Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), part of the Department of Energy's Office of Science, is conducting market research to procure a Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) with specific technical requirements. The laboratory seeks a benchtop unit featuring a 4-laser/channel system and a cartridge-based microfluidic design to support its renewable energy research goals. Potential vendors must be registered or in the process of registering with the System for Award Management (SAM) and fall under NAICS category 334516 for Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. Respondents are required to submit a 2-5 page response by April 11, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. MST to ASP.Responses@nrel.gov, including comprehensive company details, technical capabilities, rough order of magnitude pricing, and estimated lead times. The primary evaluation criteria will focus on technical specifications, manufacturing capabilities, and potential alignment with NREL's research objectives.

This pre-solicitation notice does not currently have a specific set-aside designation, though NREL reserves the right to potentially set aside future awards partially or entirely for small businesses. The laboratory will use the received RFI responses to help determine the technical scope of potential future subcontracts for the FACS equipment. While no specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the current documentation, the RFI suggests NREL is conducting preliminary market research to inform a potential competitive solicitation. Submission of a response does not guarantee inclusion in a future Request for Proposal, and the document indicates this is part of a broader market investigation to refine the laboratory's procurement strategy. The pre-solicitation notice was posted on March 12, 2025, with responses due by April 11, 2025, providing approximately one month for potential vendors to prepare and submit their information.