Automatic Robotic Machines

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is soliciting firm-fixed price quotes for five Tecan Fluent robotic machines designed to support diagnostic testing and outbreak surge capacity at the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas. The solicitation (Number 12639525Q0007) requires brand name or equal robotic systems with specific technical capabilities, including the ability to process 96 samples simultaneously, perform sample preparation, PCR mastermix preparation, serological assays, and next-generation sequencing library preparation. Each machine must feature 8-channel pipette arms, barcode scanning, plate and tube manipulation capabilities, and operate within a negative flow HEPA hood environment. Interested parties must submit complete quote packages via email to Contracting Specialist Kathy Melby by 3:30 PM CST on November 3, 2025, with all questions due by 8:00 AM CST on October 29, 2025. Quotes that do not address all items listed in the "Notes to Quoters" page will be considered incomplete and ineligible for award, making strict compliance with submission requirements essential.

This procurement is not set aside for small businesses; however, the Small Business Subcontracting Plan requires that any contract exceeding $700,000 include subcontracting goals of 22% Small Business, 5% Small Disadvantaged Business, 5% Women-Owned Small Business, 3% HUBZone Small Business, and 5% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. The solicitation encompasses five distinct robotic systems, each configured for specialized laboratory workflows including extraction, virus isolation, master mix preparation, serology, and NGS library preparation, with comprehensive parts lists covering base units, arms, accessories, computers, software, and specialized laboratory equipment. All machines will be delivered to the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, within 90 days of award. The procurement falls under NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) and PSC 6640 (Laboratory Equipment and Supplies), with the applicable small business size standard of 1,000 employees. The place of performance is listed as Manhattan, Kansas, where the NBAF is located.