Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source

Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source

This is a Notice of intent published in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.101(a)(1) requiring the dissemination of information regarding proposed contract actions. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Procurement Operations, Departmental Operations Acquisition Division, intends to award on a sole source basis with MRI Global for support BioWatch Rapid Deployable Laboratory.  The vendor will provide support for the BioWatch program with sample processing assessments, testing expertise, multiple sample type and organism evaluations, and rapidly deployable laboratory capabilities.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541380 Testing Laboratories and Services. This notice is not a request for competitive quotes; no solicitation document is available, and telephone requests will not be accepted. However, sources may submit descriptive literature, fully documenting their capability to perform these services, which the Agency will consider. A determination to compete in this procurement based on response(s) to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. A solicitation will be issued to MRI Global no less than 5 days after the date of this notice, unless the government determines that any other organization has the capability to meet this requirement.

This will be a Firm Fixed Price contract with FAR provisions and clauses that apply to this acquisition; FAR 6.302-1, 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items: FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders, Commercial Items; FAR 52.232-34, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer Other than Central Contractor Registration. To be considered for an award, an offeror must have completed the online electronic Representations and Certifications located at http://orca.bpn.gov in accordance with FAR 4.1201(a). By submitting an offer, the offeror acknowledges that the prospective awardee must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov, both before award and throughout the performance and final payment periods. Lack of registration in the SAM Registration will make an offeror ineligible for the award. Offers must be submitted no later than 3:00 P.M.  Eastern Time on September 25, 2026 to the attention of Courtney Williams at Courtney.Williams@hq.dhs.gov and Javoil Powell at Javoil.Powell@hq.dhs.gov.

DHS will provide no reimbursement for any costs associated with providing the capability information.

The proposed contract action is for services for which the government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, as authorized by FAR Part 6.302-1 Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements because the MRI Global has the experience necessary to prepare similar quality assurance samples for daily assurance, proficiency testing, and demonstration capability.  MRI Global also has Biosafety levels 2/3 laboratories for agent testing and ISO 17025 accredited. The vendor has scientists that are skilled to perform operational support: investigations, evaluations, and operational testing for special/surge events.   Interested persons may identify their interest and ability to respond to the requirement. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will generally be considered exclusively for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.