MESO QuickPlex SQ 120MM Electrochemiluminescence Multiplexing Instrument

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) and the Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch (PECRB), is seeking to procure one MESO QuickPlex SQ 120MM Electrochemiluminescence Multiplexing Instrument through a sole-source contract award. This analytical laboratory instrument is required to perform multi-biomarker analyses on clinical and research biospecimens in support of the ETCHED longitudinal observational study, which demands simultaneous measurement of autoimmune and metabolic biomarkers across maternal, cord blood, and infant samples with extremely limited volumes of approximately 5 milliliters. The instrument must meet stringent technical specifications, including the capability to multiplex up to 10 assays per well, achieve detection limits of 0.5-1.0 pg/mL, maintain a dynamic range greater than 10^5, operate within temperatures of 20°C-26°C, complete plate reads in 2 minutes 45 seconds, process 22 plates per hour, and require no daily or monthly user maintenance. The government asserts that only Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC can fulfill these requirements under FAR Part 6.302-1 due to the unique combination of sensitivity, multiplexing capability, and low sample volume performance offered by the QuickPlex 120. Small businesses, including 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone, small disadvantaged, veteran-owned, and women-owned entities, may submit written capability statements demonstrating their ability to meet the requirement by April 15, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. EST to david.shen@nih.gov.

This procurement carries no set-aside designation and is intended as a firm-fixed-price purchase order with the anticipated incumbent contractor, Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC, under contract number 75N98026Q00176. The notice does not specify the contract value or budget range for this acquisition. The procurement is structured as a pre-solicitation notice with a limited response window, as an award is anticipated approximately five days after the notice posting date of April 7, 2026, unless the government determines that another organization can meet the stated requirements. Small businesses interested in competing are encouraged to submit evidence of capability promptly to meet the compressed timeline. The instrument specifications and contracting approach reflect the NIH's urgent need for specialized analytical capabilities to support ongoing clinical research objectives within the ETCHED study.