone number and email address.

Sufficient descriptive literature that unequivocally demonstrates that offered products and services can meet the above requirements. All descriptive material necessary for the government to determine whether the service/product offered meets the technical requirements including technical specifications, ISO certifications, descriptive material, literature, brochures, and other information, which demonstrates the capabilities of the contractor to meet the requirement.

Three (3) years of past performance service information, if not the manufacturer of the equipment identified herein, where the respondent has provided same or substantially similar product/service solutions on the same or near-same brand name equipment. For each past performance reference include the date of sale, description, dollar value, client name, client address, client point of contact name, client point of contact mailing address (if different from that provided for client), client point of contact phone number, client point of contact email address, and name of the manufacturer (to include SAM Unique Entity ID number and size status) if not the respondent.

The offeror’s capability to meet the delivery requirements within the time specified above.

Offeror shall provide estimated historical on-site response time from the initial call for service until a service technician was on-site for the brand name and model of instrument in this solicitation or a standard target time for onsite performance from initiation of service call.

If applicable, identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement. Detailed list of items included and not included on the GSA contract to meet this requirement.

If applicable, identification of Best in Class (BIC) contract information or other Government-wide or HHS-wide contracts that the equipment/service is available on.

Capability and understanding of accessibility testing and customization to conform with the applicable Section 508 standards identified herein. Provide information if the respondent has an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) for the products offered for the Revised 508 Standards. The ACR should be based on the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template Version 2.0 (MS Word) provided by the Industry Technology Industry Council (ITIC).

Provide information if any of these specifications are too restrictive. No response will be considered that the listed specifications are adequate in a competitive environment.

If a large business, identify the subcontracting opportunities that would exist for small business concerns;

Standard commercial warranty and payment terms;

Provide place of product manufacture or service performance and any other applicable information to enable review and analysis pertaining to the Buy American statute and requirements relating to Made in America in the event a nonavailability waiver request through the MIAO Digital Waiver Portal is needed; and

Though this is not a request for quote, informational pricing is encouraged for both the purchase of the instrument and a lease of the instrument.

The government is not responsible for locating or securing any information not identified in the response.

The Government encourages any comments and/or suggestions from any interested party, regarding the specifications. While the Government will not respond directly to your comments and/or suggestions; we will consider them as we finalize the specifications in preparation for the forthcoming solicitation.

Interested Parties shall respond with capability statements which are due by email to the point of contact listed below on or before July 10, 2025 by 13:00 hours (Central Time in Jefferson, Arkansas) to david.kramer@fda.hhs.gov.

Reference HFP-2025-129391.

Notice of Intent

Responses to this Sources Sought announcement will assist the Government in determining whether any future requirement similar to this one should be set aside for small business, made available to full and open competition or procure through sole-source acquisition procedures.

Disclaimer and Important Notes

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in sam.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality

No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

OAMT Statement of Work (SOW)

Purchase of Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit for Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Room

1. Purpose

The purpose of this acquisition is to obtain a Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit that is needed to support an existing Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Room. This equipment supports the mission of the Office of Applied Microbiology and Technology (OAMT) which includes method development, optimization, and validation for fresh produce matrices linked to outbreaks.

The condenser itself is required to properly operate the plant growth room. This allows researchers to grow produce and mimic a variety of growing conditions, enabling the FDA to assess current methods and exposures to harmful foodborne pathogens.

Additionally, acquiring this condenser and locating it in a BSL2 laboratory will enable FDA to develop, optimize, and validate new detection methods using outbreak strains, something not possible in a commercial or agricultural environment.

2. Background

The Office of Applied Microbiology and Technology provides leadership in FDA’s Human Foods Program (HFP) in the areas of applied microbiology and technology. The following areas represent key initiative areas for OAMT:

Method development and validation for the detection of human pathogens in food, on food contact surfaces, in production water (i.e., agricultural water), in soil, and in soil amendments.

Produce safety.

Seafood safety.

Food processing and preventive controls; and Applied research to inform risk reduction efforts and mitigate risk.

OAMT works with the HFP program offices to support implementation of risk management activities by developing and validating methods for the detection of hazards in food for human consumption. OAMT also works with HFP program offices to support identification of appropriate risk management activities by generating scientific data through applied research activities. OAMT also supports other stakeholders in HFP, such as Office of Compliance and Enforcement and the Office of Regulatory Testing Science, with scientific expertise.

This is a new acquisition requirement for OAMT. Plant growth chambers provide researchers with a tremendous amount of control of environmental parameters, including temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, and more. To maintain their set temperature, most plant growth chambers have a dedicated refrigeration system to remove heat from the chamber and accurately maintain the required temperature. The condenser is the component responsible for cooling the refrigerant outside the chamber.

A Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Chamber was previously purchased, in 2024 under PO# 75F40124P00288 and this condenser is required to support its operation.

Since the Conviron GR144 Growth Chamber has already been awarded and received, it is necessary to purchase the Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit from the same manufacturer, to ensure the growth room operates at maximal efficiency.

The Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit shall meet the following technical requirements:

1. Outdoor air-cooled condensing unit (OACU) containing condenser, compressor, receiver, suction accumulator, control, and pressure regulating valves and electrical disconnect. The OACU comes complete with weatherized hood and crankcase heater for low ambient conditions.

a. Interconnecting refrigeration and electrical lines included to a maximum of 170’.

b. Refrigeration pipe insulation shall be unjacketed black Armaflex.

2. Valve

a. Electronic 3-way modulating valve that regulates the temperature function of the chamber.

3. Heat Exchanger Coils

a. Copper Tube construction

4. Refrigerant

a. Condensing Unit is charged with CFC-free refrigerant

5. Monitoring

a. Refrigeration system operation monitored by control system, including visual and audible alarms

b. Pressure transducers allow for real-time diagnostics for preventative maintenance and repair

3. Objectives

Purchase and installation of one (1) Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit for Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Room.

This Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit will enable the development and optimization of detection methods for foodborne pathogens. By purchasing and installing industry-standard equipment into a BSL2 laboratory, the development and optimization of detection methods can be optimized for real-world conditions, and work can be performed with outbreak-relevant pathogens rather than surrogates. This will result in detection methods that are more sensitive and specific, protecting public health and saving taxpayer money by reducing the scope of future sampling collections.

4. Scope

The OAMT staff will be generating data to optimize detection methods for foodborne pathogens in fresh produce. The GR144 Plant Growth Room, in conjunction with the outdoor air-cooled condensing unit, provides an advanced growing environment in a BSL2 lab, enabling research with outbreak strains rather than surrogate organisms.

5. Specific Tasks

1. Task 1: Acquisition of one Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit.

2. Task 2: Shipping and delivery of one Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing

Unit and all related and required components.

3. Task 3: Installation of one Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit including refrigeration piping and wiring to Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Room.

4. Task 4: Start-up (indicating proper functioning of the unit as controlled from the GR144 Control Panel) of all equipment to include the one Conviron Outdoor Air- Cooled Condensing Unit and the GR144 Plant Growth Room.

Project Milestones/Completion Dates

Task Number Work Milestones Projected Completion Date

5.1 Purchase of one Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled

Condensing Unit

No later than 60 calendar days after contract award

5.2 Shipping and delivery of one Conviron Outdoor

Air-Cooled Condensing Unit and all related components.

No later than 90 calendar days after contract award

Task Number Work Milestones Projected Completion Date

5.3 Installation of one Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled

Condensing Unit including refrigeration piping and wiring to Conviron model GR144 Plant Growth Room.

No later than 240 days after contract award

5.4 Start-up of all equipment to include the one

Conviron Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit and the GR144 Plant Growth Room.

No later than 260 calendar days after contract award

6. Deliverables

The Contractor shall:

Deliver one (1) Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit.

Deliver above-mentioned equipment not later than ninety (90) calendar days after the contract is awarded.

Install above-mentioned equipment no later than two-hundred forty (240) calendar days after the contract is awarded.

Provide a receipt of instrument purchase, installation, and in-person training to verify proper functioning of the unit from the GR144 Control Panel, no later than 260 calendar days after the contract is awarded.

Task 1 Delivery to Quantity

Purchase and installation of one (1) Outdoor Air-Cooled Condensing Unit includes piping and wiring

Name: To be provided at time of award.

FDA MOD1

8301 Muirkirk Road Rm 1025 Laurel, MD 20708

7. Government-Furnished Property, Material, Equipment, or Information (GFP, GFM, GFE, or GFI)

No Government-furnished property will be provided to the Contractor.

8. Security

The government will provide an escort of the service engineer to install the Outside Air-cooled Condensing Unit. The engineer shall not be provided access to any material that involves Non-Public positions and involves the lowest degree of adverse impact on the efficiency of the Agency. This position does not require a badge or access to FDA’s network.

9. Travel

Not Applicable.

10. Other Considerations

None.

11. Place of Performance

The shipment destination and task of installation shall be performed at:

FDA, MOD1

8301 Muirkirk Road

Laurel, MD 20708

12. Holidays and Government Closures

The Contractor is not required to provide on-site services on the following days that are Federal Holidays or on any other day designated as a Federal holiday for the Washington, DC area:

New Year’s Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day President’s Day Memorial Day Juneteenth Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veteran’s Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day

In the event of inclement weather when the Federal government is closed, the Contractor is not required to provide on-site service. The Contractor is required to follow, as a minimum, other directives issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or other such official for late arrivals due to inclement weather (unless otherwise specified in the Contract).

In the event the Federal Government is closed by order of the President of the United States or the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for any reason, or the agency, the center or the building is closed for administrative or safety reasons, the Contractor shall follow directives issued by responsible officials concerning reporting for work.

The Contractor may not bill the Government for any hours that contractor employees did not work due to any Government closure (e.g. applicable under a Labor Hour contract).

For on-site support at the FDA facility, unless otherwise directed, the Contractor should adhere to standard work hours, working no more than forty (40) hours per week. If more than forty (40) hours per week are required, then the hours should be billed at normal rates/straight time. Any necessary overtime shall be authorized in advance by the Contracting Officer.

13. Contract Administration

The FDA Contracting Officer Representative (COR):

To be provided at time of award

Technical Point of Contact (POC):

To be provided at time of award.