microbe polished sock samples

The U.S. Geological Survey Office of Acquisitions and Grants seeks microbe polished thin sections of rock samples, with quotations due August 3, 2026 at 1700 hours Pacific Daylight Time. This is a total small business set-aside conducted as a Request for Quotation under FAR 12 for commercial products and services.

Work will be performed at the contractor's facility, with delivery of completed samples to the USGS Alaska Science Center in Anchorage, Alaska. The period of performance runs from September 30, 2026 to September 30, 2028, covering an estimated 440 total samples. Technical specifications require sample stabilization and trimming, embedding in feldspar-bearing sand, cutting to 30-micron thickness, mounting on standard petrographic glass slides (27x46mm or 1-inch round), final polishing with 0.5-micron abrasive, engraving of sample numbers, and optional staining for calcium and potassium. The standard turnaround time is six weeks unless rush or slow turnaround is specified. The contractor must provide three references from academic or government researchers for work completed in the past 18 months. Quality acceptance criteria require that researchers validate thin section thickness and polish quality upon receipt, with the contractor providing replacement sections at no charge if quality is deemed unreasonable. The NAICS code is 541380 (Testing Laboratories and Services) with a size standard of $19 million. Quotations must include firm, fixed pricing in U.S. dollars and comply with applicable federal, state, and local taxes. All quoters must be registered in the System for Award Management with a valid Unique Entity Identification number at submission. Evaluation emphasizes experience and past performance weighted more heavily than price, followed by technical capability and pricing. Questions are due July 29, 2026. Quotations must be submitted via email to tracy_huot@ios.doi.gov.