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Sources Sought #75N992-26-SS-106

Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Health Science Futures

Py-GC/MS for Micro- and Nanoplastic Analysis

I. The intent of this Sources Sought notice is to gauge industry interest, capabilities, and relevant experience to support Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Health Science Futures Office (HSF) by providing gold-standard Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) analysis of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in biological samples, such as blood, urine and tissue.

II. Specifically, ARPA-H is looking for the capability to perform Py-GC/MS analysis of MNPs in biological samples. Standard Py-GC/MS is currently the method of choice for mass-based analysis of MNPs; however, it has several limitations, including difficulty to distinguish lipids from polymers, high coefficients of variation in blood samples, and limited mass-accuracy resolution. In your response, please present strategies to address these challenges and advance Py-GC/MS toward becoming a gold-standard measurement tool. Your proposed approach for measuring MNPs must meet the following requirements:

Sample Type The method will analyze MNPs in blood, urine, and tissue samples.

Polymer Coverage The method will analyze MNPs of the following polymer types:

polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon 6 (Ny-6), Polystyrene (PS), poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyurethane (PU), and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR).

Timeline The method will be established as a standard gold instrument within nine (9) months of contract start and provide services to measure MNPs in biological samples for up to 60 months.

Limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ)

The method must measure MNPs of the polymer types listed above at an LOD of 100-250 ng (10-20 ng desired), and a corresponding LOQ of 0.3-1µg (30-80 ng desired).

Lab Contamination Access to at least an ISO-7 clean room or workstation.

Please include the following information in your response:

• Describe the Py-GC/MS instruments in your facility for analyzing MNPs including standard and specialized instruments or methodologies (e.g. Py-GC/HRMS, Py-GC- MS/MS or Py-GC/TOFMS). If more than one type of instrument will be used, provide information for each.

o Specify the acquisition approach used (e.g., full-scan MS, targeted MS, or targeted MS/MS).

o Specify GC retention time, molecular ion (and product ion, if applicable) m/z for each pyrolysis product (2 or more most intense pyrolysis products per polymer desired).

o Describe instrument test samples used for the GC-MS portion, independently of sample preparation and pyrolysis. Provide QC specifications for these

R1 Page 2 of 4 instrument test samples; include compound name, LOD on column (defined by 3xS/N), GC elution temperature range, and any other relevant parameters.

o Provide relevant preliminary results for measuring pure MNP calibrator mixtures using your current instrumentation; include LOD (defined by 3xS/N), LOQ (10xS/N), and lowest/highest calibration levels (LLOQ/ULOQ) in ng of pyrolyzed polymer. At three intermediate ng-level concentrations, report the mean and coefficient of variation (CV) for intra-day and inter-day replicates (n=5 each).

o Provide blank diluent results for 5 days. Describe blank acceptance criteria, background subtraction/correction procedures, and how contamination introduced during digestion, concentration, transfer, and pyrolysis will be quantified.

o Provide relevant preliminary results for measuring MNPs spiked into pure solvent using your preferred matrix digestion and MNP isolation procedure, provide polymer-specific solvent blank results, estimated LOD/LOQ, and percent spiked recovery.

We encourage submitters to include a spiked calibration curve for PS

MNPs in water, prepared by serial dilution. Lowest spiking level should be 3xLOD.

Please specify for each MNP at three spiking levels the percent accuracy and CV precision based on 5 replicate analyses.

We encourage submitters to use MNPs with known particle size in the 100 nm to 1 µm range.

o Define/cite a reference on how LOD is determined in your samples.

• Discuss known or anticipated limitations based on analysis of single polymer standards; e.g. contribution from SBR to PS signal. Discuss common sources of interference; e.g. PE interference from lipids or laboratory contamination.

• Provide technical details for how samples will be processed in your facility, from the initial biological sample through digestion, isolation (e.g. vacuum filtration or centrifugation), enrichment and transfer into pyrolysis cups for analysis.

• Describe a plausible path to establish a gold standard Py-GC/MS based analysis method within nine (9) months.

o Provide an explanation of what method development is needed to establish an instrument that meets the requirements listed above. If method development is not needed, please point to evidence of existing capabilities.

o Note that entities needing significant setup and development costs will not be considered.

• Once established, the method will be used as a service to analyze performer samples for approximately four additional years.

o Provide an estimate of the cost per biological sample (blood, urine, and tissue) for analysis using the established gold standard method.

o Provide an estimate of the number of samples that can be run on the gold standard instrument per month.

o Provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimate of development costs leading to the methodology becoming standardized and ready to process outside samples.

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• Describe how your lab will minimize plastic contamination, including the control experiments you will use to monitor contamination in your lab.

III. Sources Sought Response Format:

Responses will be evaluated solely for market research purposes. Consequently, the Government is primarily interested in Qualified Sources providing specific technical details indicating how that source can meet the Government’s needs. Interested parties, at a minimum, should provide the following information:

a) Name of Entity and Point(s) of Contact

b) Address, Telephone Number and Email Addresses(s) of POC

c) Vendor Cage Code, Unique Entity ID and DUNS Number, if any.

d) The anticipated NAICS Code for this effort is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing with a corresponding size standard of 750 employees, 325211 Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing with a corresponding size standard of 1,250 employees, or 541713, Research and Development in Nanotechnology, with a corresponding size standard of 1,000 employees. Identify the business size and type (small business, academic institution, FFRDC, national lab, etc.), applicable Socioeconomic Categories, and number of employees in relation to the proposed NAICS Codes: 326199, 325211 and/or 541713.

e) Concise technical description of the offeror’s capabilities in providing the above service using the technical requirements and guidance provided in section II.

f) Indicate if your entity would respond to a Request for Proposal. Include if your entity would propose as the prime or subcontractor.

g) Indicate if subcontracting possibilities exist and/or if all or some of the efforts may be performed by a single vendor.

h) Provide, in this response, with at least 2 relevant (within the last 36 months) contracts/orders, or other entities with a brief description of services provided for the same or similar type of work. If no such formal agreements exist, please provide a summary of prior performance for the same or similar type of work.

i) Provide in this response any active contracts/orders or agreements with the U.S.

Government (e.g. GWAC, GSA schedule, BPA, etc.) that may be utilized for this requirement.

Include the Government point of contact.

j) Provide a rough estimate or cost range of the annual cost to obtain the requirement. If you have a pricelist, please provide it with your submittal.

k) Indicate how quickly your company would be able to provide the requirement (e.g. within XX days of contract award).

IV. Response to this Sources Sought Notice should not exceed 6 pages, single-spaced, 12-point font and 1-inch margins, inclusive of charts, graphs, or other illustrations. All responses to this notice must be UNCLASSIFIED and must be received electronically no later than 3:00 pm (Eastern) on September 8th, 2026. Submit responses to: erica.bryant@arpa-h.gov and STOMP@arpa-h.gov. Requests received after the due date will not be considered or responded to. When submitting a response, please use “Py-GC/MS for Micro- and Nanoplastic Analysis 75N992-26-SS-106” in the email subject line. Any responses submitted through different channels or to a different email address will not be considered.

The Government will NOT acknowledge receipt of submissions and is under no obligation to mailto:erica.bryant@arpa-h.gov mailto:erica.bryant@arpa-h.gov

R1 Page 4 of 4 provide feedback. The Government will review the responses to assess relevance and potential performance capabilities.

V. Disclaimers and Important Notes This announcement contains all information required to submit a response. Submission of a response is entirely voluntary and is not required to propose to a subsequent solicitation.

This announcement does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals. This Sources Sought Notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released in the future, it may be synopsized at SAM.gov website.

It is the responsibility of any potential offerors/bidders to monitor this site for release of any solicitation or synopsis. The Government will NOT provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this notice. 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.

To the maximum extent possible, please submit non-proprietary and non-personal identifiable information. If company proprietary information is submitted, it must be appropriately and specifically marked. It is the submitter’s responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary data. Any proprietary information should clearly be labeled as “Proprietary”. The Government will not publicly disclose proprietary information obtained as a result of this notice information obtained as a result of this notice.

Submissions may be reviewed by Government personnel and support contractors bound by appropriate non-disclosure agreements.