FAR 13.5 JA PCR MR Quant Studio_Redacted.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- W911S6-25-P-A001
About this file
This document is a Justification Review Document for a Sole Source Justification and Approval under FAR 13.5 for maintenance and repair services for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Flow Cytometer instrumentation at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground. The contract is with Life Technologies Corporation/ThermoFisher Scientific for a base period from 01 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, with two additional one-year option periods and a FAR 52.217-8 extension option.
The justification highlights that Life Technologies is the sole authorized servicer of ThermoFisher Scientific manufactured instruments, with proprietary hardware and software for PCR and flow cytometer systems. Market research, including a sources sought notice on SAM.gov and review of historical contract data, confirmed no alternative vendors. The services include annual preventative maintenance, emergency repairs, calibration, and instrument recertification for eleven PCR instruments and five thermal cyclers, all located at the ThermoFisher Scientific Division at Dugway Proving Ground. The total contract value is redacted, but the document emphasizes that purchasing new equipment would be cost-prohibitive, and the current instrumentation meets requirements when properly maintained.
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CUI//SP-PROCURE//FEDCON
Control No.: Dugway Proving Ground 2025-24 partially a location issue that severely limits interest in most all service contract requirements.
d. Impact if justification not approved: This instrumentation provides real-time, quantitative PCR amplification for quality assurance and quality control of materials used to test biological defense systems. These instruments are also used to analyze test samples collected in laboratory, chamber and field tests.
Without this instrumentation performing to OEM standards QA/QC of biological materials would be degraded and T&E data generated from systems under test and referee instruments would be unreliable. The purchase of new equipment is cost prohibitive and unwarranted as the current instrumentation meets present requirements when properly maintained.
6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: A sources sought posted on beta.SAM.gov on 18 November 2024 yielded no interest from industry.
7. Actions to Increase Competition: Pursuant to FAR 5.202(a)(1), Contracting activity will continue to advocate brand name or equivalent specification for equipment purchased by DPG’s BioTest Division (BTD) and personnel will continue to monitor and seek to identify other vendors that may meet BTD’s specialized needs.
Subcontracting is not required as the estimated value of the contract is not expected to exceed .
8. Market Research: The market research conducted for the acquisition of Quant Studio PCR and thermal cycler maintenance and repair services has been an effort aimed at identifying potential vendors and evaluating the availability of competitive sources for these services. The primary challenge in sourcing these services stems from the remote location of Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), situated in West Central Utah, which has led to a limited number of willing vendors. Life Technologies Corporation/ThermoFisher Scientific is the primary vendor identified through the research process.
A thorough web search was conducted to identify vendors offering the requested services. The only vendor that consistently appeared was Life Technologies, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) system components. Life Technologies, previously known as Applied Biosystems, was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific. Life Technologies provided proprietary justification documentation that was used in the Justification and Approval process, confirming their status as the OEM and sole provider for the required services.
In accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 205.205-71, DFARS 206.302-1(d), and DFARS Procedures Guidance and Information (PGI) 206.302-1 (d), a source sought was posted to Contract Opportunities on SAM.gov on 18 November 2024 for fourteen (14) days with the intention of soliciting responses
Control No.: Dugway Proving Ground 2025-24 from other potential vendors. However, only Life Technologies responded, reaffirming their role as the primary supplier for the requested equipment and services.
A review of FPDS was conducted to examine historical contract data for similar acquisitions under NAICS codes 811210 and 811219. The search revealed that all contracts related to the Quant Studio and thermal cycler M&R services were awarded on a sole-source basis to Life Technologies.
Given these findings, DPG will continue to pursue opportunities to identify alternate vendors.
9. Interested Sources: To date, no other sources have expressed interest in the proposed action.
10. Other Facts:
Procurement History:
Contract number: W911S620P0031 Vendor: Life Technologies Corporation/ThermoFisher Scientific Award date: 30 September 2020 Competitive Status: Sole Source Authority cited: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, Title 41
U.S.C. 1901as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5: 13.501- (a)(2)(i) Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.
Contract number: W911S616P0054
Award date: 29 September 2016 Competitive Status: Sole Source Authority cited: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, Title 41
U.S.C. 1901as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5: 13.501-
Contract number: W911S614P0069
Award date: 22 September 2014 Competitive Status: Sole Source Authority cited: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, Title 41
U.S.C. 1901as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5: 13.501-
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