Nexsa XPS system maintenance and services

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), under the Department of the Navy Secretary of the Navy Office of Naval Research, has published a Notice of Intent to Award a sole source purchase order for NEXSA XPS System Maintenance and Services. This special notice indicates that NRL intends to award the contract exclusively to FEI Company based on a determination that only one responsible source can satisfy the agency's requirements. The procurement falls under NAICS code 811210 (Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance) and PSC code J066 (Maintenance/Repair/Rebuild of Equipment—Instruments and Laboratory Equipment). The purchase will be executed using Simplified Acquisition Procedures under FAR Part 13.106-1(b), with an estimated value not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold of $350,000. This is not a competitive solicitation, but rather a notification of the government's intent to proceed with a single-source award.

Interested parties have fifteen calendar days from the publication date (through March 31, 2026) to submit clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the government. Any response must demonstrate substantive competitive capabilities relative to the stated requirement, though submission of capability information does not guarantee consideration or future reimbursement for associated costs. The government retains sole discretion to determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement based on responses received. Contractors should direct inquiries and submissions to the point of contact, Richard Key, at richard.a.key2.civ@us.navy.mil, and must reference the Notice of Intent number in all correspondence. While this notice provides an opportunity for potential competitors to challenge the sole-source justification, the threshold for demonstrating competitive advantage is deliberately high, making successful intervention relatively unlikely in sole source determinations of this nature.