Flow Cytometer

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service is soliciting quotations for the procurement of a bench-top flow cytometer designed for DNA content, ploidy, and genome size analyses in horticultural crops (Request for Quotation 1232SA26Q0261). The instrument must be fully integrated with compatibility for propidium iodide fluorescent dye and include associated software for data analysis that exports to Excel and PowerPoint on Windows-OS systems, emphasizing high sensitivity, reproducibility, and ease of maintenance. Award will be made to the offeror representing best value based on a sequential Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation methodology considering Price, Past Performance, and Technical Acceptability as primary factors. Quotations must be submitted by March 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM Central Standard Time, with an offer acceptance period of 60 calendar days from receipt, and questions must be directed to lynn.hults@usda.gov no later than March 10, 2026, at 3:00 PM Central Time. The solicitation is issued as a commercial items procurement under FAR Part 12 and incorporates numerous compliance requirements including Buy American provisions, FDA food facility registration where applicable, proper packaging per FDA and USDA standards, and liquidated damages provisions for delivery delays.

This procurement is designated as a small business set-aside with a NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) and a small business size standard of 1,000 employees; no incumbent contractor or specific award value is identified in the available documentation. The place of performance is listed as Poplarville, Mississippi 39470, with delivery required F.O.B. destination to 920 East Campus Drive, Columbia, Missouri 65211. The solicitation anticipates awarding one firm-fixed-price contract to a single responsible offeror, with all responsible sources eligible to submit quotations. No specific quantity or timeline for delivery beyond the F.O.B. destination requirement has been detailed in the notice, though delivery delays will incur liquidated damages. Contractors must demonstrate compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices, provide appropriate certifications, ensure U.S. origin of products, and comply with federal anti-discrimination laws and equal opportunity requirements.